25 Library Terrace by Natalie Fergie, a book review

I’ve been reading a lot of murder and thriller books lately so I was looking for something a little milder to read. 25 Library Terrace came up on my Kindle as a free read so I had nothing to lose. I’m actually glad I read it. You can read my full review below.

25 Library Terrace by Natalie Fergie

The Blurb (on the back of the book)

In 1911, new resident Ursula Black embraces women’s suffrage in the form of census protest, discovers vegetarianism, and learns just how difficult it can be to bring up someone else’s children.

In 1931, the house becomes part of a radical experiment in a different way of living, and a family secret from the past is uncovered.

In 2011, Tess Dutton needs somewhere to live in the wake of a failed relationship, and is introduced to a rather unusual landlady.

In 2022, delayed by the pandemic, it’s another census year for Scotland, and as Edinburgh’s residents are able to gather once more, the strands of four generations at 25 Library Terrace are finally woven together.

My Review of 25 Library Terrace

The book actually starts in 2011 with Tess who does something a little drastic when she finds her fiancé has been lying to her. But, we soon forget about her as we are transported back one hundred years to 1908.

At this point 25 Library Terrace is still being built and the future owner is passing by and witness to a horrid but not fatal accident involving a young boy.

Then a couple of years later, Ursula is quitting her job and going to live with her new husband an previous boss. He also has two children that Ursula is to take care of because there mother died. Ursula discovers that the children’s mother was not kind to the children or their maid Isobel. Ursula is a completely different person, kind, caring and full of new ideas. She takes an interest in the Suffragette movement, but not too much to bring disrespect to the family. She becomes a vegetarian and works with Isobel to create new and interesting meals.

The two children, Finlay and Ann, appreciate the kindness from Ursula and they seem like a happy family. We don’t hear too much about the father, John, but he does seem quite accommodating to Ursula’s fresh ideas. He had no idea that his previous wife was so unkind to the rest of the family but he believes his children.

We follow the family for a while, Ann and Finlay survive a terrible fire at a theatre that they attend for Ann’s birthday and become closer. It’s a gentle story of a family, not without problems but learning their way in life.

There is a brief visit to 1921 after WWI. There was not much detail about the war, but the family at 25 Library Terrace were away in France. A lot of the book focuses on the census. In 2011 Ursula had stayed out all night to avoid having her details put on the form because women were not allowed to vote. And the visit in 1921 coincides with the census.

We then jump to 1931. Ann is still living at 25 Library Terrace but alone. She gets a letter from former maid Isobel who is looking for somewhere to stay and Ann is happy to bring her home. We learn that Ann leaves the scullery door open always in case her brother Finlay returns from war.

Again the census is delivered. This is done by a man called Keith, Ann has met him before when he came looking to see if she had any gardening or decorating work to be done. Ann offers him work on the house but as things develop they become friends. Keith becomes another lodger at number 25 along with his friend Rab. It’s not an easy process, Ann has a lot of reservations, but she comes up with a plan and it makes her feel better.

Each guest must stay for two years only and pay a quarter of what they earn as rent.

Keith and Rab renovate the house, but they end up staying longer because they become partners to Ann and Isobel.

Ann receives a letter claiming that her brother Finlay had a daughter, Olivia, who was now a teenager and needing a place to live. Ann takes her in but doesn’t reveal that she might possibly be her aunt.

The book then jumps to 1951 and again it’s Census weekend but Keith and Annie (As she is now called) are taking their surrogate grand daughter, Georgia on a train. There is no talk of WWII but we do find out what happened to Rab and Isobel who are Georgia’s actual grandparents. The short chapter ends with Keith proposing to Annie.

We are then back in 2011 where the story began. Tess finds herself looking for somewhere to live and ends up as the latest lodger at 25 Library Terrace which is now owned by Georgia. The rules are the same, two years only and a quarter of her income for rent.

We follow Tess’ story with Georgia and another renovation of the house. Tess discovers some secrets of the house in the attic after Georgia asks her to look.

Then we see how all the stories are connected and little strings that are left throughout the whole book.

These are just the highlights of the story, it’s complexity, and the characters. It ends in 2022 and Tess is still living at the house but Georgia has moved out.

It’s a story of friendships, relationships, loss, history but most of all it’s a story about a house and all it’s residents.

Not a fast paced book but one you don’t really want to put down because you are curious as to what is going to happen next at the house.