Ophelia Street, North London, 1970. A young reporter lives in a flat there and watches the inhabitants. Written over four seasons this novel tells the stories of some of those who live and work in the street.
The writing is beautifully descriptive and observational. The stories told with an unemotional detachment.
There is much that happens over the year. Deaths, suicides, affairs, pregnancies, separations, arson. One property is earmarked as a hostel for newly released offenders. Other properties are gradually bought up to be demolished and replaced by a new estate. Because of this most of the inhabitants move away by the end of the year and the stories of the lives that lived there comes to a natural close.
I have done what this reporter did, on a much smaller scale. I’ve watched a building over a couple of weeks imagining the lives of those that lived there so I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Highly recommended.
I have an older cover on my copy:
