<\/p>\n
As an allotment holder and a reader of novels with ensemble casts, I was looking forward to reading Elissa Soave\u2019s latest novel. Common Ground<\/em> is written from the perspectives of a ragtag assortment of gardeners who, although they spend much of their time in close proximity, rarely interact.<\/p>\n The plot concerns the town council\u2019s threat to close the allotment and build on the land: it\u2019s clear from the start how the ending will play out. Soave\u2019s characters come to life on the page as the reader learns their backstories. No two characters are alike, and their lives are so busy they sometimes become overwhelming. The author tells more than she shows, which makes the characters hard to connect and there were times where I wished I could work things out for myself.<\/p>\n Laurence, in his white trousers and designer shoes, is by far the most interesting member of the group because his sections have more room to breathe. Soave has the tendency to ram home certain points \u2013 young Kevin\u2019s repulsiveness, old Stanley\u2019s self-imposed isolation \u2013 and the word \u2018allotment\u2019 is so overused, you can barely find a page without it.\u00a0<\/p>\n Exposition and repetition make Common Ground<\/em> feel longer than its 360 pages. A third of the way through and the problem with the council is largely forgotten about \u2013 it does pop up again later but the \u2018plot\u2019 is secondary to the characters and feels solely like a vehicle for the author to tell their individual stories.\u00a0I wanted to enjoy this novel but, sadly, felt like an observer rather than a participant. There are moments of gentle humour, melancholy and genuine sadness \u2013 even if you know there\u2019ll be a hopeful ending.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n