Reviews with content warning for Child death - The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot

“𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲,” 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱, “𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗛𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲”

When I read the blurb of this book I thought it was right up my street. New friendships involving an old woman and a young girl, both sick, one terminal, who meet in the hospital and become best friends

Together they are 100 years old (Lenni 17 and Margot 83) and decide to paint their life story in pictures, one for every year.

This story is 80% Margot telling stories from her past which were quite emotional but had nothing to do with Lenni or their friendship.

This story disappointed me a lot. We didn’t get to know Lenni much so I couldn’t seem to connect with her character. The relationship between the two women was seriously lacking in depth so it failed to stir any emotions for me.

A friendship is two people getting to know each other and working together to build a special connection. We didn’t see this here. Anytime Lenni and Margot were together Margot dived into telling the stories from her past.

The ending was quite sad and this saved the story for me. This could have been such a wonderful story if Lenni and Margot’s relationship had been developed and nurtured. I wanted to fall in love with these characters but it just didn’t happen.

Content Warnings

awaldon1's review

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

This book made me cry. I knew it would and I am not sorry it did.

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sandysmith's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

What a ride such an amazing book, that has you riding waves of emotion, sad yes, but it is so much more than this, funny, thought-provoking, joyful, It's a full range of emotions. Lenni is 17 and has a life limiting condition, meets 83 year old Margot in hospital. They bond over art therapy and agree to paint their lives in one hundred years of their memories. The relationships are beautifully written and created, written from two viewpoints, whilst obviously most of flash backs belong to Margot, Lenni, and her views on life grabs you. Her relationships with others are also wonderfully written, and I could help but fall in love with both Lenni and Margot but the other characters, too, especially Father Arthur, the new nurse, and the tattooed porter and a few chickens. "Do you know, she said slowly, that the stars we see closest are already dead? Well that's depressing, I took my hand from hers. No, she said gently linking her arm through mine. It's not depressing, it's beautiful. They've been gone for who knows how long, but we can still see them. They live on.they live on". There is loads to consider and reflect on. My favourite type of book is one that makes you think and this book will stay with me for some time. Its brilliant just brilliant.

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marigold82's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad slow-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? Yes

4.75

The beginning of this book is slow. I started and put this book down dozens of times. Do yourself a favor and keep reading!! It is a beautiful story.

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haleymaple's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I absolutely loved this book that is really about truly living life.

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caitcosentino's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad 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? No

4.5

Loved it
Adore the relationships between Lenni & Margot, Lenni & Father Arthur, Margot and Humphrey, and Lenni & New Nurse
Excellent ending
Unbelievably moved by Humphrey and Margot's ending
What's so great about Meena, though?

Content Warnings

nicolaparty's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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kelly_e's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad 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? No

4.5

Title: The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot
Author: Marianne Cronin
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 4.50
Pub Date: June 1, 2021

T H R E E • W O R D S

Beautiful • Wise • Tender

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Life is short. No-one knows that better than seventeen year old Lenni living on the terminal ward. But as she is about to learn, it's not only what you make of life that matters, but who you share it with.

Dodging doctor's orders, she joins an art class where she bumps into fellow patient Margot, a rebel-hearted eighty three year old from the next ward. Their bond is instant as they realize that together they have lived an astonishing one hundred years.

To celebrate their shared century, they decide to paint their life stories: of growing old and staying young, of giving joy, of receiving kindness, of losing love, of finding the person who is everything.

💭 T H O U G H T S

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot was one of my 12 recommendations from 12 friends for 2023, and one I was eagerly anticipating because unlikely friendships and found family are tropes I typically love. And I must say this one did not disappoint!

This novel took me on an emotional journey - equal parts life affirming and heartbreaking, I loved being along for Lenni and Margot's journey. Told in short snippets, the writing was graceful with the perfect pacing. The story is so full of life despite knowing the characters' fates from the start. Lenni is such a special character - wise beyond her years and incredibly caring. Her banter with Father Arthur was one of my favourite aspects.

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot is such a special story, an ultimate celebration of life. It drives home the notion that it's never too late to start something, no matter what that thing is and how people can surprise you. An absolute beautiful portrayal of friendship.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of intergenerational friendships
• readers looking for a good cry

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"The cruelty of strangers never usually upsets me, but the kindness of strangers is oddly devastating."

"The light they brought with them stayed long after they'd gone."

"Answers don’t always come in the form of words."

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