Sharp and funny, warm and wise, a remarkable friendship sparks two lifetimes of shared stories in one unforgettable book. I loved it.” -Jess Kidd, author of Himself Puede que la clave de la felicidad siempre haya estado allí... Una novela de la autora de Yo antes de ti. There is more to this story, but essentially, this is a lovely debut that is about living life fully, despite knowing that this life is finite. Filled with the joys of life, of love, it is an ode to living life fully, as joyfully as possible, celebrating life on your own terms.

When Lenni meets Margot, their connection is immediate, unique, and their new and unlikely friendship is born. During art class Lenni and Margo discover their combined age's equal one-hundred-years. They decide to celebrate their discovery by painting a picture for each year they have lived. Margot is an 83 year old woman who is terminally ill with a heart condition. She meets Lenni and they decide to complete 100 paintings in the art therapy room at the hospital. Each painting represents one of their combined 100 years. The author presents each year in the form of Margot or Lenni telling the other the story of that year. Through these moments, they relive their lives together. Margot tells her life story – full of loss, reinvention, and all the different types of love she has experienced. This author really did a good job of bringing out the tears. This book is good. It's well written and has that feeling you look for in a book. The feeling that you are there. That you are a part of it. That you are involved in these two people's lives. You will feel it. I certainly did.

Lenni

No-one knows that better than seventeen-year-old Lenni. But as she is about to learn, it's not only what you make of life that matters, but who you share it with. Definitely a good read and holds your attention waiting for the next chapter . The story is about sadness and humour and hope as well as friendships and bereavement.

An unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb.

Father Arthur, the hospital chaplain, is a kind, thoughtful soul. He struggles at times to answer all of Lenni’s questions with honesty and often finds that he is still searching for answers himself. Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.” I loved this comment by Margot “Into a room full of octogenarians she strode, with a confidence beyond her years. She was fierce, thin, with that bright blond hair of Nordic children. She had a face full of mischief and a pair of pink pajamas”. Margot and Lenni start to draw, paint and tell stories about the years of their lives. Graceful, intelligent, beautiful writing. Full of wisdom and kindness. It is just the kind of book I adore.”— Joanna Cannon, author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep

The cruelty of strangers never usually upsets me, but the kindness of strangers is oddly devastating” of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin From one of the nation’s most beloved writers, Fly Away Home is an unforgettable story of a mother and two daughters who seek refuge in an old Connecticut beach house. Sharp and funny, warm and wise, a remarkable friendship sparks two lifetimes of shared stories in one unforgettable book. I loved it.”— Jess Kidd, author of Himself It isn’t enough to have been a particle in the great extant of existence. I want, we want, more. We want for people to know us, to know our story, to know who we are and who we will be. And after we’ve gone, to know who we were.”We want for people to know us, to know our story, to know who we are and who we will be. And after we’ve gone, to know who we were.” We can’t know why we are dying in the same way we can’t know why we are living. Living and dying are both complete mysteries, and toy can’t know either until you have done both.” With it's uplifting message, the story is both poignant and also comical." Cosmopolitan (20 Book's You're Going to Want to Read this Summer) What I mean is, you’re not dying right now. In fact, right now you’re living.’ Margot and I both watched her try to explain. ‘Your heart is beating and your eyes are seeing and your ears are hearing. You’re sitting in this room completely alive. And so you’re not dying. You’re living.” Lenni also befriends the priest at the hospital and I loved their interactions. She has some hilarious questions and challenging conversations for him. I love how she wants to start a marketing campaign to drum up more business for him.