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A Hundred Small Lessons
When Elsie Gormley leaves the Brisbane house in which she has lived for more than sixty years, Lucy Kiss and her family move in, eager to establish their new life. As they settle in, Lucy and her husband Ben struggle to navigate their transformation from adventurous lovers to new parents, taking comfort in memories of their vibrant past as they begin to unearth who their future selves might be. But the house has secrets of its own, and the rooms seem to share recollections of Elsie’s life with Lucy.
In her nearby nursing home, Elsie traces the span of her life—the moments she can’t bear to let go and the places to which she dreams of returning. Her beloved former house is at the heart of her memories of marriage, motherhood, love, and death, and the boundary between present and past becomes increasingly porous for both her and Lucy.
Over the course of one hot Brisbane summer, two families’ stories intersect in sudden and unexpected ways. Through the richly intertwined narratives of two ordinary, extraordinary women, Ashley Hay weaves an intricate, bighearted story of what it is to be human.
In her nearby nursing home, Elsie traces the span of her life—the moments she can’t bear to let go and the places to which she dreams of returning. Her beloved former house is at the heart of her memories of marriage, motherhood, love, and death, and the boundary between present and past becomes increasingly porous for both her and Lucy.
Over the course of one hot Brisbane summer, two families’ stories intersect in sudden and unexpected ways. Through the richly intertwined narratives of two ordinary, extraordinary women, Ashley Hay weaves an intricate, bighearted story of what it is to be human.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 29, 2017
125 people are currently reading
4947 people want to read
About the author
Ashley Hay
42 books222 followersAshley Hay’s new novel, A Hundred Small Lessons, was published in Australia, the US and the UK and was shortlisted for categories in the 2017 Queensland Literary Awards.
Set in her new home city of Brisbane, it traces the intertwined lives of two women from different generations through a story of love, and of life. It takes account of what it means to be mother or daughter; father or son and tells a rich and intimate story of how we feel what it is to be human, and how place can transform who we are.
Her previous novel, The Railwayman’s Wife, was published in Australia, the UK, the US, and is heading for translation into Italian, French and Dutch. It won the Colin Roderick Prize (awarded by the Foundation for Australian Literary Studies), as well as the People's Choice award in the 2014 NSW Premier's Prize, and was also longlisted for both the Miles Franklin and Nita B. Kibble awards.
Her first novel, The Body in the Clouds (2010), was shortlisted for categories in the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and the NSW and WA premier’s prizes, and longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.
Her previous books span fiction and non-fiction and include Gum: The Story of Eucalypts and Their Champions (2002), Museum (2007; with visual artist Robyn Stacey), and Best Australian Science Writing 2014 (as editor)s
A writer for more than 20 years, her essays and short stories have appeared in volumes including the Griffith Review, Best Australian Essays (2003), Best Australian Short Stories (2012), and Best Australian Science Writing (2012), and have been awarded various accolades in Australia and overseas. In 2016, she received the Bragg UNSW Press Prize for Science Writing.
Set in her new home city of Brisbane, it traces the intertwined lives of two women from different generations through a story of love, and of life. It takes account of what it means to be mother or daughter; father or son and tells a rich and intimate story of how we feel what it is to be human, and how place can transform who we are.
Her previous novel, The Railwayman’s Wife, was published in Australia, the UK, the US, and is heading for translation into Italian, French and Dutch. It won the Colin Roderick Prize (awarded by the Foundation for Australian Literary Studies), as well as the People's Choice award in the 2014 NSW Premier's Prize, and was also longlisted for both the Miles Franklin and Nita B. Kibble awards.
Her first novel, The Body in the Clouds (2010), was shortlisted for categories in the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and the NSW and WA premier’s prizes, and longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.
Her previous books span fiction and non-fiction and include Gum: The Story of Eucalypts and Their Champions (2002), Museum (2007; with visual artist Robyn Stacey), and Best Australian Science Writing 2014 (as editor)s
A writer for more than 20 years, her essays and short stories have appeared in volumes including the Griffith Review, Best Australian Essays (2003), Best Australian Short Stories (2012), and Best Australian Science Writing (2012), and have been awarded various accolades in Australia and overseas. In 2016, she received the Bragg UNSW Press Prize for Science Writing.
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November 28, 2017
!! NOW AVAILABLE !!
4.5 Stars
”If these old walls,
If these old walls could speak
Of things that they remember well,
Stories and faces dearly held,
A couple in love
Livin' week to week,
Rooms full of laughter,
If these walls could speak.”
“If These Walls Could Speak” – lyrics by Jimmy Webb / song by Amy Grant
It was on the shortest day of 2010, early on that winter morning when Elsie fell. She lay on the carpet watching the sun as it began to peek through the door. The pattern of the light reflected by the kitchen floor. She watched the sun move across the sky that day through the windows of her home, from the kitchen to the bathroom, her bedroom to the sunroom. She ran through memories of the days when Clem was still alive, and their twins’ tiny feet and voices echoed off the walls. More than two decades had passed since Clem had passed, but she could still feel his presence, their childrens’ presence as she looked around her home, listening, feeling the creaking noises of their home, offering comfort to her.
”If these old halls,
Hallowed halls could talk,
These would have a tale to tell
Of sun goin' down and dinner bell,
And children playing at hide and seek
From floor to rafter,
If these halls could speak.”
“If These Walls Could Speak” – lyrics by Jimmy Webb / song by Amy Grant
More than sixty years she’d lived there, the house was a part of her, but more than that, it was a part of them. All of them. It held all their voices, thoughts, regrets, their joys, their tears and sorrows, all the love they shared. All those years.
She’s only in the hospital just long enough to fix her up, and she’s grateful to go home, only it’s not to her home where she is transferred, she refers to it as a “respite” home when her son Donnie comes to visit, handing her papers to sign about people she doesn’t know, had never heard of. Ben Carter and Lucy Kiss. Perhaps they are tenants while she’s here mending, she thinks.
”If these old fashioned window panes were eyes,
I guess they would have seen it all -
Each little tear and sigh and footfall,
And every dream that we came to seek
Or followed after,
If these walls could speak.”
“If These Walls Could Speak” – lyrics by Jimmy Webb / song by Amy Grant
Lucy and Ben spent weeks stripping and painting, and moving their things into the house. Slowly she begins to think of this house as home, as their home, the home where their one year-old son would grow up. Still, in her mind it is Elsie’s house, as well. She finds small traces of her left behind. Doilies, ones Elsie had embroidered with violets, forget-me-knots, roses, tiny cutwork shapes hand stitched, so many pieces. Elsie’s presence still inhabits the house, their home, at least for Lucy. She senses her, feels her near at times. Ben is much too sensible for such thoughts and feelings.
”They would tell you that I owe you
More than I could ever pay.
Here's someone who really loves you;
Don't ever go away.
That's what these walls would say.”
“If These Walls Could Speak” – lyrics by Jimmy Webb / song by Amy Grant
Ben has his new job, that occupies his thoughts, a new position, a new office. Lucy has their son Tom to keep her busy, and their home, and the garden. But she can’t seem to shake the intermittent feelings of Elsie. Sometimes she thinks she catches a glimpse of her, like a watery reflection that disappears with the drop of a small pebble. Little things she sees, hears, those almost glimpses of movement.
This is life, the passing of time, years go by, and people come into our lives only to drift away again, or come into our lives and stay. A child, a young couple with a lifetime ahead of them, an elderly woman with a lifetime not quite behind her. A home they have both lived in and loved. Lives shared from birth to marriage to motherhood, from becoming a widow and living out another lifetime beyond. Lessons taught and lessons hopefully learned. No two lives are the same, but we share ourselves as we go through this world, and hopefully we leave a trace of that at the end of the day, a hundred small lessons learned.
”They would tell you that I owe you
More than I could ever pay.
Here's someone who really loves you;
Don't ever go away.
That's what these walls would say.”
“If These Walls Could Speak” – lyrics by Jimmy Webb / song by Amy Grant
Pub Date: 28 Nov 2017
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Atria Books
4.5 Stars
”If these old walls,
If these old walls could speak
Of things that they remember well,
Stories and faces dearly held,
A couple in love
Livin' week to week,
Rooms full of laughter,
If these walls could speak.”
“If These Walls Could Speak” – lyrics by Jimmy Webb / song by Amy Grant
It was on the shortest day of 2010, early on that winter morning when Elsie fell. She lay on the carpet watching the sun as it began to peek through the door. The pattern of the light reflected by the kitchen floor. She watched the sun move across the sky that day through the windows of her home, from the kitchen to the bathroom, her bedroom to the sunroom. She ran through memories of the days when Clem was still alive, and their twins’ tiny feet and voices echoed off the walls. More than two decades had passed since Clem had passed, but she could still feel his presence, their childrens’ presence as she looked around her home, listening, feeling the creaking noises of their home, offering comfort to her.
”If these old halls,
Hallowed halls could talk,
These would have a tale to tell
Of sun goin' down and dinner bell,
And children playing at hide and seek
From floor to rafter,
If these halls could speak.”
“If These Walls Could Speak” – lyrics by Jimmy Webb / song by Amy Grant
More than sixty years she’d lived there, the house was a part of her, but more than that, it was a part of them. All of them. It held all their voices, thoughts, regrets, their joys, their tears and sorrows, all the love they shared. All those years.
She’s only in the hospital just long enough to fix her up, and she’s grateful to go home, only it’s not to her home where she is transferred, she refers to it as a “respite” home when her son Donnie comes to visit, handing her papers to sign about people she doesn’t know, had never heard of. Ben Carter and Lucy Kiss. Perhaps they are tenants while she’s here mending, she thinks.
”If these old fashioned window panes were eyes,
I guess they would have seen it all -
Each little tear and sigh and footfall,
And every dream that we came to seek
Or followed after,
If these walls could speak.”
“If These Walls Could Speak” – lyrics by Jimmy Webb / song by Amy Grant
Lucy and Ben spent weeks stripping and painting, and moving their things into the house. Slowly she begins to think of this house as home, as their home, the home where their one year-old son would grow up. Still, in her mind it is Elsie’s house, as well. She finds small traces of her left behind. Doilies, ones Elsie had embroidered with violets, forget-me-knots, roses, tiny cutwork shapes hand stitched, so many pieces. Elsie’s presence still inhabits the house, their home, at least for Lucy. She senses her, feels her near at times. Ben is much too sensible for such thoughts and feelings.
”They would tell you that I owe you
More than I could ever pay.
Here's someone who really loves you;
Don't ever go away.
That's what these walls would say.”
“If These Walls Could Speak” – lyrics by Jimmy Webb / song by Amy Grant
Ben has his new job, that occupies his thoughts, a new position, a new office. Lucy has their son Tom to keep her busy, and their home, and the garden. But she can’t seem to shake the intermittent feelings of Elsie. Sometimes she thinks she catches a glimpse of her, like a watery reflection that disappears with the drop of a small pebble. Little things she sees, hears, those almost glimpses of movement.
This is life, the passing of time, years go by, and people come into our lives only to drift away again, or come into our lives and stay. A child, a young couple with a lifetime ahead of them, an elderly woman with a lifetime not quite behind her. A home they have both lived in and loved. Lives shared from birth to marriage to motherhood, from becoming a widow and living out another lifetime beyond. Lessons taught and lessons hopefully learned. No two lives are the same, but we share ourselves as we go through this world, and hopefully we leave a trace of that at the end of the day, a hundred small lessons learned.
”They would tell you that I owe you
More than I could ever pay.
Here's someone who really loves you;
Don't ever go away.
That's what these walls would say.”
“If These Walls Could Speak” – lyrics by Jimmy Webb / song by Amy Grant
Pub Date: 28 Nov 2017
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Atria Books
October 15, 2017
3.5 stars rounded up.
A lot of people live their lives quietly, some marry and have children, some don't, and some may live in the same house for most of their lives . But even quiet lives are not without the daily struggles - coping with change , with loss, experiencing changing relationships, questioning the things they do - all of the things that reflect the human condition. So many novels seem to focus on the chaos of dysfunctional families ; it’s nice to read one that is without the drama of dysfunction.
The story is told from the alternating perspective of Lucy who has just moved into a lovely little house in Brisbane with her husband and baby boy, and Elsie the woman who lived there for over 60 years . In many ways It’s about self discovery as life changes . For Lucy , becoming a wife and mother, settling in a new place . The reminisces of Elsie reflect the same in her earlier years, but for Elsie it’s losing her independence, her memory at times and her home when she is not able to live on her own that is the focus. Some lovely passages about Elsie and her house . (This quote are from the prepublication copy so may be subject to change , but I just wanted to include a little of how much this meant to Elsie.)
"They had a long chat, Elsie Gormley no this house, more than sixty years of it. It had witnessed all her tempers, all her moods, and usually improved them. It held her voice, her husband's, her children's, and now their children's in turn..."
There’s not much of a plot here, not much of any real action here , just some lovely characters who move through life , sometimes feeling as if they are on shaky ground, but ultimately with grace . A short read that was an enjoyable way to spend part of my weekend. Sometimes I just need a good, quiet story about people carrying on with their lives, seeking love and happiness and belonging.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Atria through NetGalley.
December 18, 2017
Elsie Gormly has lived in her home in Brisbane, Australia for over 60 years. She has fond memories of raising two children and of her deceased husband, Clem. One evening she has a bad fall and ends up in the hospital. She comes to the realization that she can no longer care for herself. Her children are supportive and move Elsie to an assisted living facility after selling her house. She spends most of her remaining time recounting all the wonderful memories accumulated in her beloved home.
Lucy Kiss and her family become the new owners of Elsie’s house. They are new to the area and Lucy is having difficulties adjusting to her new role as a mother. While cleaning the house, Lucy stumbles across photos left by Elsie, and becomes intrigued with images of her predecessor. While Lucy continues her struggles she finds Elsie’s existence to be comforting. This other person raised a wonderful family in this house - why can’t she do the same?
This book is about two women from different generations occupying the same home at different times. One is contemplating her future life while the other is left to reminisce about the past. This novel by Ashley Hay examines the deep complexities of raising a family.
Lucy Kiss and her family become the new owners of Elsie’s house. They are new to the area and Lucy is having difficulties adjusting to her new role as a mother. While cleaning the house, Lucy stumbles across photos left by Elsie, and becomes intrigued with images of her predecessor. While Lucy continues her struggles she finds Elsie’s existence to be comforting. This other person raised a wonderful family in this house - why can’t she do the same?
This book is about two women from different generations occupying the same home at different times. One is contemplating her future life while the other is left to reminisce about the past. This novel by Ashley Hay examines the deep complexities of raising a family.
November 14, 2017
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced ebook in exchange for an honest review.
20th/21st century Australia. A dual narrative told from the perspective of two women living in the same house; decades apart. The struggles of being a wife and a mother are the central nerves of the story and it had a tone that is similar to other women 's fiction authors like Kristin Hannah and Fern Michaels. There certainly was an endearing quality to it and it had a fairly decent ending.
20th/21st century Australia. A dual narrative told from the perspective of two women living in the same house; decades apart. The struggles of being a wife and a mother are the central nerves of the story and it had a tone that is similar to other women 's fiction authors like Kristin Hannah and Fern Michaels. There certainly was an endearing quality to it and it had a fairly decent ending.
March 22, 2017
When Elsie Gormley fell one morning in her home, the home she’d lived in with Clem for sixty two years, her age and frailty meant her son Don and daughter Elaine had to make the decision to put her in a nursing home. Clem had died decades before and Elsie still missed him acutely. And now with her mind wandering, drifting back to the years when her twins had been small and Clem was by her side, Elsie was reminded of the happiness they had known as a family; in the little house they’d made their home.
Ben Carter was originally from Brisbane and together he and wife Lucy Kiss had travelled to more places than they cared to remember because of Ben’s job. Now with their small son Tom at only one year old, Lucy and Ben decided to return to Brisbane to make a family home and settle down. Elsie’s little house seemed to call to a fanciful Lucy – the luck of it coming on sale as they were looking seemed like an omen. Lucy knew Elsie was handing over her beloved house to the new family.
Young and in love, Ben and Lucy hadn’t realised the difference a child would make to their carefree lives. But suddenly minor tensions arose between the young parents with Tom oblivious; getting up to the usual mischief as only a toddler can. When Ben had to fly overseas for a few days for work, Lucy was filled with a tension she hadn’t known she could hold. And Tom seemed to be into everything. What was happening around her in the dark of night, when Lucy heard the noises? Was it just the creaking of an old house? Was it possums in the roof? Or was it much more?
A Hundred Small Lessons by Aussie author Ashley Hay is a gentle, lyrical look at the passing of life; the drifting of the years and the intervening events which go to form everything we know. It’s a look at love and motherhood; at the elderly and at youth. Set in the heat of the Australian summer with storms, rains and flooding (much like it is now actually!), A Hundred Small Lessons is a beautiful novel that I thoroughly enjoyed, and highly recommend. And I love the cover! Jacaranda trees in flower - my favourite!
With thanks to Allen & Unwin and Bookstr for my uncorrected ARC to read and review.
Ben Carter was originally from Brisbane and together he and wife Lucy Kiss had travelled to more places than they cared to remember because of Ben’s job. Now with their small son Tom at only one year old, Lucy and Ben decided to return to Brisbane to make a family home and settle down. Elsie’s little house seemed to call to a fanciful Lucy – the luck of it coming on sale as they were looking seemed like an omen. Lucy knew Elsie was handing over her beloved house to the new family.
Young and in love, Ben and Lucy hadn’t realised the difference a child would make to their carefree lives. But suddenly minor tensions arose between the young parents with Tom oblivious; getting up to the usual mischief as only a toddler can. When Ben had to fly overseas for a few days for work, Lucy was filled with a tension she hadn’t known she could hold. And Tom seemed to be into everything. What was happening around her in the dark of night, when Lucy heard the noises? Was it just the creaking of an old house? Was it possums in the roof? Or was it much more?
A Hundred Small Lessons by Aussie author Ashley Hay is a gentle, lyrical look at the passing of life; the drifting of the years and the intervening events which go to form everything we know. It’s a look at love and motherhood; at the elderly and at youth. Set in the heat of the Australian summer with storms, rains and flooding (much like it is now actually!), A Hundred Small Lessons is a beautiful novel that I thoroughly enjoyed, and highly recommend. And I love the cover! Jacaranda trees in flower - my favourite!
With thanks to Allen & Unwin and Bookstr for my uncorrected ARC to read and review.
October 25, 2017
A Hundred Small Lessons by Ashley Hay was a beautiful story of home, of family - of husbands and wives, mothers and their children. Each of the characters was so fully developed I felt I knew them. Not only them but also the town they called home. Brisbane was brought to life, complete with it's history of floods, familiar suburbs, street names and buildings, the flora and fauna, and descriptions of the weather.
The two main characters, Elsie and Lucy were delightful and I had a soft spot for each of them. Within minutes of starting the book I'd fallen for Elsie and soon after meeting Lucy she worked her way into my heart. Elsie Gormley is an elderly lady when we first meet her. She's had a fall which results in her being removed, against her will, from the home she's lived in for 63 years. It's where she raised her children and grandchildren. It's the home she shared with beloved husband Clem. Lucy Kiss and her husband Ben have moved from Melbourne with their one year old son Tom. They've purchased Elsie's home and are trying to make it their own. As Elsie reminisces we learn of her love for husband Clem and her children, and we are familiarised with her life (and lifestyle) over the decades. Meanwhile, as Lucy struggles to settle into her new life in Brisbane, of finding her feet as a mother, she finds comfort in imagining a friendship with Elsie.
I felt personally connected to Lucy's story. Like her, my partner and I moved to Brisbane from Melbourne when our daughter was one. Ashley Hay captured pefectly the joys and struggles of motherhood, the powerful -sometimes overwhelming- feelings of protectiveness towards our children, the challenges of settling into a new home, and the sadness of growing old and frail, of relinquishing a much loved home. I'm so very happy to have read this book and thank the publisher Atria Books and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The two main characters, Elsie and Lucy were delightful and I had a soft spot for each of them. Within minutes of starting the book I'd fallen for Elsie and soon after meeting Lucy she worked her way into my heart. Elsie Gormley is an elderly lady when we first meet her. She's had a fall which results in her being removed, against her will, from the home she's lived in for 63 years. It's where she raised her children and grandchildren. It's the home she shared with beloved husband Clem. Lucy Kiss and her husband Ben have moved from Melbourne with their one year old son Tom. They've purchased Elsie's home and are trying to make it their own. As Elsie reminisces we learn of her love for husband Clem and her children, and we are familiarised with her life (and lifestyle) over the decades. Meanwhile, as Lucy struggles to settle into her new life in Brisbane, of finding her feet as a mother, she finds comfort in imagining a friendship with Elsie.
I felt personally connected to Lucy's story. Like her, my partner and I moved to Brisbane from Melbourne when our daughter was one. Ashley Hay captured pefectly the joys and struggles of motherhood, the powerful -sometimes overwhelming- feelings of protectiveness towards our children, the challenges of settling into a new home, and the sadness of growing old and frail, of relinquishing a much loved home. I'm so very happy to have read this book and thank the publisher Atria Books and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 29, 2017
Elsie Gormley has had to leave the Brisbane home where she has lived for sixty two years, the last thirty seven without her beloved husband, Clem. She is moved by her twin son and daughter, themselves almost seventy, into a nursing home. Elsie has always felt closer to her son Don whereas the relationship with her daughter Elaine has always been difficult. Lucy Kiss and her husband Ben buy Elsie’s house and move in with their small son Tom. Lucy and Ben are still trying to adjust to the difference Tom has made in their lives. When she finds a star shaped doily, Lucy wonders about the woman who lived there before her and imagines she can feel her presence.
This is a gentle novel that explores characters rather than a story of fast paced action. The reader learns a lot about Elsie’s life as she reminisces. It deals with subjects of marriage, motherhood, love and death. The story flows gracefully and languidly. The writing is as beautiful as the stunning jacarandas that grace the cover and the characters and setting are both well explored. I have to admit that the description of spider webs and massive spiders in Brisbane made me glad to be reading about it, rather than experiencing it. Yet even that description is beautifully done. I quite simply fell in love with this book from the first page and enjoyed my time with Elsie and Lucy and the others. I would definitely recommend this book.
This is a gentle novel that explores characters rather than a story of fast paced action. The reader learns a lot about Elsie’s life as she reminisces. It deals with subjects of marriage, motherhood, love and death. The story flows gracefully and languidly. The writing is as beautiful as the stunning jacarandas that grace the cover and the characters and setting are both well explored. I have to admit that the description of spider webs and massive spiders in Brisbane made me glad to be reading about it, rather than experiencing it. Yet even that description is beautifully done. I quite simply fell in love with this book from the first page and enjoyed my time with Elsie and Lucy and the others. I would definitely recommend this book.
December 7, 2017
This is told via alternate perspectives from Elsie and Lucy. Eighty eight year old Elsie is forced to move out of her home after she falls and Lucy is the woman who buys her home. There was something poignant and touching about one woman leaving one of the only homes she’s ever known as another younger woman moves in. Both of them were highly complex characters, this book is very character driven to the point where the plot almost takes a back seat as it’s not as important, what matters is Elsie and Lucy’s feelings, insecurities and struggles.
There was something about this one that spoke to me, maybe because one of its biggest themes is motherhood and I could wholeheartedly relate to many of the struggles the two women faced. I think most mothers have struggled with not wholly defining themselves through their children and also being too hard on themselves in order to be a perfect mother. Hay writes beautifully, her prose is gentle, lyrical and there’s a quiet confidence to her writing style. Mothers at any stage in their life could relate to and enjoy this one, recommended for a day where you want to escape with a moving story.
There was something about this one that spoke to me, maybe because one of its biggest themes is motherhood and I could wholeheartedly relate to many of the struggles the two women faced. I think most mothers have struggled with not wholly defining themselves through their children and also being too hard on themselves in order to be a perfect mother. Hay writes beautifully, her prose is gentle, lyrical and there’s a quiet confidence to her writing style. Mothers at any stage in their life could relate to and enjoy this one, recommended for a day where you want to escape with a moving story.
March 5, 2018
“A Hundred Small Lessons” is a story about two women: one coming into a new life and one going out of her old life.
Elsie Gromley has lived her full adult life (62 years) in her beloved home in Brisbane Australia. After she falls and is found by a neighbor, her children move her out of her house and into a “home”. They sell the house to the Kliss family. Lucy Kiss moves in with her infant boy and husband. Lucy “feels” that the house chose her.
This is a slow read, a meandering of life. The reader learns of Elsie’s life as a mother, wife and neighbor through the years. Lucy is in the beginning of her family life and struggles with being a wife and mother. Although the title assumes there will be lessons, I found the novel was more about moments: those defining moments in everyday life that become pivotal. At the time of those moments we don’t recognize those as perspicacious events; it is only upon reflection and time that we understand.
This is a novel that needs thought. It’s not a fast read. It’s a quiet novel and perfect for a meditative read.
Elsie Gromley has lived her full adult life (62 years) in her beloved home in Brisbane Australia. After she falls and is found by a neighbor, her children move her out of her house and into a “home”. They sell the house to the Kliss family. Lucy Kiss moves in with her infant boy and husband. Lucy “feels” that the house chose her.
This is a slow read, a meandering of life. The reader learns of Elsie’s life as a mother, wife and neighbor through the years. Lucy is in the beginning of her family life and struggles with being a wife and mother. Although the title assumes there will be lessons, I found the novel was more about moments: those defining moments in everyday life that become pivotal. At the time of those moments we don’t recognize those as perspicacious events; it is only upon reflection and time that we understand.
This is a novel that needs thought. It’s not a fast read. It’s a quiet novel and perfect for a meditative read.
February 11, 2018
I’m sorry, this was the most anti-climactic, slow-moving, rather pointless novel I may have ever read. I nearly DNF’d every 10 pages but as it was an ARC I continued on.
I'm not sure what the hundred small lessons were. I struggle to comprehend if there were any lessons to be learned. Don't cheat on your wife? Don't cheat on your husband? Sitting for a painting is not considered cheating so please relax? Don't get irrationally angry at your two-year-old son? Don't throw perfectly good flowers in the trash? Seek medical help for your lack of control in your life? Be nice to your mom and dad? Were these the lessons?
I suppose there were lessons to be had, but this story was honestly so slow, so boring, that if you told me the title after having read it, I'd wonder why on earth this was the title chosen for this book. I'm not sure what the author set out to achieve and why. It was just a story. Like a story I might tell my co-workers about how my weekend was. Nothing to it. No meaning. I'll forget it in a few hours.
It's harsh but it's just how I feel. It took me way too long to slog through it and I feel like I wasted my time.
Thank you to the publishers for the chance to read this book in advance.
I'm not sure what the hundred small lessons were. I struggle to comprehend if there were any lessons to be learned. Don't cheat on your wife? Don't cheat on your husband? Sitting for a painting is not considered cheating so please relax? Don't get irrationally angry at your two-year-old son? Don't throw perfectly good flowers in the trash? Seek medical help for your lack of control in your life? Be nice to your mom and dad? Were these the lessons?
I suppose there were lessons to be had, but this story was honestly so slow, so boring, that if you told me the title after having read it, I'd wonder why on earth this was the title chosen for this book. I'm not sure what the author set out to achieve and why. It was just a story. Like a story I might tell my co-workers about how my weekend was. Nothing to it. No meaning. I'll forget it in a few hours.
It's harsh but it's just how I feel. It took me way too long to slog through it and I feel like I wasted my time.
Thank you to the publishers for the chance to read this book in advance.
October 26, 2017
It would be easy to simply describe this book as "charming" and be done with it. It definitely is a charming story, but it deserves much more than that as a review.
A Hundred Small Lessons is the story of a home and the women who shared it. They didn't live there together; but they definitely shared it in their lives and in different ways.
Elsie Gormley and her husband built their life in the Brisbane home and raised their daughter and son there. We learn of Elsie's and Clem's romance and their sweet love as they married and lived here, a little of their children's lives and their relationships with their parents, and how life can thrill and also disappoint. We also see how love and life keep going after the death of a long-time spouse.
We meet Lucy Kiss and her husband Ben, who move into the home after Elsie falls and must be moved to a care center. Lucy is uncomfortable in the home, always believing it still belongs to Elsie, but Brisbane is where Ben spent his childhood, and they have come here to make a life.
This is just a sweet story, nothing dramatic or too deep about it, but it touches on real feelings, insecurities and the need that people have for a place of their own. There are some nice little twists or coincidences in the book that have no real impact on the story itself, other than to make it even more interesting and add a little spark.
I truly enjoyed this sweet and sensitive book, and I thank NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
A Hundred Small Lessons is the story of a home and the women who shared it. They didn't live there together; but they definitely shared it in their lives and in different ways.
Elsie Gormley and her husband built their life in the Brisbane home and raised their daughter and son there. We learn of Elsie's and Clem's romance and their sweet love as they married and lived here, a little of their children's lives and their relationships with their parents, and how life can thrill and also disappoint. We also see how love and life keep going after the death of a long-time spouse.
We meet Lucy Kiss and her husband Ben, who move into the home after Elsie falls and must be moved to a care center. Lucy is uncomfortable in the home, always believing it still belongs to Elsie, but Brisbane is where Ben spent his childhood, and they have come here to make a life.
This is just a sweet story, nothing dramatic or too deep about it, but it touches on real feelings, insecurities and the need that people have for a place of their own. There are some nice little twists or coincidences in the book that have no real impact on the story itself, other than to make it even more interesting and add a little spark.
I truly enjoyed this sweet and sensitive book, and I thank NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
May 22, 2017
I found this difficult to pick up, and easy to put down, sadly. The story didn't really grab me, and there wasn't really an overarching story, just two time periods that were jumped between with gay abandon, and then coincidences that were neither expanded nor explained. Also, a phrase was used over and over ad infinitum which made me groan when it was used again.
March 4, 2018
This gentle read is of relationships young and old. Elsie aged, widowed still chats to her deceased husband who formed an integral part of her life. An uneventful life of few expectations. There is only one occasion that Elsie regrets not trying to take an event with an artist neighbour further than she did. However, Elsie’s life would not ever fit into an artist’s life, this would never happen but Elsie seems to think it may have. At times it is a little difficult as the book moves back in time which takes the story of the past to the present. Elsie after her fall has been taken into care, where away from her familiar surroundings falls further into dementia, so the past is the present to her. Her life with Clem. Elsie has a good relationship with her son but her daughter is cold, scratchy and Elsie worries about it, wondering if more could have been done when the children were young, particularly as they are twins. The decision to move her from her familiar surroundings was all too raw for me having seen my own mother grapple with life in a nursing home. The constant noise, smell, the mass prepared food, inadequately trained staff makes for a poor end of life existence.
Lucy, Ben and baby Tom arrive to live in Elsie’s home. Lucy it appears is not coping all that well at being a parent and the main carer for baby Tom. As most will appreciate parenting is a 24 hour job and babies, children by virtue of their being are not always easy to get on with their focus constantly on their own needs. Lucy is amazed to find things of Elsie’s have been left behind in the house and from these items Lucy with her present state of mind begins an imaginary existence with Elsie. Ben does not understand this indulgence but for Lucy is it a bit of escapism?
The author weaves a beautiful story, some that is imagined turns out to not imagined . The descriptions of Brisbane and it’s beautiful river are as the author describes. It is a magical river with it’s constant winding up down and around.
Lucy, Ben and baby Tom arrive to live in Elsie’s home. Lucy it appears is not coping all that well at being a parent and the main carer for baby Tom. As most will appreciate parenting is a 24 hour job and babies, children by virtue of their being are not always easy to get on with their focus constantly on their own needs. Lucy is amazed to find things of Elsie’s have been left behind in the house and from these items Lucy with her present state of mind begins an imaginary existence with Elsie. Ben does not understand this indulgence but for Lucy is it a bit of escapism?
The author weaves a beautiful story, some that is imagined turns out to not imagined . The descriptions of Brisbane and it’s beautiful river are as the author describes. It is a magical river with it’s constant winding up down and around.
October 2, 2017
A HUNDRED SMALL LESSONS WRITTEN BY ASHLEY HAY
This beautiful story about two different women who inhabit the same house that comes alive as a character in itself. It's lovely prose is written poetically throughout the novel. I fell in love with the characters and the echos of the house. Elsie and Lucy both live in the same house. Elsie fell down in her house and goes to live in a nursing home. Lucy moves into Elsie's house with her husband.. The setting takes place in Brisbane. i really enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it. The writing flows seamlessly.
Thank you to Net Galley, Ashley Hay and Atria for providing me with my digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This beautiful story about two different women who inhabit the same house that comes alive as a character in itself. It's lovely prose is written poetically throughout the novel. I fell in love with the characters and the echos of the house. Elsie and Lucy both live in the same house. Elsie fell down in her house and goes to live in a nursing home. Lucy moves into Elsie's house with her husband.. The setting takes place in Brisbane. i really enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it. The writing flows seamlessly.
Thank you to Net Galley, Ashley Hay and Atria for providing me with my digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 20, 2017
A Hundred Small Lessons is such a well thought out novel. The way people’s lives criss-cross, the near misses until you one day meet; this novel gives a fresh take on the whole notion of ‘six degrees of separation’. The story within is so real, a lovely ebb and flow of all the moments that link together to create the tapestry of your entire life. It’s a true comfort read and one that I will definitely return to as time goes by.
At the heart of this novel, is the notion of motherhood. Through her female characters, Ashley Hay explores motherhood in an entirely unique way, focusing not just on what ‘type’ of mother you are, but more intricately on the type of child you envisaged yourself mothering. This was depicted so well with Elsie, mother of twins, Don and Elaine, two very different children, and consequently, each could say as adults that they had a different version of Elsie as their mother. But it’s not quite as simple as that. Ashley Hay, through the dimension of Elsie’s memories, demonstrates the struggle Elsie experienced all through her relationship with Elaine. Her inability to bond with her daughter and Elaine’s never ending hostility was a source of sorrow to Elsie. Neither woman ever truly understood the other, and this misunderstanding was compounded by Elsie’s solid relationship with Don. She’d gotten the mother gig right with him, so what was Elaine’s problem? This became more obvious with Elaine’s dissatisfaction with motherhood when she became a mother herself, and again, Elsie was left wondering, “Who is this woman, my daughter, who I don’t know at all.” Such thought provoking content. As a mother of three, I could relate to this entirely. Before your first baby is born, you think of who you might be as a mother, and after they arrive, you strive to fulfil that vision, yet the child itself has a say in determining what sort of mother you end up being. No one tells you that. And with each child that comes along, your mothering must adjust, because the children are never the same. There’s a constant flexing and re-moulding taking place, and often times, it takes some adjusting to get it to work. Sometimes, you just never do get it ‘right’.
Contrasting the reflections of a mother nearing the end of a long life against those of mother just starting out was a brilliant way to structure a life story such as this one. Lucy is just new to mothering. Her son is no longer an infant but is a toddler developing his personality and exploring the boundaries of his life. Who are you once you become a parent, when your time is no longer your own and your emotions are not something you can always control in quite the same way any longer, is demonstrated to perfection with Lucy. She is still somewhat shocked by motherhood and the emotions it has wrought within her. She no longer knows who she really is because the person she was before has had to step aside for the duration. Tom is not always the ideal child, none of them ever are, so her visions of the type of mother she wants to be are often shattered and replaced with a reality that doesn’t sit well within her. Lucy’s overwhelmed state of being that ultimately leads her to leaving is all too relatable.
The different representations of motherhood within this novel are all the more appreciated when placed within the context of real life. We’ve all come across the ‘perfect mothers’ with their intolerance and overblown sense of their own achievements in the realm of all things mother related. They thrive on making other mothers feel inferior and would number high as the harshest life critics ever encountered. Novels that weigh into this trope perpetuate the feelings of inadequacy many mothers become plagued by. A Hundred Small Lessons not only avoids giving weight to this, but it deconstructs the motherhood myth and deftly replaces it with reality. Elsie was on the surface, a fairly perfect mother. To Don, anyway. But she never truly connected with Elaine, much to her own dismay. Their connection towards the end of the novel, when Elaine holds Elsie’s hand while talking about her mother’s portrait with Don, is all the more bittersweet for Elsie’s silent acknowledgement that she didn’t get it right with Elaine. We’re all just blindly trying to balance everything in order to at least get most things nearly right, and given that much of our mothering is done in isolation, novels that explore realistic notions of motherhood are the more appreciated and valued.
Ben and Clem, the fathers of this novel, have their turn at providing insight into being a husband and a father, yet both of them still never fully understand their wives in terms of their motherhood. Ben is somewhat consumed with the loss of his wife to motherhood. He struggles to understand why she can’t just continue to be who she always has been and fails to recognise the depths of her overwhelmed state of being until it’s almost too late. Clem is perhaps more insightful than Ben, but this could be owing to his life stage when we encounter him. He’s been a father for longer and also has more than one child. I quite liked Clem. He had a solidity that was comforting and truly understood his daughter in a way Elsie never did. I felt this demonstrated the role of fatherhood very well and it’s complimentary addition to motherhood, and the balance both parents can bring to a child’s life.
The serendipitous nature of the ending of this novel was truly beautiful. The connections previously laid down throughout the novel all fusing as Gloria, Elsie’s grand daughter, drops in on Ben and Lucy. What we knew, now becomes apparent to Ben and Lucy, and so many things fall into place for them. There is sadness though, as Elsie’s dementia deteriorates and through this unravelling we witness her consequent slide towards death. While she certainly lived a long and good life, the end of a person is always sad.
I always love a story that revolves around a house or a certain place. Where we lay our roots can be so important, tied up with so much of our self awareness. Elsie’s fast deterioration after being removed from her beloved home just highlights how much of ourselves we invest in the place we choose to inhabit. I really loved the way Lucy connected to Elsie without ever having met her. They walked the same rooms within a different time, but Elsie’s presence was still very much evident to Lucy and provided a source of comfort to Lucy as she struggled to find her way in her new life.
A Hundred Small Lessons is the type of novel you can give as a gift with confidence that the recipient will enjoy it. The glorious cover alone promises delight upon opening. I highly recommend this beautiful novel, to everyone who reads. To all of you who are or ever have been a parent. To everyone who has ever been a child at some point in your lives (which is of course every human being). There is much to be gained from reading this novel.
Thanks is extended to the Queensland Writers Centre and Allen and Unwin for providing me with a copy of A Hundred Small Lessons for review.
A Hundred Small Lessons is book 29 of my 2017 Australian Women Writers Challenge.
At the heart of this novel, is the notion of motherhood. Through her female characters, Ashley Hay explores motherhood in an entirely unique way, focusing not just on what ‘type’ of mother you are, but more intricately on the type of child you envisaged yourself mothering. This was depicted so well with Elsie, mother of twins, Don and Elaine, two very different children, and consequently, each could say as adults that they had a different version of Elsie as their mother. But it’s not quite as simple as that. Ashley Hay, through the dimension of Elsie’s memories, demonstrates the struggle Elsie experienced all through her relationship with Elaine. Her inability to bond with her daughter and Elaine’s never ending hostility was a source of sorrow to Elsie. Neither woman ever truly understood the other, and this misunderstanding was compounded by Elsie’s solid relationship with Don. She’d gotten the mother gig right with him, so what was Elaine’s problem? This became more obvious with Elaine’s dissatisfaction with motherhood when she became a mother herself, and again, Elsie was left wondering, “Who is this woman, my daughter, who I don’t know at all.” Such thought provoking content. As a mother of three, I could relate to this entirely. Before your first baby is born, you think of who you might be as a mother, and after they arrive, you strive to fulfil that vision, yet the child itself has a say in determining what sort of mother you end up being. No one tells you that. And with each child that comes along, your mothering must adjust, because the children are never the same. There’s a constant flexing and re-moulding taking place, and often times, it takes some adjusting to get it to work. Sometimes, you just never do get it ‘right’.
Contrasting the reflections of a mother nearing the end of a long life against those of mother just starting out was a brilliant way to structure a life story such as this one. Lucy is just new to mothering. Her son is no longer an infant but is a toddler developing his personality and exploring the boundaries of his life. Who are you once you become a parent, when your time is no longer your own and your emotions are not something you can always control in quite the same way any longer, is demonstrated to perfection with Lucy. She is still somewhat shocked by motherhood and the emotions it has wrought within her. She no longer knows who she really is because the person she was before has had to step aside for the duration. Tom is not always the ideal child, none of them ever are, so her visions of the type of mother she wants to be are often shattered and replaced with a reality that doesn’t sit well within her. Lucy’s overwhelmed state of being that ultimately leads her to leaving is all too relatable.
The different representations of motherhood within this novel are all the more appreciated when placed within the context of real life. We’ve all come across the ‘perfect mothers’ with their intolerance and overblown sense of their own achievements in the realm of all things mother related. They thrive on making other mothers feel inferior and would number high as the harshest life critics ever encountered. Novels that weigh into this trope perpetuate the feelings of inadequacy many mothers become plagued by. A Hundred Small Lessons not only avoids giving weight to this, but it deconstructs the motherhood myth and deftly replaces it with reality. Elsie was on the surface, a fairly perfect mother. To Don, anyway. But she never truly connected with Elaine, much to her own dismay. Their connection towards the end of the novel, when Elaine holds Elsie’s hand while talking about her mother’s portrait with Don, is all the more bittersweet for Elsie’s silent acknowledgement that she didn’t get it right with Elaine. We’re all just blindly trying to balance everything in order to at least get most things nearly right, and given that much of our mothering is done in isolation, novels that explore realistic notions of motherhood are the more appreciated and valued.
Ben and Clem, the fathers of this novel, have their turn at providing insight into being a husband and a father, yet both of them still never fully understand their wives in terms of their motherhood. Ben is somewhat consumed with the loss of his wife to motherhood. He struggles to understand why she can’t just continue to be who she always has been and fails to recognise the depths of her overwhelmed state of being until it’s almost too late. Clem is perhaps more insightful than Ben, but this could be owing to his life stage when we encounter him. He’s been a father for longer and also has more than one child. I quite liked Clem. He had a solidity that was comforting and truly understood his daughter in a way Elsie never did. I felt this demonstrated the role of fatherhood very well and it’s complimentary addition to motherhood, and the balance both parents can bring to a child’s life.
The serendipitous nature of the ending of this novel was truly beautiful. The connections previously laid down throughout the novel all fusing as Gloria, Elsie’s grand daughter, drops in on Ben and Lucy. What we knew, now becomes apparent to Ben and Lucy, and so many things fall into place for them. There is sadness though, as Elsie’s dementia deteriorates and through this unravelling we witness her consequent slide towards death. While she certainly lived a long and good life, the end of a person is always sad.
I always love a story that revolves around a house or a certain place. Where we lay our roots can be so important, tied up with so much of our self awareness. Elsie’s fast deterioration after being removed from her beloved home just highlights how much of ourselves we invest in the place we choose to inhabit. I really loved the way Lucy connected to Elsie without ever having met her. They walked the same rooms within a different time, but Elsie’s presence was still very much evident to Lucy and provided a source of comfort to Lucy as she struggled to find her way in her new life.
A Hundred Small Lessons is the type of novel you can give as a gift with confidence that the recipient will enjoy it. The glorious cover alone promises delight upon opening. I highly recommend this beautiful novel, to everyone who reads. To all of you who are or ever have been a parent. To everyone who has ever been a child at some point in your lives (which is of course every human being). There is much to be gained from reading this novel.
Thanks is extended to the Queensland Writers Centre and Allen and Unwin for providing me with a copy of A Hundred Small Lessons for review.
A Hundred Small Lessons is book 29 of my 2017 Australian Women Writers Challenge.
November 14, 2017
Original review can be found at https://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/...
** I received an advanced readers copy from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**
A Hundred Small Lessons told the alternating story of two different women of different generations who lived in the same house. After reading the synopsis I knew I had to read it because it was exactly the type and style of book that I tend to enjoy most.
I really wanted to love this book but I just didn't. Unfortunately I found it terribly dull and hard to stay focused. The thoughts and stories of the two women in this book were so scattered and random but above all they were mostly boring. I kept waiting for it to grab me but it never really did. It was hard to stay focused and I found myself nodding off on numerous occasions. I am an avid reader and tend to get through a book quickly but this one took me days. Often I considered not finishing it but I plugged away in the hopes that it would eventually pull me in. It didn't happen.
Other early reviews for this book are quite good so I don't know if it was just me or if I was having a bad week. It just didn't do anything for me.
** I received an advanced readers copy from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**
A Hundred Small Lessons told the alternating story of two different women of different generations who lived in the same house. After reading the synopsis I knew I had to read it because it was exactly the type and style of book that I tend to enjoy most.
I really wanted to love this book but I just didn't. Unfortunately I found it terribly dull and hard to stay focused. The thoughts and stories of the two women in this book were so scattered and random but above all they were mostly boring. I kept waiting for it to grab me but it never really did. It was hard to stay focused and I found myself nodding off on numerous occasions. I am an avid reader and tend to get through a book quickly but this one took me days. Often I considered not finishing it but I plugged away in the hopes that it would eventually pull me in. It didn't happen.
Other early reviews for this book are quite good so I don't know if it was just me or if I was having a bad week. It just didn't do anything for me.
February 25, 2017
Not my usual sort of book, but I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of two families intertwined (thanks to Allen and Unwin for the ARC). The novel centres around couples Elsie and Clem, and Lucy and Ben, who move into their house once Elsie moves into a retirement home. From there, the lives of both families unspool, and Hay deals with universal family themes spanning from the suffocating nature of parental expectations through to the animalistic fear parents experience for their child's safety. The writing flows easily and paints a vivid portrait of Brisbane life between the 1940s and 2010. While some motifs were over-used (i.e. vardoger, a Norwegian idea of a self that goes ahead of you), others (like the numerous birds that populate the story) were subtly crafted and supported the narrative; sweet, rich, sad and moving. Less of a family saga than a series of portraits of parenthood, childhood and love, A Hundred Small Lessons is well worth a read.
July 21, 2020
Unfortunately this book just lost me along the way. I thought there would be "more" to it than it was. Just didn't feel like there was a point to the story in the end.
December 7, 2017
A Hundred Small Lessons is a character-driven book about life's journeys--both the beginnings and the ends. It's about two women and their families who occupy the same Brisbane house at different times. After a fall, elderly Elsie is moved by her children from her home to a nearby care facility while Lucy and her husband Ben buy the house and settle in with their toddler son, Tom. The story alternates primarily between Elsie and Lucy with much of Elsie's story looking back at her life and Lucy's more focused on the present day as her life moves forward and she adjusts to the changes that motherhood brings. Lucy feels a connection with Elsie, finding photos, a teacup and other possessions that belonged to her. She also feels Elsie's presence in the house, something her husband discounts and adding to tension brewing between them. Elsie is finding it hard to let go of her house, the memories of her beloved husband who died decades ago, and the regrets she has about her life--especially her strained relationship with her daughter.
The writing is quietly and deeply beautiful. There are no big moments or huge bursts of drama here, but the way that Hay writes about the small moments, the ones we often take for granted, gives them a resonance and an importance and made me want to keep reading. On the other hand, I was a bit unprepared for how much Elsie would make me think of my own mom and her end of life, so there were times when I would have to set the book down and walk away from it. In the end, I enjoyed this glimpse at two lives, separate but connected, and the lyrical way the author tells their stories. This is my first book by Ashley Hay but I will definitely explore her writing more.
You can see my review as well as a copy of the book on my blog post here: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
Note: A review copy of "A Hundred Small Lessons" was provided to me by the author and the publisher via TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.
The writing is quietly and deeply beautiful. There are no big moments or huge bursts of drama here, but the way that Hay writes about the small moments, the ones we often take for granted, gives them a resonance and an importance and made me want to keep reading. On the other hand, I was a bit unprepared for how much Elsie would make me think of my own mom and her end of life, so there were times when I would have to set the book down and walk away from it. In the end, I enjoyed this glimpse at two lives, separate but connected, and the lyrical way the author tells their stories. This is my first book by Ashley Hay but I will definitely explore her writing more.
You can see my review as well as a copy of the book on my blog post here: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
Note: A review copy of "A Hundred Small Lessons" was provided to me by the author and the publisher via TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 24, 2017
There’s something very affirming about reading a book set in the place you live, or the place where you were raised. The setting feels familiar in so many ways: the weather, the seasons, the topography, the landmarks, the history, the people. And so it is with Ashley Hay’s new novel A Hundred Small Lessons (Allen & Unwin Books 2017). Gracing the front cover is a beautiful purple cloud – the jacarandas in bloom – and a woman with her back to the reader, walking away, along a path strewn with the lilac blossoms. Holding tight to each of her hands is a small boy on one side and a small girl, his twin, on the other.
This is a story within a story, or rather, two stories within the one story. The woman on the cover is Elsie, as she was as a young mother, with her children by her side. But when the novel opens, in 2010, 90-year-old Elsie has had a fall, and lies on her thick green carpet watching the pattern of the light on the dust. The fall is the beginning of the end for Elsie – the end of her time in her family home, the end of her independence. The second story is about a young family, Lucy, Ben and their toddler, Tom, who buy Elsie’s home and make it their own. All the way through the book, the focus shifts – now on Elsie as a young woman, now on Lucy, struggling to make this new house a home; now on Elsie and her husband Clem, now on Ben and Lucy as they navigate their way through the changed circumstances of parenthood.
There is an air of mysticism about this novel that imbues the narrative with a playful sense of possibility: Lucy believes that Elsie comes by to visit, furtive night sojourns, leaving footprints in the grass and disturbing her belongings. Elsie believes she visits her old home as easily as going there in her mind. So where do these simultaneous tales converge, and where do they depart? How much is true and how much is imagination?
The book is a lovely meditation on motherhood and belonging. Elsie’s own memories, and her daughter’s fraught experience of parenting, are contrasted and compared with Lucy. We see Elsie as a vibrant young woman, but living in a different time, in a very different world. And yet her struggles and anxieties, her insecurities and fears, are not so different from modern-day Lucy, who worries whether she is enough for her son, and whether he – and the life she has chosen – is enough for her.
It is not only women we hear – the men’s voices also come through loud and clear. The two husbands, Clem and Ben, have their own misgivings and prejudices, their own yearnings and responsibilities. All of this plays out under the strong Brisbane sunshine, with the shadow of the floods hovering (both the ’74 and the 2011 versions).
With Lucy and her family newly installed in the house, and Elsie reminiscing from the nursing home, the intertwined lives of all these characters wend their way inexorably towards the conclusion, which is neatly tied together with some nicely done coincidence and crossing of paths. This is a joyful story about love and death, about caring for someone throughout their life, about the miracle of chance encounters, and the pull of family and belonging, a story about the steadfastness of a home and the unique experience of living somewhere that is familiar.
This is a story within a story, or rather, two stories within the one story. The woman on the cover is Elsie, as she was as a young mother, with her children by her side. But when the novel opens, in 2010, 90-year-old Elsie has had a fall, and lies on her thick green carpet watching the pattern of the light on the dust. The fall is the beginning of the end for Elsie – the end of her time in her family home, the end of her independence. The second story is about a young family, Lucy, Ben and their toddler, Tom, who buy Elsie’s home and make it their own. All the way through the book, the focus shifts – now on Elsie as a young woman, now on Lucy, struggling to make this new house a home; now on Elsie and her husband Clem, now on Ben and Lucy as they navigate their way through the changed circumstances of parenthood.
There is an air of mysticism about this novel that imbues the narrative with a playful sense of possibility: Lucy believes that Elsie comes by to visit, furtive night sojourns, leaving footprints in the grass and disturbing her belongings. Elsie believes she visits her old home as easily as going there in her mind. So where do these simultaneous tales converge, and where do they depart? How much is true and how much is imagination?
The book is a lovely meditation on motherhood and belonging. Elsie’s own memories, and her daughter’s fraught experience of parenting, are contrasted and compared with Lucy. We see Elsie as a vibrant young woman, but living in a different time, in a very different world. And yet her struggles and anxieties, her insecurities and fears, are not so different from modern-day Lucy, who worries whether she is enough for her son, and whether he – and the life she has chosen – is enough for her.
It is not only women we hear – the men’s voices also come through loud and clear. The two husbands, Clem and Ben, have their own misgivings and prejudices, their own yearnings and responsibilities. All of this plays out under the strong Brisbane sunshine, with the shadow of the floods hovering (both the ’74 and the 2011 versions).
With Lucy and her family newly installed in the house, and Elsie reminiscing from the nursing home, the intertwined lives of all these characters wend their way inexorably towards the conclusion, which is neatly tied together with some nicely done coincidence and crossing of paths. This is a joyful story about love and death, about caring for someone throughout their life, about the miracle of chance encounters, and the pull of family and belonging, a story about the steadfastness of a home and the unique experience of living somewhere that is familiar.
April 17, 2018
This novel was just too quiet for me. Elsie’s story was incredibly bland; most of her story arc was her fretting over Elaine and posing for that portrait.
Lucy’s was mostly the same. She’s unhappy with her life since becoming a mother, and her husband is only just now starting to notice it. There’s no climactic moment for either story, and it sorely needed one. Lack of drama and conflict is probably more true to real life, yes, but that doesn’t mean I want to read about nothing happening.
Lucy’s was mostly the same. She’s unhappy with her life since becoming a mother, and her husband is only just now starting to notice it. There’s no climactic moment for either story, and it sorely needed one. Lack of drama and conflict is probably more true to real life, yes, but that doesn’t mean I want to read about nothing happening.
December 20, 2017
Ashley Hay's excellent characterization is as good as any I've read in a long time. Her descriptions of the actions and thoughts of the two main women in the story are a meditation on day-to-day life and living. A good read for anyone who likes strong character-driven narrative or stories that span generations.
February 27, 2017
This is a novel of characters, it reads like you are reading their minds. It's not action packed, it doesn't have huge events, it's a lovely exploration of two families, their thoughts, their lives and lots of what ifs.....it's a story of love and life
December 11, 2017
3.5/5 rounded up!
Thank you so much TLC Book Tours and Atria Books for sending me a copy of A Hundred Small Lessons in exchange for an honest review, and for having me on this tour!
Following the lives of two different women intertwined by a single house, this story touches on the changes and daily struggles experienced through different stages of life. A heartwarming story with out all the drama, but all the realities of life and lovable characters.
The book opens on 89 year old Elsie and I can tell right away I like her. She has this funny spunky side as well as being a kind and loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She goes through periods of reminiscing on different times in her life. Wondering about the choices she made and if she was the best mother she could be, as well as instances of love and loss. She also goes through periods of not realizing what is going on and having to acknowledge that things are changing. I enjoyed taking these trips down memory lane with her, but also felt sad when she felt taken from her home of 60 years and the inevitable change that comes when someone is close to the end of their life.
Lucy and her husband Ben on the other hand just move into Elsie's house. Lucy is a new mom that has constantly moved from place to place so she is navigating these waters both literally and figuratively. From her relationship with her husband that has changed from just the two of them to now having a child and working through those hardships, the flood that affects their neighborhood, and being a mother while going through self discovery. Lucy has her hands full but her story is one that so many can relate too and learn from.
The hope is that we leave a little of ourselves in the world, and this is seen in the way Lucy finds traces of Elsie's life and personality through out the house. A house that brings them together and teaches them both a hundred small lessons.
While there wasn't much to the plot and I found the read to be slow, the characters were lovely and I enjoyed their stories. A nice read for when you don't want any drama just a nice dose of contemporary fiction that is genuine and relatable and will bring tears to your eyes! Thank you again so much for the copy!
Thank you so much TLC Book Tours and Atria Books for sending me a copy of A Hundred Small Lessons in exchange for an honest review, and for having me on this tour!
Following the lives of two different women intertwined by a single house, this story touches on the changes and daily struggles experienced through different stages of life. A heartwarming story with out all the drama, but all the realities of life and lovable characters.
The book opens on 89 year old Elsie and I can tell right away I like her. She has this funny spunky side as well as being a kind and loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She goes through periods of reminiscing on different times in her life. Wondering about the choices she made and if she was the best mother she could be, as well as instances of love and loss. She also goes through periods of not realizing what is going on and having to acknowledge that things are changing. I enjoyed taking these trips down memory lane with her, but also felt sad when she felt taken from her home of 60 years and the inevitable change that comes when someone is close to the end of their life.
Lucy and her husband Ben on the other hand just move into Elsie's house. Lucy is a new mom that has constantly moved from place to place so she is navigating these waters both literally and figuratively. From her relationship with her husband that has changed from just the two of them to now having a child and working through those hardships, the flood that affects their neighborhood, and being a mother while going through self discovery. Lucy has her hands full but her story is one that so many can relate too and learn from.
The hope is that we leave a little of ourselves in the world, and this is seen in the way Lucy finds traces of Elsie's life and personality through out the house. A house that brings them together and teaches them both a hundred small lessons.
While there wasn't much to the plot and I found the read to be slow, the characters were lovely and I enjoyed their stories. A nice read for when you don't want any drama just a nice dose of contemporary fiction that is genuine and relatable and will bring tears to your eyes! Thank you again so much for the copy!
December 18, 2017
Before we bought our first (and so far, only) home, a couple called Ernie and Claire lived in it for 50 or so years, buying it new, and raising three daughters. When we bought it, Claire had already died and Ernie went to live with one of his daughters. I was pregnant with our first son as we moved in and sometimes found myself talking to Claire in my mind. It wasn't that I thought she was a ghost, just that the house had only ever been hers for such a long time. I used to wonder what she would have thought of the changes we were making. Just as in A Hundred Small Lessons, our house was covered in wallpaper--someone (maybe Ernie, maybe Claire) was talented enough to wallpaper the kitchen cupboards, including one door with slats to let air in around a vent. There was even wallpaper on the bathroom ceiling--and God knows what kind of paste was used as that was as firmly stuck on as if it was pasted up the week before.
So based on my own personal experience, I was attracted to the description of a A Hundred Small Lessons. I'm not sure if it lived up to what I was hoping for and I'm not even sure if I'd say this was a book that I really enjoyed. But ultimately, I liked it for its examination of family relationships: husbands and wives, mothers and children. It's a quiet, slow book that touches on those inconsequential moments that ultimately add up to a lifetime.
I probably would have rated this a three star but for the fact that Hay captures so many things that I've experienced. I've lived in five different countries and could relate when Lucy (the modern day mother) says "When we first moved up here, I saw people from our old life everywhere. Except none of them were really here. ... I just think it's funny the way my brain tries to make sense of strange places by imagining its people are all familiar."
Hay also perfectly describes some of the delights and challenges of parenting younger children. I loved this line: "There was a perpetual motion to parenting: no one had told her about that." And also this: "So this is parenthood," Ben muses, at one point. "You behave better than you might for the sake of your kid."
Reading this book and writing this review made me think of Claire again so I did some online sleuthing. It made me smile to realize that I did create some continuity with her in a shared love of reading and tendency to volunteer at school. I found an old newspaper story and read that she was co-chair of the school book sale at our local school down the road from the house. "The fair will be given to spur student interest in reading and building home libraries and to also contribute to a P-TA project, improving [the school's] library."
And so life goes on.
So based on my own personal experience, I was attracted to the description of a A Hundred Small Lessons. I'm not sure if it lived up to what I was hoping for and I'm not even sure if I'd say this was a book that I really enjoyed. But ultimately, I liked it for its examination of family relationships: husbands and wives, mothers and children. It's a quiet, slow book that touches on those inconsequential moments that ultimately add up to a lifetime.
I probably would have rated this a three star but for the fact that Hay captures so many things that I've experienced. I've lived in five different countries and could relate when Lucy (the modern day mother) says "When we first moved up here, I saw people from our old life everywhere. Except none of them were really here. ... I just think it's funny the way my brain tries to make sense of strange places by imagining its people are all familiar."
Hay also perfectly describes some of the delights and challenges of parenting younger children. I loved this line: "There was a perpetual motion to parenting: no one had told her about that." And also this: "So this is parenthood," Ben muses, at one point. "You behave better than you might for the sake of your kid."
Reading this book and writing this review made me think of Claire again so I did some online sleuthing. It made me smile to realize that I did create some continuity with her in a shared love of reading and tendency to volunteer at school. I found an old newspaper story and read that she was co-chair of the school book sale at our local school down the road from the house. "The fair will be given to spur student interest in reading and building home libraries and to also contribute to a P-TA project, improving [the school's] library."
And so life goes on.
February 6, 2019
Lovely story by an Australian author.
August 28, 2017
Let me start with saying how amazing this book is, I love it when I am mildly interested in a book and it surprises me with it depth of characters, and inflicts great emotion.I wrote this review on the first 20 pages of the story. Usually in 20 pages I don't have any idea if I love or hate it, so on with my thoughts.
Elsie Gromily falls at her home in Brisbane, where she lived for 60 years, brought up her children, and became a widow. Worried neighbors call in the police to see if she is ok. She is found on her kitchen floor, whisked away to the hospital, where her children and doctors decide to put her in an assisted living facility.
This is where I get angry.Her children and staff members avoid the issue of telling her she will never be going home. Her daughter and son clean out her house, discarding her mementos, and precious memories. Her daughter has little or no regard at all for her mother's things. Her son seems remorseful, but still they put her home on sale. Her son seems in a melancholy mood and it seems to cause him pain to throw these memories away, he snatches some photos to keep. Being a senior myself this brought a very emotional response in my heart.
The new owners Lucy her husband Ben who grew up in Brisbane ad loves it there, and their toddler Tom are settling in, tired of moving from place to place, Lucy is falling in love with the house and it flowering gardens,Lucy finds some lace doilies that Elsie made and decides to keep and use them, feeling the belong in the house.
At first I thought Elsie was dead, and a wandering spirit. The I thought maybe she has dementia. Then again she could be just living out better happier times inside her own head to escape the reality thrust upon her. As you can see the story kept me guessing, the wheels were always turning, and I felt at home in the story, never bored.
The writing made me feel for Elsie like she was my own grandmother, so at times I felt heartbroken, and emotionally spent. I was concerned that in this tale Elsie might die, and that would make me weep. This dear sweet woman had no home to go back to, I felt her slip into the past and want to stay there. Who could blame her?
First impressions of the couple that bought Elsie's house, a nice young family, husband and wife in love, and wanting to settle in a place to call home.
It only took a few pages of this story to make me emotionally attached, and bonding with Elsie seemed like the easiest thing in the world to do. My first impressions of Elsie's twin son and daughter was not a good one. This story was so believable it was a lot to take in and feel within my own heart.
Ashley Hay has captured the true hardships and essence of growing old, being locked away, and dismissed like you have no importance to those you loved and sacrificed for a lifetime. Nursing homes can be a nightmare. Elsie's mind was examined and fully displayed in this wonderful, sad, complex, happy at times tale. I loved it and even tho I was angry at times, the whole story is a work of beautiful art.
Elsie Gromily falls at her home in Brisbane, where she lived for 60 years, brought up her children, and became a widow. Worried neighbors call in the police to see if she is ok. She is found on her kitchen floor, whisked away to the hospital, where her children and doctors decide to put her in an assisted living facility.
This is where I get angry.Her children and staff members avoid the issue of telling her she will never be going home. Her daughter and son clean out her house, discarding her mementos, and precious memories. Her daughter has little or no regard at all for her mother's things. Her son seems remorseful, but still they put her home on sale. Her son seems in a melancholy mood and it seems to cause him pain to throw these memories away, he snatches some photos to keep. Being a senior myself this brought a very emotional response in my heart.
The new owners Lucy her husband Ben who grew up in Brisbane ad loves it there, and their toddler Tom are settling in, tired of moving from place to place, Lucy is falling in love with the house and it flowering gardens,Lucy finds some lace doilies that Elsie made and decides to keep and use them, feeling the belong in the house.
At first I thought Elsie was dead, and a wandering spirit. The I thought maybe she has dementia. Then again she could be just living out better happier times inside her own head to escape the reality thrust upon her. As you can see the story kept me guessing, the wheels were always turning, and I felt at home in the story, never bored.
The writing made me feel for Elsie like she was my own grandmother, so at times I felt heartbroken, and emotionally spent. I was concerned that in this tale Elsie might die, and that would make me weep. This dear sweet woman had no home to go back to, I felt her slip into the past and want to stay there. Who could blame her?
First impressions of the couple that bought Elsie's house, a nice young family, husband and wife in love, and wanting to settle in a place to call home.
It only took a few pages of this story to make me emotionally attached, and bonding with Elsie seemed like the easiest thing in the world to do. My first impressions of Elsie's twin son and daughter was not a good one. This story was so believable it was a lot to take in and feel within my own heart.
Ashley Hay has captured the true hardships and essence of growing old, being locked away, and dismissed like you have no importance to those you loved and sacrificed for a lifetime. Nursing homes can be a nightmare. Elsie's mind was examined and fully displayed in this wonderful, sad, complex, happy at times tale. I loved it and even tho I was angry at times, the whole story is a work of beautiful art.
May 19, 2017
This is probably not really quite a four star novel but I loved it, it hit the spot for me at this time. Review to follow if I find the energy.
March 27, 2017
Rating 4.8/5
Exclamation: I would just like to state that I received this book from Allen and Unwin in return for an honest review. Therefore, everything I say here is the honest truth and is simply my personal opinions on the book.
A Hundred Small Lessons by Ashley Hay is a read that will open your eyes to the history of your past, the past of your home, those who lived there and will make one want to learn more about who they are. It is a novel that explores the finding of oneself and shows the importance of family through the process of life.
I feel a strong connection to this novel as I am from Brisbane myself. I always love reading novels set close to home as I know what happened there in terms of history, the setting of places etc. It is like going "Hey! I know that street!" "I know that flood" "I know where they are! There is this there and that there and just around the corner there is that cute little building" etc. It is a really cool feeling. It just feels rather special to have a novel set in little old Brisbane. A place I know so well. So that is just one point that I loved about this novel.
There wasn't much action in this novel and this is what I liked about it. It is a read that doesn't need action for one to feel emotions and pain for the characters. It is realistic and from this is one that helps the reader to connect to the novel itself. We have all experienced the emotions felt in this novel at some point. Whether is moving house, trying to settle into a new area, getting to know people and from this yourself, being a parent, being a wife or husband, reminiscing on the past or whatever it is, it is something that easily clicks into a memory or an emotion that you have already felt. It is so real in fact that you can begin to feel as though you are reading a true story. I love that.
The characters were another thing. They were easy to understand, you could connect to them and you feel their pain, their worries and their stress. You laugh when they laugh, you feel pain when they feel pain. There is a unique form of bonding between the reader and character which makes the novel more enjoyable. Lucy Kiss and Elsie Gormley where so alike, yet so different. And by the end of the book you really feel as though you know them. They were the main characters making them the most realistic of all. I loved reading about them and though I am a teenager, I felt like I was getting a taste of adult life and this was very interesting to me. Clem and Ben were also very interesting and their perspectives were enjoyable to read.
In the end, I couldn't put the book down. I was desperate to find out what was to happen. I was personally scared for all the characters. So I stayed up until 12:30am and when I read that last page, I nearly cried of sadness yet joy. A hundred small lessons was a wonderful read. The writing was unique and smooth and flowed so well. It was realistic and I loved it. I truly believe that I learn many lessons from this novel and that is something new and special to me. I also loved the cover and I cannot tell you how many compliment that cover got!
Thank you to Ashley Hay for this wonderful read. I truly enjoyed it and I have already had my Aunties, Mumma and Nana ask to read it next! I definitely recommend this novel to those who want an eye-opening and beautiful read.
Thank you to Allen and Unwin for providing an Arc of this. I love the cover!
Exclamation: I would just like to state that I received this book from Allen and Unwin in return for an honest review. Therefore, everything I say here is the honest truth and is simply my personal opinions on the book.
A Hundred Small Lessons by Ashley Hay is a read that will open your eyes to the history of your past, the past of your home, those who lived there and will make one want to learn more about who they are. It is a novel that explores the finding of oneself and shows the importance of family through the process of life.
I feel a strong connection to this novel as I am from Brisbane myself. I always love reading novels set close to home as I know what happened there in terms of history, the setting of places etc. It is like going "Hey! I know that street!" "I know that flood" "I know where they are! There is this there and that there and just around the corner there is that cute little building" etc. It is a really cool feeling. It just feels rather special to have a novel set in little old Brisbane. A place I know so well. So that is just one point that I loved about this novel.
There wasn't much action in this novel and this is what I liked about it. It is a read that doesn't need action for one to feel emotions and pain for the characters. It is realistic and from this is one that helps the reader to connect to the novel itself. We have all experienced the emotions felt in this novel at some point. Whether is moving house, trying to settle into a new area, getting to know people and from this yourself, being a parent, being a wife or husband, reminiscing on the past or whatever it is, it is something that easily clicks into a memory or an emotion that you have already felt. It is so real in fact that you can begin to feel as though you are reading a true story. I love that.
The characters were another thing. They were easy to understand, you could connect to them and you feel their pain, their worries and their stress. You laugh when they laugh, you feel pain when they feel pain. There is a unique form of bonding between the reader and character which makes the novel more enjoyable. Lucy Kiss and Elsie Gormley where so alike, yet so different. And by the end of the book you really feel as though you know them. They were the main characters making them the most realistic of all. I loved reading about them and though I am a teenager, I felt like I was getting a taste of adult life and this was very interesting to me. Clem and Ben were also very interesting and their perspectives were enjoyable to read.
In the end, I couldn't put the book down. I was desperate to find out what was to happen. I was personally scared for all the characters. So I stayed up until 12:30am and when I read that last page, I nearly cried of sadness yet joy. A hundred small lessons was a wonderful read. The writing was unique and smooth and flowed so well. It was realistic and I loved it. I truly believe that I learn many lessons from this novel and that is something new and special to me. I also loved the cover and I cannot tell you how many compliment that cover got!
Thank you to Ashley Hay for this wonderful read. I truly enjoyed it and I have already had my Aunties, Mumma and Nana ask to read it next! I definitely recommend this novel to those who want an eye-opening and beautiful read.
Thank you to Allen and Unwin for providing an Arc of this. I love the cover!
March 27, 2017
This book was a Good Reads giveaway.
The story of two families that have lived in a house a two different times. Very gentle, sometimes sad story of Elsie towards the end of her life as she leaves her home of 62 years and Lucy Kiss, who has just purchased the home for her family. The stories weave in and out, back and forth. A tenderly told tale of love, motherhood, family, beginnings and endings.
The story of two families that have lived in a house a two different times. Very gentle, sometimes sad story of Elsie towards the end of her life as she leaves her home of 62 years and Lucy Kiss, who has just purchased the home for her family. The stories weave in and out, back and forth. A tenderly told tale of love, motherhood, family, beginnings and endings.
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