From My Bookshelf: Michelle Berry

Blind Crescent is a cul-de-sac where the houses are filled with a variety of quirky and dysfunctional families in many forms.  There is the widowed father with two teens, the man caring for his elderly and demanding parents, the huge agoraphobic man who’s only joy is eating, the wealthy couple with the live-in house keeper.  Everyone is watching each other, but no one really cares about the others and none of them actually speak to each other.

This book is a character study of the the small neighbourhood of Blind Crescent, but there is very little action.  The story seems to hinge on a suicide the previous Christmas and the house that has been vacant ever since.  Now there is someone living there.  But, although they think about it, not one person knocks on the door to welcome the new neighbour.

Various combinations of the residents come together – to go to the beach, to retrieve small children who are destroying the neighbour’s yard, to bring groceries to the shut-in man.  But no one really cares about the others.  I found it quite strange, almost eerie, and it made me really glad I didn’t live there.

The name of the street “Blind” is very symbolic.  There doesn’t seem to be anything to hold this group together except location.  There are a couple of insipid sub-plots, but they didn’t really engage me.  I found the book quite bland with flat characters and no action.  Not my favourite read.

……………………….and several others