by Anna Hope

GENRE: psychological fiction, domestic fiction

CEFR LEVEL: C1 and above

What happened to the women we were supposed to become?

Anna Hope, Expectation

There is nothing nicer than discovering a great novel and being able to share it with someone who you know will appreciate it. Expectation is a novel written by Anna Hope, a writer from England, and I recommended it to one of my lovely students, Amaia. Let’s see what she had to say about it:

“Lissa, Hannah and Cate, friends and women of our time. The story begins with a spirited but carefree version of the characters: they share and enjoy a home and a socially and culturally vibrant and trendy lifestyle in London. They work hard, party, go to the theatre, visit galleries, spend long afternoons drinking wine and talking…

“They are no longer young, but they do not feel old. Life is still malleable and full of potential.“

As they move on to navigate their own separate paths, they tend to grow apart and sometimes feel stranded in the midst of their own anxieties and expectations: love, jobs, husbands, maternity, children…They experience moments of loneliness, jealousy and disappointment and, as happens to many of us, they come to realise that their reality has not lived up to their expectations.

The book covers many hot topics such as homosexuality, IVF, depression and infidelity that will keep you engrossed. A real page-turner! I would recommend it to women of all types and backgrounds with a C1-level in English. You are bound to relate to some of the situations or personalities of the characters.”

I agree with Amaia. This novel resonated with me. I identified with each of the main characters in some way and so I was completely invested in each character’s story and development. I had not read anything by this author before but I loved her writing style, which was lucid and accessible.

Expectation … why do we feel we have to follow a specific path and in a specific manner? What is the perfect life?

This novel will make you think about these questions and more.