Book reviews

Book review: The Lido by Libby Page


Book Cover

Title: The Lido

Author: Libby Page

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Publisher: Orion

Publication date: 19th April 2018

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Summary:

“Rosemary has lived in Brixton all her life, but everything she knows is changing. Only the local lido, where she swims every day, remains a constant reminder of the past and her beloved husband George. Kate has just moved and feels adrift in a city that is too big for her. She’s on the bottom rung of her career as a local journalist, and is determined to make something of it. So when the lido is threatened with closure, Kate knows this story could be her chance to shine. But for Rosemary, it could be the end of everything. Together they are determined to make a stand, and to prove that the pool is more than just a place to swim – it is the heart of the community. The Lido is an uplifting novel about the importance of friendship, the value of community, and how ordinary people can protect the things they love.

My review:

Sometimes we all need a lighthearted and feelgood read and this book came to me at the perfect time. The Lido explores identity, community and friendship through the lives of the two main characters, Rosemary and Kate, who meet in unusual circumstances at a vital time when they are struggling and can learn a lot from each other. Both are dealing with loneliness and nostalgia and their daily morning swims at the lido are just what they need to combat these feelings. However, their interactions away from the pool were even more meaningful as they discuss their past, difficulties they are currently facing and what the Lido means to them.

Minor characters are often overlooked in many recently published books in the Contemporary Fiction genre so I feel that I must applaud the author on the wonderful bonds she created between Rosemary, Kate and the other protesters hoping to keep the lido open. We understand what the lido means to the community and why it is so important to them. I was interested in almost every minor character and believe that each backstory added value to the protest and was essential to the story line.

The style of writing was very simple and matter-of-fact and the pace was slow at times; both these shortcomings were particular prominent towards the end where the author attempts to find a somewhat sudden and unrealistic solution to keeping the lido open. Despite these shortcomings I still believe that it is the small pleasures that are central to the story and I found myself smiling after almost every chapter, something that doesn’t often happen with similar books of the genre.

 

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