Title: The Woman at Number 24
Author: Juliet AshtonPublisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: 20th April 2017
Blurb
When your marriage falls apart,
the last place you'd want your husband to move to is downstairs. Unfortunately
for Sarah, up in the eaves at number 24, her ex-husband now lives one floor
beneath her with his new wife. Their happiness floats up through the
floorboards, taunting her.
A child psychologist, Sarah has picked up great sadness from the little girl,
Una, who lives with her careworn mother three floors below, but is Sarah emotionally
equipped to reach out?
The sunshine doesn't reach every
corner of number 24, however. Elderly Mavis, tucked away in the basement, has
kept the world at bay for decades. She's about to find out that she can't hide
forever.
Review
The Woman
at Number 24 gives a snapshot into the lives
of the residents of a Notting Hill property divided into 5 flats.
Child Psychologist Sarah lives in the top floor
flat. Sarah is in the process of re-decorating her flat with the intention of
selling up and moving on. Suffering a crisis of confidence at work and
recovering from a recent divorce, Sarah is looking for a new start, away from
the memories of her unfaithful ex, Leo.
Unfortunately for Sarah, the floor below is
occupied by Leo and his new wife, Helena, the glamorous woman responsible for
breaking up Sarah and Leo’s marriage.
On the first floor live new residents, Jane and Tom
Boyce. Jane and Sarah become firm friends, yet Sarah feels an attraction
towards the patient and gentle Tom which could start to make their friendship a
little bit awkward.
The basement flat is split into two, with one half
occupied by busy single mum, Lisa, and her young mute daughter Una. They
desperately need help to bring Una out of her selective mutism, however Sarah
feels unable to help, in view of her difficulties at work.
In the other basement flat live elderly Mavis and Peck the foul-mouthed parrot. Permanently cranky and never content unless she is grumbling,
Mavis eschews any attempts at friendship and makes for a pretty horrible neighbour.
The residents are virtual strangers who keep themselves to themselves and have little interest in their neighbours. With the arrival of both a friendly new couple and the summer sun, the neighbours begin to come together and Number 24 gradually comes to life.
The story is told from Sarah’s viewpoint and she makes for a real and likeable protagonist. I felt her discontent and her sense of loss, not just Leo’s departure but her loss of focus in life, and I wanted to see her confidence restored.
The tale is character driven. Ashton has skilfully produced a realistic and relatable cast. The most surprising character is the elderly and cranky Mavis. It is her character that develops the most over the course of the story. I also enjoyed learning more about Leo. My views towards him changed numerous times throughout the story. Mostly, I felt a deep dislike for his self-indulgent and immature ways. However, at times, I felt almost an iota of sympathy for a man who may never find happiness due to his own flaws and failings.
My favourite characters, however, are the Number 24 pets – Peck the foul-mouthed parrot and Mikey the adorable hedgehog.
The tale is set almost entirely in one location, at Number 24. In this way, the house almost takes on a character of its own – it really is a case of ‘if the walls could talk’.
The story is well-executed, proving to be a thoughtful and enjoyable read. It is interesting to consider how relationships of all kinds develop and what impact we can have on other peoples’ lives, even people that we may not be very close to, such as our neighbours.
I very much enjoyed The Woman at Number 24. It is a well-written, warm and genuine story of community, forgiveness and friendships. A thought-provoking and absorbing tale that I would recommend to lovers of women’s fiction.
The residents are virtual strangers who keep themselves to themselves and have little interest in their neighbours. With the arrival of both a friendly new couple and the summer sun, the neighbours begin to come together and Number 24 gradually comes to life.
The story is told from Sarah’s viewpoint and she makes for a real and likeable protagonist. I felt her discontent and her sense of loss, not just Leo’s departure but her loss of focus in life, and I wanted to see her confidence restored.
The tale is character driven. Ashton has skilfully produced a realistic and relatable cast. The most surprising character is the elderly and cranky Mavis. It is her character that develops the most over the course of the story. I also enjoyed learning more about Leo. My views towards him changed numerous times throughout the story. Mostly, I felt a deep dislike for his self-indulgent and immature ways. However, at times, I felt almost an iota of sympathy for a man who may never find happiness due to his own flaws and failings.
My favourite characters, however, are the Number 24 pets – Peck the foul-mouthed parrot and Mikey the adorable hedgehog.
The tale is set almost entirely in one location, at Number 24. In this way, the house almost takes on a character of its own – it really is a case of ‘if the walls could talk’.
The story is well-executed, proving to be a thoughtful and enjoyable read. It is interesting to consider how relationships of all kinds develop and what impact we can have on other peoples’ lives, even people that we may not be very close to, such as our neighbours.
I very much enjoyed The Woman at Number 24. It is a well-written, warm and genuine story of community, forgiveness and friendships. A thought-provoking and absorbing tale that I would recommend to lovers of women’s fiction.
About the
Author
BUY LINKS
No comments:
Post a Comment