I remember enjoying Lily King’s Father of the Rain very much but the bestselling Euphoria, based on a brief episode in the life of Margaret Mead, didn’t appeal. King’s name stayed with me as one to look out for and when I saw Writers & Lovers described as ‘gorgeous’ by the splendid Elizabeth Strout I stuck up my hand for a proof. This warm, witty novel is about a young woman, lost in grief and mired in debt, with one sure thing in her life: the novel she’s been working on for six years.
Casey waits tables at Iris, pulling a double shift whenever she can, chipping away at her student loans. She wakes up every morning trying not to think about money, the man who broke her heart or her mother who died suddenly aged only fifty-eight. She’s a mess, only kept together by working on her novel, her writing friend Muriel and Harry with whom she bitches at work about the infighting of their fellow waiters. When Muriel takes her to a book launch she meets Silas and feels the first spark of romantic interest since she discovered ex’s marriage. Then a few weeks later the book’s author, Oscar, turns up at Iris, sons in tow, to celebrate his birthday. Casey is a hit with both the widowed Oscar and his boys who see the possibility of a mother. Caught between her attraction to the on-again, off-again Silas and Oscar’s readymade family, Casey doesn’t know which way to turn, let alone how to finish her novel. Things come to a head when she’s fired from the restaurant. Maybe it’s time to be brave.
In fact, Holly Golightly is one of his names for me. If we lived together I would expose myself as the blighted Jean Rhys character I really am
King’s novel sets us up for a romantic comedy with its love triangle, neatly balancing humour with an undercurrent of melancholy. Casey’s grief is well done, her aching longing to discuss things with her mother poignantly mirrored in Oscar’s sons’ desperate need for a mother. King’s characters are sharply observed, the gossip and scrapping of restaurant life smartly described along with the insecurities of writing and the literary world. She takes her time developing Casey’s character so that we come to care about her, cheering her on when she finally turns a corner. One of those satisfyingly absorbing books you can wrap yourself up in and forget about the world, it’s a delightful escape from our current troubles. If you need any more persuasion, both Rebecca at Bookish Beck and Ann at Café Society loved it, too
Picador: London 2020 9781529033106 256 pages Hardback
I loved this book (for all the reasons you said) – King got the balance right – and I reckon it will show up in my favourites at the end of the year (right alongside Adults by Emma Jane Unsworth, which has similar themes).
Adults is a favourite of mine, too, although I though it was more acerbic than the King. I loved them both and I suspect they’ll be appearing on my books of this extraoedinary year.
Thank you both for these two books. They’re on my TBR list now 🙂
Lovely to hear that! You have two treats in store.
This really appeals to me, Casey sounds like a character I might like to spend time with. A new author to me too.
This one could easily have wandered off into the realms of schmaltz but that Holly Golightly/Jean Rhys quote is a good indication of King’s writing. Elizabeth Strout was quite right!
Skimming this one because I am 3/4 through!
I do hope you’re enjoying it as much as I did, Liz.
Looking good so far!
Delighted to hear it!
I tried to put a response up here yesterday, Susan, but for some reason it wouldn’t let me. Trying again simply to say that I thought this was a wonderful book and thank you so much for pointing me in its direction.
It’s a pleasure, Ann. I’m so glad you loved it so much as I did. Lots of technical problems with the blog yesterday, sadly. They’re ongoing but I hope to have them sorted out by the end of the day. At least the comment function seems to be working now!
Funny that it has a love triangle – the only King novel I’ve read (Euphoria) also had one. Sounds like a different tone, though… a little more on the light side. On the list it goes!
That’s interesting. Obviously a relationship that fascinates her! I was a bit put off the Margaret Mead connection so didn’t get around to Euphoria but I mght read it now having enjoyed both her other books so much.
I thought it was good!
This sounds just lovely Susan and not something I would have immediatly thought of going for.
Ms Strout was absolutely right, Cathy. It really is a gorgeous read.
I’d love to read this. And I know I’ve mentioned this on Bookish Beck’s blog, but I think the cover is smashing.
It’s very eye catching, isn’t it. I think you’d enjoy this one very much.