Liam is a character who the reader can’t help but feel sympathetic towards. His life, especially his youthful homelife is tragic. He most certainly received the worst mother possible. He isn’t sure why Mrs. Orchard left him her home, but we find out through Elizabeth’s chapters. A Town Called Solace keeps you breathless with anxiety, then relief and finally even joy.”— Ferdinand Mount, author of Kiss Myself Goodbye: The Many Lives of Aunt Munca“I’ve been trying to tell everybody I know about [Mary Lawson]. . . . [Each of her novels is] just a marvel.”— Anne Tyler, author of Redhead by the Side of the Road

You can’t get much farther north than the Ontario of Mary Lawson’s icy, compelling stories of calamity and redemption. A Town Called Solace keeps you breathless with anxiety, then relief and finally even joy.”― Observer (UK) I've been trying to tell everybody I know about [Mary Lawson]... . [Each of her novels is] just a marvel. I've been telling everyone I know about Mary Lawson . . . Each of her novels is just a marvel" —Anne Tyler The most interesting aspect of the novel involves one woman’s unhealthy obsession with her neighbour’s child. Unfortunately, this wasn’t well-developed and played into some nasty stereotypes about infertile women. And by the time the storyline is fully unspooled… well let’s just say it left me feeling like the entire premise of the novel was one big plot hole. The Fortune Men, Great Circle, A Town Called Solace, Bewilderment, China Room and The Promise are among the books longlisted this year.

Lawson’s writing is clear and emotive. . . . [A] poignant novel, rightfully recognised by the Booker judges.”— The Telegraph (UK) a character-driven story with a touch of mystery. The intertwining storylines of 7-year-old Clara, newly-divorced Liam, and elderly Elizabeth (Mrs. Orchard) are well-developed. I felt empathy for them at times; frustration at other times. I looked forward to see how their stories would evolve; and, Celebrity From Molly-Mae Hague to Mariah Carey: Here’s what your favourite celebs got up to (and wore) this Halloween Liam Kane has been left the house by Mrs Orchard, and with his marriage all but finished, it gives him time to decide his next move. Clara doesn’t know yet that her neighbour has died, and sees Liam as an intruder, someone who has no right to try and take over Mrs Orchard’s home. Home & Garden Ask Diarmuid Gavin: Can you give me some ideas for plants for an interior courtyard that’s quite dark? 03:30

A Town Called Solace, like her other books, is about family relationships. And even though it doesn’t delve into themes I’d call “Shakespearean” because of their complexity and universal truths—themes of her earlier books, Crow Lake, Road Ends, and The Other Side of the Bridge—it is no less affecting.These three come together in a way that shows that each person matters, even if their gifts aren't apparent to them without the help of the others. I loved little Clara, who was a suspicious thing even as a toddler. Mrs. Orchard loves kids and has known Clara all her life and she delights in the way Clara won't take anything at face value. It's no surprise that Clara has a lot of blunt questions for Liam and his presence in Moses' home and life. Poor Clara, her early suspicions seems to have foreshadowed that adults won't tell her anything. They won't tell her what happened to her sister, what happened to Mrs. Orchard, they are always "protecting", which seems to amount to just telling her lies. Liam doesn't know what to do with this girl in his house everyday but she helps him grow, just as Mrs. Orchard helps him grow. I wouldn't mind staying in this story for longer, I enjoyed being with all three of these characters. We have 6 read-alikes for A Town Called Solace, but non-members are limited to two results. To see the complete list of this book's read-alikes, you need to be a member. My first five star book of the year, if I could it would get more. I will definitely read more of Mary Lawson's books, never having heard of her before now. Thank you Tina for bringing this one to my attention, your glowing review encouraged me to find it on ebook from my local library. I go with the stars defined as ★★★= I liked it, but often I don’t have much to say about it (our buddy read thread was quite lean), and won’t remember it, but three stars can be a nice respite during certain times and slumps, like now.

This book is about family and found family. It is about small town Solace, where everyone seems to know everyone’s business.This is a character driven novel (my favourites)that left me feeling like these people had become a part of my life. The town is indelibly printed on my mind. For a short while, they were part of my world. According to Jasanoff, the books are united by “their power to absorb the reader in an unusual story, and to do so in an artful, distinctive voice”. Rose’s disappearance, though, is just the hook. What Lawson aims to explore here is family, especially mothers, and the ways – to bastardize Larkin’s famous phrase – they can mess you up. On the flipside, it’s clear that wanting to be a mother, but not being able to, can mess you up too.Offering solace.....how many places or people offer you solace. Maybe it's a walk in the woods, a day at the beach, or just sitting in your yard listening to the sounds of life. Perhaps it is a person who makes you feel whole, a person who makes you feel relaxed and make the trials of today leave you for just a bit of time.

Her popular but volatile sixteen year old sister has run-way from home after one of a series of rows with their mother – and has not been heard from for several weeks This deftly-structured novel draws together the stories of three people at three different stages in life, each of whom is grappling with loss. We were captivated by A Town Called Solace's beautifully paced, compassionate, sometimes wry examination of small-town lives. This is a beautiful book told from the points of view of three main characters, Clare, Elizabeth and Liam. Clare is just seven years old, her older sister has disappeared, her parents are grieving and the bottom has dropped out of her world. Elizabeth is Clare's neighbour and she is suffering heart failure. When she is hospitalised she asks Clare to look after her cat, Moses, and gives her a key to the house. 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. And so has decided to move to Solace – with an aim to gather his thoughts, sell the property and move out before the harsh winter

Media Reviews

Mary Lawson might as well have titled her new book A PLACE called solace because in these challenging times, her story transports the reader to a more redemptive place. I listened to the audiobook, which also has 3 different narrators who did an amazing job. This was the first audiobook that I did not feel the need to increase the speed. Poised, elegant prose, paired with quiet drama that will break your heart. The sort of book that seems as if it has always existed because of its timeless perfection.”— Graham Norton, bestselling author of Holding and A Keeper A Town Called Solace is, like its predecessors, a nuanced, probing novel – one that asks what it is to be family, to be valued; and whether there’s a difference between the two. In a scene where Liam discovers a trove of his childhood artwork amidst Elizabeth’s belongings, Lawson hints at an answer. His mother had always dismissed his creative endeavours, so Liam finds his attention drawn less to the pictures themselves than to the “crisp, fragile remains” of the tape at their corners – yellowed testament to the pride of place they once held on someone’s wall.