Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - The Switch

Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Switch by Beth O'Leary

92 reviews

ecjl's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

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amyvl93's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I wasn't as much of a fan as I wanted to be of <i>The Wake-Up Call</i> so I was a little nervous going into The Switch which has been sat on my shelf for a long time. However, it did win me over more than my first.

This novel follows Leena, a young woman reeling from the death of her sister who is forced to take two months off from her high-flying consulting career and Eileen, her grandmother who despite throwing herself into every community activity going still feels lonely after her husband left her. The two women decide to swap houses, and lives, for a period - Leena returning to the small village where her sister died and her mother still lives, and Eileen to the fashionable East London flat Leena shares with her housemates.

What really made The Switch shine for me was the cast of characters that O'Leary populated the novel with. The inhabitants of the Yorkshire village that Eileen lives in all leap from the page, in turn comedic and also people you come to love; likewise Leena's housemates and building mates that Eileen encounters all feel really well realised.

This novel is however tropey as all get out featuring; grumpy Londoners and talk of how grim the city is, rubbish corporate boyfriend, hot local villager, career woman questioning her career etc etc. This meant I wasn't that engaged in Leena's story as it was the one that fell the most victim to this. Also despite the reader being told repeatedly that she is very smart - she makes some very daft judgements in this novel including towards her grieving mother that I think the plot would have us excuse. I must preferred spending time with Eileen, whose narrative was sparser on the tropes.

All in all, this was a cute light read but it hasn't moved O'Leary to my must read pile yet.

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vivisms_82's review against another edition

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lighthearted

3.0

Another breezy book by Beth O'Leary. This author touches on heavy topics (like domestic abuse and grief) albeit very lightly so nothing truly deep examined here. Having said that, I think this book tries to see Leena and Eileen tackle some social issues (like social isolation and ageism) but for me, it's way too much of the cringey easy fix you see in a Hallmark movie of an ageing gran that is hip and solves problems of people half her age blah blah blah whilst her overworked, high flying granddaughter brings a community together through her umm... work ethic? I mean the mother even goes to freakn Bali to "find herself" and there is a "playful" paint fight between Leena and her obvious love interest. Predictable but an ok cleansing palate in between a psychological thriller or two :)

The narrators were excellent.

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filipacmiranda's review

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emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

4.25

This book reminded me of The Holiday (the movie) and didn't disappoint! Once again, Beth O'Leary takes an imaginative and cosy plot and sprinkles it with serious issues. As a result, The Switch tackles a wide range of topics from anxiety to parenting, grief to the importance of having a community, and domestic violence to elderly sexuality.

Leena and Eileen are both lovable and easy to empathise with. For me, Eileen and her representation of older people are the highlights of this book. It's rare to find stories where people over 65 are the protagonists. O'Leary uses Leena’s grandmother to demystify this stage of life. When juxtaposed with the stories of isolation and abandonment that are also present in this book, Eileen's description of more than just a grandmother becomes even more relevant!

The least successful aspect of this novel is Leena and Jackson's relationship. To me, it was always more of a friendship than a love story. I believe a deeper exploration of their relationship could have led me to acknowledge the love that blossoms between them, and it also would’ve contributed to Leena's personal development.

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cher1634's review against another edition

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medium-paced

3.0

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amandaacat's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

⭐️⭐️.5/5

A cute story of a young woman going through a quarter life crisis and an older woman looking for a new adventure. I loved the growth that Lena (the granddaughter) did in this book. I also found Ilene’s (the grandmother) adventures in London so funny and charming! I hope to be as active as her when I’m 70. If you’re looking for a sweet, quick read, I would recommend this! A bit of romance, drama, and a lot of family love.

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