The House on Fortune Street
by: Margot Livesey
Published by: Harper: An Imprint of HarperCollins
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Reviewed by Julie Failla Earhart
Scottish-born writer Margot Livesey’s new novel, The House on Fortune Street, tackles three issues in its structure: luck, love, and friendship, by mixing them in its four-part narrative—an interesting narrative for this work. In the first section, Abigail is the main protagonist and Dara is the secondary protagonist. I found it rather jarring as I moved into sections two and three, where Dara, without Abigail, is the primary protagonist. I felt as if I was reading three separate novels. The story comes full circle in the last section when Abigail once again takes over as the main protagonist.
In the first section, Abigail and Dara, are housemates to some extent. Abigail and her lover Sean live in the upstairs of the two-family flat on Fortune Street. Dara is renting the downstairs apartment. It’s unclear exactly what is Abigail’s profession, whether she is an actress or a theater manager. The two women seem direct opposites, which makes for an interesting friendship. Tragedy strikes near the end of the section; surprising, but not shocking.
The second section revolves around Dara’s father, Cameron, his taste for young girls and Dara’s childhood. It’s creepy to watch this man, a husband and father, balance his need for Dara’s best friend Ingrid and at the same time, not actually crossing the line into pedophilia. Cameron’s interest in oogling and photographing Ingrid places him in an extremely vulnerable position.
The third section moves more into Dara’s view of her friendship with Abigail and her involvement with her lover, Edward, a man who has another lover and child but continually promises to leave them for Dara.
The fourth and final section bring Abigail and Dara back together, with a more concentrated view of their life on Fortune Street and Abigail’s need for Dara’s friendship, although she doesn’t realize it until it’s too late. The catapult for Dara’s tragedy in the earlier section is revealed. It’s sad, but not horrifying.
One would surmise that Fortune Street is the main setting for Livesey’s seventh novel but that’s a fallacy. Sections one and four use the house as its base and it is the sight of Dara’s tragedy. I was disappointed with overall storyline and resolution in The House on Fortune Street.
Armchair Interviews says: Unique presentation in this book.
Author’s Web site: http:///www.MargotLivesey.com
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