This is another novel about the character, Lucy Barton but this time she lives in Maine with her ex-husband, William. The story, though is about her deepening friendship with local lawyer, Bob Burgess who becomes involved in a murder case. Indeed, Strout does warn you that the story is all about Bob. For those of you who are Strout fans, Olive Kitteridge makes an appearance befriending Lucy at her retirement home where they swap yarns.

This is a story about relationships and a town of Maine, which Strout describes vividly throughout the seasons of the novel. The relationships Bob has is many and the reader voyeuristically observes his feelings and thoughts about Lucy, his wife, his brother and the man he is defending.

The reader can’t help but be embroiled in the stories exchanged between Lucy and Olive about the people they know whether they add any real value to the novel or not. We tut and judge alongside them as we might with our own friends and neighbours. Yes, we do it. You know we do.

Sometimes though, these stories failed to hold my interest enough, perhaps I was after more drama which I got as the murder investigation twisted into another not entirely unpredictable direction.

The resolution of Bob and Lucy’s relationship was a little pedestrian and I can’t say I liked either of them too much.

It’s a well written novel shining a light on the everyday and the unusual and was an okay read.

A book about time travel where the past meets the present? This is a book I wanted to read.

A civil servant gets a job as a ‘bridge’ to Commander Graham Gore otherwise known as ‘1847’ when he is extracted from an Arctic mission with Sir John Franklin to find the North West Passage. All were lost during that fateful mission and yes these were real people.

Bradley deftly brings Commander Gore to life and so we have the basis for a novel. But this one is an unusual telling. Firstly, it’s told in first person by an unnamed civil servant, a young woman with Cambodian/English parentage. As a bridge, she is employed to live with him for a year to be Graham’s teacher and to help him adapt to life in the 21^st Century. Their relationship grows and she soon begins questioning the real motive in bringing several figures from the past to present day.

This is an interesting book covering a multitude of themes. The story of being a bridge also coincides with her own story as the daughter of a mother who has undergone trauma having escaped the Khmer Rouge.  Was Bradley drawing a parallel with her mother’s background as a displaced refugee to Graham’s displaced life in present day London? It seems so. The exploration of her identity meandered with little purpose until the end when it seemed to make more sense. But did it truly belong? I found it difficult to buy into and although interesting, for me it became a distraction from the core story.

The unfolding of the arctic trip made by Graham was one I wanted to know but the narrative was completely separate and omnipresent. I’d have liked to hear it from Graham or to have been with him and surely this is what the bridge would have asked too.   Sometimes it almost seemed like an information dump as did the ‘teaching’ moments by the bridge. Indeed, I’d have loved to read more about Graham’s observations too.

Their relationship was interesting as it grew and reminded me a lot of the movie Kate and Leopold only not quite as charming. Detail of the bridge’s life was scant and although there was mention of her family and some friends, there seemed to be not much else in this woman’s life.

The writing is good but the overuse of metaphors was distracting. The plot did meander a bit in the middle although the last quarter seemed entirely different almost like an action movie.

I sped through this one as it was easy to read. I think though that Bradley tried desperately not make this tale too predictable but tackled too many themes without adequate exploration to make it feel like it belonged.

Overall, a delightful premise of a tale but not an amazing read.

Gail Baines is preparing for her daughter’s wedding. Her ex-husband arrives at her door with a stray cat expecting to stay with her on the day when she’s been told that she no longer has a job. Roll in a distressed daughter, a groom with a secret who is severely allergic to cats and there can only be chaos.

This is a short read but packs in a lot. Gail a middle-aged woman is truly at cross-roads and begins to reflect on where her life derailed making her question her own relationships not just with her ex-husband but also the people around her.

I really enjoyed this. There were lighthearted moments interspersed with anxiety for Gail. She worries about her daughter and the wedding and the perceived idea that she is losing her child despite the fact that her daughter hasn’t lived with her for years. The wedding is being controlled by the in-laws which is unusual but Gail sees her involvement as little more than a guest, also unusual. In fact Gail is confronted with her own biases and during the three days must make decisions about her future and take control.  

I liked the idea that the everyday can be entirely disrupted as it was for Gail. A straightforward event was anything but straightforward and of course there is nothing like a wedding to draw out the emotions.

The writing as usual is terrific, sharp and meaningful. Tyler is a master of family dynamics and relationships. There’s nothing wrong with this one. Give it a go.