SYNOPSIS
At the grand old age of eighty-two, Esther Saul has just one regret in life. Today, she’s going to change that.
For decades, Esther has barricaded herself in her vine-covered manor house. She spends her days tending to her rose-filled garden, glued to the pages of her favourite books, and listening to her beloved records. But, one spring morning, Esther wakes up and realises that time is running out.
Forty years ago, the love of her life betrayed her – the only man she allowed herself to trust. Where is Thackeray, the handsome Scot with a devilish smile and piercing blue eyes? Will she ever learn the truth? Will she ever understand why he lied to her? Esther has to find out. If she doesn’t act soon, her one regret will haunt her forever…
But she’ll need some assistance. That’s where Bruno comes in. After Esther places an advert in the local library, seeking internet lessons, the eighteen-year-old knocks on her door. Esther can see how out of place Bruno is in their sleepy village, and that the paid position could be his one-way ticket out of there.
An unexpected friendship forms between the two strangers, who have nothing in common except that they have spent most of their lives in hiding. It’s the beginning of a journey – featuring a secret motorcycle ride, an escape plan, and a garden party with whisky, apple pie, and dancing the jig. Along the way, can a locked-away life finally start living?
Title: The locked away life
Author: Drew Davies
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication date: August 4, 2022
.png)
Drew Davies was born in London and grew up in Whanganui, New Zealand. He attended the Unitec School of Performing Arts in Auckland and won a Playmarket New Zealand Young Playwright of the Year award in 2000. After a brief stint on a kiwi soap, he has worked in Search for the past 15 years. Drew’s other claim to fame is that Stephen Fry once called him droll. Either that, or he got his name wrong. He now lives in Wanstead, London.
Buy Links
Amazon: https://geni.us/B0B1C5F659social
Social Media Links
REVIEW
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“When you’re already wounded, it doesn’t take much more to add scars”
Reading The Locked Away Life was like getting that hug I didn’t know I needed. There was heartbreak and sad moments that tugged my heart and made me angry we still have to put up with certain things these days, but first and foremost, there was a wonderful relationship between two unlikely allies that will make your heart warm and show you that living in hiding (both literally and figuratively) is not really living.
Esther is an octogenarian who has been living secluded from the world for years after a scandal. Bruno, an 18 years old, is a closeted gay afraid to accept his sexuality and willing to change to conform with the life he thinks others expect of him. Internet lessons will bring them together and, despite their differences, they will strike a friendship that will bring them out of the dark so they can finally start living their lives in color.
I don’t know what is it about these intergenerational friendship stories, but I love them! I adored how Esther and Bruno, though total opposites, could bring out the best in each other. Esther’s word of wisdom were so fresh and pure, they made me realize how important it is for young people starting to discover themselves to have someone like Esther that will offer these insights that sometimes can be the only light in the dark surrounding them.
Every queer people out there will be able to relate to Bruno. His doubts, his fears and that tug-of-war between his real self and what he thinks society expects of him. It was so hard reading how he put himself through the conversion therapy camp, and I think it is so important that the author pointed the finger to this disgraceful topic that, still today, many people have to go through.
Both Esther and Bruno were superb, but the rest of the cast wasn’t far behind. I adored Bruno’s family and the support system they represented for him even though he didn’t realize it at first.
Despite the heavy topics involved, there was also time for laughs, and this humor was the perfect balance in this coming of age story about learning to confront your fears and self acceptance.
Drew Davies has created two memorable characters that will stay with me for a long time to come after finishing this book.
Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Comments
Post a Comment