More Lives Than One

by Libby Purves

A generous hearted novel of modern family life. Anna and Kit are both schoolteachers, longing for a baby of their own but there is no sign so far. The marriage is perhaps more companionable than high-voltage emotionally. But a disastrous school trip to Venice triggers a sequence of events that are to have serious consequences on all aspects of their lives. Kit Milcourt - impatient, quirky, idealistic and brilliant - has been a climber, diver in exotic waters and affluent young city banker. Now, because of his beloved Anna, he is a teacher. Glumly mediocre Sandmarsh High School, reeling under assaults from Inspectors and its own unpromising pupils, is hard put to contain his maverick ideas. Year Seven, on the other hand, love them. Only the soothing presence of Anna keeps the peace. But Anna can't guard her erratic husband on the school trip: instead a far darker, more malevolent staffroom presence crosses Europe and discovers what Kit has secretly planned for the children amid the dim alleys of winter Venice. But children are unpredictable too, and things move rapidly beyond both teachers' control. Between farce and tragedy the resulting events swiftly change Kit's and Anna's live in unthinkable ways, strain a great love to the limit and open a dark chasm into the past.

Genres: Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published September 17, 1998

About the author

Libby Purves is a journalist and author who has been writing for The Times since 1982. A previous columnist of the year and author of 12 novels and non-fiction books, she was for 40 years a BBC Radio 4 broadcaster after becoming the Today programme’s first woman and youngest presenter.

Reviews

[Louise Culmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first this book is quite an enjoyable story about Kit, a dedicated teacher at a comprehensive school who is in conflict with another less imaginative teacher. Kit is taking some children on a school trip to Venice, and owing to an accident ends up having to travel with his disliked colleague. Then suddenly it all descends into melodrama as one terrible thing after another happens, and you begin to wonder how much worse it can get. Far too much horror is crammed into the last third of the book, and the teacher Kit is in conflict with recedes into the background as more and more appalling revelations pile up. It was all too much. One question in particular baffled me - why on earth would someone in Kit’s position, feeling as he does, become a teacher? It just didn’t ring true.

[Artie LeBlanc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libby Purves writes in a very straightforward style: but manages to convey the twist in the tale very convincingly. For the first half of the book, the plot trots along easily enough: the characters in the school and in the family are very convincingly drawn, and the storyline feels comfortable. However, the twist in the storyline, which the reader may preen his/herself on foreseeing, is much more than it seems.
Recommended.

[Margaret Stranks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy Libby Purves’s books, and this was no exception. It had darker elements than others I’ve read, but was no less gripping. It’s hard to review books without giving too much of the plot away, but More Lives than One was about people, some stereotypical and others with very unexpected things which rise to the surface. A good story, but one which leaves you with some things to think about.

[Annette Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nicely written, easy to read story that also manages to raise lots of very serious issues. There are a number of big coincidences and slightly unbelievable plot developments that are necessary to keep things moving along but if you just roll with these the writing is good enough to carry you through to enjoy the story and to leave you with lots to think about.

[Cheryll · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a strange book. It took me quite a while to get into it. I was close to giving up about quarter of the way through, then things started falling into place and the story got interesting. What a predicament for the main characters. I work in a school so I can see how something like this could happen and how difficult it must be for male teachers as a whole. Tricky!

[Duncan Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carefully constructed and thought-provoking.

Incidentally, I am grateful my secondary school English teacher (himself deeply experienced and able to give twelve-year-olds pleasure in Shakespeare) was between the two extremes depicted in this novel.

[Tarquilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story well told. Emotive topics, a big story and great characters. The place settings are so evocative you can feel the damp in the air.

[Judith Paterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. Very moving. There is a bit of an unexpected twist in the story which is thought provoking.

[Steph Ollman · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was an interesting and unexpected twist in the tale but the ending felt very abrupt. It would have been nice to have an epilogue one year later.

[Keren Lilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Significant issues handled with great genuineness. A very moving story of survival.

[Rebecca Storr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written, interesting story. A bit different.

[Charlotte · Rating 2 out of 5]

ust a couple of comments rather than a detailed review!
I picked up this book on holiday last year as someone had left it in our villa and I have to say the first 2/3 of the book were really promising. I loved the way Libby Purves introduced the characters and wrote about them in such colourful detail - I felt almost like I knew them!
However, the book seemed to take a long time to reach any sort of climax and I was concerned that when the storyline started to get gritty there were not many pages left!
I honestly felt like Libby Purves started writing this book with great gusto and enthusiam, got 2/3 of the way through it and decided she couldn't be bothered anymore and just finished it as quickly as possible without much thought.
Really disappointing! I might try one of her other books to give her the benefit of the doubt .... maybe!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a powerful book! Kit and Anna both teach at a rather poor Comprehensive school, and are married to each other. Only one small thing mars their happiness, and even that becomes solved.

Then Kit takes a group of Year 7 students to Venice, accompanied at the last moment by his least favourite colleague. It goes well, but afterwards something unexpected happens which leads to depression and - eventually - a shocking confession.

Yet the characters are so likeable in many ways that I found my prior judgements upended. Amazing, and extremely thought-provoking.

Enjoyed even more on re-reading over fifteen years later.

Latest full review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...

[Kate Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not comfortable reading but it certainly stays with you long after you put the book down. I applaud Libby Purves for tackling a difficult and horrible issue with sensitivity and compassion. The ending felt a bit rushed, and sometimes I felt distant from the characters, but I couldn't stop thinking about it afterwards and that alone makes it worth five stars.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book haunted me for a long time after I had finished it. You get to a certain point in the book where you think you know what is going to happen, something quite predictable, but then something else crops up that you don't expect at all...

[Maria]

Couldn't finish. Could barely begin, in fact. Fake, dead-eyed, unbearably cliched. I'm outta here.

[Thelittlebookshop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. My first Libby Purves novel and a revelation.

[Mike Finn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty dreadfully trite...gave up - not my thing though had been recommended...