Appleby House

I can't really articulate what it is exactly about this book that I love, but I thought it was a terrific little read. It's the mid-80's and a then 38-year-old Sylvia Smith moves into a small furnished room in a house in east London. Her housemates include Sharon, an art student and her boyfriend (shhhh--he's not supposed to to live there); Laura, an odd, seemingly angry, single thirty-one-year-old woman; Susanna, a twenty-something woman and her teenage sister (shhhh--the sister's not supposed to live there, either); and Tracy, a twenty-four-year-old woman recently separated from her husband. Smith recounts her year living in the house and describes the dynamics between the residents. Everyone hates Laura and Laura hates everyone else. From the weird aspects of the house (putting change not only in the telephone, but the bath heater and kitchen stove as well); to Mr. and Mrs. Appleby, the sweet, older couple who own the house, Smith entertains the reader with her simple life in a house that, is a lot of the time, anything but simple. Smith's writing style is straightforward and draws one in immediately. There's just something charming about this book. It's a super-fast read, but hard to put down. It wasn't anything that I expected at all--I'm thinking London in the 80's: a lively, rocking house with lots of punk, parties, drinking, and drugs. With the exception of a few glasses of wine mentioned, none of the above made an appearance. To me it seemed more like the setting was the 50's or 60's rather than the 80's. But the drama makes up for the missing drugs and rock and roll. And the cozy feeling of the book made it worthwhile.

This is one of my favorite books, but I can't quite put my finger on why. I think a previous reviewer was on to something when she said it was cozy. It's just a book about the little details of the lives of some ordinary people who live in the same boarding house. There's not much in the way of plot, nor are any great secrets of the universe revealed. It reminds me of Carnival the Souls minus the supernatural element. If that sounds as appealing to you as it does to me, I recommend you read Appleby House.

I read this book in no time at all. It is too short actually, but the writing and the humour is wonderful and well worth the reading.I was quite disappointed to see this book end as the author managed to convey a cozyness to this book that I found absolutely charming.