When Annie finds and purchases a small, dingy painting hiding in the corner of a junky antique shop, she has no idea that it is about to expose her to some of Europe's darkest secrets — if you are hunting for the perfect beach read that is smart, entertaining, and well-written I've found it!
Don't let the title of this book fool you (I was almost fooled), The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild is not a sappy romance. Though there is a romantic element running through the book, the title is actually the name of the painting that various storylines in the novel revolve around.
With a focus on Annie who, by no choice of her own, is single and living alone in London, the narrative is beautifully woven around the lives of multiple different fascinating characters who all play a part in the re-discovery of a famous work of art. The story will take you into the minds of these characters, who are all going through some major life changes, and into the depths of London's secret art and auction-house world.
Rothschild is a talented writer who does a great job of creating complex and unique identities for her characters — there are one or two in this book that I would love to meet!
And, of course, there is a travel element in the story, which offers some beautiful descriptions of one of my favourite parts of travelling — spontaneity and the realization that there are so many different ways to live in the world.
“The chatter of boys playing cricket in the street drifted up through the open window; a tea seller called out; strange birds rose above the honking cars and bicycle bells; a broom scraped rhythmically in the passage outside her room. Annie lay there, her mind blank and her emotions strangely abated. This abandonment of time felt almost wicked; a new and entirely foreign thought occurred to her — perhaps there were other ways to live.”
It is definitely a page-turning work, and a lovely summertime indulgence!
