A Gracious Neighbour by Chris Cander

Martha has never felt that she quite fitted in with the crowd. She felt she was always on the edges, not getting either the clothes vibe right or the conversation right. When Minnie, a girl who was a mate at school comes next door to live, Martha is elated thinking that with her polished syle Minnie is going to be Martha's entre into society. Alternately ignored or welcomed Martha still not get what drives Minnie to act the way she does and what starts as just plain curiosity as to what her neighbours do, ends up in real stalking. Martha does not intend actual harm to either Minnie or her husband John but she is intensely curious about their lifestyle, the poshness of it all, and then the bickering and what seems to go beyond the surface veneer of the glam life. Martha herself would be unrecognisable as the normal stalker, if ever there was a definition of one but things spiral out of control and she is apparently caught in trying to catch up, make amends and do it all. The story highlights of one aspect of keeping up with the Joneses and what happens when you feel slighted that you do not have it the way someone else does. Envy in a slightly different form but to what extent you would go to have it all. A very insightful read into human behaviour. Sent by Little A for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley. This post brings me to the end of a two and a half month stay in Melbourne. It was immensely good for me, but I do have to get back home!