The Lido

The Lido follows 26-year-old Kate, a local newspaper reporter in Brixton, London, who covers the story of an outdoor swimming pool's planned closure. During her reporting, she meets 86-year-old Rosemary, a widow who has swum at the lido for over 80 years and leads the campaign to save it from developers. The two women form an unexpected bond as they work to preserve the historic community pool. Kate battles anxiety and loneliness in the big city, while Rosemary processes grief and fights to protect a place filled with memories of her late husband George. The narrative moves between past and present, showing Rosemary's life story through the decades at the lido alongside Kate's current journey. Their campaign brings together diverse local residents and forces both women to step outside their comfort zones. The novel explores themes of friendship across generations, the importance of community spaces in urban life, and how shared purpose can combat isolation. It presents swimming as both a literal and metaphorical path to healing and connection.

Readers describe this as a gentle, heartwarming story about friendship and community activism. The relationship between 86-year-old Rosemary and 26-year-old Kate resonates as authentic and well-developed. Readers appreciated: - The London setting and neighborhood details - The focus on intergenerational friendship - The realistic portrayal of loneliness and anxiety - The swimming pool's role as a community hub Common criticisms: - Slow pacing, especially in the first half - Predictable plot developments - Kate's character lacks depth compared to Rosemary - Some found the writing style overly simple Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (37,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (2,800+ ratings) Book Depository: 4.3/5 (300+ ratings) One reader noted: "The characters feel like people you'd meet at your local pool." Another wrote: "Too meandering for my taste, though the ending delivers." Many readers compare it to Fredrik Backman's novels in tone and themes.

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🏊‍♀️ The Lido was Libby Page's debut novel, written while she was working as a marketing executive in London. She completed the first draft in just six months. 🌊 Brockwell Lido, the swimming pool featured in the novel, is a real outdoor pool in South London that opened in 1937 and remains a beloved community landmark today. 📚 The book sparked a bidding war between 10 major publishing houses before being acquired by Orion in a six-figure deal. 🎬 Film rights to The Lido were purchased by Catalyst Global Media before the book was even published. 🤝 Author Libby Page was inspired to write the novel after observing the closure of many public spaces in London and wanting to highlight the importance of community facilities in bringing people together.