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Eleven Lines to Somewhere
In a world of what-ifs, a connection has been made …When Ryan spots a young woman on the tube on his commute, he can’t take his eyes off her. Instantly attracted and intrigued, he’s keen to find out more about his mysterious fellow passenger.
The woman he thinks of as Millie spends all day travelling the Underground, unable to leave for reasons unbeknownst to Ryan. For some inexplicable reason, he just can’t shake the feeling he wants to help her escape her endless commute.
This is a story of love and loss from the author of The First Time Lauren Pailing Died, perfect for fans of Anna Hope’s Expectation, David Nicholls’s Sweet Sorrow and Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life.
The woman he thinks of as Millie spends all day travelling the Underground, unable to leave for reasons unbeknownst to Ryan. For some inexplicable reason, he just can’t shake the feeling he wants to help her escape her endless commute.
This is a story of love and loss from the author of The First Time Lauren Pailing Died, perfect for fans of Anna Hope’s Expectation, David Nicholls’s Sweet Sorrow and Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 23, 2020
12 people are currently reading
279 people want to read
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January 1, 2026
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I am extremely happy and excited to be part of the blog tour for Eleven Lines to Somewhere by Alyson Rudd. Thank you to the team at HQ - for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. Check out the other book bloggers that are part of the tour as well:
Synopsis:
Everyone is searching for love. Sometimes we just take our own route to find it.
Ryan sees a young woman on the tube on his way to work, and he can't stop looking at her. Attracted and intrigued, he's set to find out more about this mysterious passenger that shares the tube with him.
Sylvie keeps travelling the underground, unable to leave for reasons unknown to Ryan. He hasn't been dating for ten years, when he was at university and the love of his life died.
But for some reason, he feels he needs to help Sylvie. In a world of missed opportunities and what-ifs, a connection has been made.
My Thoughts:
This is the second book I have read by Alyson Rudd, with the first one being The First Time Lauren Pailing Died. That book intrigued me, and when I saw Eleven Lines to Somewhere being published - I had to know and compare them.
At the beginning, I was intrigued, knowing what the synopsis is. We meet Ryan and Sylvie (separately), and we get a small glimpse into their lives. In the beginning, Ryan's story with his family and friends is more talked about. I liked getting to know Ryan, very slowly throughout the first half of the book. He is a very intriguing character himself, going through a personal time, as well as making very controversial decisions to get to know Sylvie better.
I liked Sylvie's story and her connection to the underground. It was very intriguing to me to read and understand how some moments in life can let us become something that we can't help but be. That a certain experience can cause such a need for Sylvie to action. I loved the psychological aspect of her characterisation, and how the trauma was handled.
Once Ryan and Sylvie got to know each other, the pace of the book changed, I felt. The pace was very slow, but the scenes moved very quickly in time.
Even though I loved Ryan and Sylvie as separate characters, I couldn't love them as a couple.
I felt that there was chemistry and romance missing, and somehow their connection to each other was based on the need to help the other one with their own trauma. For me, that being a single reason to love someone makes me think a person is in such a relationship to only feel better about themselves. Look - I helped someone, I am a better person now. But that's just my humble opinion.
There were a lot of side characters that had their own storylines - which I really enjoyed. A lot of drama and twists happened with them, which was quite enjoyable to read. Some characters in the end were thrown into the story abruptly, almost as if for convenience to the story line. But it worked well in the end.
I really enjoyed this story. Still a 4 star, but I enjoyed it more than The First Time Lauren Pailing Died. If you love contemporary books with a lot of characters, this will be a very good pick for you!
I am extremely happy and excited to be part of the blog tour for Eleven Lines to Somewhere by Alyson Rudd. Thank you to the team at HQ - for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. Check out the other book bloggers that are part of the tour as well:
Synopsis:
Everyone is searching for love. Sometimes we just take our own route to find it.
Ryan sees a young woman on the tube on his way to work, and he can't stop looking at her. Attracted and intrigued, he's set to find out more about this mysterious passenger that shares the tube with him.
Sylvie keeps travelling the underground, unable to leave for reasons unknown to Ryan. He hasn't been dating for ten years, when he was at university and the love of his life died.
But for some reason, he feels he needs to help Sylvie. In a world of missed opportunities and what-ifs, a connection has been made.
My Thoughts:
This is the second book I have read by Alyson Rudd, with the first one being The First Time Lauren Pailing Died. That book intrigued me, and when I saw Eleven Lines to Somewhere being published - I had to know and compare them.
At the beginning, I was intrigued, knowing what the synopsis is. We meet Ryan and Sylvie (separately), and we get a small glimpse into their lives. In the beginning, Ryan's story with his family and friends is more talked about. I liked getting to know Ryan, very slowly throughout the first half of the book. He is a very intriguing character himself, going through a personal time, as well as making very controversial decisions to get to know Sylvie better.
I liked Sylvie's story and her connection to the underground. It was very intriguing to me to read and understand how some moments in life can let us become something that we can't help but be. That a certain experience can cause such a need for Sylvie to action. I loved the psychological aspect of her characterisation, and how the trauma was handled.
Once Ryan and Sylvie got to know each other, the pace of the book changed, I felt. The pace was very slow, but the scenes moved very quickly in time.
Even though I loved Ryan and Sylvie as separate characters, I couldn't love them as a couple.
I felt that there was chemistry and romance missing, and somehow their connection to each other was based on the need to help the other one with their own trauma. For me, that being a single reason to love someone makes me think a person is in such a relationship to only feel better about themselves. Look - I helped someone, I am a better person now. But that's just my humble opinion.
There were a lot of side characters that had their own storylines - which I really enjoyed. A lot of drama and twists happened with them, which was quite enjoyable to read. Some characters in the end were thrown into the story abruptly, almost as if for convenience to the story line. But it worked well in the end.
I really enjoyed this story. Still a 4 star, but I enjoyed it more than The First Time Lauren Pailing Died. If you love contemporary books with a lot of characters, this will be a very good pick for you!
November 10, 2021
Did not hate it but didn't leave an impression on me either. Been a few days since I finished the audiobook and sadly I don't remember much
July 31, 2020
https://thecaffeinatedreader.com/2020...
The aspect of the trains was unique though I had read something similar in a book called ‘The Seventh Train’ [I’d say more but that book isn’t the focus today!] so the fact that I can recall only one other book similar to it, is a point in its favour! Gotta love having a unique twist to a romance, and not to mention this book encompasses the love of family, self, and others as well, not just romantically.
It was a good read, but, I did feel it was disjointed, it felt as if it didn’t fit together at times and jumped too abruptly. I did like the message it had at the heart of it all though. I also didn’t really like how shallow Ryan seemed to be in the end, I think Sylvie was the one to love in this book and Paul. Others like Naomi, Hana, and Ed, were really just hard to like but maybe that was a good thing, to read about characters that aren’t always as likeable.
Thank you so much to HQDigital and NetGalley for an eARC of this in exchange for my honest opinion as part of the blog tour.
The aspect of the trains was unique though I had read something similar in a book called ‘The Seventh Train’ [I’d say more but that book isn’t the focus today!] so the fact that I can recall only one other book similar to it, is a point in its favour! Gotta love having a unique twist to a romance, and not to mention this book encompasses the love of family, self, and others as well, not just romantically.
It was a good read, but, I did feel it was disjointed, it felt as if it didn’t fit together at times and jumped too abruptly. I did like the message it had at the heart of it all though. I also didn’t really like how shallow Ryan seemed to be in the end, I think Sylvie was the one to love in this book and Paul. Others like Naomi, Hana, and Ed, were really just hard to like but maybe that was a good thing, to read about characters that aren’t always as likeable.
Thank you so much to HQDigital and NetGalley for an eARC of this in exchange for my honest opinion as part of the blog tour.
October 13, 2021
This was written in such an easy going, refreshing way. Rudd's writing style is actually something I have never experienced before and initially I thought it might put me off because it seemed a bit disjointed. But pretty soon after I was enthralled in it and couldn't stop reading.
The book is contemporary fiction, but there is clearly a moral metaphor scattered through it as well. Loss, bereavement, loneliness and finding purpose in your life are all themes explored here and it makes for rather a heart-breaking read. I don't want to go into specifics because it will spoil it, but the tube features very heavily in the main story, plus other little sub-plots that go off in different directions. It is a place for waiting, hoping, sadness and longing.
The book is contemporary fiction, but there is clearly a moral metaphor scattered through it as well. Loss, bereavement, loneliness and finding purpose in your life are all themes explored here and it makes for rather a heart-breaking read. I don't want to go into specifics because it will spoil it, but the tube features very heavily in the main story, plus other little sub-plots that go off in different directions. It is a place for waiting, hoping, sadness and longing.
November 28, 2020
I was so delighted to receive a review copy of this book, as I loved the author’s previous book. Sadly this one didn’t quite live up to it. A lovely story, but much less compelling and somewhat meandering.
September 8, 2020
Eleven Lines to Somewhere by Alyson Rudd was published July 23rd with HQ Stories. Described as ‘a literary love story set against the background of the London underground’ , it is a book that creeps under your skin as the pain, the loss and the grief of its central characters, completely captivate your heart and your attention.
Ryan is lost. He lives in his own home with rooms let out to supplement the mortgage. He is a sensible character who is very aware of the responsibilities of his life but also walks in the shadow of death. His brother tragically died when Ryan was younger, followed by his fathers demise into alcohol and also the victim of a tragic accident. Growing up Ryan lived with his mother Grace, sister Hana and his grandfather, who was now slowly drifting into his own mind. Ryan has had to deal with much sadness in his family but to add to that he also lost his college sweetheart, who died in a car crash leaving Ryan heavily impacted in the following years.
Ryan spots a young woman in the tube one day and becomes instantly fascinated by her. Too shy to approach her, he decides to follow her and see where she works but a mystery presents itself to Ryan as she rarely seems to leave the tube and follows no specific pattern in her journey. Confused by her actions, Ryan becomes somewhat obsessed with finding out her story. He is very attracted to her but he is also convinced that he can help in some way. He decides to call her Millie until one day he gets up the nerve to introduce himself and discovers that her name is actually Sylvie. When Ryan hears Sylvie’s story he is deeply touched by her situation and frustrated on her behalf for what she has endured.
‘Most of what she did was done on instinct, after all, and where that came from, she did not know either. Her life held so little logic these days that sometimes she wanted to peer into the Tube tunnels and shriek into the darkness…’
As Sylvie begins to entrust herself with Ryan, she meets his family, listens and observes. He starts to see a light at the end of this dark tunnel he has been living in for years. But Sylvie is complex, her story complicated and Ryan begins to wonder, maybe she might not be the right person for him after all.
‘He almost wanted, he realised, to be in that state of wondering if he would ever speak to her and it scared him that he had, without keeping tabs on it, grown up and entered a world that was complicated and ever-changing. It was a world in which people died, where people fell in love only to be hurt, where people were lonely and turned to drink, where the exciting things happened to others’
Together Ryan and Sylvie navigate some very rough waters. They reveal their inner secrets and fears to each other hoping to build a life together. Their experiences with trauma have created a world that is full of threat. To love is to lose. To trust is to stumble.
Ryan has witnessed his mother Grace all through the years and seen what grief and loss can do to someone. ‘She was a mother bunny for whom the outside world was full of pain and so had burrowed deep into family life’ He has seen Hana his sister lose faith in herself, her confidence battered. He himself has been competing with the spirit of a dead brother all his life and the memory of a girl that he once loved.
Sylvie lived in a family that thrived on success and image. Sylvie wasn’t made for this competitive world and, following her trauma, turned in on herself, travelling the tube system daily hoping to feel something, to be someone.
Together they embark on a very affecting journey, one littered with obstacles and dark corners. Two wonderfully depicted characters, Ryan and Sylvie connection is almost magical and I found myself rooting for the happy ending they so very much deserved.
Alyson Rudd has created something very unique and thought-provoking with this novel. Eleven Lines to Somewhere will strike a chord with all who have experienced loss and regret. It is a contemporary tale perfectly capturing the slow blossoming of a very delicate relationship. A very poignant, contemplative novel exploring grief and pain in all its many facets.
Ryan is lost. He lives in his own home with rooms let out to supplement the mortgage. He is a sensible character who is very aware of the responsibilities of his life but also walks in the shadow of death. His brother tragically died when Ryan was younger, followed by his fathers demise into alcohol and also the victim of a tragic accident. Growing up Ryan lived with his mother Grace, sister Hana and his grandfather, who was now slowly drifting into his own mind. Ryan has had to deal with much sadness in his family but to add to that he also lost his college sweetheart, who died in a car crash leaving Ryan heavily impacted in the following years.
Ryan spots a young woman in the tube one day and becomes instantly fascinated by her. Too shy to approach her, he decides to follow her and see where she works but a mystery presents itself to Ryan as she rarely seems to leave the tube and follows no specific pattern in her journey. Confused by her actions, Ryan becomes somewhat obsessed with finding out her story. He is very attracted to her but he is also convinced that he can help in some way. He decides to call her Millie until one day he gets up the nerve to introduce himself and discovers that her name is actually Sylvie. When Ryan hears Sylvie’s story he is deeply touched by her situation and frustrated on her behalf for what she has endured.
‘Most of what she did was done on instinct, after all, and where that came from, she did not know either. Her life held so little logic these days that sometimes she wanted to peer into the Tube tunnels and shriek into the darkness…’
As Sylvie begins to entrust herself with Ryan, she meets his family, listens and observes. He starts to see a light at the end of this dark tunnel he has been living in for years. But Sylvie is complex, her story complicated and Ryan begins to wonder, maybe she might not be the right person for him after all.
‘He almost wanted, he realised, to be in that state of wondering if he would ever speak to her and it scared him that he had, without keeping tabs on it, grown up and entered a world that was complicated and ever-changing. It was a world in which people died, where people fell in love only to be hurt, where people were lonely and turned to drink, where the exciting things happened to others’
Together Ryan and Sylvie navigate some very rough waters. They reveal their inner secrets and fears to each other hoping to build a life together. Their experiences with trauma have created a world that is full of threat. To love is to lose. To trust is to stumble.
Ryan has witnessed his mother Grace all through the years and seen what grief and loss can do to someone. ‘She was a mother bunny for whom the outside world was full of pain and so had burrowed deep into family life’ He has seen Hana his sister lose faith in herself, her confidence battered. He himself has been competing with the spirit of a dead brother all his life and the memory of a girl that he once loved.
Sylvie lived in a family that thrived on success and image. Sylvie wasn’t made for this competitive world and, following her trauma, turned in on herself, travelling the tube system daily hoping to feel something, to be someone.
Together they embark on a very affecting journey, one littered with obstacles and dark corners. Two wonderfully depicted characters, Ryan and Sylvie connection is almost magical and I found myself rooting for the happy ending they so very much deserved.
Alyson Rudd has created something very unique and thought-provoking with this novel. Eleven Lines to Somewhere will strike a chord with all who have experienced loss and regret. It is a contemporary tale perfectly capturing the slow blossoming of a very delicate relationship. A very poignant, contemplative novel exploring grief and pain in all its many facets.
July 28, 2020
First of all can we just take a moment to admire this cover - it is truly gorgeous, and the endpapers are equally a dream 🤤 I know you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover but... COME ON!
🚊
I must admit that initially this book took me a bit of time to get into and I felt a little discombobulated by the narrative style. HOWEVER this was short lived and I’m pleased I persevered because once I got into the swing of Rudd’s unique style of writing; it flowed beautifully.
🚊
Primarily about grief and love and loss, I found Eleven Lines To Somewhere to be very moving and so sad at times. I really enjoyed the familiar and much loved surroundings in which the story is set; it brought back memories of my morning commute in London and all of the sights and sounds and smells (plus all of the pushing and shoving that came along with it!).
🚊
I enjoyed Rudd’s very direct style of writing and also the slow yet strong character development as the narrative progressed. This definitely isn’t a book to be rushed, but one to be contemplated, slowly.
🚊
Captivating, soul searching and beautifully nostalgic, Eleven Lines To Somewhere is a poignant read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
🚊
I must admit that initially this book took me a bit of time to get into and I felt a little discombobulated by the narrative style. HOWEVER this was short lived and I’m pleased I persevered because once I got into the swing of Rudd’s unique style of writing; it flowed beautifully.
🚊
Primarily about grief and love and loss, I found Eleven Lines To Somewhere to be very moving and so sad at times. I really enjoyed the familiar and much loved surroundings in which the story is set; it brought back memories of my morning commute in London and all of the sights and sounds and smells (plus all of the pushing and shoving that came along with it!).
🚊
I enjoyed Rudd’s very direct style of writing and also the slow yet strong character development as the narrative progressed. This definitely isn’t a book to be rushed, but one to be contemplated, slowly.
🚊
Captivating, soul searching and beautifully nostalgic, Eleven Lines To Somewhere is a poignant read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
July 31, 2020
I found this book a little hard to get in to, I must admit. I found the writing didn't flow like I was expecting and thought the chapters jarring when switching between characters mid-chapter. I found myself a little confused at times.
The premise of the book was interesting though, I liked the idea of someone finding another person on the tube so captivating that they wanted to follow them and find out all they could about them. Some would say romantic, others would say stalker-ish!
It felt comforting reading about the London tube lines that we all know or have heard about. There was just something grounding.
Ultimately this book is about love, loss and grief. How every body deals with it differently, how it affects us all in different ways and it opened my eyes.
The premise of the book was interesting though, I liked the idea of someone finding another person on the tube so captivating that they wanted to follow them and find out all they could about them. Some would say romantic, others would say stalker-ish!
It felt comforting reading about the London tube lines that we all know or have heard about. There was just something grounding.
Ultimately this book is about love, loss and grief. How every body deals with it differently, how it affects us all in different ways and it opened my eyes.
July 25, 2020
Eleven Lines to Somewhere had a premise that immediately intrigued me. I loved the idea of somebody (Ryan) seeing somebody (the girl he thinks of as Millie) on a tube train and being so instantly attracted to her that he can't stop thinking about her. It's all rather romantic, although almost bordering on stalking at times. I suppose it comes down to the fact that Ryan is a thoroughly lovely man who couldn't stalk to save his life. It's much more about a fascination with a woman that he finds not only beautiful but so elusive and captivating.
There are lots of strands to this story, just like the well-known image of the map of the underground. Not only do we follow Ryan and 'Millie', but also his friend Paul, his lodger Naomi, and his family play a part in the story. There are also sections about characters that seem to be no part of the story and yet obviously will have their time in the spotlight at some point. I did find some of these sections a bit disjointed, like they maybe needed to be tied in a bit more for them to feel like they had a purpose, but it did all come together in the end.
I messaged a friend as I was reading. She was further through than I was and I mentioned to her that I was find the story a bit confusing. She said that it was a story that definitely needed to find its rhythm and yes, just like the rhythm of the tube trains on the track, I agree that it's a book that needs a bit of concentration to get into the flow of it.
There was much that I enjoyed about Eleven Lines to Somewhere. I liked the relationship between Ryan and his beau, I loved his family - mother Grace, sister Hana and grandpa. I think this is a book that deals delicately with the various facets of grief and the ripples it casts through lives. I wasn't impressed by Naomi's behaviour and found her a really difficult character. I wanted to take to her but she disappointed me.
A story of connections, of random encounters, of loss and love, this is an unusual, almost ethereal story that didn't always completely work for me, but on the whole was an enjoyable and rewarding read.
There are lots of strands to this story, just like the well-known image of the map of the underground. Not only do we follow Ryan and 'Millie', but also his friend Paul, his lodger Naomi, and his family play a part in the story. There are also sections about characters that seem to be no part of the story and yet obviously will have their time in the spotlight at some point. I did find some of these sections a bit disjointed, like they maybe needed to be tied in a bit more for them to feel like they had a purpose, but it did all come together in the end.
I messaged a friend as I was reading. She was further through than I was and I mentioned to her that I was find the story a bit confusing. She said that it was a story that definitely needed to find its rhythm and yes, just like the rhythm of the tube trains on the track, I agree that it's a book that needs a bit of concentration to get into the flow of it.
There was much that I enjoyed about Eleven Lines to Somewhere. I liked the relationship between Ryan and his beau, I loved his family - mother Grace, sister Hana and grandpa. I think this is a book that deals delicately with the various facets of grief and the ripples it casts through lives. I wasn't impressed by Naomi's behaviour and found her a really difficult character. I wanted to take to her but she disappointed me.
A story of connections, of random encounters, of loss and love, this is an unusual, almost ethereal story that didn't always completely work for me, but on the whole was an enjoyable and rewarding read.
July 23, 2020
'Noone had ever sat him down and told him everything, beginning to end, the whole truth of it and he had never asked. He had never wanted to make his mother cry.'
-
I was very lucky to receive an ARC of this book from HQ Stories, and overall I enjoyed it.
In parts it felt very literary, and the character reflections were honest and heartfelt.
-
I did feel (especially at the start) that the characters of Isak and Andrew were disjointed from the rest of the story. Having finished the book I understand and recognise the important part that these characters play in relation to the plot, but this did feel a little confusing to begin with.
-
The story on the whole was very easy to read, and I liked the symbolism of how the tube lines were confusing, at times meandering, and forming a complex warren underground.
This was reflected in the lives of the characters, and how they intersect and overlap with each other; how life itself is a complex and meandering journey that doesn't always allow for closure or structure, and how things outside of our control can cause disruption.
-
I felt this book did portray grief very well.
Each grief that is felt throughout life is different, and even when grief is shared, it is felt differently to the relevant parties involved.
The character arcs were apparent in this theme: to begin with they were all on their separate and somewhat insular journeys, and over time by talking about the different realities and experiences they felt, there did feel to be some closure and healing.
-
I haven't read any books quite like this one before and would definitely consider reading more from Alyson Rudd.
-
I was very lucky to receive an ARC of this book from HQ Stories, and overall I enjoyed it.
In parts it felt very literary, and the character reflections were honest and heartfelt.
-
I did feel (especially at the start) that the characters of Isak and Andrew were disjointed from the rest of the story. Having finished the book I understand and recognise the important part that these characters play in relation to the plot, but this did feel a little confusing to begin with.
-
The story on the whole was very easy to read, and I liked the symbolism of how the tube lines were confusing, at times meandering, and forming a complex warren underground.
This was reflected in the lives of the characters, and how they intersect and overlap with each other; how life itself is a complex and meandering journey that doesn't always allow for closure or structure, and how things outside of our control can cause disruption.
-
I felt this book did portray grief very well.
Each grief that is felt throughout life is different, and even when grief is shared, it is felt differently to the relevant parties involved.
The character arcs were apparent in this theme: to begin with they were all on their separate and somewhat insular journeys, and over time by talking about the different realities and experiences they felt, there did feel to be some closure and healing.
-
I haven't read any books quite like this one before and would definitely consider reading more from Alyson Rudd.
March 8, 2023
not memorable, quite boring and could’ve been a lot shorter. quite a cute romance but not the best i’ve read, and wouldn’t reread
July 23, 2020
The cover and title of this book would definitely capture my attention in a bookshop and the premise had me immediately intrigued.
When Ryan notices a young woman during his commute on the London Underground, he is mesmerised and instantly attracted to her. Intrigued by his mysterious passenger, with her ‘almost red hair’, he longs to know more about her and to find the courage to speak to her. This woman, who he thinks of as Millie, is really called Sylvie and she spends all day travelling on the Underground, unable to leave. Although this fact is unknown to Ryan, he just cannot shake the feeling that he wants to help her in some way...
I’ve really enjoyed getting to learn about Ryan and Sylvie’s backgrounds and struggles and seeing them find their way in the world. They each had their own difficulties to overcome and the way in which these were explored and revealed as their journey together unfolded was really clever. I also found myself wondering how many people see someone they are intrigued about on the tube and whether they, like Ryan, believe there is a mystery they are somehow destined to solve.
Friendships, relationships, love, family and loss are all at the heart of this book and I really liked the way in which these themes intertwined and how the lives of the people in Ryan’s life overlapped. There were some really beautiful scenes throughout this book too, my favourite being a scene between Ryan and his grandfather. This to me felt really poignant and a real turning point in the way in which Ryan began to view and understand his experiences.
I also loved that this book was set in London and having been on the underground so many times myself I could really visualise and see Sylvie there, especially during one of the key station settings; King’s Cross St Pancras. I’m glad to have learnt of the reason for her feeling like the underground was somewhere she couldn’t leave. I found myself really empathising with Sylvie and couldn’t imagine experiencing what she went through.
Whilst I felt the ending of this book to be a little sudden, I have really enjoyed the journey I have been on with these characters!
When Ryan notices a young woman during his commute on the London Underground, he is mesmerised and instantly attracted to her. Intrigued by his mysterious passenger, with her ‘almost red hair’, he longs to know more about her and to find the courage to speak to her. This woman, who he thinks of as Millie, is really called Sylvie and she spends all day travelling on the Underground, unable to leave. Although this fact is unknown to Ryan, he just cannot shake the feeling that he wants to help her in some way...
I’ve really enjoyed getting to learn about Ryan and Sylvie’s backgrounds and struggles and seeing them find their way in the world. They each had their own difficulties to overcome and the way in which these were explored and revealed as their journey together unfolded was really clever. I also found myself wondering how many people see someone they are intrigued about on the tube and whether they, like Ryan, believe there is a mystery they are somehow destined to solve.
Friendships, relationships, love, family and loss are all at the heart of this book and I really liked the way in which these themes intertwined and how the lives of the people in Ryan’s life overlapped. There were some really beautiful scenes throughout this book too, my favourite being a scene between Ryan and his grandfather. This to me felt really poignant and a real turning point in the way in which Ryan began to view and understand his experiences.
I also loved that this book was set in London and having been on the underground so many times myself I could really visualise and see Sylvie there, especially during one of the key station settings; King’s Cross St Pancras. I’m glad to have learnt of the reason for her feeling like the underground was somewhere she couldn’t leave. I found myself really empathising with Sylvie and couldn’t imagine experiencing what she went through.
Whilst I felt the ending of this book to be a little sudden, I have really enjoyed the journey I have been on with these characters!
June 6, 2025
It's a beautiful book with an unexpected storyline, but unfortunately some characters fell flat toward the end.
The premise of meeting someone alluring on the Tube is probably what drew in most readers, like me, to this book, and they might also have been equally surprised by the complexity and depth as the story unfolds.
Yet I felt that some elements were dealt with, if at all, a bit clumsily (without giving too much away). Maybe because there were quite a few storylines and themes that the book dealt with that it would have been impossible to give all of them the depth that they deserved.
The book touches and goes into themes like trauma and grief, but the resolution of these themes left more to be desired, in contrast to the long-drawn build-up. That being said, its depiction of OCD is very compelling and raw, and it depicts accurately how individuals know that what they're doing is obsessive, but they still feel like they have to do so to retain some sense of normalcy.
I liked Sylvie, I didn't like Ed, I didn't really like Naomi, and I wished Hana's plotline turned out differently. At the same time I liked that the book portrayed messy, ambivalent and real characters.
Ryan started off as charming but somewhere along the book his character felt very one-dimensional. Sylvie retained her mystery, but again I feel like there were many elements of the character that could have been fleshed out but were not dealt with properly toward the end.
I did find very interesting how the book was set against the backdrop of the London Underground, something that I could picture very well in my head while reading.
In all, I think this is a very interesting book to read, delivering on the intrigue and mystery it promised, but not quite on the depth that I had hoped for.
The premise of meeting someone alluring on the Tube is probably what drew in most readers, like me, to this book, and they might also have been equally surprised by the complexity and depth as the story unfolds.
Yet I felt that some elements were dealt with, if at all, a bit clumsily (without giving too much away). Maybe because there were quite a few storylines and themes that the book dealt with that it would have been impossible to give all of them the depth that they deserved.
The book touches and goes into themes like trauma and grief, but the resolution of these themes left more to be desired, in contrast to the long-drawn build-up. That being said, its depiction of OCD is very compelling and raw, and it depicts accurately how individuals know that what they're doing is obsessive, but they still feel like they have to do so to retain some sense of normalcy.
I liked Sylvie, I didn't like Ed, I didn't really like Naomi, and I wished Hana's plotline turned out differently. At the same time I liked that the book portrayed messy, ambivalent and real characters.
Ryan started off as charming but somewhere along the book his character felt very one-dimensional. Sylvie retained her mystery, but again I feel like there were many elements of the character that could have been fleshed out but were not dealt with properly toward the end.
I did find very interesting how the book was set against the backdrop of the London Underground, something that I could picture very well in my head while reading.
In all, I think this is a very interesting book to read, delivering on the intrigue and mystery it promised, but not quite on the depth that I had hoped for.
July 24, 2020
When Ryan spots a young woman on the tube he is instantly smitten. He starts trying to travel on the same tube hoping one day to make eye contact and maybe start a conversation, but travelling on the same tube train as her each day is easier said than done. Sometimes he lets several trains pass, almost making himself late for work for his job at the University in the process.
One day, he decides to follow her just to see where she gets off in the hope he can maybe chat to her or accidentally bump into her and realises she in fact doesn’t seem to have anywhere to be. She chops and changes tube trains with no logic and he looses her. He tries again another time and manages to “bump into her” and get chatting at a café in Waterloo.
Sylvie is in fact his mystery woman. Eight months before Ryan spots her, she has lost her job (because she complained about inappropriate behaviour from a male colleague) and she is given a generous payoff to leave without a fuss. Now she finds herself metaphorically trapped on the underground, seemingly unable to stop travelling.
I loved Alyson Rudd’s first book, The First Time Lauren Pailing Died which I read earlier this year so when I heard she had a new book out, I was excited to join the blog tour, so much so I agreed to read the ebook version (I’m not a fan of ebooks which shows how much I wanted to read it!) The good news is, I loved Eleven Lines to Somewhere just as much!
Ryan and Sylvie are the central characters in this book but there is a large cast of supporting characters who add depth to the story. We hear from Ryan’s side of the family – his grandfather, mum and older sister Hana live together. Ryan’s older brother died tragically as a child and he lost his father too. Hana was married but it ended badly and as the book begins, she has started dating again.
I loved the mystery of why Sylvie travels the underground and when we find out the reason it is heart-breaking and makes complete sense. Ryan wants to do what he can to help her, but is also hasn’t come to terms to the death of his own girlfriend 10 years previously.
I love Rudd’s distinctive writing – she has a particular style of writing which I really enjoy. I like how she takes her time and develops all the characters in the book including Paul (Ryan’s best friend), Naomi (Ryan’s housemate) and Ryan’s family, among others without detracting from the main story.
A story with a central theme of grief, it is poignant and sweet and I loved it. It also made me aware of how much I miss London and can’t wait to travel on the underground again!
One day, he decides to follow her just to see where she gets off in the hope he can maybe chat to her or accidentally bump into her and realises she in fact doesn’t seem to have anywhere to be. She chops and changes tube trains with no logic and he looses her. He tries again another time and manages to “bump into her” and get chatting at a café in Waterloo.
Sylvie is in fact his mystery woman. Eight months before Ryan spots her, she has lost her job (because she complained about inappropriate behaviour from a male colleague) and she is given a generous payoff to leave without a fuss. Now she finds herself metaphorically trapped on the underground, seemingly unable to stop travelling.
I loved Alyson Rudd’s first book, The First Time Lauren Pailing Died which I read earlier this year so when I heard she had a new book out, I was excited to join the blog tour, so much so I agreed to read the ebook version (I’m not a fan of ebooks which shows how much I wanted to read it!) The good news is, I loved Eleven Lines to Somewhere just as much!
Ryan and Sylvie are the central characters in this book but there is a large cast of supporting characters who add depth to the story. We hear from Ryan’s side of the family – his grandfather, mum and older sister Hana live together. Ryan’s older brother died tragically as a child and he lost his father too. Hana was married but it ended badly and as the book begins, she has started dating again.
I loved the mystery of why Sylvie travels the underground and when we find out the reason it is heart-breaking and makes complete sense. Ryan wants to do what he can to help her, but is also hasn’t come to terms to the death of his own girlfriend 10 years previously.
I love Rudd’s distinctive writing – she has a particular style of writing which I really enjoy. I like how she takes her time and develops all the characters in the book including Paul (Ryan’s best friend), Naomi (Ryan’s housemate) and Ryan’s family, among others without detracting from the main story.
A story with a central theme of grief, it is poignant and sweet and I loved it. It also made me aware of how much I miss London and can’t wait to travel on the underground again!
October 22, 2024
There is a LOT going on in this book and at times the number of character storylines felt too much and also disjointed. You have to wait a very long time to understand the connection between two of the characters storylines but when it comes everything falls into place. There are definitely parts of the book where I found my attention wandering and I think it could have done with some editing to make the story move along a bit faster.
I found Ryan a bit annoying at times, he was often quite self absorbed and the result is that he often seemed to miss what was going on right in front of his face but I did like how he evolved as a character and the exploration of his relationship with Granddad, Mum and sister who are all hugely impacted by the grief for his brother and Father.
The book is very much about grief and lost but also explores identity, love, mental health and friendship.
However the bit I absolutely loved was the setting of the London underground. I was bought up in central London and the tube has always felt like a little bit of magic happening underground. If you are hurrying somewhere. or taking it leisurely the moment you slip beneath the ground onto the tube you are in another part of London and there is endless potential of where you could go to. I know a lot of people find the tube hellish but I have always had a huge affinity for it and this book made me want to spend a day buzzing around London on the tube just visiting random places for the sake of it.
If you love London and the Underground then you will find a lot of like in this book.
I found Ryan a bit annoying at times, he was often quite self absorbed and the result is that he often seemed to miss what was going on right in front of his face but I did like how he evolved as a character and the exploration of his relationship with Granddad, Mum and sister who are all hugely impacted by the grief for his brother and Father.
The book is very much about grief and lost but also explores identity, love, mental health and friendship.
However the bit I absolutely loved was the setting of the London underground. I was bought up in central London and the tube has always felt like a little bit of magic happening underground. If you are hurrying somewhere. or taking it leisurely the moment you slip beneath the ground onto the tube you are in another part of London and there is endless potential of where you could go to. I know a lot of people find the tube hellish but I have always had a huge affinity for it and this book made me want to spend a day buzzing around London on the tube just visiting random places for the sake of it.
If you love London and the Underground then you will find a lot of like in this book.
July 26, 2020
Oh but this is a beautiful novel. I adored Alyson’s first novel, The First Time Lauren Pailing Died, but dare I say that this is even better, The writing is exquisite. Alyson manages to capture the very essence of love and loss and love again through the handful of characters she brings into our lives. Ryan is so likeable, almost ordinary and yet not. Watching him watch Millie as she travels through the underground is breathtaking. The instant connection he felt towards her was touching. Desperate to discover more about this woman, he follows her, agonising as he does it as not wanting to become stalkerish in his behaviour. He is a good guy though, we can feel that. One of the things I love most about Alyson’s writing is her ability to capture a character, make them real and make you care about them. It’s wonderful. She has the ability to hold you and make you invested in the outcome of their story.
The story centers around Ryan and Millie and we also see further into the people in their lives, no matter how briefly. Their loss, their love, it’s incredibly moving. The London Underground features heavily in this story. It is the Manderley to Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca, atmopsheric and integral to the events that unfold. But most of all it is a story of love, sadness, of letting go of the past and acceptance. It is a story of kindness, love and loss, a story about the journey that makes us who we are. It’s wonderful and I thoroughly recommend it.
The story centers around Ryan and Millie and we also see further into the people in their lives, no matter how briefly. Their loss, their love, it’s incredibly moving. The London Underground features heavily in this story. It is the Manderley to Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca, atmopsheric and integral to the events that unfold. But most of all it is a story of love, sadness, of letting go of the past and acceptance. It is a story of kindness, love and loss, a story about the journey that makes us who we are. It’s wonderful and I thoroughly recommend it.
December 17, 2020
I wondered at times whether Rudd had specifically given this read a slightly disjointed feel. Sometimes the reader feels a little lost, other times the destination is known, and now and again the feeling of going steadfastly in the wrong direction grips you. That's what it's like on the tube sometimes. You can see it in commuters faces.
Sometimes there's a face or two that stand out. You wonder and then you go on with your own life. That's what the majority of this story feels like. Again, was it intentional, parallels drawn between the underground warrens in London and the threads in our lives. The entanglements, the choices, the crossroads we come to in life.
Ryan and what eventually becomes his quest or obsession, depending how you perceive his fascination with a stranger on the tube, is filled with emotions he doesn't want to face. Becoming distracted is an avoidance technique. Not having to face what he really feels.
It's a contemporary read with a literary fiction vibe. One that could do with being a little more concise at times, but the confusion adds to the storyline, especially when it comes to Sylvie and her story. It's very much a story of lives intersecting, connections being made, albeit often fleeting ones. It's also a story of loss, grief and ultimately one of love.
*I received a courtesy copy*
Sometimes there's a face or two that stand out. You wonder and then you go on with your own life. That's what the majority of this story feels like. Again, was it intentional, parallels drawn between the underground warrens in London and the threads in our lives. The entanglements, the choices, the crossroads we come to in life.
Ryan and what eventually becomes his quest or obsession, depending how you perceive his fascination with a stranger on the tube, is filled with emotions he doesn't want to face. Becoming distracted is an avoidance technique. Not having to face what he really feels.
It's a contemporary read with a literary fiction vibe. One that could do with being a little more concise at times, but the confusion adds to the storyline, especially when it comes to Sylvie and her story. It's very much a story of lives intersecting, connections being made, albeit often fleeting ones. It's also a story of loss, grief and ultimately one of love.
*I received a courtesy copy*
September 30, 2024
It took me a while to get into this book. I found the writing style confusing at first, with frequent time jumps and perspective shifts between characters, and often without even a paragraph break. Also, a lot is said indirectly, so I kept paging back, feeling that I've missed something important. But once I got into the style, I started to enjoy the story. I loved the characters and their interwoven stories - much like the lines of the Tube that criss-cross at intersections. (BTW, there is a lot of Tube lingo and real station references in here, and I just wonder how someone who is infamiliar to it would experience this book?)
The story takes a tender look at trauma, and how it disrails our lives and ultimately the lives of those connected to us, which is a theme I always found interesting. The author did a really good job of portraying this, both in words, plot and symbolism.
I will recommend this book to my friends who are more serious readers, as it is a bit of a challenge to get into, although rewarding. My only negative, other than the style, would be that at times the story was too criptic for me. I would have liked to close the book, feeling that I have found all the clues and tied all the loose ends. I know I didn't, and it leaves some gaps. Not sure if it will come to me later.
An interesting and heart-warming read for readers who seek a bit of a challenge.
The story takes a tender look at trauma, and how it disrails our lives and ultimately the lives of those connected to us, which is a theme I always found interesting. The author did a really good job of portraying this, both in words, plot and symbolism.
I will recommend this book to my friends who are more serious readers, as it is a bit of a challenge to get into, although rewarding. My only negative, other than the style, would be that at times the story was too criptic for me. I would have liked to close the book, feeling that I have found all the clues and tied all the loose ends. I know I didn't, and it leaves some gaps. Not sure if it will come to me later.
An interesting and heart-warming read for readers who seek a bit of a challenge.
August 31, 2020
Eleven Lines to Somewhere is the story of many people whose lives intersect on the London Underground. It mainly focuses on Ryan who is smitten with a fellow passenger. He desperately wants to make a connection with her but can’t seem to do it in a “normal” way. So he decides to follow her.
What we get with Eleven Lines to Somewhere is an intriguing story much like Love Actually meets Crash in which we all play a small role in each others lives, almost like the butterfly effect.
I will admit that it did take me a while to get into the story of Eleven Lives to Somewhere (almost a quarter of the way through the book) and I did find the constant referencing of which TfL lines were being used a bit tedious – it is probably tittilating for someone who uses the various lines frequently but at times it became a bit dizzying. However, once the story got into its full swing it became an enjoyable read.
One downside is that Eleven Lines to Somewhere is a mixed bag of resolution. Some of the characters story was rounded off nicely whereas others I felt were left floating in the ether. However, Ryan’s journey is a good story to follow and I enjoyed getting to know this character.
Eleven Lines to Somewhere by Alyson Rudd is available now.
What we get with Eleven Lines to Somewhere is an intriguing story much like Love Actually meets Crash in which we all play a small role in each others lives, almost like the butterfly effect.
I will admit that it did take me a while to get into the story of Eleven Lives to Somewhere (almost a quarter of the way through the book) and I did find the constant referencing of which TfL lines were being used a bit tedious – it is probably tittilating for someone who uses the various lines frequently but at times it became a bit dizzying. However, once the story got into its full swing it became an enjoyable read.
One downside is that Eleven Lines to Somewhere is a mixed bag of resolution. Some of the characters story was rounded off nicely whereas others I felt were left floating in the ether. However, Ryan’s journey is a good story to follow and I enjoyed getting to know this character.
Eleven Lines to Somewhere by Alyson Rudd is available now.
August 8, 2020
GIFTED. Thanks to HQ Stories for gifting me the book in exchange for an honest review.
I have such mixed feelings about this book. I really enjoyed the storyline with Sylvie and the tube, also the story background with grandad, what a great character!
I liked how the story would be a relaxed prose and then just randomly reveal a significant piece of information, that shocks you. (This is very similar to the style of Normal People by Sally Rooney).
However, the build up story of Isak just lacked clarity. It seemed kind of misplaced and I kind of wish he had his own mini chapters instead. (I get how it all come together at the end but for the rest of the book I was just like ???).
I think the story had so much potential but the way the writing style is just meant that although the words and the build up were extraordinary on their own, the plot itself was sometimes left behind...
Overall a great love story with some good additional characters and a good few twists, but it didn’t maintain gripping me throughout 😩
I have such mixed feelings about this book. I really enjoyed the storyline with Sylvie and the tube, also the story background with grandad, what a great character!
I liked how the story would be a relaxed prose and then just randomly reveal a significant piece of information, that shocks you. (This is very similar to the style of Normal People by Sally Rooney).
However, the build up story of Isak just lacked clarity. It seemed kind of misplaced and I kind of wish he had his own mini chapters instead. (I get how it all come together at the end but for the rest of the book I was just like ???).
I think the story had so much potential but the way the writing style is just meant that although the words and the build up were extraordinary on their own, the plot itself was sometimes left behind...
Overall a great love story with some good additional characters and a good few twists, but it didn’t maintain gripping me throughout 😩
January 31, 2021
A charming novel about a man who falls in love with a woman he sees every day on the train, also focusing on the lives of those close to him, and to her. It deals with tragedy, bereavement, trauma, and romance.
I enjoyed it enough to want to read it untill I was done, but upon reflecting I've found myself picking holes in the plot and characters. The characters just seemed hollow, especially Ryan, the main character, who has the personality of a wet towel while apparently being charming and irresistible. Sylvie, our other main, is more interesting and actually seems real, but enjoys Ryan's company - something truly mind baffling.
We also have cool naomi - who is an absolute legend.
The end of the book left a lot of things unexplored that I would prefer to have been explored - too many doors were opened and not shut.
All in all , an alright read, and certainly and easy one, but frustrating too.
I enjoyed it enough to want to read it untill I was done, but upon reflecting I've found myself picking holes in the plot and characters. The characters just seemed hollow, especially Ryan, the main character, who has the personality of a wet towel while apparently being charming and irresistible. Sylvie, our other main, is more interesting and actually seems real, but enjoys Ryan's company - something truly mind baffling.
We also have cool naomi - who is an absolute legend.
The end of the book left a lot of things unexplored that I would prefer to have been explored - too many doors were opened and not shut.
All in all , an alright read, and certainly and easy one, but frustrating too.
December 28, 2021
I really liked the sound of this, it’s my type of book completely from the synopsis but this one didn’t fully work for me.
There were many good elements to it, Quite an emotive read with characters coping with grief but I didn’t feel pulled in by the romance side as although Ryan was lovely and fascinated by the girl he named Millie, it was too stalkerish for me and it took me quite a bit to get into the flow of the book as I sometimes felt the story moved around too much.
This one I personally didn’t connect with but I was intrigued to see what happened and felt satisfied by the ending. I know this has also had some glowing reviews so if you like the sound of the synopsis check it out as it could be your perfect read. That’s the beauty of books, just because it might not be one person’s favourite, it could be yours.
Thank you to @hqstories for sending me a copy, I do appreciate it.
There were many good elements to it, Quite an emotive read with characters coping with grief but I didn’t feel pulled in by the romance side as although Ryan was lovely and fascinated by the girl he named Millie, it was too stalkerish for me and it took me quite a bit to get into the flow of the book as I sometimes felt the story moved around too much.
This one I personally didn’t connect with but I was intrigued to see what happened and felt satisfied by the ending. I know this has also had some glowing reviews so if you like the sound of the synopsis check it out as it could be your perfect read. That’s the beauty of books, just because it might not be one person’s favourite, it could be yours.
Thank you to @hqstories for sending me a copy, I do appreciate it.
December 1, 2024
I was initially going to give this book 3 stars, but the thing that was gnawing at me the entire time I listened to it has prevented me. And that thing was how normal Ryan's friends were about him being a stalker. I think his friend Paul actually told him to "have fun with it!" Both friends he confides in about his infatuation with the woman on the train actively encourage him to spend more time following her. What the actual fuck?! This really ruined the book for me and I couldn't stop thinking about it throughout. That and how much I found Ryan the most boring, two-dimensional main character EVER. Did he have any personality or interests?
The only characters I could see as a real people were Grace and Grandad.
Now if this author had chosen to spend more time on Isaac (I'm guessing at the spelling as I listened to this book) or the woman who's baby Sylvie holds, I think this would have been a more interesting book.
The only characters I could see as a real people were Grace and Grandad.
Now if this author had chosen to spend more time on Isaac (I'm guessing at the spelling as I listened to this book) or the woman who's baby Sylvie holds, I think this would have been a more interesting book.
July 22, 2020
This story relies strongly on its characters to capture the reader's heart and keep them reading. The plot is detailed and reflective in keeping with literary fiction, but it also relies on serendipity and how one person's actions can affect others.
The setting on the underground gives the story an iconic quality. It is also relatable for the millions that have ridden the underground. People watching is inevitable when travelling in such proximity. This story stems from people watching and whether they do have mysteries to solve.
Ryan's fixation with Sylvie, her compulsion to ride the underground, and his quest to help her is the momentum of this story. The characters are emotional and honest and easy to empathise. Their lives are ordinary but fascinating as is their fatalistic overlaps.
Read this book with no expectations and see what you think.
The setting on the underground gives the story an iconic quality. It is also relatable for the millions that have ridden the underground. People watching is inevitable when travelling in such proximity. This story stems from people watching and whether they do have mysteries to solve.
Ryan's fixation with Sylvie, her compulsion to ride the underground, and his quest to help her is the momentum of this story. The characters are emotional and honest and easy to empathise. Their lives are ordinary but fascinating as is their fatalistic overlaps.
Read this book with no expectations and see what you think.
August 13, 2020
This was an extremely interesting concept for a book. Ryan sees a woman on the tube, whom he thinks of as Millie, and is instantly attracted and intrigued by her. Some days he attempts to follow her to find out where she gets on/off the tube in order to try to spark some conversation between them but he's puzzled when he realises that her journeys always seem to alter. This 'Millie' in fact rides the tube all day, every-day for the working week; but why? There are also various other characters in this book whom we hear about including Ryan's flatmate, Ryan's mother and sister, and another mysterious boy.
I was instantly drawn into the mystery around Millie: why was Ryan so drawn to her? where does Millie go all day? It's definitely a book that will get you thinking and I enjoyed the book for the most part. Unfortunately, I found the story a little slow in places and also a little messy; chapters switched focus part way through which made the structure a little confusing at times. I did however soon get used to this, and perhaps it was a way of showing how the lives of the characters and their stories interlinked. Unfortunately though the ending for me was a real let down. A couple of things happened that seemed to have no real purpose and no real resolution - I had so many questions at the end and I don't like having this feeling at the end of a book. I was almost left wondering what the point of the entire book was.. and I still haven't quite figured that out! So overall this was a 3 star read for me, I'm glad that I read it and I did really like the plot and the characters; I just felt a little disappointed with the last third or so of the book.
Thanks to HQ Stories for a free copy of this book.
I was instantly drawn into the mystery around Millie: why was Ryan so drawn to her? where does Millie go all day? It's definitely a book that will get you thinking and I enjoyed the book for the most part. Unfortunately, I found the story a little slow in places and also a little messy; chapters switched focus part way through which made the structure a little confusing at times. I did however soon get used to this, and perhaps it was a way of showing how the lives of the characters and their stories interlinked. Unfortunately though the ending for me was a real let down. A couple of things happened that seemed to have no real purpose and no real resolution - I had so many questions at the end and I don't like having this feeling at the end of a book. I was almost left wondering what the point of the entire book was.. and I still haven't quite figured that out! So overall this was a 3 star read for me, I'm glad that I read it and I did really like the plot and the characters; I just felt a little disappointed with the last third or so of the book.
Thanks to HQ Stories for a free copy of this book.
July 23, 2020
Grief is the theme at the core of this book. Each of the characters are suffering from grief in such a way that is incredibly realistic and almost painful to read. There are no 'steps' to get through here. Grief is not a trajectory or a journey with a final destination but follows the same meandering path that Sylvie takes on her endless Tube trips.
The book manages to avoid becoming bleak though because there is also love in all its myriad forms, and a desire to live a good life. This is what gives the book such heart. I loved spending time with Ryan, Sylvie, Grace, Grandad, Hana and Naomi and was quite sad to read the last page.
My thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advance copy in return for an honest review.
The book manages to avoid becoming bleak though because there is also love in all its myriad forms, and a desire to live a good life. This is what gives the book such heart. I loved spending time with Ryan, Sylvie, Grace, Grandad, Hana and Naomi and was quite sad to read the last page.
My thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advance copy in return for an honest review.
July 24, 2020
Eleven Lines to Somewhere is Alyson Rudd's sophomore novel. It is enjoyably bittersweet and full of longing. Ryan becomes captivated with a woman on the London Underground who leads a mysterious existence. Is she a mystery that can be solved, and should Ryan get involved? The story is full of life's unfairnesses, and how families can become fractured because of them. It is also a story of meet-cutes and transformative experiences. There is a lot of watching in this book that is just the right side of stalking, but only just. It makes the reader wonder how many lonely people are out there, needing a connection.
August 5, 2020
Didn’t really know what to expect with this one. I half thought it would be a ghost story, which it’s not. (Or not really).
If I had complaints, they would be that it feels just slightly too long and a few too many characters and loose ends. However, this feels like a slice of life book to me, not one that necessarily needs to tie up neatly, even though I’d quite have liked it to.
Writing style is lovely. I liked, or at least was interested in almost all the characters. I particularly liked the sad, cake-eating Granddad.
I feel like I haven’t read anything quite like it and I would definitely read this author again.
If I had complaints, they would be that it feels just slightly too long and a few too many characters and loose ends. However, this feels like a slice of life book to me, not one that necessarily needs to tie up neatly, even though I’d quite have liked it to.
Writing style is lovely. I liked, or at least was interested in almost all the characters. I particularly liked the sad, cake-eating Granddad.
I feel like I haven’t read anything quite like it and I would definitely read this author again.
September 17, 2020
This is an intriguing book , This is a story set on the underground - Ryan spots a girl on the underground and is obsessed with her , he names her Millie and tries to see her each time he commutes to work. He follows her to try and find out more about her and is confused about the routes she takes on the underground as there seems to be no logic....The story unfolds and we find out about Ryan's lodger, his mother , his sister and 'Millie' . There are a lot of twists and turns in this story and it kept me hooked all the way through - its a poignant story of friendship, family , grief, loss and mental health,
May 26, 2023
I only picked this book up because of the cover (something I don't usually do). The premise was different to anything I've seen, the story kept me interested, the characters felt real and when the prologue started to make sense to me (as I was a bit baffled by it and must have read it three to four times), the whole story really tied together.
A lot of info about the many lines on the London Underground, which I know was central to the story around Sylvie, but sometimes my brain couldn't keep up, and also being in all the character's heads ... not sure I felt the need to be in every character's head. But the story was different, and I like different.
A lot of info about the many lines on the London Underground, which I know was central to the story around Sylvie, but sometimes my brain couldn't keep up, and also being in all the character's heads ... not sure I felt the need to be in every character's head. But the story was different, and I like different.
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