A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson

I loved this book, which was long listed for the Booker prize this year, but did not make the cut for the short list. It is an interwoven tale that spans decades in scope, and successfully grapples with love, loss, redemption, and what it means to be part of a family and a community. The later is so relevant when it comes to how various communities and countries have navigated COVID, and this really hit the spot for me. The book is told from three different points of view. Elizabeth Orchard, ailing and hospitalized far from Solace. She is a relative newcomer to town, having come to live with her sister, and now she lays dying. She’s asked Clara, a child who resides across the street, to care for Moses, her cat. From home, Clara is happily dutiful; not only does she relish the responsibility, but she welcomes the distraction: 12 days earlier Rose, her rebellious older sister, ran away from home. Rose hasn’t been heard from since. Nearly eight, Clara’s frantic with worry and has convinced herself that keeping watch on the neighbouring house will secure Rose’s safe return. The third leg of the tale is Liam, who Mrs. Orchard is seeking to make amends to by leaving everything she has to him. She tried save him once before, and she is working to do so again. I don't want to give much away, but it is a deftly told story you will be happy you read.