This is a story of serendipity. The chance meeting of two strangers on Waterloo bridge caused by a fox. What follows is a story that transcends time, culture, and what it is to be truely happy.
This is a complicated tale, with an uneasy structure. It travels backwards and forwards between places and people, meaning it can be difficult to commit and get deeply involved with all of the stories. I'm not a fan of this kind of story telling normally, as I'm easily confused and distracted by multiple side stories within an overall arc. However, there is a real depth of emotion written here, that resonates throughout the whole story. At its heart is a sad tale of two lonely people hoping to connect with someone at a time in their lives when they just need to feel a deeper connection to something. That's an overlying theme here, as we see a connection not only with other people, but also something deeper and more primal.
Because of the added stories, the plot can sometimes be slow. However, I'm glad I persisted as this is wonderfully well written. Forna manages to capture the culturally rich life of London beautifully, and I found myself lapping up the colourful richness of it all. I loved getting a different perspective of capital life, that I haven't read anywhere else before.
I just wish this had been edited a bit more tightly, and some side stories maybe trimmed down, because I did find them distracting, however much I loved the writing style.
Happiness is available to purchase now from: Amazon
- 3 stars
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