What I Had Before I Had You: A Novel Audiobook

Quotes

• “An incandescent debut by turns thrilling and meditative; part coming of age novel, part exploration of the fragility and complexity of love and family. Sarah Cornwell is a writer to be celebrated and watched.”

  — Philipp Meyer, New York Times bestselling author

• “Only a few writers can genuinely capture that stormy period between childhood and adulthood, and Sarah Cornwell is one of them…The result is an exhilarating, hurtling, unstoppable ride.”

  — Margot Livesey, New York Times bestselling author

• “Sarah Cornwell has a brilliant eye for the telling detail and a wonderfully original way of embodying family history. I was captivated by her memorable characters and the perfectly paced revelations of their surprising relationships.”

  — Andrea Barrett, Pulitzer Prize finalist

• “[A] bewitching first novel…In chapters alternating between the puzzling, pressurized present and eerily predictive past, Cornwell weaves the novel’s double narrative with the deft touch of a magician and the sure hand of a confident writer to watch.”

  — Elle

• “Captivating…Depth of insight, dreamy prose, and an engrossing storyline mark this wonderful debut.”

  — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

• “Cornwell’s first novel is an authentic and artful coming-of-age story that is uniquely multigenerational…With great attention to detail and a smooth flow between past and present, this emotionally charged narrative is as memorable as it is compelling.”

  — Booklist (starred review)

• “Gorgeously crafted, Cornwell’s tale shimmers and shimmies with nimble dialogue and poignantly flawed characters…Grafting magical thinking onto gimlet-eyed acceptance, Cornwell’s debut novel enchants.”

  — Kirkus Reviews

• “Cornwell’s debut novel is equal parts page-turner and dreamy meditation on the nature of mental illness…An important exploration of the deepest philosophical inquiries into the nature of existence, family, and love. I highly recommend.”

  — Antonya Nelson, author of Bound

• “Sarah Cornwell’s first novel is as unnerving and authoritative as Hilary Mantel’s Beyond Black. This is a beautifully written book, bold and wounding. Read it and you will never look at the Jersey Shore in quite the same way again.”

  — James Magnuson, author of Famous Writers I Have Known