The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle

Oh Albert……..! I just loved reading your story.

Albert is a postman, has been all his working life. He doesn't really know what else he would do if he didn't deliver the post. He's a complete introvert, avoiding his colleague's camaraderie, looking away to prevent chat with people on his round, and just generally keeping himself to himself. It's the only way as when he did come close to happiness when he was just a teenager it all went wrong. He'd been in love with another boy, George, but he just wasn't strong enough then to deal with it and now another 50 years have passed.

Albert Entwistle is the most wonderful creation and it was an absolute pleasure to follow him as he learns that he must retire as a postman and he starts to show more realise that he missed out on so much by burying himself away. This life change prompts him to start looking for George and along the way he meets some people who change his life for the better.

Basically, Albert is the caterpillar emerging from the cocoon into a butterfly. It takes him rather a long time but at last he's ready to fly. The characterisations in this book are a complete delight, not just Albert who is a darling, but all the other characters who play their part in his reinvention such as Nicole, a young single mum who helps Albert with his search for George and for whom Albert is a kind of surrogate grandfather. Then there's Danny and Daniel, a gay couple who represent all the freedom that Albert never had with George. I had a soft spot for Albert's menopausal boss, Marjorie, too.

This is a book that is full of emotion whilst still being humorous. The balance is perfect. It made me glad that we've moved on from the rigidity of the past. Whilst Albert still encounters some level of prejudice, he realises that things have changed and he must too.

Matt Cain has produced a beautiful book with The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle. It's thought-provoking and moving, yet still has a light touch. It's a truly life-affirming book that I just didn't want to put down. I found it so tender and so uplifting with a main character that I won't forget. It really is never too late. show less

Can I give this one more than five stars, please? This was amazing. I don't think I even have words to describe how powerful I found it! I've basically recommended this to all of my coworkers by this point; I've had to step away from my reference desk multiple times while reading it, since a sobbing Youth Services Librarian isn't a good look. Totally worth it.

The first part of the book was DEVASTATING for me, and no two words about that. I didn't anticipate that part going as hard as it did, but it made the rest of the story that much more emotional as Albert rebuilt and rediscovered himself and the life he'd been denying himself. And there were so many hard topics that the story touched on, but it never felt preachy or overly show more depressing; I found myself cheering Albert on for every step of his journey, every time he pushed his boundaries out just a little bit further in support of himself and the people for whom he was coming to care.

This book is going to be living rent-free in my head for a while. show less

In a Nutshell: A sweet story that goes somewhat predictably but still hits the mark. The audiobook is a wonderful choice to get to know Albert Entwistle.

Story:

64 year old Albert has been a postman all his adult life. And that’s all that people know about him. He is a loner, not because he hates people but he is afraid of them and of theirs discovering his big secret. When he receives an official letter saying he has to retire from his job on his 65th birthday, Albert is left questioning his life choices. With no family, no friends and no future, is he destined to spend the rest of his life alone? Albert decides that it high time to take charge of the situation and begin making some courageous changes in his life, including a search

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for his long lost love, George.
The story is written in a limited third person pov of Albert and one of his young neighbours, single mom Nicole, who is trying hard to get her life back on track.

Where the book worked for me:
❤ I had assumed Albert to be another Ove. Thankfully, this is not yet another geriatric curmudgeon story, a trope that has become quite common after the success of ‘A Man Called Ove’. Albert has a sweet, introverted personality and comes across as a man who has been closeted all his life, and not just about his sexuality. His love for his cat Gracy and his brave attempts at getting to know his neighbours and co-workers won my heart. (As an introvert myself, I understand how difficult it is to take the first step in talking with strangers and continuing a conversation.)

❤ The rest of the characters in the book are also quite interesting, though not much layered. They all come in predictable patterns but are carved in a way as to make many of them interesting. Nicole is the best of the other characters, what with her shyness considered snootiness and her single Black mom status marking her as a potential failure.

❤ The book incorporates several factual elements of the discrimination faced by gay boys during the 60s and 70s in the UK. I was impressed with the level of detail the author had incorporated in the story and the bonus section of the audiobook reveals the extent of his research. It seems to be an accurate rendition of the emotional upheavals these boys must have undergone just because of their sexual orientation. (A part of the homosexual representation felt over-the-top and stereotypical to me, but the author is a well-known commentator on LGBT+ issues and a former journalist. So I will trust his portrayal than my “feelings” which are more based on the rubbish LGBT+ representation in mass media. This book has been enlightening in that regard.)

❤ The book focusses on the importance of having the right kind of people in your life. It covers a whole gamut of relationships, right from parents (supportive as well as toxic), friends, neighbours, office colleagues, married couples, dating couples (both heterosexual and homosexual),… each relationship is given a fair bit of weightage and adds to the appeal of the story.

❤ There are too many characters but don't worry about memorising them. Each person is sketched well enough for you to move on with the flow and still recall them whenever they come up in the plot.

❤ The audiobook was one big factor in my enjoyment of this book. (More on this below.)

Where the book could have worked better for me: show less

Adapted from the book jacket: 64-year-old Albert Entwistle is a postman with a regular route. Each day he walks the streets of his small English town, delivering letters and parcels, and returning greetings with a quick wave. Albert lives alone with his cat, Gracie; his work is his only interaction with people, limited as it is. And then the letter arrives telling him that mandatory retirement will come with his 65th birthday in three months. Without the work that fills his days, what will Albert do? He has no family, no friends, no hobbies, just a past he never speaks of and a lost love that fills him with regret.

My reactions
This was just delightful. My heart went out to Albert, who, like so many young gay teens, felt compelled to show more hide his nature and resign himself to a life of loneliness. His story is tragic and all too common, with parents who berated him for who he was and forced him to hide his true nature. And now that they are gone, he has no one but his cat.

I loved watching Albert bloom as he slowly made efforts to truly connect with the people on his route, and to begin searching for George, hoping against hope that he’d find him and, if nothing else, at least be forgiven. It’s a wonderful journey and Albert finds surprising connections, from the elderly (and similarly lonely) Edith to young single mom Nichole, and even the blustery Jack.

Cain also gives us insight into many of the other characters, chiefly Nichole and Marjorie (Albert’s boss). Once Albert comes out of himself a bit he learns that many other people have struggles and face heartaches of their own. He learns much about compassion and friendship, and learns to open up and live rather than just exist.

There are a number of rather unrealistic plot points, but who cares. Albert certainly deserves his HEA! show less

After spending decades as a postman for the Royal Mail, Albert receives a letter notifying him of his forced retirement at age sixty-five. His life is quiet, living alone with his cat. Though private in nature, Albert had a connection to the world when he traveled the streets delivering mail. With that gone, no hobbies, no friends or family to speak of, and the regret of a lost love, his existence is utterly lonely. Rather than wallow in this state, Albert decides to begin living his honest self, find happiness, and look for the man he once loved and has never forgotten. Along the way he makes new friends and discovers it is never too late.

THE SECRET LIFE OF ALBERT ENTWISTLE was altogether an emotional read that had me in tears. Albert show more was a compelling and charming character. I felt so much for him as I watched his journey. The secondary characters were equally fabulous. Poignant and heartwarming, Albert’s story explored what it means to be accepted, both by society and by yourself. I loved the community aspect of this queer love story. The author included interviews with gay men about their experiences growing up in the UK which highlights the importance of sharing queer stories.

I highly recommend THE SECRET LIFE OF ALBERT ENTWISTLE. I look forward to reading more books by Matt Cain. show less

I could not stop reading this endearing and romantic, cozy novel: The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain.
How I rooted for Albert, this kind, shy, introvert, closeted gay 64 year old postman in a small English town who goes searching for George, the only love of his life that he has not seen for almost 30 years.

Albert’s search brings him to Blackpool, Leeds, London, and to a gay bar in Manchester where I have just recently been, right across from the hotel where I stayed.
And just as important: it makes Albert come out to his co-workers and friends.

Of course a book like this has to lead to a happy ending which was just glorious. I just about melted out of sheer joy

Albert Entwistle is a shy, socially awkward man who, until her death eighteen years ago, had looked after his demanding, critical and ungrateful mother in his childhood home. He now lives there alone, his only companion his beloved little cat Gracie. He’s made no changes to the house, in fact he’s seldom even been into his mother’s bedroom since she died. He’s been a postman since he left school at fifteen and loves the reliable routine it offers, finding immense comfort in the fact that each day will follow exactly the same pattern. He’s always kept himself to himself, just quietly getting on with his job and avoiding, as far as possible, any interaction with either his colleagues or the residents he delivers post to. It show more astonishes him that so many people seemed totally comfortable with sharing intimate information with all and sundry. That’s definitely not his way, the only way he’s got through life is by keeping to himself the experiences which have most affected him, they’re nobody’s business but his. But now, just three months before he reaches his sixty-fifth birthday, his manager has handed him a letter from Human Resources. It offers him congratulations ‘in advance of this special occasion’, the company’s thanks for his many years of loyal service and reminds him that Royal Mail has a policy of compulsory retirement at that age.
What is he going to do with the rest of his life? With no friends and nothing to look forward to, the prospect of a lonely future terrifies him. He realises that if he’s to find happiness, he needs to be honest about who he is and learn to ask for what he needs and, most important of all, he needs to find the courage to look for George, the boy he loved and betrayed fifty years ago but has never forgotten.
I don’t want to reveal too much about this delightful, poignant and thought-provoking story because I think much of its power lies in the reader joining Albert on his journey of self-discovery. Through his flashbacks I felt I was experiencing with him his re-living of the traumatic experiences of his youth which had caused him to deny his sexual orientation and become so emotionally isolated. At times I felt almost engulfed by the profound sadness of his memories, especially his lasting shame about his betrayal of George. Then, as he began to step out of his comfort zone, as he tentatively reached out to people and began to make friends within the community, I shared his joyful amazement as his life started to become more emotionally satisfying and happier. I delighted in seeing him blossom as he discovered that the more he reached out to other people, and the more honest he was about himself, the more they seemed to like and accept him. Then, as he became more open, his discovery that that he was not the only one who hid behind a defensive carapace, that other people too had fears and anxieties they were struggling with and that he could offer them support.
I enjoyed the motley group of characters who enriched Albert’s new life, loved the moments of gentle humour which ran through the story – and the fact that it was set in Lancashire, county of my childhood, added a much appreciated dimension, particularly as the author included expressions which evoked some fond memories … just like Albert, my grandfather often exclaimed ‘hellfire’!
On one level this could be regarded as an overly-sentimental, easy to read, feel-good story about secrets, regrets, love and friendship and how it’s never too late to change, to take on new challenges. It could also be dismissed as being a tad unconvincing in its portrayal of characters whose personalities appear to change overnight – for instance, Albert ‘suddenly’ becoming more so much more outgoing, fashionable and confident, a homophobic work colleague’s attitudes being immediately ‘transformed’ when Albert comes out as gay. However, on balance, I found that such niggles were off-set by the fact that central to the story is an exploration of prejudice and harassment and a reminder of how life has, albeit painfully slowly at times, changed for gay men since the 1960s. Male homosexuality wasn’t decriminalised until 1967, but even then, that applied only to men over the age of twenty-one and it remained illegal for them to meet in public places. This meant that the police continued to raid bars and ‘cruising grounds’ for many more years – in fact more men were prosecuted during the seventies than in the sixties, with those who were convicted being placed on the sex offenders’ register.
In his introduction, Matt Cain mentions that one of the things which inspired him to write this story was that he wanted to celebrate the way things have changed for the minority community of gay men, which fifty years ago was hated and vilified but is now widely celebrated and loved. ‘Acceptance of gay men has become a touchstone of British values within less than a decade, something that even the most optimistic commentators couldn't have predicted.' Although it would be naïve to believe that prejudice no longer exists, huge progress has indeed been made in societal acceptance and I think his heart-warming story about Albert Entwistle captures, and succeeds in celebrating, some of this profound change.
With my thanks to the publisher and NB for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. show less