FICTION

Paradise City

by Elizabeth Day
Bloomsbury USA. 2015. 368p. ISBN 9781620408360. $27; ebk. ISBN 9781620408377. F
COPY ISBN
In her third novel (after the Betty Trask Award-winning Scissors Paper Stone and Home Fires), British journalist Day pulls together skillfully the lives of four unrelated characters in contemporary London. Sir Howard Pink is a wealthy, self-made businessman who appears to be initially entirely obnoxious; we meet him as he is forcing his attentions on a maid in an upscale hotel. The maid, Beatrice, is a refugee from Uganda, and she is barely scraping by in this expensive city. The other main characters are Carol, a lonely older widow in the suburbs, and Esme, a young and frazzled reporter. As a journalist herself, Day is especially sardonic about the cutthroat world of the British tabloids. The fast-paced plot hooks the reader once Carol finds something disturbing in a neighbor's garden.
VERDICT This well-crafted, imaginative story of contemporary London life will appeal to readers who loved John Lanchester's Capital and Penelope Lively's How It All Began. It blends witty comedy, touching poignancy, and a believable cast of characters in a novel that's hard to put down.
Reviewed by Leslie Patterson, Rehoboth, MA , Jan 01, 2016
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

FICTION

A Poisoner’s Tale
by Kemp, Cathryn
FICTION

She’s a Lamb!
by Hambrock, Meredith
FICTION

The Sirens
by Hart, Emilia
FICTION

Beach Vibes
by Mallery, Susan
FICTION

Elegy, Southwest
by Watts, Madeleine
FICTION

Happy Land
by Perkins-Valdez, Dolen
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?