Rating:⭐⭐⭐
Set in the 1880s, The Road from Belhaven by Margot Livesey revolves around Lizzie Craig who we meet as a young orphan growing up in the care of her maternal grandparents Rab and Flora on Belhaven Farm, in rural Scotland. Lizzie is gifted with second sight – the “pictures” she envisions that are indicative of future events - visions that come to her infrequently but know to mostly keep to herself. Lizzie loves to read and is a curious child. Hers is mostly a happy childhood with her life with her loving grandparents, in the company of the farm animals, her books and school, and their farmhand Hugh who eventually moves to Glasgow in search of better opportunities. Lizzie is surprised to find out that she has an older sister Kate who has been raised by their paternal grandparents. When Kate comes to live with them. Lizzie’s life slowly begins to change. Lizzie begins to dream of a life with new opportunities – a life she is encouraged to embark on when a young man named Louis enters her life. Unbeknownst to Lizzie, the consequences of her choices will not only irrevocably change her own life but could also fracture the relationships she holds dear.
I loved the premise of this novel and was engrossed in the first half of the story. The author’s description of Belhaven Farm, life in rural Scotland with its customs and traditions, and Lizzie’s curiosity and love for reading were a joy to read. But my enthusiasm for this novel dampened as the narrative veered toward a predictable trajectory with stereotypical characters and though I could sympathize with Lizzie’s plight, I began to lose interest in her story. As we follow Lizzie’s transition from a sheltered farm girl to a young woman finding her own way in the city, I felt as though I was reading about a completely different person in the second half of the novel. While most of the characters were well thought out and realistic, the changes in Lizzie are often abrupt, unexplored and her motivations are difficult to understand. Her choices are questionable, her behavior uncharacteristic at times, and while I won’t judge her, I would have liked the opportunity to understand her motivations. I usually enjoy quiet character-driven fiction with minimal melodrama, but I thought the latter half of this coming-of-age story lacked emotional depth. As a plot point, the magical realism aspect- Lizzie’s gift - was not explored in depth or integral to the overall plot in the way it could have been. Overall, I thought the story had potential and it pains me to be unable to give this novel a higher rating.
Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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