The Lido – Libby Page Review

The Lido to me, is about trying to find your place in a massive city such as London, where everyone seems to be in their own little world.

The Lido follows the story of 26 year old Kate, who finds herself in an unlikely friendship with 86 year old Rosemary. Through trying to save Brockwell Lido in Brixton, they both learn more about friendship, life and happiness.

The story is not overly surprising, there are no plot twists or hidden messages. What surprised me the most is that a story that is not jam packed full of action had me so gripped. Some moments I found were immensely touching, and demonstrate the importance of having connections in your life and the impact that has on wellbeing.

Kate is a young reporter who has recently moved to London, only to find out it is not so much how she envisaged. She’s often lonely and suffers from frequent panic attacks. Rosemary is 86 and is fully emersed in the community, spending most mornings at the Lido. She’s lived in the area all of her life and is affected by the way things are changing from how she remembered them, and how people who once walked beside her are no longer in her life.

Following the campaign to save Brockwell Lido, Kate really comes into her own, and it is interesting to learn more about Rosemary’s past and what the Lido really means to her. We learn of Kate’s relationships with her family, most notably her sister, and Rosemary’s marriage to her sweetheart George.

The characters are relatable and I found The Lido to be an easy read. It’s a story mainly of Kate finding her feet in London (which is relatable I think for any 20-something who has moved to a large city) and Rosemary rediscovering hers.

Have you ever read The Lido by Libby Page? What did you think about it?