Kiran Millwood Hargrave's 'Almost Life': A Queer Romance Across Decades
Kiran Millwood Hargrave's latest novel, Almost Life, is poised to be heralded as a modern classic, drawing comparisons to One Day and Normal People for a sexually fluid generation. This moving examination of love and choices follows two women who fall into and out of each other's lives over decades, offering a poignant exploration of queer and bisexual relationships in evolving social climates.
A Tale of Missed Chances and Enduring Love
The story begins in Paris in 1978, where students Laure Boutin and Erica Parker share a fleeting moment of affinity on the steps of Sacré-Coeur. From this initial encounter, the novel unfolds across more than 400 pages, weaving a narrative of will-they-won't-they misunderstandings, ecstasies, and sorrows. Laure, with her "slightly terrifying aura," is an uncompromising Parisian who unexpectedly meets Erica, a younger, gauche, and beautiful English tourist. Despite Laure's history as a queer seducer with little emotional attachment, Erica's arrival sparks a coup de foudre, setting the stage for a complex romance.
Hargrave, an award-winning children's and historical novelist, renders late 1970s Paris convincingly, though the pace is occasionally marred by lengthy descriptions and abundant drunken philosophical discourse. Erica is quickly drawn into Laure's bohemian world of art, literature, and intellectual debates, where both women navigate love tainted by youthful paranoia and over-interpretation. Laure battles alcohol addiction, while Erica grapples with sexuality and self-doubt, often playing "versions of her life on fast forward, staying, not staying."
Navigating Real Obstacles and Flawed Characters
As the narrative progresses, Erica returns to Norfolk, and Laure faces personal tragedy with the loss of her best friend Michel to an undiagnosed disease amid the AIDS crisis. Bisexual Erica realizes that loving Laure "would not be simple," leading her to date men and women at UEA. However, sections detailing student life and inconsequential conversations slow the pace, lacking the tension of the central love story.
The heart of Almost Life lies in the often thwarted romance between Laure and Erica, with its joy and brilliant tension emerging in their shared scenes rather than in separate, meandering storylines. The obstacles to their union are real and convincing, avoiding the navel-gazing vacillations common in contemporary sad girl literature. Both women are profoundly real and flawed: Erica exhibits egotistical selfishness, while Laure struggles with addictions and inflexibility. Erica sometimes feels she is "playing at lesbians with Laure," yet acknowledges the depth of their love in a time when homosexual and heterosexual lifestyles were largely incompatible.
A Propulsive and Moving Conclusion
Despite occasional tropes, the novel becomes increasingly propulsive towards the end, offering a sensitive, sad, and multilayered examination of true love and passion. Hargrave's first adult novel, The Mercies, was an instant bestseller in 2020, and Almost Life appears set to become a hit with Gen Z readers. Published by Picador at £16.99, this novel updates timeless themes with a fresh, queer perspective, making it a compelling read for those interested in romance and societal change.
