The Single Neighbour follows the main protagonists, Izzy and Tristan, who when we meet them have been unhappy in their marriage for a while due to communication breakdown. They both have insecurities about themselves and their daily lives, as well as their marriage, which we discover through alternating first person chapters, namely ‘Him’ and ‘Her.’ The single neighbour herself, Viv, enters mysteriously into their mundane lives, and both characters secretly hope that she will be the catalyst that breaks the daily rut that they’re both in.
The themes throughout this book appear to show that there is a lesson to learn in that what we perceive in our daily lives, or our history, is not always as it seems. The idea that ‘the grass is greener’ is common as the story goes on; nothing is as it seems until it’s faced realistically, or forced out into the open, sometimes via drastic measures.
I think this is a well written story, with good characterisation throughout. I found it quite a page turner. Relationship breakdown and difficulty in communication is the main theme throughout this book, but not just within Izzy and Tristan’s marriage, it is seen in the other characters arcs as well. The writing depicts very human fears and insecurities, ingrained from difficult childhoods, and carried through to adulthood with consequences. I found the other characters were also well written and well rounded, and as interesting as the main protagonists themselves. I enjoyed the roles they played in the development of the plot. Through them we can see growth in the main characters as they consider other peoples perspectives on life, as well as their own, which I found interesting.
Thank you to Bloomsbury for the copies of this book for Methley Book Group to review. I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it.