The Cost of Living by Deborah Levy

Started with #2 of a trilogy and have no regrets: this is part of her “living memoir” series.

There are some lovely vignettes here that explore different aspects of divorce and separation through the process of grief, letting go, and rebuilding. There’s a real honesty to the mental states Levy describes, and she also veers into societal issues. I think a lot of us can relate to the sense of being adrift, feeling strange and isolated with a new kind of vulnerability we are not sure how to handle.

I love the descriptions of her writing life, of her creating a little haven in the random shed that she finds in a garden of a friend. It’s fascinating to see behind the creative process. There’s also a lot of characters and scene setting (like her new flat in London) that help break up the emotional story with humour, wit, and realism.

The power of simplification and of kindness bring hope to the emotional desolation. In many ways it’s a very hopeful book despite its searing honesty.

These memoir novels are a great idea: creative, entertaining, and profound. I want to read the rest!