A Town Called Solace
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 BOOKER PRIZE • NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE GLOBE AND MAIL, CBC AND THE DAILY TELEGRAPH • New York Times bestselling author Mary Lawson, acclaimed for digging into the "wilderness of the human heart," is back after almost a decade with a fresh and timely novel that is different in subject but just as emotional and atmospheric as her beloved earlier work.
A Town Called Solace, the brilliant and emotionally radiant new novel from Mary Lawson, her first in nearly a decade, opens on a family in crisis. Sixteen-year-old Rose is missing. Angry and rebellious, she had a row with her mother, stormed out of the house and simply disappeared. Left behind is seven-year-old Clara, Rose’s adoring little sister. Isolated by her parents’ efforts to protect her from the truth, Clara is bewildered and distraught. Her sole comfort is Moses, the cat next door, whom she is looking after for his elderly owner, Mrs. Orchard, who went into hospital weeks ago and has still not returned.
Enter Liam Kane, mid-thirties, newly divorced, newly unemployed, newly arrived in this small northern town, who moves into Mrs. Orchard’s house—where, in Clara’s view, he emphatically does not belong. Within a matter of hours he receives a visit from the police. It seems he is suspected of a crime.
At the end of her life, Elizabeth Orchard is also thinking about a crime, one committed thirty years previously that had tragic consequences for two families, and in particular for one small child. She desperately wants to make amends before she dies.
Told through three distinct, compelling points of view, the novel cuts back and forth among these unforgettable characters to uncover the layers of grief, remorse, and love that connect them. A Town Called Solace is a masterful, suspenseful, darkly funny and deeply humane novel by one of our great storytellers.
A Town Called Solace, the brilliant and emotionally radiant new novel from Mary Lawson, her first in nearly a decade, opens on a family in crisis. Sixteen-year-old Rose is missing. Angry and rebellious, she had a row with her mother, stormed out of the house and simply disappeared. Left behind is seven-year-old Clara, Rose’s adoring little sister. Isolated by her parents’ efforts to protect her from the truth, Clara is bewildered and distraught. Her sole comfort is Moses, the cat next door, whom she is looking after for his elderly owner, Mrs. Orchard, who went into hospital weeks ago and has still not returned.
Enter Liam Kane, mid-thirties, newly divorced, newly unemployed, newly arrived in this small northern town, who moves into Mrs. Orchard’s house—where, in Clara’s view, he emphatically does not belong. Within a matter of hours he receives a visit from the police. It seems he is suspected of a crime.
At the end of her life, Elizabeth Orchard is also thinking about a crime, one committed thirty years previously that had tragic consequences for two families, and in particular for one small child. She desperately wants to make amends before she dies.
Told through three distinct, compelling points of view, the novel cuts back and forth among these unforgettable characters to uncover the layers of grief, remorse, and love that connect them. A Town Called Solace is a masterful, suspenseful, darkly funny and deeply humane novel by one of our great storytellers.
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Community Reviews
Sweet story of longing and found family. We follow three separate narrators as they navigate how to go on with their lives. The youngest is a 7 yr old who is feeding a neighbor's cat while the neighbor is in hospital. Then we have a young man whose marriage has failed and who has quit his job in the city. The third is the elderly neighbor who owns the cat. We eventually see that each of them has suffered heartbreak and worry, and that their lives are loosely connected. As the story progresses, each of the characters provides backstory and wrestles with current choices. Not a lot of action, but lives are changed.
A Town Called Solace
I have only read part of this book since I'm just coming back to this awesome book club. I am at the part where Liam's ex comes back into town and wanted to possibly try working on their relationship again, and Liam and the local sheriff (Karl) are trying to find out where Rose went. I am really enjoying this book and have a hard time putting it down. I like the small town atmosphere so I'm enjoying the dynamics of this small town of Solace. I think so far Liam is finding solace in this town. His relationship with the girl next door (Clara) is slowly pulling him out of his depression from his marriage ending. His labor work with James has pulled him out of his depression as well, and I always think this type of work is good for the soul. This is about as far as I've gone with the book. It has hooked me from the beginning, and I love that about a book. I like the way it goes back and forth in time and we find out about Elizabeth and how much she longed for a child she couldn't have, but found out what it feels like to hold a child and love a child when she watched Liam when his mother gave birth to twins when he was 4 years old. I'm anxious to find out the rest of the story with Rose as I read the book. I'm sure I will find out the ending reading all of your reviews before I finish the book, but it's okay because I like the way this author writes and I will read it to the end anyway!
This was an excellent choice Christine. I am thoroughly enjoying this read!
April 2022 , ChristineA town called Solace
By Mary Lawson
April 2022
I left this book for a month before writing the review. To be honest I found it difficult to read and I really did not really enjoy it. I always find Books that I don’t like often have children that are being abused in them, and that story line over takes me.
One interesting aspect of the novel involves one woman’s obsession with her neighbour’s child. Unfortunately, this wasn’t well-developed and I think played into some nasty stereotypes of infertile women. I had children young but I have lived near women that have a few children close together and some of these mothers are interesting to watch interacting with their kids. Some are relaxed and easy going others are uptight and yellers. Then there is the mother that has literally lost her child to the wilderness of teenage hood. I did pray Rose would escape unharmed. I thought it was extremely sad for all the mothers. In many ways it really seemed a story of Elisabeth’s life intertwined the her neighbours over a 30 year period.
Set in the early 1970s, and I felt like it depicted the time well. Although a great story it was filled with too much sadness for me to enjoy, so I am trying to be fair to the novel. So many conversations were left unsaid, people trying to be kind and people trapped by the limits of their own personalities and circumstances. The story is told from three points of view. Clara is seven years old and is worried about her sister Rose's recent disappearance. Elizabeth, Clara's neighbour, tells her story from her hospital bed as she lies dying and Liam who is unloved and lost in a boring job, till he inherited Elizebeth’s house. I really felt Elisebeth was the nicest and kindest person in the Novel, What did you all think. I may be way too sensitive to this type of story. I was just heart broken about Rose, so young so full of potential heaped with zest and energy. Her life broken and controlled by evil men that wander the streets looking for beautiful young people like her.
Mary Lawson excellently tells a story from three perspectives that also jumps between timelines, to give her credit she does that extremely well. I thought her character representation was excellent and I was left feeling Sad for so many of the characters. The Mothers, one with too many children and one with none. The fathers trying to support but somewhat left on the fringes of the relationships, not really being able to help. If the over burdened mother had a nanny that would have helped, If Elizebeth had been able to adopt a child that may have eased her sadness. And little Liam, the unwanted child and the wanted child, circumstances of both families really laid bare.
Then there is Clare and the cat Moses, these are my two favourite characters they give some laughter. Clare takes her responsibility very seriously so when Liam moves in next door she has no idea what to do except look after Moses and Elizabeth's possessions as best she can.
Thanks Christine. Not a joyous read for me but it was very well written and constructed. Also I felt the topics the book covered were exceptionally well developed with out an over abundance of words.
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