Number 1 Lowland Way in South London has new people moving in and the other householders along Lowland Way wonder how the newcomers will fit in.
This British tale of urban life is a character driven drama which could so easily transfer onto television. Each chapter is from the point of view of the existing householders, Sissy at number 2, Ant and Em at number 3, Finn and Tess at number 5 plus Ralph and Naomi at number 7.
I liked the shock the established residents experienced when newbies Jodie and Darren Booth moved into number 1. The newcomers were a little rough, at the lower end of the housing market and openly displayed some anti-social behaviour with no regard for the other households along Lowland Way.
I liked how Louise detailed British culture making the reader feel at home, for example…
Em tailed off, glancing at her phone. It was in her hand, as everyone’s was these days, as if phones were dialysis machines that could not be out of reach without life-threatening consequences.
...Louise developed all her characters with great skill. Every person had their good and bad points. Together each neighbour got on each other’s nerves, for example…
‘Ralph, you open the wine,’ Naomi ordered. ‘I’m going to sit with Libs for a couple of minutes, she’s still a bit queasy. Finn, just walk Daisy home, will you?’ Tired and scratchy, Tess finally lost her cool. ‘Can you please not tell my husband what to do, Naomi! He’s not staff!’
...Those People is a catalogue of neighbourhood friction which builds and builds until tragedy strikes. From the comfort of my own home I found Those People to be a pleasant read as the residents plotted against the newcomers. As the story grew, I could see when it was going. Nice detail concerning the gas cooker taps. The suspense was there and everything unfolded for the residents and the reader. I found Those People to be a GOOD 4 star read that was let down by a poor and unfinished ending.
Those People was written in 2019 and is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook.
No comments:
Post a Comment