Blog Tour: Victoria Park – Gemma Reeves*

A playful, lyrical novel about otherness, change, and the gap between generations in a London community.

Mona and Wolfie have lived on Victoria Park for over fifty years. Now, on the eve of their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary, they must decide how to navigate Mona’s declining health. Bookended by the touching exploration of their love, Victoria Park follows the disparate lives of twelve people over the course of a single year.

Told from their multiple perspectives in episodes which capture feelings of alienation and connection, the lingering memory of an acid attack in the park sends ripples of unease through the community. By the end of the novel, their carefully interwoven tales create a rich tapestry of resilience, love and loss.

With sharply observed insight into contemporary urban life, and characters we take to our hearts, Gemma Reeves has written a moving, uplifting debut which reflects those universal experiences that connect us all.

Gemma Reeves is a writer and teacher who lives and works in London.

My thoughts:

Told month by month from the perspectives of different local residents living around East London’s Victoria Park, this is a beautiful and moving series of snapshots of life in London. From the elderly Jewish couple who built their lives there after being evacuated, to the teenage boy fascinated by women’s fashion.

As the seasons pass and the year turns, lives change and people deal with loss and change, you catch glimpses of the other characters from different angles, building a complex and fascinating image of one small community.

This is a truly lovely book and deserves a spot on your reading list.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.