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The House on Fortune Street: A Novel

Margot Livesy
Harper (2008)
ISBN 9780061451522
Reviewed by LuAnn Morgan for RebeccasReads (7/08)

Abigail Taylor and Dara MacLeod grew up in different worlds, yet they both felt they missed out on a so-called “normal” childhood, which left them with a sense of something lacking in their lives. 

For Dara, the fact that her father left the family when she was a young child created a hunger within her that could only be sated with relationships between herself and older men. She meets Edward, who literally falls at her feet when he trips near where she is sitting. They begin a love that is all-consuming, even though Edward refuses to make a total commitment. Eventually, it comes to light that he is already living with another woman, with whom he has a child.  Dara is a counselor by trade. However, she is in desperate need of help herself. Suffering from a continuous depression, she rides the waves of desolation until she can no longer deal with life in general. Abigail’s boyfriend finds her after she takes an overdose of sleeping pills.

Abigail grew up with her grandparents after her parents both died within a short time of each other. It hardened her, in a way, and created a wall that refused to let anyone come too close. Each budding relationship ended as she put up barriers to protect herself from the consequences of losing yet another person she cared about.

The two women meet in college and become fast friends. After all, they empathize with one another. They clearly see each other’s weaknesses – typically, the same ones they have themselves.  The friendship is based on love, mutual trust and understanding. Eventually, Dara rents the apartment built into Abigail’s home and it slowly begins to drive a wedge between them. Their faults begin to become more apparent without distance. Also, because they now live so close together, they find less reason to call on each other just to visit. The result is a distancing of their relationship.

“The House on Fortune Street” is written in an interesting perspective. It begins with Abigail’s boyfriend Sean as he discusses their own relationship, including its strengths and downfalls. He also talks about his concerns regarding Dara, knowing she is dealing with serious issues that threaten her self-esteem and that do, indeed, cause her to take her own life.  It is Sean’s story that gives the basis of the novel and introduces us to the characters. His story ends with the discovery of Dara’s body.

The next part of the book revolves around Dara’s family and is written in her father’s voice. He explains why he left his family, a truth he was never able to reveal to Dara. We learn of his own childhood and what separated he and Dara’s mother. His story ends with a discussion between him and his closest friend about Dara’s death.

The reader then gets the chance to hear Dara’s story. The child who had so much potential becomes the adult who is limited by her own mental illness. We learn about her feelings for Abigail and for her father. We also learn why she felt it necessary to take her own life in the end.  Naturally, the book progresses into the story of Abigail and we are finally taken through her life and learn why she feels threatened by every relationship she encounters. She also tells us more about Dara.

Following Dara’s death, Abigail meets with Dara’s father and he finally opens up to her and tells her the things he should have revealed to Dara herself. The openness leaves Abigail wondering how Dara’s life could have been different had she known the truth all along. Would it have been better or worse?

I became so absorbed in this novel that I felt like nothing else got done until I finished reading it. What a wonderfully written story! Margot Livesey is truly a literary artist.
“The House on Fortune Street” received advance praise from such well-known and award-winning writers as Geraldine Brooks and Ann Patchett. Rarely does a book come along that can garner the type of reviews this one has and I am pleased to have had the opportunity to add my own to the list.

This is a truly wonderful book and should be on everyone’s list of books to read. It’s not often that I read a novel that I don’t want to end. “The House on Fortune Street” is such a book.

  

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