The Comet Seekers, by Helen Sedgewick

Astronomer Roisin is from Ireland; Francois is a chef from Bayeux, France. They meet in Antarctica and bond over Roisin’s obsession with comets. The story takes us back and forth in time, following the visits of various comets to the solar system and the effect they have on the Earth and its inhabitants. These effects are seen through the prism of one particular family, which has an almost mystical connection with comets that is passed on through the generations. We also follow the arc of Roisin’s relationship with her ‘kissing cousin’ – the push and pull of family and love versus that of science, the stars and the wider world. Beautifully written, with an almost poetic application of the science,the magical realism aspect gets a bit much as the intersection of Roisin and Francois’ lives becomes more than coincidence. The story comes full circle in more ways than one as the special two come to terms with their respective pasts, but it has perhaps taken too long and too many visiting comets to get there.