The Distance Between Us: A Novel
Gripping, insightful, and deft, The Distance Between Us by Maggie O'Farrell is a haunting story of the way our families shape our lives, from the award-winning author of Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait.
On a cold February afternoon, Stella catches sight of a man she hasn't seen for many years, but instantly recognises. Or thinks she does. At the same moment on the other side of the globe, in the middle of a crowd of Chinese New Year revellers, Jake realises that things are becoming dangerous.
They know nothing of one another's existence, but both Stella and Jake flee their lives: Jake in search of a place so remote it doesn't appear on any map, and Stella for a destination in Scotland, the significance of which only her sister, Nina, will understand.
On a cold February afternoon, Stella catches sight of a man she hasn't seen for many years, but instantly recognises. Or thinks she does. At the same moment on the other side of the globe, in the middle of a crowd of Chinese New Year revellers, Jake realises that things are becoming dangerous.
They know nothing of one another's existence, but both Stella and Jake flee their lives: Jake in search of a place so remote it doesn't appear on any map, and Stella for a destination in Scotland, the significance of which only her sister, Nina, will understand.
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Community Reviews
In "The Distance Between Us" by Maggie O’Farrell, we follow the intertwined lives of two characters, Stella and Jake, who are grappling with personal struggles and are separated by thousands of miles. Jake, in Hong Kong, finds himself caught in a tragic crowd crush during Chinese New Year, which leaves his girlfriend Mel critically injured and her friend Lucy dead. In a moment filled with heartbreak and urgency, he agrees to Mel’s wish to marry, believing she may not survive the night.
Meanwhile, in London, Stella encounters a red-haired man on Waterloo Bridge, which triggers a deep-seated panic within her. Choosing to flee, she retreats to a remote hotel in Scotland rather than returning to her family, intentionally avoiding her sister Nina’s calls. The reasons behind Stella’s fear and the significance of the red-haired man unfold gradually throughout the novel.
As Mel survives, she and Jake travel to the UK to be with her family. Jake initially intends to return to his job in Hong Kong, but Mel's desire for a fairytale wedding complicates matters. He fabricates a story about travelling to Scotland to seek out his father, a man he has never known, and heads towards a village called Kildoune, which he discovers is actually the hotel where Stella works. This twist brings their narratives together, and as Jake searches for his roots, Stella’s past gradually emerges.
The novel's structure, devoid of conventional chapters, alternates rapidly between perspectives and timelines, creating a dizzying effect for the reader. This style, while initially confusing, becomes slightly irritating as the book progresses. O’Farrell's third novel feels less polished than her acclaimed debut, "After You’d Gone," leaving certain storylines, like Jake's quest for his father, unresolved. Additionally, the character development of secondary characters like Nina is shallow, making it hard to fully grasp their motivations. The numerous family histories presented sometimes overwhelm the main narrative, detracting from the emotional depth of the story.
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