The House on Fortune Street by Margot Livesey
Abigail and Dara became friends in University. Now they are both living in a house on Fortune Street in London that Abigail purchased with an inheritance from her aunt. Abigail is an actress and theater manager living with her boyfriend Sean, who left his wife for her. Dara is a therapist living in the downstairs flat, hoping that her boyfriend Edward will be able to move in with her sooner rather than later.
Both girls have some serious issues, particularly around men, eventually resulting in tragedy. The story of the girls’ lives and the tragedy that ensued is told first through the perspective of Abigail’s boyfriend Sean, then of Dara’s father Cameron, and finally of Abigail. This was a fascinating method of telling Abigail and Dara’s stories. Sean and Cameron were really telling their own stories, through which we learn about Abigail and Dara through their interactions with whomever is narrating. This really confused me initially, since the back of the book says that it is about Abigail and Dara and Sean was telling me about his life. Eventually, though, I got into this style of telling the girls’ stories. Hearing the stories of important men in their lives gave me a greater understanding of where Abigail and Dara were coming from.
Although it took me some time to get into “The House on Fortune Street,” mostly because I wasn’t quite sure what Livesey was doing with Sean’s narration, I really enjoyed it. The psychological issues faced by the characters seemed authentic and made the book very interesting.
This would probably be best described as women’s fiction, but it is definitely smart and not the least bit saccharine. I liked it.
Buy this book from:
Powells.
A local independent bookstore via Indiebound.
Amazon.
I like calling it “women’s fiction” instead of “chick lit” – or are there 2 separate categories? Sounds better, anyway!
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I see them as two different, but probably overlapping categories. Chick lit is the stuff with the pink covers with high heels and martini glasses, maybe “Confessions of a Shopaholic”. Women’s fiction deals with more realistic women and their issues and probably doesn’t really appeal to men. I think Women’s Fiction has a better chance of being ‘smart’.
I read a book by Margot Livesey a few years ago called Missing World. It was good…strange, but good. VERY psychological! This one sounds really interesting too! Nice review!
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This sounds so good. If I get it, I’ll have to remember it starts out slowly.
This book sounds interesting. I enjoy women’s fiction about friendships and am going to put it on my reading list. I recently finished a book by Linda Overman called Letters Between Us which I really enjoyed. One friend dies and the other friend is left to revisit the past through old letter’s of correspondence and her friend’s journal entries. I couldn’t put it down.
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I can’t wait to read this book! I’m planning on starting it next week!
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That’s an interesting twist in narration. This sounds like a worthwhile book to read. Thanks for the great review!
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This sound like something I might like. This got my attention: “definitely smart and not the least bit saccharine”
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Great review and sounds like something I would pick up to read!
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I’m not sure if I’m a fan of women’s fiction, but this sounds pretty complex and interesting.
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I loved this book SO much. I was initially irritated by the POV shift as well, but then once I got used to it, I felt like it was the ONLY way she could tell that story. I am totally in awe of Margot Livesey. I’ve read THE MISSING WORLD too, but must read her other novels. I hear EVA MOVES THE FURNITURE is fabulous as well.
Good review! This sounds like a book that could interest me. I had another book from the author on my tbr list, titled “Eva moves the furniture”, but I have yet to read it.
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I’ve never heard of this book but it sounds interesting. Thanks for the review!
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I’ve been wanting to read this for some time. It sounds great.
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