The Art of Belonging, by Eleanor Ray - Kate Silverton
First of all, I just wanted to say what a joy this book was to read. I was engrossed after reading the first few pages! It’s both gripping and thought provoking, a story of family, love, and adventure.
When unexpected circumstances bring Grace’s estranged daughter Amelia and granddaughter Charlotte to live in her home, complications emerge, and we learn of an emotional past.
This beautifully written story is told from each of the three female characters’ perspectives. Grace is first to be introduced: she is retired, sitting in her local park watching the world go by. She lives alone and often thinks of her daughter, but they have a fractured relationship. She is a keen model train enthusiast and regularly meets her friend Ava for various outings.
Amelia is married to Tom. While Amelia holds down a high powered job in the city working for a charity, she doing long hours, often putting her family second, Tom has his own failing business. Both the family finances and emotions are becoming very stretched.
Charlotte appears to be a typical teenage girl: she has a group of girlfriends at school, is well attached to her mobile, enjoys watching the latest episode of her favourite tv show, and often disagrees with her parents.
Deciding to take a break, this is when Amelia and Charlotte end up living with Grace under one roof, wary of what the future will bring.
This book made me think about the relationships within my own family, how the past can impact the future, and how precious life is. The story that evolves throughout the book is emotional at times. We learn of Grace’s husband and son passing away, and the impact this had on her and Amelia. We see Charlotte battling her emotions and loyalty for her mum when her estranged dad moves on with his life. I also liked the strong characters throughout, all different, with different backgrounds and interests, and how they all came together in perfect harmony.
This book is Eleanor Ray’s second release; her debut novel Everything is Beautiful being named ‘the most uplifting book of the year’ in 2021, and selling 100,000 copies. I hope this one is just as successful as, for me, it’s everything you could want in a book.
Kate
