Book: The Nearness of You
Author: Sareeta Domingo
Publisher: Piatkus Books
Price: £8.99
Review by Reshma Ruia
Sareeta Domingo’s debut novel, The Nearness of You, can be read at two levels. It can be enjoyed as a refreshing urban take on a conventional Mills and Boon type of romance: girl meets boy who loves her, but is in a relationship with her best friend – but it all turns out right in the end.
So far so predictable, but this would be doing the novel an injustice because it raises several issues which reflect the complexities of what it means to be young in multicultural contemporary Britain with limited resources and a fractured family life.
Taylor, the main character, is a mixed race young woman who is drifting through life, trapped in a dead-end job and prone to bouts of self doubt and despair. Domingo’s skill as a writer lies in alluding to the reason for her disquiet in flashbacks which hint at a traumatic past. Taylor’s unhappiness is exacerbated by her love for Ryan, and their mutual attraction, but he happens to be her best friend and flatmate Marcy’s boyfriend.
The book’s main strength is rooted in how Domingo handles the sexual tension between the pair. Written in an anecdotal, conversational style, it captures the voice of the characters. The style of the writing reflects the frantic pace of a London where hedonism and enjoyment are interspersed with searing loneliness.
The Nearness of You poses interesting questions regarding notions of guilt, friendship and loyalty, viewed through the prism of modern day London and through the eyes of a young girl who is battling depression and loneliness.
It is as much a social commentary on the pressing issues facing today’s youth, as it is an entertaining summer read.