Although set in a part of London the area the author writes about is like a small village. In Victoria Park Gemma Reeves has written a well constructed novel about life in a London suburb with each chapter being a little vignette focusing on one person or family. As in real life, all of these characters have upsets in their lives and problems to deal with. The author treats each one with sensitivity and real care and the reader could almost think she knows these people personally. She has both sympathy and empathy for her characters which makes this book an excellent read. Most of the people in this small community have hardships and difficulties in their lives and the author writes very movingly about a wide range of the problems they face: dementia, breaking and entering, same sex relationships, old age, teaching in a poor area to pupils lacking motivation, IVF, a wife having an affair with her husband's friend. All of life is displayed in this small street and written about with tenderness and and what feels distinctly like affection for her characters.