Author: Libby Page
The Lifeline is a continuation of The Lido, a book that launched Libby Page as an author. I read all books by Libby Page albeit it was not The Lido I read first. I first found out about her when one of my British colleagues of the time recommended The Island Home, which I loved and which prompted me to read all her books, The Lido, The 24-hour Café, A Vintage Shop of Second Chances and now the Lifeline.
As with all other books, in The Lifeline, Libby Page writes about friendships and communities and this time, the story is centred on two women, Kate (a new mother struggling to form a bond with her newborn and being new in Somerset whilst also missing London and her life there, a career, friends, and her lido and the Brixton community, etc) and Phoebe (a mental health nurse who looks passionately after her patients and gives them more attention than what her contract states). Unlike other Page’s books that celebrate lidos, this one celebrates the river but in her recognisable style, Page continues to celebrate water and swimming as a transcendental experience that makes everyone feel better about themselves and the world. I agree with what the characters in the book say about swimming that should be indeed prescribed on the NHS. This book also celebrates taking the time for yourself and that it is OK not to be OK or feel differently than what society prescribes. The whole book is directly or indirectly centred on this important message, and I enjoyed this part immensely and thought the author created an important book that many people who struggle with emotions and exhaustion (Kate) or excessive workload (Phoebe) could read and connect with these characters and the message that taking time for yourself is not just good for you but also for those around you. Because, indeed, can you help others if you do not look after yourself?
I also appreciated the afterword with the author admitting Kate is also partially based on her own life and the struggles she had when she became a mother. It takes courage to admit that and write a book, particularly since we live in a world where people, and women in particular, get online abuse for jumping out of expected roles or showing a difference of opinions and experiences in this case. This is also the reason why two days ago I permanently deleted my Twitter/X account. I am sick of witnessing online abuse even if it did not happen to me, and I simply cannot stand for that network and what it represents anymore even if I did use it for promoting my work. But the fact there is so much hatred online is why I was impressed with Page being so open about her struggles and writing this book.
Kate and Phoebe meet at the river and become friends supporting each other. This is beautifully portrayed albeit I expected to read more meaningful conversations between these two women, which did not happen. In a way, it seems as if the author tried to do too much in this book and whilst I was able to feel suffrage from both Phoebe and Kate individually, I did not manage to feel the friendship. It is mainly stated and described but not sufficiently, in my view. Equally, the last part with Kate’s mother seemed abruptly introduced and then ended in a way that felt like a fraud even though it was an important message about a serious issue and coping with it, which was entirely missed. I would have also liked to know more about mental health patients Phoebe supports. They are secondary characters so this is not a must, but since some stories were told in more detail than others, I was left wondering about some of these characters.
Overall, The Lifeline is an enjoyable read with some important messages and this small criticism above says nothing about the book, which is generally excellent and captivating. I read it over two days only and could not let it go. It is just that I like characters and stories that Libby Page creates so I am becoming more demanding and always want to know more. But that is a good problem to have. Read Libby Page’s books and feel better about the world!
Thank you for reading!