Tiffy and Leon share a one-bedroom flat in London. Even though they share the same bed, they have never met. He works as a night nurse at a hospice and is trying to raise funds for an appeal to get his younger brother out of prison. In contrast, she works as an editorial assistant in a small publishing house and needs to leave an abusive relationship. Does that sound appeal to you? Yes, it does to me since I picked it right up after my colleague recommended it to me.
O'Leary wonderfully conveys the intimacy of leaving notes (and delight in finding them) as well as the vastly different personalities of her primary characters through alternating first-person narratives. Leon's notes and inner story are staccato-like and matter-of-fact.
Often think it must be very tiring, being Tiffy. Even in note form she seems to expend so much energy.
Tiffy's are more open and conversational.
It was a weird way to get to know Leon, writing all these notes over the last few months, and it sort of happened without me noticing - one minute I was scribbling him a quick note about leftovers, the next I was in a full-on, day-to-day correspondence.
But there is an underlying sense of genuine concern and goodness that runs through both. It took some time for me to get used to reading Leon's practically truncated, note-like thoughts, which are quite distinctive.
Tiffy and Leon are charming leads (nearly equally so, which is unusual), but The Flatshare's supporting cast is noteworthy. Choosing a favorite among these well-crafted but beautifully characterized people isn't easy. But if I have to, I would unhesitantly choose Gerty since I find the most common.
I . . . I remember being really happy with him,’ I say. ‘As well as being, you know, really bloody miserable.
I expected something soft lighthearted as I began to read. "It could be one of those romances they used to write," I thought to myself. But the book's underlying theme is as severe and alarming as the one in It ends with us. The central theme is emotional abuse and gaslighting in relationships that O'Leary smoothly planted in a lovely romance without being ridiculously inappropriate or crooked. The gaslighting in relationships which they hardly talk or condemn enough. Healthline defined gaslighting as "a form of emotional abuse that makes you question your beliefs and perception of reality." People often overlook it since it's not visible as physical abuse. Still people, emotional abuse is as severe and has more damage to a person because it's not medically or attentively cared for. This type of manipulation can erode your self-esteem and confidence, leaving you reliant on the individual who is gaslighting you.
It can take people time to notice and process emotional abuse
The Flatshare has a page-turning quality about it. The chapters are short, and there is always something going on, but it feels natural rather than forced. The metaphors are funny and surprising in the prose, but the wording isn't unduly ornate. There wasn't a lot of foreshadowing. I guessed what would happen two or three times, but not very far ahead of time.
The friends-to-lovers trope is well-represented in this story. Because the novel was pleasant, engaging, and enjoyable, I stayed up till two a.m. reading it.
SCORE: 5/5
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