The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin

This is later then when I had hoped to right my first blog of 2022 but until recently I found myself almost in a reading funk. I have either completely finished or started 7 different books since the start of the new year and was just not loving any of them. None of them were really grabbing my attention enough for me to actually enjoy it. I was getting to the point that I was hesitant to even start anything in case of adding it to the growing pile of meh. But that’s kind of what I have found out over the last few years, you never know what books could end up being your diamond in the rough and for me The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot was my diamond. Wow that was incredibly cheesy. Chessiness aside, this book is so beautifully written, it pulls on your heart strings and will have you laughing and crying interchangeably.

Lenni Petterrson is a 17 year old who unfortunately knows the saying life is short better than most people. She’s going on almost a year of living in the terminal ward at the Glasgow Hospital she now calls home. Going against hospital orders, she joins an art therapy class at the hospital where she meets 83 year old Margot. The friendship bond is instant and they quickly realize that between the two of them, they have lived 100 years. To celebrate this accomplishment, they decide to paint a picture for every year and share the stories behind them until they have 100 paintings. Stories of growing old, finding love, losing someone special, being young, stories filled with joy and kindness, as well as stories filled with sadness and anger. The stories of a life time.

I was kind of surprised with myself on how much I ended up loving this book. It wasn’t what I would typical place in my favorites folder but there was just something about the writing that had me pulled in from the beginning. Made me want to hug my loved ones and then demand they read it as well. I’m glad this book was the one to finally get me out of my reading funk. Made me appreciate what I have and for me to see that friendship and love are sometimes all we need the most.

Until Next Time, The Library Abroad

Happy 2022!