Very much set in late 1970’s England, Paradise Lodge is narrated by Lizzie Vogel, a 15 year old school girl who gets a job working at a residential home for old people. For those readers who were not living in the UK during this time, the book may be rather hard to follow, but most of the cultural references are not essential to the plot. It was nostalgic to see “Play for Today,” “Horlicks,” “George Best,” “Woolworths,” and “Weetabix”. Lizzie is funny and self-deprecating, and a sharp observer of the world around her.  She takes quickly to caring for the old people and getting on with the other women who work at the Lodge. The work is much more rewarding than school and she soon is skipping her classes to work. The people at the Lodge encourage it because they are understaffed. Her mother has just had a new baby and is too preoccupied to notice what is going on. There is plenty of drama at the Lodge with the people in charge changing frequently, and other staff having turbulent love lives. The patients have all sorts of problems with their health and their families, and Lizzie gets involved in a few adventures. It’s very entertaining, but also brings out the difficulties of homes for old people. The excellent performance of the unabridged audiobook by Helen Baxendale brings out the humor and pathos of the situation.

© 2016 Christian Perring

Christian Perring teaches philosophy and provides counseling.