Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor

This book brought to my attention as a recommended reading on Women’s day.

Its a story about an old English lady-Mrs Palfrey, who moved into a residential hotel-Claremont Hotel and hoped she can get closer to her grand son, Desmond, who worked at the British museum. She met a group of old people. They all try to enjoy their freedom in London and to delay facing aging issues as long as they can. 

It seems to be a typic trend for these people to stay long term at the Claremont before they reach to the stage of moving into nursing homes.
One quote I like in the book was about a lady who refused to stay in touch with the Claremont’s  residents when she was about to move to a nursery home. She said ‘ I can’t think that either of us would gain from that’.

Mrs Palfrey made her new found friend, "Ludo."  who was working on a novel. To save her face by showing she has some visit to the hotel, she introduced Ludo as her grandson. Although her real gradson, Desmond turned up later on. She found she was more fond of Ludo than Desmond. 

Towards the end of the story, Mrs Palfrey refused a proposal from another gentleman while she seems to start enjoying a new chapter of her life. But surprising, she had an incident and passed away.

​Overall, I enjoy the book.  Mrs Palfrey had faced the dilemma that  family ties can be chosen, not necessary inherited!

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