Did I Ever Tell You? emerges as a testament to resilience and love, touching on topics of grief, love and family. Genevieve (Gwen) Kingston’s mother faced a terminal cancer diagnosis when Gwen was just three years old. Despite this, her mother goes on to live another eight years. In that time, she fills a chest with letters and gifts for both Gwen and her brother Jamie, ensuring there are ways for them to receive her love and guidance throughout their major milestones up to age 30, even long after she’s gone. Through cherished memories and stories, Kingston reveals the legacy her mother has left behind.

In this memoir, Kingston deals with the emotions that accompany loss, yet also learns how to have hope and resilience amidst it all. It’s an honest and raw story, as we follow the beginning of her mother’s cancer diagnosis, and how it ends up affecting relationships in the family and ultimately Kingston’s own upbringing. Throughout the memoir we are also faced with the present Kingston, reflecting on her life now she is in her 30s and how she has begun to navigate the complexities of grief, family and mental trauma. She also considers the profound legacy her mother has left behind, still letting herself be guided by her mother’s words all these years later.

Did I Ever Tell You? serves as a universal narrative of love and loss, a testament to the human spirit and how we begin to overcome grief, finding solace in cherished memories. It’s also a testament to Kingston’s resilience, and the resilience of the human race more generally. Kingston’s memoir is beautiful, sure to tug at your heartstrings and linger in your mind for a long time.