I'm in two minds about this book, and I think the fact it was so hyped—London Book Fair 2017's book of the fair, snapped up for six figures 24 hours after being submitted—is skewing my opinion. On the one hand, it's very simply a nice, gentle story in which not much happens and with not-exactly-world-shattering prose. Erin Brokovitch, with her spiky edges sanded down and transported to Brixton. But then, the general themes of millennial isolation, anti-gentrification, pro-immigration, urban communities and the general melacholy of ageing and time passing—how often do you see those topics in a unassuming, commercial novel? If "up-lit" is the new trend (which, despite the Guardian's constant pushing, I personally don't think it is—Eleanor Oliphant, for example, is about [a woman so haunted by her abusive childhood that she is unable to function in society and becomes completely isolated and dependent on alcohol (hide spoiler)]) then this is the absolute textbook example—but it's undoubtedly a book set firmly in London 2018.

I think Page's real strength is the Brixton setting, which paints the area almost as a village—it's so rare to see a depiction of urban living like that. I loved the passage at the start where Kate walks to work and recognises the same people she's never spoken to, even judging how late she is by where in the road she passes a certain man.

However, it is a slow-burner. Nothing really happens as such, or it happens very slowly, or off-stage. ([While reading the last chapter, I had to read back to check I hadn't missed the scene where Rosemary died, as it was presented so casually (hide spoiler)]) I do have two slight niggles with the plotting as well—but they're both very spoilery, so be warned. [I felt it was quite lazy of the author never to name or even describe the company that saves the lido with its advertising revenue. All the characters have to talk rather self-consciously about "the company" and "the company's logo" etc, and we never find out why they'd be suited to the lido in particular. Couldn't she just make something up? Also, when Kate and Jay are staging the sit-in and they spot Rosemary on the bench and she's like, "Oh, 'the company' phoned this morning by the way, and the lido's saved"—I knew it was set up so you'd think all was lost, especially Rosemary saying "it's over", but come on! Wouldn't she immediately tell them? Isn't it quite rude to leave them hanging for this long, especially given that they're staging a sit-in? (hide spoiler)]

I will say, given most of the book is set during a heatwave, this is the perfect summer read. Any book with pool water on the front cover automatically has a place on my beach reads list.

#TheLido is a real feel good, community spirited book in a very readable way. Libby Page has managed to draw you into the story and feel associated with the characters and becoming passionate about their cause. It is a story that will make you laugh and cry but thoroughly enjoyable!!

"The Lido" is a story of a young reporter, Kate, who is assigned a story about the closure of the local swimming pool. She interviews Rosemary, who swam there for her whole life, and gets involved in the battle to save the place. Apparently up-lit is on the rise! "The Lido" is definitely that - a heart-warming story about community coming to the rescue of their beloved lido, the main character overcoming personal obstacles with the help of new unexpected friends. On a whole, this was a warm, nice story, which I maybe did not love, but which I definitely enjoyed, especially parts in which Rosemary was reminiscing about her life. The author set her story in Brixton and the Brockwell Lido is the real place, one I have visited in the past, which definitely added personal flavour to the story.

What a lovely book. I really enjoyed following the story of Kate and Rosemary in their quest to save the Brockwell Lido when it was threatened with closure. The novel has something for everyone. It is beautifully written and has believable characters that I was rooting for every step of the way.
It deals with grief and loneliness in a very real way, not shying away from the difficult subject of anxiety and depression. I loved both the main characters, plus the supporting cast. I also enjoyed the descriptions of Brixton, an area of London I know well. It reflected the dilemma between regenerating a deprived area, but losing a lot of what gives it a soul. I don't live in London anymore, but it made me want to re-visit Brixton and go and have a swim.
This book is going to be very big and it is well deserved. Thank you for giving me the chance to read and review this little gem. #NetGalley #LoveThe Lido

Review to appear on blog On publication day - an important book, more of an experience lived than a book read. Great metaphor crafter, real characters flawed and worth caring about. Great cover too.

A heartwarming read with good characterisation, this book tells the story of a community coming together in the face of developers trying to take their lido away from them. Kate and Rosemary form a close bond in the face of adversity and while Kate finds her confidence Rosemary finds her peace.

I loved this story. A ery simple story of a community comes together, but I really loved most the story of how Kate and Rosemary’s lives become joined as they together fought for the Lido for their own personal reasons. i loved hearing about Rosemary’s life and why she loved the Lido so much, and my heart melted for Kate and her ‘Panic’, and how puts on her brave face to her sister. Overall, I really enjoyed and would highly recommend.

This is a story of an unlikely friendship, of two women who have one main thing in common The Lido in Brixton - and their mission to save it from being closed and turned into a private sports facility.

This is the story also of Rosemary and George and their shared history of over seventy years at the lido, and it is also the story of Kate and her attempts to once and for all conquer "the panic".

Kate and Rosemary only meet when Kate, is sent to the Lido to do a story on it closure, and wants to interview Rosemary. Rosemary is 86 years young, and loves the Lido, she swims daily and also spends time in the cafe just watching life pass by in her favourite place in the world.

Between the two ladies we also get a fabulous picture of Brixton itself, and almost makes the most dedicated North Londoner, in me, go south of the river and experience the multiculturalism of Brixton for myself.

There is some fabulous descriptions in this book which really give you a feel for the lido, its users and also Brixton as a whole.

However what I found frustrating was how frequently you seemed to be in the present with Rosemary and then suddenly she is reminiscing about her life with George, and I found I was losing track of the time lines, as we get a look at their lives at the Lido over a lifetime.

I found The Lido to be an interesting story of friendship, that was enjoyable to read and has me curious as to what else the author may write in the future.

Thank you to Orion and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I loved this book - it was a glorious read. Life affirming and tender. I loved Rosemary and Kate - their friendship and growing trust - how they both saved the other and their lido. They were surrounded by a lovely mix of characters who felt so real.

This book made me smile even in the bittersweet moments.

A book I will be recommending.

I got bored after reading 25% of this book, so skipped to the end. Yes, it is heartwarming and feel good, and yes, it does depict a close community supporting each other, but I found it over-sentimental and predictable.

This is a gentle story of new friendships and how a community comes together. Kate moves to Brixton to work on a local newspaper, she lives in a house share with people she has no connection with. She is feeling very lonely when her editor gives her a story to write about the closing of the local lido. She meets a much older lady who befriends her, this friendships is life changing.

Kate meets Rosemary through her job as a reporter for the local newspaper in Brixton. Rosemary lives on her own and is an 86 year-old enthusiastic swimmer at the local Lido, dubbed the ‘Beach of Brixton’. The Lido is her passion and she is the oldest member. She and her husband George lived opposite the Lido and found cold water swimming invigorating. Their whole romantic history was shackled to the Lido which has been threatened with closure after the local council was offered a much needed cash injection enticement to sell the land for development. Kate was looking for a human interest story and Rosemary was the obvious candidate. The trouble was Rosemary would only agree to an interview if Kate would first agree to go for a swim.
Kate lives locally but the thought of using the Lido would be a massive challenge for her. She is lonely and isolated in the big city; she is plagued by panic attacks and is also very shy and insecure about exposing her body. But she does reluctantly agree to Rosemary’s terms, and soon, although there is a 60 year age gap, the two ladies become firm, loving and supportive friends, and both of their lives are changed forever as they work together on a campaign to keep the Lido open. Rosemary’s eclectic friends become Kate’s treasured friends and her salvation as this charming debut novel continues with the story of their fight to keep open the Lido, the hub of the local community.
I loved this gentle story of a community coming together to try to keep their beloved Lido open. The characters were beautifully crafted, diverse and very interesting. They were from all walks of life; a student, market trader, photographer, bookstore owners, journalist, old aged pensioner and more, including a lovely, friendly dog! The storytelling was wonderful, filled with gorgeous descriptions and almost lyrical high grade language devices which greatly added to my pleasure. Reading this story was like looking at a grandmaster artist’s painting; vivid, expressive and very moving. Although this is a debut novel, Libby Page is up there with the best of my favourite authors. The story flowed and I was right behind the campaigners and their carefully thought our strategies. I cared about what happened and how it mattered to them.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Orion through my membership of NetGalley. These are my own honest opinions without any outside influences. This is a feel-good and highly enjoyable story. It’s a 4.5* review from me and I’m certainly keen to read more from this author.

What a fantastic read a poignant and emotional story set around a lido at the heart of the story is rosemary an old lady and Kate a young lady whose tales of their lives are so heartwarming their characters come alive as they petition to try and keep the local lido open along with Rosemary's friends a charming beautifully written novel that left me in tears but happy as well a must read novel

This book is so sweet and tender! Really enjoyed the story and each and every character.

Brixton, south London....

Retired librarian Rosemary, at eighty-six, has lived in the area all her life and is deeply connected to it. Kate, in her twenties, has only recently moved there to work as a journalist on the local paper. Kate is socially isolated and experiences panic attacks - life is currently a struggle for her.

For Kate, the lido is initially just a story for her paper; but for Rosemary it is woven into the fabric of her life, and her marriage to George. It was witness to many of their key moments and when George died, it helped her to grieve. Rosemary in her eighties continues to swim daily; Kate is just beginning to rediscover the pleasures of water.

When the lido is threatened with closure - a property development company plan to turn it into an exclusive private gym - Kate, Rosemary and other local residents come together to campaign to save it, changing their own lives (Kate’s in particular) in the process.

A host of wonderful characters, a strong sense of place - both the lido itself and the wider area - and a fairly simple but inspiring plot make this a hugely engaging story.

The Lido is a warm and uplifting testament to the power of community and friendship. A lovely read.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

A lovely, gently-paced meander through a cross-generational friendship. The writing is good quality, with particular the rich description of place of particular note.

Unfortunately I did occasionally find the pace a little slow and the meandering omniscient point of view a little jarring, but that's a matter of personal taste, and for those who enjoy a gently paced dive into the heads of characters this novel will be very enjoyable.

A very easy to read book, with some really insightful and moving passages. Following a group of characters who meet at the Lido in Brixton and fight together to save it from developers, the characters are well-drawn and sympathetic. I really enjoyed this novel.

Rosemary is 86 and has lived in Brixton all her life. Kate has only recently moved to London, but is overwhelmed and unnoticed by the city around her. Only when Kate starts to report on the possible closure of Brockwell Lido, do these characters meet and discover that they can give each other something that is missing.

Cosy, sweet and safe, this novel was predictable but enjoyable.

I have a few issues - Kate's growing ability to overcome her panic attacks through the power of swimming, a non-explicit white-washing of Brixton and the quick-switching character point of views, which meant that a lot of characters weren't fleshed out properly, or remained nameless throughout - poor teenage swimming boy!

But it was still a nice story - a summary of one particular aspect of London life that will make a light summer read.

Thanks to Net Galley and Orion Publishing Group for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
What a lovely story. Rosemary is 86 and a widow, her beloved George dies at 85 years. He was what made her world come alive. She misses him, but she has the lido which was their special place and where they spent so much time.
The council are planning close and sell the lido. Kate is a young journalist working for the local paper, she lacks confidence, has no friends, lives in a shared house but never sees the other occupants, she is lonely, has panic attacks and feels a bit lost. Her boss sends her to the lido to get the story and stir up some interest, perhaps the lido can be saved.
Kate meets Rosemary and they build a friendship, each encouraging the other, sharing their story, Kate meets a whole group of new people , makes friends and is writing articles for the paper about the lido.
The story is about Kate and Rosemary’s friendship, Rosemary shares a lot of her precious mermoies of George with her new young friend and then the story of the community coming together to fight to save the lido.
A lovely book - 4 stars

A delightful, engaging read about love and loss and friendship across the generations. It also made me think about what's worth fighting for and what isn't- what's important and what isn't. The characters were fully three dimensional and I became engrossed in their struggle to stop closure of the lido. Rosemary's story was touching and the end was satisfying fitting. It reminds me that it's never too late to change yourself or your circumstances.