A review by seamoonstone
The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin

emotional lighthearted 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

3.0

This book was a miss for me. Specifically, I missed the part where we were supposed to fall in love with the friendship between Lenni and Margot. We never see it happen. I’m left with no idea why Lenni and Margot are emotionally invested in each other.
What does Lenni, a dying child, say when Margot reveals that her child died?
Why can’t we delve into that at all? How does Margot respond to Lenni’s mother’s mental health problems (which are suggested and then promptly never mentioned again)? What does either woman think about anything the other has told her? We never see the sparks, the admiration, the moments of understanding between two people that was promised in a book about “an extraordinary friendship.” We do see other relationships form and dissolve, and the book is testing out some interesting ideas about the difference between “abandonment” and “letting someone go,” especially when things get tough or someone gets sick. The real joy in this book is the friendship between Lenni and Father Arthur. In this relationship, we see patience and care and forgiveness and vulnerability. For some reason, Lenni and Margot are not given that same space. Overall, I think the book is trying to show how we all have an impact on those around us, whether it be great or small, no matter how much time we have, but I wish the time we spent with our characters was more focussed.
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