Today it's my turn on the BlogTour When We Were Rich by Tim Lott. It's contemporary and literary fiction.
When We Were Rich is Tim Lott’s tenth book. His memoir The Scent of Dried Roses is a Penguin Modern Classic. He lives in London and teaches writing for Guardian Masterclasses and the How To Academy.
Follow @timlottwriter on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit timlottwriter.wordpress.com
Buy When We Were Rich
Millennium Eve. Six people gather on a London rooftop. Recently married, Frankie Blue watches with his wife, Veronica, as the sky above the Thames explodes into a kaleidoscope of light. His childhood companion, Colin, ineptly flirts with Roxy, an unlikely first date, while another old friend, Nodge, newly ‘out’, hides his insecurities from his waspish boyfriend.
New Labour are at their zenith. The economy booms, awash with cheap credit. The arrival of the smartphone heralds the sudden and vast expansion of social media. Mass immigration from Eastern Europe leave many unsettled while religious extremism threatens violent conflict.
An estate agent in a property boom, Frankie is focused simply on getting rich. But can he survive the coming crash?
And what will become of his friends - and his marriage - as they are scoured by the winds of change?
Lott revisits the characters from White City Blue, but if you aren't aware of that fact it's fine. It's worth the read, however this can be read as a standalone novel. In fact it's perhaps more refreshing to go into it with a blank slate. Then go pick up the first book.
The author doesn't try to deliver a perfection that doesn't exist. His characters are full of flaws, just like we are in real life. He makes no excuses for them and doesn't try to make their thoughts, choices or actions appear anything other than what they are.
For example, Veronica is the dissatisfied and disillusioned wife. I'm sure somewhere along the line she thought there would be more than this to life. Instead there is this realisation of mediocrity, compromise and a part of her that has been left behind in the past. The part that assumed there would be more than just a constant daily juggle. A juggle that seems to always end with something suffering because there is only so much of her to go around.
The reader follows the close knit group as they navigate the beginning of the 21st century and the repercussions of a financial meltdown. Gone are the good ol' days, the feeling of expectation and excitement that comes along with the exuberance of youth. Arrived are the days of uncertainty and disappointment.
It's contemporary and literary fiction. A close-up of friendships, relationships and love when it is put under the microscope and examined. In the end Lott wants us to take away something from this read. There are some things that can't be bought and even if you are wealthy and successful - it doesn't necessarily equal happiness or peace.
Buy When We Were Rich at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads fo any other retailer. Publisher: Scribner UK; pub date 27 Jun. 2019. Buy at Amazon com.
Thanks for supporting the blog tour Cheryl x
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