A perfect self-contained domestic drama that plays out over winter: Cambridge Edition writer Charlotte Griffiths shares her review of Solace in Winter, a new historical fiction novel by Mary Lawson.
In the isolated town of Solace, nestled deep in the Canadian North, getting through the long winter requires supplies, planning and a great deal of fortitude. It’s 1969: photographer Jack Gallagher lost his artist wife the year before and has been on his own since, much to the concern of the small community – so when Jack discovers an injured dog, a vet seizes on the chance to bring companionship to the widower’s cabin.
Just as soon as the dog has settled in and Jack grows accustomed to her presence, the household gains another occupant. A young American draft-dodger has wrecked his car during his escape across the border into Canada and also requires lengthy rehabilitation, supported by the town’s nurse.
Two accidents, two new faces and a beautiful lesson in the value of human connection, lives intrinsically woven together like the tapestry work by Jack’s wife that adorns the walls of his cabin.
This is a majestic piece of work – a perfect self-contained domestic drama that plays out over a winter, but unlike the snowdrifts that keep the small cast in place, their story will never melt from your memory. Lawson’s effortless skill at conveying the emotions and thoughts of her characters is so masterful that you almost forget you’re reading a novel.
This newest work is a continuation of Lawson’s Solace series but doesn’t require reading of the others to enjoy, though if your to-read pile is tottering, be warned: you will absolutely find yourself seeking out her other books, all set in the same captivating region of Northern Ontario.
Solace in Winter by Mary Lawson is out now. Find out more at penguin.co.uk.