The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot

A Novel

By: Marianne Cronin

Narrated by: Sheila Reid, Rebecca Benson

“A beautiful debut, funny, tender, and animated by a willingness to confront life’s obstacles and find a way to survive. . . . It celebrates friendship, finds meaning in difficulty and lets the reader explore dark places while always allowing for the possibility of light. Lenni and Margot are fine companions for all our springtime journeys.”—Harper’s Bazaar, UK

A charming, fiercely alive and disarmingly funny debut novel in the vein of John Green, Rachel Joyce, and Jojo Moyes—a brave testament to the power of living each day to the fullest, a tribute to the stories that we live, and a reminder of our unlimited capacity for friendship and love.

An extraordinary friendship. A lifetime of stories.

Seventeen-year-old Lenni Pettersson lives on the Terminal Ward at the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital. Though the teenager has been told she’s dying, she still has plenty of living to do. Joining the hospital’s arts and crafts class, she meets the magnificent Margot, an 83-year-old, purple-pajama-wearing, fruitcake-eating rebel, who transforms Lenni in ways she never imagined.

As their friendship blooms, a world of stories opens for these unlikely companions who, between them, have been alive for one hundred years. Though their days are dwindling, both are determined to leave their mark on the world. With the help of Lenni’s doting palliative care nurse and Father Arthur, the hospital’s patient chaplain, Lenni and Margot devise a plan to create one hundred paintings showcasing the stories of the century they have lived—stories of love and loss, of courage and kindness, of unexpected tenderness and pure joy.

Though the end is near, life isn’t quite done with these unforgettable women just yet.

Delightfully funny and bittersweet, heartbreaking yet ultimately uplifting, The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot reminds us of the preciousness of life as it considers the legacy we choose to leave, how we influence the lives of others even after we’re gone, and the wonder of a friendship that transcends time.

From the beautiful cover to the heart-warming story, The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot is a book that will touch your soul and make you appreciate the beauty of life. This literary fiction novel is one of the best books of all time, and it's perfect for anyone who loves novels about love, grief, and friendship.

A Must Read (Listen)

I suggest you listen to this book rather than read it. The narration and accents (to the American ear) bring this story to life. I do not mean to imply the story does not stand on its own. It does! I just think the narration makes it even more spectacular. I read somewhere that the author took seven years to write this book. I believe it. You will love and enjoy the story and the characters.

A Rare Find

LOVED IT! Performance was the best I have EVER listened to. The story will stay with me forever.

Poignant and delightful.

A great listen. Delightful without being soupy. Explores death, love, and the complexity of relationships.

One of my new favorite books

I loved every minute of this book and I thought both narrator's were fabulous!

Simply beautiful

I went into this book thinking it was going to be so sad. It was funny, endearing and eye opening. It showed how the same we are no matter where you are in life. Did I cry? I sobbed like a baby through the last few chapters. Mostly because it gave me such clarity and peace. Read this book