A Town Called Solace

It's already one of my favourite books of the year * Rachel Joyce *
She has the God-given ability to convey the complexities of human nature in everyday language... Like a magician, Lawson hides her technique, and makes it all seem as natural as breathing -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *
A contemplative story about loss and regret, a slow burn of a read with a fire at its heart -- John Boyne * Irish Times *
Lawson's writing is such that it appears effortless but, as all the strands come together to create a rich and satisfying tapestry, her genius for storytelling becomes apparent * Irish Independent *
The doubts, difficulties and uncertainties of the human condition are carefully examined in a way that is both heartbreaking and joyful * Scotsman *
Subtle and darkly funny, this tender novel unspools the interconnected lives of her beautifully drawn characters * Daily Express *
An absorbing novel * Sunday Express *
Lawson has carved out a world in Northern Ontario that's vividly, absorbingly real... Carries you along from midnight to dawn, oblivious of the time * Literary Review *
A Town Called Solace keeps you breathless with anxiety, then relief and finally even joy -- Ferdinand Mount * Observer *
Close to perfection * The Times *
Beautifully written and so finely crafted; told in the kind of prose I most admire because it takes what appears to be complicated and makes it clear . . . These interwoven stories of three people at different stages of life, and yet each struggling with their own form of loss and grief, will stay with me the way good friendships stay with you. It's already one of my favourite books of the year -- Rachel Joyce
Mary Lawson writes with a pure simplicity... she has the God-given ability to convey the complexities of human nature in everyday language... It was only on a second reading that I came to realise quite how intricately plotted A Town Called Solace is: like a magician, Lawson hides her technique, and makes it all seem as natural as breathing... she possesses an instinctive feel for when to withhold information, and when to release it -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *
Lawson's books are a pleasure to read - they conjure a space where quiet reflection and owning your past mistakes bring gentle rewards; they feel kind and wise and brimful of empathy -- Siobhan Murphy * The Times *
This is Mary Lawson's fourth novel and I'd recommend a binge immersion... Lawson has carved out a world in Northern Ontario that's vividly, absorbingly real; she captures tones and voices with exactitude in writing that's idiomatic but never flashy and carries you along from midnight to dawn, oblivious of the time. -- Nooni Minogue * Literary Review *
Poised, elegant prose, paired with quiet drama that will break your heart. The sort of book that seems as if it has always existed because of its timeless perfection -- Graham Norton
You can't get much farther north than the Ontario of Mary Lawson's icy, compelling stories of calamity and redemption. A Town Called Solace keeps you breathless with anxiety, then relief and finally even joy -- Ferdinand Mount * Observer *
A contemplative story about loss and regret, a slow burn of a read with a fire at its heart -- John Boyne
Close to perfection -- Christina Hardyment * The Times, *Audiobooks of the Year* *
Lawson's writing is clear and emotive... In this poignant novel, rightfully recognised by the Booker judges, the steadfastness of children brings solace to lost grown-ups -- Francesca Carington * Sunday Telegraph, *Novel of the Week* *
There's a beauty and simplicity in her [Lawson's] stories set in small-town Canada -- Nina Pottell * Prima *