Published by Algonquin Books Genres: Contempory, Fiction, LGBT
Format: ARC, Paperback
A little slow to get into but then it became entertaining with a big cast of interesting, quirky and strange characters.
Agatha Howard has decided to put up condos up in middle of London’s soho district. She has a building picked out. It will be perfect but first she needs to get rid of the tenants. Easier said than done! These tenants are not willing to go, they will not go easy, nor will they make it easy for Agatha to follow through on her plan.
The building houses a pub, a brothel, and a homeless camp in the basement. This makes for an interesting mix of people. There are drug addicts, the homeless, the women who live and work in the brothel. Again, lots of characters and a lot going on. There are connections between the characters but what are they? This was not a straightforward read for me. It took a little work. But I did enjoy her take on power, on what makes a community and a family, on bonding together, sex, class, on privilege, on gentrification, and social status to name a few.
This was interesting, bizarre, and intriguing. I don’t think this will be for everyone, but it worked for me after the slowness of the beginning for me.
Thank you to Algonquin Books who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.