Family Album by Penelope Lively – A book review

Family Album by Penelope Lively – A book review

Claim to Fame – Family Album was shortlisted for the Costa Awards 2009

Family Album - The Novel

Finally done with! Completed! 261 pages only but it seems like it’s taken me eternity to read this one (The fact that my mind was distraught due to sundry reasons could be behind this eternal consumption of time and the book or the authoress is not to blame)

            A big family - six children, mother father and an au pair. At Allersmead, a gigantic Victorian house from the pre First World War period, the reins of the household is in the hands of the lady of the house. Allison, an unflaggingly happy person believes strongly in family values and bonding. Her untiring resolve to raise a family and not the passion for love making is the reason for the number of children that there are. In spite of an aloof husband; a writer who chooses to spend not only his time but purposefully his life in his study writing on uncommon topics, Allison makes every effort to weave a quilt of happiness and family ties with the varied shapes, egos and personalities of her growing children.

            As the children grow up bearing stronger wings and turn by turn leave the Allersmead nest, they find themselves placed in different parts of the globe, quite successful in their chosen paths except for Paul. However, their distance from Allersmead is almost equivalent to the growing distance they feel from the family values, the togetherness values imbibed by their mother. This life that they have created for themselves bears no resemblance to their growing up days.

            And then there is this devastating secret, which is capable of destroying all family ties. A secret of the elders – who knows? Who doesn't? Should it be known? At what cost?

            An easy read by Penelope Lively. While, in the characters of Gina and Paul, I felt the author has been successful in injecting a riveting liveliness, the others seem a wee bit drab. At times in the novel, and more so when you have known what you to you ought to have known, a certain amount of dullness creeps in. Though every now and then the strong penning of emotions of the characters and the wittiness of the author goads you to carry on, overall, I felt it was an okay read.

My rating : * * * * * * * * * * (5/10)

Penelope Lively