#bookreview – The Lido by Libby Page @LibbyPageWrites @orionbooks #blogtour
I am absolutely thrilled to be sharing my review of this beautiful book today. The Lido really is quite a special read. My thanks to Rebecca Gray from Orion Books for sending me a copy for review and asking me to be a part of the tour.
Meet Rosemary, 86, and Kate, 26: dreamers, campaigners, outdoor swimmers…
Rosemary has lived in Brixton all her life, but everything she knows is changing. Only the local lido, where she swims every day, remains a constant reminder of the past and her beloved husband George.
Kate has just moved and feels adrift in a city that is too big for her. She’s on the bottom rung of her career as a local journalist, and is determined to make something of it.
So when the lido is threatened with closure, Kate knows this story could be her chance to shine. But for Rosemary, it could be the end of everything. Together they are determined to make a stand, and to prove that the pool is more than just a place to swim – it is the heart of the community.
The Lido is an uplifting novel about the importance of friendship, the value of community, and how ordinary people can protect the things they love.
The ebook and hardback are available from 19th April. Either pre-order or make sure you get yourself a copy. You won’t regret it. Oh and get yourself some tissues soon – this was me by the end of it.
The Lido is a book that is getting a fair bit of attention at the moment and it’s well-deserved. This book is going to be huge.
Libby Page has written a book that sang to me with its sheer beauty. We follow Rosemary and Kate on their journey to save the Brockwell Lido, but this is not just their story as there are so many characters who will be affected by Brixton Council’s plans to close the open air swimming pool: Frank and Jermaine from the book shop, Ahmed who’s working at the lido whilst studying, Geoff, the manager. The Lido is a real part of the community.
Both the main protagonists though are just wonderful creations. Rosemary is 86 and has swum in the lido since she was a child. A morning dip is part of her daily routine.
‘Asking me why I swim is like asking me why I get up in the morning. The answer is the same.’
But she’s lonely without her husband, George and if the lido closes as well then what is left for her? She’s already witnessed the library where she used to work being turned into a trendy bar and losing the lido would mean losing the place where so many of her memories were made.
Journalist Kate is also lonely. 60 years younger than Rosemary, they are unlikely friends but that is what they become when she is tasked with writing about the closure. Kate suffers from anxiety and panic attacks, but somehow swimming at the lido helps her to deal with them.
“Kate pictures her Panic sitting at one of the picnic tables on the lido decking. As she swims she is aware of it there watching, but she feels safe. You can’t get me here, she thinks as she ducks under water, the cold embracing her like an old friend.”
In amongst the fight to keep the lido open, we read about Rosemary and George’s relationship and this is a story of lifelong love, companionship, ease in each other’s company – the right fit. Their story moved me to tears on more than one occasion and it’s easily one of the most wonderful love stories I have read.
“She would have slept on a stone floor every night if it meant sleeping next to him.”
I could quote and quote and quote. The Lido is a stunning book. It’s beautifully written, with a warmth that enveloped me as surely as a cosy blanket would.
I read the end in floods of tears. I can’t remember a book that has moved me to such an extent. Some books bring a tear to my eye but by the end of The Lido I was sobbing.
I must admit that at the start it took a little getting into and I had in my mind that it would be a solid 4 star read. By the end, if I could have given it 20 stars I would have done. It’s a story of friendship, love, community and fighting for what you believe in. It’s just superb in every way.
Libby Page wrote The Lido while working in marketing and moonlighting as a writer. The Lido has sold in over twenty territories around the world and film rights have been sold to Catalyst Global Media. After writing, Libby’s second passion is outdoor swimming. Libby lives in London where she enjoys finding new swimming spots and pockets of community within the city.
