Book Review: London from My Windows
London from My Windows. Mary Carter. Kensington Books, July 28, 2015, Trade Paperback and Kindle, 352 pages.
Reviewed by Lisa J. Lickel.
Ava Wilder is the daughter of a British ex-pat and slightly disengaged mother. Traumatized as a child by her father’s death, she develops agoraphobia, a debilitating fear of crowded or enclosed public spaces. Twenty years of therapy and coddling have allowed her to live on her own, maintain a career as a sketch artist, and a relationship with a boyfriend, but she has little other contact with the outside world. When her father’s only sibling, an actor named Bev, passes away and leaves Ava her London home, Ava forces herself to move beyond therapy and medication to find try to find out what exactly strained her relationship with her mother and her late aunt.
The streets of London are intimidating, and Bev’s will is being contested by her quirky best friend Queenie, who Ava learns to her horror, is also her new flat mate. Despite this, Ava slowly gets to know her aunt’s life story through the bits and pieces revealed by her theatrical, dramatic, and party-loving entourage. But the flat came with strings, and if Ava cannot complete the list of challenges that Aunt Bev has left for her within ninety days, she gets nothing. Bev’s list is daunting, and Ava considers giving up. Despite making new friends, conquering a lot more than she ever thought she could, and finding true love, Ava might just curl up under the bed and stay there.
Mary Carter is a lyrical and witty writer and manages to portray a serious condition with charm and humor. London from my Windows contains a lot of introspection and smart commentary, sprinkled with just a little bit of whining. Carter’s character grows a lot throughout the book, and she tackles her foibles admirably. The characters are a group of people who realize that the idiosyncrasies, fears, and things that hold us back are best shared. Friends are for support and mutual encouragement, no matter which side of the pond one is from. Carter has included a discussion guide for book clubs and teachers.
Author Mary Carter is the workshop leader at The Writer’s Loft in Chicago and is the author of a number books and novellas, several of which are based in Europe. Her work has been translated into seven languages. Carter’s new murder mystery series published under the name Carlene O’Connor will appear in early 2016. You can learn more about her at marycarterbooks.com.