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A review by serendipitysbooks
A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson
emotional
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.75
I was immediately absorbed by A Town Called Solace. It’s got three intriguing characters - Clara, an eight year old girl, desperate for her missing older sister to return and who totally broke my heart, Liam, who is figuring out how to start over after the end of his marriage, and Elizabeth, a woman with a past she’d rather keep private, who is nearing the end of her life. It’s got old world charm, being set in a small northern Ontario town in the early 1970s. It’s got a compassionate exploration of themes such as love, loss and parenthood. And, what really made it standout for me, it’s got fabulous, beautiful storytelling. It’s not flashy but it does feature a couple of interesting techniques. There are three story lines which interweave and interconnect but don’t run perfectly parallel. Liam and Clara’s sections are recounted in the third person, while Elizabeth’s unfolds in the first person in the form of a letter to her dead husband. And some of the details that Lawson captures - I’m thinking of you hand sliding into pyjama pocket - are perfection. I can understand the criticisms of this book but for various reasons they weren’t issues me. I was able to accept, enjoy and be engrossed by it on its own terms.
Final Verdict - Totally captivating storytelling but it won’t be for every reader.
Final Verdict - Totally captivating storytelling but it won’t be for every reader.
Graphic: Infertility and Kidnapping