The Woman Next Door

4 Stars. A book about two octogenarian women who have been neighbors (but not friends) in South Africa for 20 years. One black, one white, both had successful profession careers yet were personally unhappy; and, have delighted in perturbing each other for all of those years. The book begins in the present and continues for just a few months. Their animosity is immediately apparent and we are privy to their thoughts as each looks back on her life and what made them be the way they are. The women are forced together (one living in the other's house) by circumstances and throughout the long weeks they had more communication than in the 20 previous years. As the novel unfolds, we see a grudging respect developing for each other and we see that they are alike in a lot of ways. The story of their personal lives is sad . . . that they each became disappointed in their choice of husbands and the choices they along the way. But each chose to remain in their marriage and gave up a lot of themselves in the process. I found their stories very sad, even given the time and place that they lived. They did have choices but opted out of them. The developing relationship between the two is probably the most honest that each has had in her life, and a pleasure to spy on.

This is a sweet book, but unremarkable in my opinion. This is mostly, I think, because this isn't a genre I enjoy reading much.

I do love the characters so much, though. They're such hilariously mean old women. And the social context – post-arpartheid South Africa – is intriguing.

But this is basically a very domesticated buddy story. So, yeah. Not my thing really.

HOWEVER if you do enjoy stories about very human relationships and you want something light and fun by the pool this is the book for you. It's quick and cute.

No one is more surprised than me how much I ended up enjoying this reading experience. I phrase it that way because considering the book's trajectory and themes, I'm not sure ‘enjoy' is the right word for the majority of the plot. These two women have in common having wasted too long in resentment and bitterness, becoming caustic as a result; having stayed in a certain role long past the time it served them; clinging to pride and design careers as a means of bringing control to a life that no longer feels in their control; having been shaped negatively by their parental figures; being deeply unsatisfied with how their attempts at motherhood have ended up. 
The contrast appears  in what they are just now acknowledging caused so much heartache to themselves and others over the years, admissions coming primarily in each other's company (not clearing the air in a marriage vs not being willing to acknowledge the work required to uproot deep racism). Having said that, the contrast between Marion refusing to see and Hortensia being unable to exist without being affected by racism does not play as large a role in the text as I initially would have thought. The flashbacks to earlier regrets are almost equal, with perhaps more emphasis on Hortensia. 
The ending doesn't feel desolate but quiet, there are reconciliations with the understanding that much time (and some people) have passed. Maybe not all can be made right, maybe not all is forgiven, nor should it be. But maybe there can be peace, companionship. Great writing.
If you survived Our Souls at Night, I think you might like this. 
⚠️racism, miscarriage