Odeline Milk, a wonderfully eccentric young woman, dressed in a vintage baggy-trousered pinstripe suit, a waistcoat, bright red buttonhole braces and huge leather brogues, arrives in London with the aim of becoming a successful mime artist. With her black hair and jagged fringe which looks as if she has cut it herself (she has), she makes for an unusual figure as she lopes along the towpath towards the canal junction of Little Venice, where her new home, a houseboat she has just purchased with an inheritance from her recently deceased mother, awaits her. There, at Little Venice, Odeline meets fellow houseboat owner, the pony-tailed Ridley, with his muscular tattooed arms; Vera, who works in the local cafe who has a rather mysterious past; and the grey-whiskered, alcoholic canal warden John Kettle, who appears so jolly when he has an audience but who dreads the silence of his own company - to name just a few. In fact most of the characters that we meet in this story have their own intriguing back histories which, if further developed, could almost support a story of their own.
And then there is Odeline's houseboat: 'Chaplin and Company' which is almost another character in itself, with its own story to tell, and this story is gradually and interestingly revealed to us as we travel along with Odeline on her journey. And this story is not just a journey for Odeline, but for the reader too, as the author talks to us in such an inviting tone, regularly including her readers as she encourages us to join Odeline in her adventures: "Come down over the west of the city, come closer down, and closer still, until you can see the canal... Now the towpath widens. Go past the dark green barge with a wide double doorway..." I could continue, but I won't as it's so much better if you read it for yourself - however I will just say that I very much enjoyed this aspect of Mave Fellowes' writing style as it drew me right into her story.
This is a very engaging and beautifully written novel with some wonderful descriptions of situation and setting and I found this a fresh, quirky, and very entertaining read, which I galloped through in practically one very enjoyable sitting. I could just mention that perhaps the author has tried to include maybe a little too much in her debut novel, but as it all makes for such enjoyable reading, it's really not a problem. So, if you are looking for a novel that is a little bit different, but one that is not too weird or too heavy, then 'Chaplin and Company' could be just what you are looking for.
4 Stars.
Chaplin and Company
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Customer reviews
Top reviews from other countries
SusannahB
Fresh and Quirky Coming-of Age Story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 May 2013Verified Purchase
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A very engaging read and characters that leave you hoping for a sequel...
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