A Town Called Solace
By Mary Lawson
Penguin Random House
Reading a Mary Lawson book is like sitting by a fire with a good friend, wrapped in a blanket, sipping your drink of choice. A Town Called Solace, her latest novel, is all that and more. It’s told from three perspectives, carried out over slightly different timelines, but all centred around a small northern Ontario town called Solace.
Lawson is a Canadian author who lives in London, England. This is her fourth novel – the others were Crow Lake, The Other Side of the Bridge and Road Ends, all of which are family stories filled with love and loss. Her characters are unforgettable, mostly for the depth of their relationships.
First, readers meet Clara, who is seven. Her chapters are narrated as you would expect from a seven year old, told from a child’s viewpoint. Clara’s world is falling apart – her teenage sister Rose has run away and is missing and her best friend and elderly neighbour Mrs. Orchard had to go into the hospital. But Clara still gets to look after Mrs. Orchard’s cat Moses while the woman is away.
Mrs. Orchard, also known as Elizabeth, is the second perspective. She’s in the hospital and not doing well. She has to stay longer than expected and narrates her portion of the story as a lengthy conversation with her deceased husband. They were childless, but for a short time they looked after a little boy named Liam, who Elizabeth decides to leave her house to when she passes away.
Liam, now an adult man, is the third perspective in the book. He moves to Solace when his marriage breaks up, quitting his job as an accountant. He’s a little lost and certain he will never be capable of true love.
Lawson’s masterful storytelling weaves these three perspectives together into a tale of healing, a tale, once again, of love and loss. Her fans will love spending time with this novel, in comfort and warmth. New readers who discover her will also learn the simple pleasure of a night spent in front of a fire, chatting with a close friend. Highly recommended.
Love reading your reviews, Tracy. Always good suggestions. Can't wait to read this one.
Delighted to know Mary is back! Thank you. An old friend, indeed.