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Parallel Lives
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 18, 2026
**Refreshingly honest analysis of a stale relationship**
This little book spoke to me instantly, and appealed because it is short and can be read in one sitting.
Because this is a novella, there’s not much I can say without spoilers, but what I enjoyed is that it focuses on the loneliness that can be felt within an otherwise functioning marriage. This isn’t something you come across too much in fiction: when a couple don’t argue, don’t have money issues, don’t come from abusive relationships; when they have decent jobs and a nice home; when nothing is overtly wrong, yet something is simply missing.
I love the premise of feeling as though you’re living next to someone, rather than with them, of sharing a home with someone, while feeling miles apart?’ It speaks to many people, and yet is rarely addressed in the quiet, non-dramatic way that is presented here.
I loved it, and I’m hoping we’ll see more from this author soon.
This little book spoke to me instantly, and appealed because it is short and can be read in one sitting.
Because this is a novella, there’s not much I can say without spoilers, but what I enjoyed is that it focuses on the loneliness that can be felt within an otherwise functioning marriage. This isn’t something you come across too much in fiction: when a couple don’t argue, don’t have money issues, don’t come from abusive relationships; when they have decent jobs and a nice home; when nothing is overtly wrong, yet something is simply missing.
I love the premise of feeling as though you’re living next to someone, rather than with them, of sharing a home with someone, while feeling miles apart?’ It speaks to many people, and yet is rarely addressed in the quiet, non-dramatic way that is presented here.
I loved it, and I’m hoping we’ll see more from this author soon.
May 25, 2026
A gem of a short story – Parallel Lives feels real, poignant, and relatable in every sense – not a word is wasted to bring the reality, pain and truth of a fading relationship to the page, with characters who are relevant and feel like familiar moments of your life. Judit speaks to the reader with courage and pure simplicity – she knows exactly how you have felt at one time or another in your life.
This story is a pearl, one you can carry around with you like a pendant; it is a story about hardships and understanding, and discovering – through emotional peaks and troughs – who you truly are and what you really need, grappling with the age-old conundrums of love, marriage, and identity. Judit writes from a place of truth and understanding and compassion, with sharp, snappy prose that brings to life deep feelings and emotions. Parallel Lives gives you food for thought, and forces you to ask the question: are you happy, and are you making the one you love happy?
This story is a pearl, one you can carry around with you like a pendant; it is a story about hardships and understanding, and discovering – through emotional peaks and troughs – who you truly are and what you really need, grappling with the age-old conundrums of love, marriage, and identity. Judit writes from a place of truth and understanding and compassion, with sharp, snappy prose that brings to life deep feelings and emotions. Parallel Lives gives you food for thought, and forces you to ask the question: are you happy, and are you making the one you love happy?
May 26, 2026
A beautifully written novella that quietly explores the loneliness that can exist even inside a “perfect” marriage. The story revolves around a married woman who has everything people usually dream of, a comfortable house, financial stability, and a caring husband. Yet, deep inside, she feels emotionally unseen. She craves love, attention, warmth, and that missing spark in her relationship, but finds herself drowning in silence and loneliness with no one to truly share her heart with.
Will she finally find the love and connection she has been longing for? Read the book.
Will she finally find the love and connection she has been longing for? Read the book.
June 9, 2026
Interesting insight
This was my first novella, and while I was initially surprised by its length, I finished wishing there was more. The story had all the ingredients of a longer novel and left me wanting to spend more time in its world. For a debut work, it's thoughtful, engaging, and explores its themes with confidence. The message about enduring relationships is particularly well handled, making for a reflective and memorable read.
This was my first novella, and while I was initially surprised by its length, I finished wishing there was more. The story had all the ingredients of a longer novel and left me wanting to spend more time in its world. For a debut work, it's thoughtful, engaging, and explores its themes with confidence. The message about enduring relationships is particularly well handled, making for a reflective and memorable read.
August 8, 2026
Between the Lines
Even though it is connected to the book The Space Between Us, this book highlights a different side of Lena and what she is actually searching for. Even if it is a short book, if you read between the lines, it has more to say than hundreds of pages.
Even though it is connected to the book The Space Between Us, this book highlights a different side of Lena and what she is actually searching for. Even if it is a short book, if you read between the lines, it has more to say than hundreds of pages.
May 18, 2026
Nice short novel
An interesting and well-written short novel that insightfully explores the inner world of its female character. Looking forward to the next one!
An interesting and well-written short novel that insightfully explores the inner world of its female character. Looking forward to the next one!
May 18, 2026
I really enjoyed this book, it is exploring emotional landscapes of relationships.
July 13, 2026
There’s a quiet ache in Parallel Lives that lingers long after the last page. Judit Tar writes with a kind of stillness — the kind that lets truth rise gently to the surface. This book feels like sitting in early morning light, sorting through memories that refuse to fade.
The title is perfect: it captures the way our choices, regrets, and hopes run alongside one another, sometimes touching, sometimes drifting apart. Tar’s prose is tender and unhurried, inviting readers to reflect on their own intersections of love, loss, and identity.
What struck me most was the honesty — not the kind that shouts, but the kind that whispers. Every scene feels lived‑in, every emotion earned. It’s a meditation on what it means to be human, to love deeply, and to wonder what might have been.
If you enjoy stories that feel like poetry in motion, this one will stay with you. It’s quiet, luminous, and profoundly human.
The title is perfect: it captures the way our choices, regrets, and hopes run alongside one another, sometimes touching, sometimes drifting apart. Tar’s prose is tender and unhurried, inviting readers to reflect on their own intersections of love, loss, and identity.
What struck me most was the honesty — not the kind that shouts, but the kind that whispers. Every scene feels lived‑in, every emotion earned. It’s a meditation on what it means to be human, to love deeply, and to wonder what might have been.
If you enjoy stories that feel like poetry in motion, this one will stay with you. It’s quiet, luminous, and profoundly human.
April 26, 2026
Quietly confident and genuinely engaging
I just finished Parallel Lives. It’s really easy to get into and I wanted it to continue.
The main character feels real, not over the top or forced and I could have happily read more about her and what comes next for her.
Writing-wise it flows — nothing complicated, but still paints a really good picture. It’s one of those books that’s easy to read but still has something behind it.
Overall its a really solid debut. Feels like the start of something bigger rather than a one-off
I just finished Parallel Lives. It’s really easy to get into and I wanted it to continue.
The main character feels real, not over the top or forced and I could have happily read more about her and what comes next for her.
Writing-wise it flows — nothing complicated, but still paints a really good picture. It’s one of those books that’s easy to read but still has something behind it.
Overall its a really solid debut. Feels like the start of something bigger rather than a one-off
July 16, 2026
Parallel Lives opens with a quiet sofa scene that's devastating—two people in the same room, in entirely separate worlds, ending with "they were together. Technically." Judit Tar writes marital distance the way it usually feels: no drama, no slammed doors, just the slow accumulation of small absences. The prose is spare and controlled throughout. Real instincts on display here.
The novella lives entirely inside Lena's head, which is both its strength and its limitation. We feel her disconnection clearly. What we never get is who Lena was before the distance—what she loved, what she brought to the marriage, the work that defined her. Without that, her eventual epiphany to fill herself lands as a statement rather than a resolution earned on the page. You can't measure a journey without knowing where it started.
The irony is that Mark—seen only through Lena's eyes—comes across as the more fully human character. He suggests Scotland. He books the restaurant. He sits with her at the doctor. He shows up, consistently and without fanfare. The novel notices this without asking whether Lena's need for love declarations is reasonable or just habitual. That's the more interesting question, and it's sitting right there.
A promising, well-written debut.
The novella lives entirely inside Lena's head, which is both its strength and its limitation. We feel her disconnection clearly. What we never get is who Lena was before the distance—what she loved, what she brought to the marriage, the work that defined her. Without that, her eventual epiphany to fill herself lands as a statement rather than a resolution earned on the page. You can't measure a journey without knowing where it started.
The irony is that Mark—seen only through Lena's eyes—comes across as the more fully human character. He suggests Scotland. He books the restaurant. He sits with her at the doctor. He shows up, consistently and without fanfare. The novel notices this without asking whether Lena's need for love declarations is reasonable or just habitual. That's the more interesting question, and it's sitting right there.
A promising, well-written debut.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews