A review by micareads123
Grandview Drive by Tim Blackett

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

5.0

The opening story of Grandview Drive introduces readers to the event around which all subsequent stories revolve: a car crash on the titular thoroughfare. The victim of the crash, Earl, is a man consumed by his own loneliness. He enjoys looking into the homes on Grandview, imagining the perfect lives of their residents, until his life comes to an abrupt end. 
 
Readers then similarly glimpse into the windows of these houses, getting intimate and human snapshots of the lives of those affected by the crash. The stories of this collection unfold out of time and in silos but are woven together by an overarching theme of loneliness and a search for connection. 
 
The author invites readers to consider the ways in which we, as humans, impact each other and how our everyday actions can influence the lives of those around us. While dark themes of loneliness, suicide, depression and murder are present throughout (check content warnings), there is also hope on these pages. There is a reminder that connection can sneak up on us when and where we least expect it. 
 
Grandview Drive is an excellent debut with a wealth of nuance in its characters and depth of emotion in its themes. It is a prime example of literary fiction, unassumingly inviting readers to contemplate the big picture of society and challenging the promise of appearances. 
 
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by the author in the future. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings