TL;DR: For some reason, I feel like this is an underrated book… It’s one of those reads that’ll pull on your heartstrings. It’s simple but beautifully written and packs quite an emotional punch. It’ll make you appreciate life and wonder at death, it’ll make you cry but it’ll also make you laugh and feel joy. It’s heartbreaking at the end—after all, it is set in a hospital and tells the story of two terminally ill people who form an unlikely friendship that spans their combined lifetime of 100 years. While the ending may be predictable and the story didn’t wow me with wild plot twists and turns, it did leave me with a sense of peace and gratitude.

I knew to have the tissues ready from what I’d heard others say about this, and while I felt a deep aching sadness throughout much of the read, it was the last 20% that had me ugly crying in bed as I raced to finish the pages. This might not be for you if you’re not partial to character-driven stories because this has quite a loose plot but focuses on the connection between Lenni and Margot, and all the terrible and wonderful things they’ve experienced throughout their lives.

While some may find it difficult to connect as the story jumps from the present day and is mixed with art and stories from the past and present, I loved the way it was told! The writing has a strong visual element to it, not just with the art project but also with how the author describes everything. It’s a story rich in imagery and colour!

Lenni was a wonderful character. She’s a precocious 17-year-old who sometimes comes across as younger than her age and she questions everything. She’s vocal and opinionated and she’s got a dry and somewhat dark sense of humour that makes her funny even when she’s not trying. As much as everyone around her was endeared to her character, so was I. My heart broke for everything she endured as a child and for the ways she had to grow up sooner than she should’ve due to her illness. Margot and her life story was also a delightful surprise. Her story took a direction I didn’t expect and although, at times, I found it difficult to connect with certain characters in her timeline, I loved to see how much of an impact they made on her life. I think her arc perfectly captures the ups and downs of life and the ways people change but ultimately, remain who they are at heart.

I also grew to care a lot about and felt equally invested in several side characters like New Nurse and Father Arthur. There was one unexpected arc that came around full circle beautifully and heartbreakingly, which fit so well with the rest of this and I think it did a great job of highlighting the story’s themes of life, death, love and loss.

There’s not much more that I can say without giving spoilers about these characters but it’s safe to say that they grew on me so much and by the end, they too felt like my friends. This was a very touching story and I’m so glad I read this book. It’s likely to stay on my mind for some time yet and I highly recommend it.

Have you read The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot or is it on your TBR?

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