This novel is set in a run-down harbor town following WWII. Its residents, both permanent and temporary, are skillfully and compassionately created by Taylor. There is not much of a plot; however, beneath the surface, there is much observed by and of the citizens that make for a thought-provoking read.

There is a range of ages and relationships. Beth, married to the resident doctor, is immersed in writing about whatever her imagination creates, remaining oblivious to the romantic relationship that has developed between her husband and best friend, Tory, whose husband has divorced her. Beth's two daughters have their own lives, seemingly separate from their parents. Prudence, the older sister, is aware of the romance, and acts out accordingly. Down the street live the Bracey family. The mother is a bedridden harridan, who lives for town gossip and shows little gratitude for those who attend to her needs. Bertram Hemmingway is a temporary resident, who fancies himself an artist despite evidence to the contrary. When Tory becomes disenchanted with the doctor and life in a small, dreary town, she deigns to marry Bertram as a means of returning to London.

None of these characters is particularly likeable, but their common bond is loneliness, which is perfectly captured. Their interactions are superficial and no meaningful dialogue with each other exists other than in their minds. At the end of her life, Mrs. Bracey concludes that we are all alone in both life and death, a staggering account of her own life that could have been different. ( )

This is an author who's been sitting in my 'must get to' pile for a long while. For me there were definite parallels between her style and that of Anita Brookner; there is an air of sadness and and a sense of 'what might have been' to all the characters, although perhaps with more flashes of dark humour than found in Brookner's novels.

Set in a small harbour town after WWII, the novel revolves around the interconnecting stories of the people living in the harbour front houses. The characters are every day people with their own private problems going on behind closed doors, but a common thread was loneliness, disappointment and regret, of loves lost and missed opportunities.

I didn't struggle to get into the story, and Taylor was clearly a skilled writer who deserves to have belatedly received the accolades she missed out on for a long time, but at times I struggled to want to pick it up. A lot of that was down to my own mood at the time - there is a bleakness to this novel, and I wasn't in the headspace for wanting to immerse myself in that sentiment.

3.5 stars - wonderfully written, but a little depressing at times. ( )

A bit slow off the mark, this novel rewards the reader's perseverance with Taylor's usual cold-blooded portrayal of human nature. Her ordinary people are so full of common quirks, uncommon eccentricities, pettiness and occasionally a dash of generosity that one almost has to squirm with recognition as they play their roles out on the page. ( )

I do not know why I was not exposed to reading Elizabeth Taylor in school. Her depictions of everyday life and how she makes these so special is phenomenal. Her writing is captivating. Her dialogue is realistic, and her descriptions are thorough. I would have gained so much more from reading her prose than that which I was forced to read. This author is definitely underrated. This is the second book I've read of Ms. Taylor's and it won't be the last. ( )

I reviewed this for Full Stop: http://www.full-stop.net/2015/07/06/reviews/k-thomas-khan/a-view-of-the-harbour-... ( )