According to studies about brain functioning in old age, there is no reason to worry that brain capacity declines with age, as long as it remains intellectually active. Therefore, no reason to think that a senior, relatively bored lady caleed Maureen, volunteering for the National Trust, alongside with like-minded people cannot steal a painting. A painting of no relevant value however important as warning, a message from a lady who does not accept to remain invisible.
No Oil Paiting by Genevieve Marenghi, a debut novel longlisted for Women´s Prize Trust is thoughtful, intelligent and last but not least full of humour. It has a good plot and well-tailored dialogues and characters full of will and life.
Maureen is presented at length, with all her goods and bads, which make her even more relatable as a character. Hence the slow pace of the narrative which suits very well the topic. Her plan is less orthodox, but she has her own reasons to do it, which are clear for the readers. The execution and the next steps bring dynamism to the story and are highly entertaining, as much as it opens up couple of lines of thought about the sense of community and senior age.
A thoughtful read recommended to anyone who is interested in books with strong and clear-sighted women characters.
Rating: 4 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
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