Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: when adopted midwife Mariam embarks on a project to protect an abandoned premature baby, she is forced to face her own abandonment years before. Time is running out before the baby is sent to the orphanage. Mysterious characters from the city surrounding the hospital will be crucial in determining the baby’s fate, as will a workaholic British doctor with whom Mariam finds herself falling in love… Alice Allan’s debut novel is an original,  vivid and moving story about attachment and loss. Winner 2019 fiction award, The People Book Prize

Open My Eyes, Pinter and Martin. 2017

Order your copy from Amazon, Wordery, or here. Also available as an audiobook on Amazon Audible.

Reviews:

“This is a beautifully written book, the characters of which leap to life and lodge in the mind. It is sure of its steps and tone, often moving, often daring.”

Robert Macfarlane  (Underland, The Lost Words, The Old Ways, Landmarks, The Wild Places, Mountains of the Mind)

“Open My Eyes is a tender story, perfectly evoking Addis Ababa in all its fascinating complexity. Mariam is an engaging character, strong and fearless, and her gradual emotional awakening is a joy to read”.

Elizabeth Laird (The Garbage King, Lure of the Honey Bird)

“I was moved and captivated by this gripping, unflinching, tender story of a woman catapulted into loving an abandoned baby. Told with great insight, it evokes the contradictions of contemporary Addis Ababa vividly. I loved it.”

Samantha Ellis, (Take Courage, How to be a Heroine.)

“Allan writes evocatively of [Ethiopia]…The smells, customs, food, landmarks and patterns of life that her characters observe bring the country alive for the reader, creating an emotional and vibrant novel.”

Juno Magazine

“An entertaining and engaging story, wonderfully evocative of Ethiopia, and deeply moving.”

Benet Brandreth (The Spy of Venice)

“The scent-rich coloured depth of Allan’s book is uniquely evocative as she creates a story of sensual vulnerability… You feel for the characters, and for their shocking realness. The unusual context and topic make for a truly memorably, beautifully written read which opens your heart as much as your eyes.”

Michelle Mattesini, Attachment Parenting UK

The biggest strength of the book is the chapters written from the baby’s perspective. I have never read prose that so powerfully captures the sensations of a newborn…This is a many-threaded story, and the central thread is that tiny fragile human, buffeted by the needs and the limitations of the adults in her world. It’s really wonderful to read fiction so heartfelt, so accurate, and so moving.”

Karen Hall, Sprog Cast. NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor & Essentials Practitioner

WRITING FOR TEENAGERS

Is chasing your dreams worth risking your health?

15-year-old Scarlett Rodgers is mouthy, talented and fed up with being type 1 diabetic.

When Mona, her popstar idol, challenges her to choose between her health and fame, she decides to risk it all for the chance of stardom. The trouble is, tragic Mona only lives in Scarlett’s head, and the advice of a dead pop star isn’t quite what the doctor ordered…

Sugar, Sugar is a thrilling, inspiring story about losing and finding your voice.

Order your copy here

Reviews:

“Thrilling, delicious and full of heart. I loved this book.” Samantha Ellis-Take Courage and How to be a Heroine

“Beautiful, funny, sharp, and achingly sad. A pitch perfect portrayal of a teen type 1 diabetic that touched my heart.” Louise Beech-author of Eighteen Seconds, Maria in the Moon, The Lion Tamer Who Lost

“Alice Allan’s Sugar Sugar perfectly captures the struggles of teenage diabetes. The angst, injustice and daily struggle to keep everything together brought back memories of my teenage years, having been diagnosed when I was 9. Scarlett’s quest for fame and the toxic influence of a dead singer she idolises, while dealing with the impact of diabetes on her and her complicated family, create a tense and very human tale that will resonate with any young adult. Brilliant and empathetic writing from a brave new novelist.” Finlay Robertson, actor and type 1 diabetic

“From a person with type 1 diabetes, this story is relatable. It had me from the “bloody diabetes” comment at the end of Chapter 1!” Jade Byrne, actor, write and type 1 diabetes advocate

“A poignant and exciting story of a 15-year-old who wrestles with her diabetes in pursuit of fame and self-acceptance.” Tim Albert-Two Summers