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A review by sheryl_macca
This Lovely City by Louise Hare
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
The Lovely City is based in 1940s-50s London. It's a story of the changing picture of England in the time of Windrush; Racism, women's liberation and the secularisation of society.
Murder mystery and a romance entwine to form the plot but for me the weight is most definitely on the romance when I'd have preferred more examination of the murder mystery.
The cast of characters is small and diverse but the book is plot driven. Character development is a little lacking. I wanted deeper emotion.
The duality of the windrush generation is explored well. From the welcome they receive from the 'mother land', 'a good strong pair of hands' to rebuild England after the war, entertaining musicians who bring their new music to the dance clubs to the racial slurs, the scary otherness reported in the newspapers, the rumours at church of how the newcomers are 'different from us' and the crimes that are being automatically pinned on them for a fast solve all over the city.
There's also a melancholic mood, a sense of judgement throughout the book. It's subtle enough to give just a wary feeling that Lawrie and Evie, our protagonists, no doubt feel every day since they are both people of colour.
It's a good story, it's well written. It's not a powerful or in depth read. It's a much lighter book than I anticipated.
Murder mystery and a romance entwine to form the plot but for me the weight is most definitely on the romance when I'd have preferred more examination of the murder mystery.
The cast of characters is small and diverse but the book is plot driven. Character development is a little lacking. I wanted deeper emotion.
The duality of the windrush generation is explored well. From the welcome they receive from the 'mother land', 'a good strong pair of hands' to rebuild England after the war, entertaining musicians who bring their new music to the dance clubs to the racial slurs, the scary otherness reported in the newspapers, the rumours at church of how the newcomers are 'different from us' and the crimes that are being automatically pinned on them for a fast solve all over the city.
There's also a melancholic mood, a sense of judgement throughout the book. It's subtle enough to give just a wary feeling that Lawrie and Evie, our protagonists, no doubt feel every day since they are both people of colour.
It's a good story, it's well written. It's not a powerful or in depth read. It's a much lighter book than I anticipated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Abortion