★★★☆☆
My first read by Claire Alexander, I discovered Meredith, Alone when my local Barnes and Noble was having a moving sale. The bright peach cover and the deeply discounted price attracted my attention. I went in not knowing much about the heavy storyline that would unfold inside.
The story focuses on Meredith Maggs, a woman in her late thirties who hasn’t left her home in Glasgow, Scotland, in over three years. Her isolation results from a traumatic event that’s caused her to build a fortress inside her house to protect herself from the overwhelming world outside. Her carefully constructed world is complete with a remote job, online friendships, challenging jigsaws, and the company of her cat, Fred. However, when new friendships and an estranged sister enter her life, Meredith is forced to confront her fears and consider the possibility of rejoining the world she once knew.
The book is well-written and tenderly portrays what it is like to live with agoraphobia. Alternating between the past and the present day, the story moves slowly, particularly in the present, as it details Meredith’s life inside the four walls of her home. Her friendships with her long-time friend Sadie, Celeste, her new friend from an online support group, and Tom, from the Helping Hands agency, added interest and heart to the story, while her family interactions supplied drama.
“I wondered what it was like to feel so safe that you believed nothing bad would happen to you, ever.”
One of my favorite parts of the book was the connection between Tom and Meredith during his weekly visits. His patience and persistence were endearing.
Although I felt for Meredith and her struggles with mental illness, she often came across as flat as a character. The distance I felt with Meredith, combined with the slow pacing, made this book a hard one to look forward to picking up each night to finish. I was interested enough in finding out what triggered Meredith’s fear of the outside world, and I appreciated that the book ended on a hopeful note.
The book reminded me of Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (although Meredith is less quirky than Eleanor). If you were a fan of that one, add Meredith, Alone to your reading list.