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jss's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Child abuse, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Minor: Kidnapping and Forced institutionalization
madamelacy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Trafficking, Child abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Death and Grief
juleemhuy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Kidnapping and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
deedireads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
TL;DR REVIEW:
A Town Called Solace is a quick read that manages to cover heavy topics while also feeling comforting. The plot is a big formulaic, but I enjoyed it.
For you if: You like books with multiple narrators and nonlinear timelines.
FULL REVIEW:
A Town Called Solace is my first read by Mary Lawson, thanks to the 2022 Booker Prize longlist. And while the plot did feel a little Hallmark Movie-ish (which, on the flip side, actually makes this a much more approachable novel than most Booker books), I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it.
The book has three main characters, all of whom get POV chapters: A young girl named Clara, whose older sister ran away and is missing; her elderly neighbor, Elizabeth (aka Mrs. Orchard), who is in the hospital; and a young man named Liam who’s staying in Mrs. Orchard’s house. I don’t want to give too much away, but suffice to say that we learn a lot more about these three characters, especially how Liam and Mrs. Orchard’s lives once intersected. The plot builds to a big reveal at the end.
What impressed me about this book was how cozy it felt while also dealing with some whopping heavy themes — chronic miscarriage and infertility, for one (that’s not a spoiler, but it is a trigger warning), and a missing teenager/sister, for another. It also somehow feels almost quiet AND like a page-turner (I read it in one day). As we discussed at book club, we can see why people compare Mary Lawson to Anne Tyler.
Overall, most of us agreed that we enjoyed it, even if it sometimes felt too tidy or formulaic. Sometimes we litfic readers just need something less taxing to sink into!
Graphic: Miscarriage and Infertility
Moderate: Child abuse and Death
Minor: Rape and Toxic relationship
lou_o_donnell's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Rape, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, and Trafficking
jen_again's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Miscarriage and Infertility
Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Domestic abuse
cozjetez's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Kidnapping, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Rape
amnda527's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Minor: Abandonment, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Grief, Infertility, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
aeeklund's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Abandonment, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Miscarriage, Mental illness, and Kidnapping
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Rape