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aet_rebecca's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Kidnapping
madamelacy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, and Trafficking
Moderate: Death and Grief
kelly_e's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Title: A Town Called Solace
Author: Mary Lawson
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: 4.5
Pub Date: January 1, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Wise • Human • Absorbing
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Sixteen-year-old Rose has gone missing and her seven-year-old sister Clara is distraught. Clara's only comfort is Moses, the cat she is caring for next door and belonging to elderly Mrs. Orchard who left for the hospital weeks ago, and still hasn't returned. When Liam Kane, a newly divorced man in his mid-thirties moves into Mrs. Orchard's house, Clara cannot figure out why he is there. Nearing the end of her life, Mrs. Orchard wants to make amends for something the occurred thirty years ago.
💭 T H O U G H T S
This was the quiet, character-driven novel I desperately needed. With three distinct and interconnected voices, it's a solid depiction of small town Canada. With beautiful and emotional writing, Mary Lawson creates mystery in this wise, absorbing, and deeply human story.
I'll admit I felt completely invested in the narrative and the lives of each of the three main characters. The characters are the star of the show, with the plot seemingly taking a back seat most of the way. Lawson captures the different stages of life flawlessly in each of the protagonists voices. And of course, I couldn't help but love the addition of Moses the cat.
Overall, I a quietly reflective and compassionate read focusing on grief, remorse, and, of course, love. I was just so touched by this novel in a way I wasn't anticipating and will be looking forward to exploring Mary Lawson's backlist.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• anyone who likes a well-written character-driven novel
• readers in need of a 'quiet' read•
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Maybe it's a matter of tenses. Of grammar. Our love existed, it does exist, it will exist. On the great continuum of time perhaps it is the tenses that will cease to be."
Author: Mary Lawson
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: 4.5
Pub Date: January 1, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Wise • Human • Absorbing
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Sixteen-year-old Rose has gone missing and her seven-year-old sister Clara is distraught. Clara's only comfort is Moses, the cat she is caring for next door and belonging to elderly Mrs. Orchard who left for the hospital weeks ago, and still hasn't returned. When Liam Kane, a newly divorced man in his mid-thirties moves into Mrs. Orchard's house, Clara cannot figure out why he is there. Nearing the end of her life, Mrs. Orchard wants to make amends for something the occurred thirty years ago.
💭 T H O U G H T S
This was the quiet, character-driven novel I desperately needed. With three distinct and interconnected voices, it's a solid depiction of small town Canada. With beautiful and emotional writing, Mary Lawson creates mystery in this wise, absorbing, and deeply human story.
I'll admit I felt completely invested in the narrative and the lives of each of the three main characters. The characters are the star of the show, with the plot seemingly taking a back seat most of the way. Lawson captures the different stages of life flawlessly in each of the protagonists voices. And of course, I couldn't help but love the addition of Moses the cat.
Overall, I a quietly reflective and compassionate read focusing on grief, remorse, and, of course, love. I was just so touched by this novel in a way I wasn't anticipating and will be looking forward to exploring Mary Lawson's backlist.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• anyone who likes a well-written character-driven novel
• readers in need of a 'quiet' read•
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Maybe it's a matter of tenses. Of grammar. Our love existed, it does exist, it will exist. On the great continuum of time perhaps it is the tenses that will cease to be."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Grief, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, and Kidnapping
Minor: Fatphobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness
⚠️ CW: missing child, divorcejrkinyak's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really loved this book. My husband and 8-year-old listened to the end with me and were rapt. It’s lyrical and lovely and has true emotions and describes little moments so particularly and perfectly, and it’s uplifting without being pat or superficial. The worst thing about it, for me, was the fatphobia and body-shaming. I guess Lawson didn’t think fat people would read this and see themselves in her descriptions. It really takes me out of a book when an author treats fat people the way Lawson did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Grief
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Trafficking
deedireads's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.
TL;DR REVIEW:
A Town Called Solace is a quick read that manages to cover heavy topics while also feeling comforting. The plot is a big formulaic, but I enjoyed it.
For you if: You like books with multiple narrators and nonlinear timelines.
FULL REVIEW:
A Town Called Solace is my first read by Mary Lawson, thanks to the 2022 Booker Prize longlist. And while the plot did feel a little Hallmark Movie-ish (which, on the flip side, actually makes this a much more approachable novel than most Booker books), I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it.
The book has three main characters, all of whom get POV chapters: A young girl named Clara, whose older sister ran away and is missing; her elderly neighbor, Elizabeth (aka Mrs. Orchard), who is in the hospital; and a young man named Liam who’s staying in Mrs. Orchard’s house. I don’t want to give too much away, but suffice to say that we learn a lot more about these three characters, especially how Liam and Mrs. Orchard’s lives once intersected. The plot builds to a big reveal at the end.
What impressed me about this book was how cozy it felt while also dealing with some whopping heavy themes — chronic miscarriage and infertility, for one (that’s not a spoiler, but it is a trigger warning), and a missing teenager/sister, for another. It also somehow feels almost quiet AND like a page-turner (I read it in one day). As we discussed at book club, we can see why people compare Mary Lawson to Anne Tyler.
Overall, most of us agreed that we enjoyed it, even if it sometimes felt too tidy or formulaic. Sometimes we litfic readers just need something less taxing to sink into!
TL;DR REVIEW:
A Town Called Solace is a quick read that manages to cover heavy topics while also feeling comforting. The plot is a big formulaic, but I enjoyed it.
For you if: You like books with multiple narrators and nonlinear timelines.
FULL REVIEW:
A Town Called Solace is my first read by Mary Lawson, thanks to the 2022 Booker Prize longlist. And while the plot did feel a little Hallmark Movie-ish (which, on the flip side, actually makes this a much more approachable novel than most Booker books), I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it.
The book has three main characters, all of whom get POV chapters: A young girl named Clara, whose older sister ran away and is missing; her elderly neighbor, Elizabeth (aka Mrs. Orchard), who is in the hospital; and a young man named Liam who’s staying in Mrs. Orchard’s house. I don’t want to give too much away, but suffice to say that we learn a lot more about these three characters, especially how Liam and Mrs. Orchard’s lives once intersected. The plot builds to a big reveal at the end.
What impressed me about this book was how cozy it felt while also dealing with some whopping heavy themes — chronic miscarriage and infertility, for one (that’s not a spoiler, but it is a trigger warning), and a missing teenager/sister, for another. It also somehow feels almost quiet AND like a page-turner (I read it in one day). As we discussed at book club, we can see why people compare Mary Lawson to Anne Tyler.
Overall, most of us agreed that we enjoyed it, even if it sometimes felt too tidy or formulaic. Sometimes we litfic readers just need something less taxing to sink into!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility and Miscarriage
Moderate: Child abuse and Death
Minor: Rape and Toxic relationship
lotus36's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness and Grief
Minor: Death, Infertility, Terminal illness, Vomit, and Kidnapping
lou_o_donnell's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, and Pregnancy
mattypallett's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This isn’t normally the type of book I’d choose to read, but I ended up really enjoying this trip beyond my comfort zone.
Mary Lawson’s tone was immediately apparent to me and helped give this book - and these characters - a strong sense of identity and authenticity.
Though the perspectives are heavily intertwined, the narrative surrounding Mrs Orchard was probably my favourite. She felt like such a real, loving, yet flawed character.
I personally would’ve liked a little bit more of a conclusion to the Clara storyline, but I do understand why it was finished in the way it was.
Mary Lawson’s tone was immediately apparent to me and helped give this book - and these characters - a strong sense of identity and authenticity.
Though the perspectives are heavily intertwined, the narrative surrounding Mrs Orchard was probably my favourite. She felt like such a real, loving, yet flawed character.
I personally would’ve liked a little bit more of a conclusion to the Clara storyline, but I do understand why it was finished in the way it was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
onion's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Kidnapping, and Grief