Review: The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin – A Story of Love and Friendship

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot is a tender, funny, and deeply moving story about an unlikely friendship that celebrates life, love, and courage in the face of its end.

Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Lenni Petterssen knows her time is limited—she’s living on the Terminal ward—but she’s determined to make every moment count. When she meets 83-year-old Margot, a spirited fellow patient with a talent for art and a lifetime of stories, an unexpected and life-affirming friendship begins. Together, they embark on a project to share the tales that shaped their combined one hundred years, uncovering stories of love, loss, resilience, and joy. The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot is a tender, funny, and deeply moving celebration of life, friendship, and the power of human connection—even at the end.

My Thoughts:

Earlier this year, I read another book by Marianne Cronin and enjoyed it so much that several of my readers urged me to pick up her earlier novel, The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot. I’m so glad they did—this book is truly something special.

Seventeen-year-old Lenni Petterssen is a patient on the terminal ward of a Glasgow hospital. The nurses have already begun offering their condolences, but Lenni isn’t ready to stop living just yet. With no visitors and a long stretch of quiet days, she finds herself craving connection and answers to the big questions in life. That’s when she meets Margot—an 83-year-old fellow patient in purple pyjamas—during an art therapy class. The two click instantly, forming an unlikely but deeply rewarding friendship.

Together, they embark on a shared project: illustrating their combined one hundred years of life through art. As they trade stories—Lenni’s sharp and witty observations and Margot’s tender memories of wartime love, loss, reconciliation, and joy—we as readers are invited into their most intimate moments. The courage each woman demonstrates in the face of mortality is quietly awe-inspiring. Their relationship remains steadfast right to the very end, a beautiful reminder of the human capacity for love and friendship even in our final days.

Cronin writes her characters with such warmth and authenticity that they feel like people you might actually know. Lenni, in particular, is remarkable—poised beyond her years, brimming with charisma, and unwilling to stop living simply because she’s in hospital. While her diagnosis is never explicitly stated, the certainty of her fate is clear. Yet she continues to build genuine connections—with the hospital chaplain, the nursing staff, and of course, Margot.

The Narration:

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Sheila Reid and Rebecca Benson, and it was an absolute treat. Reid’s portrayal of Margot is especially moving—at times her voice catches with such raw emotion that it feels almost intrusive to listen, as though we’re eavesdropping on a private moment. Benson’s performance as Lenni is equally strong, capturing her wit, vulnerability, and quiet determination.

Final Thoughts:

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot is fiercely alive, funny in the most unexpected places, and brimming with tenderness. It’s a novel about friendship, courage, and the extraordinary gift of life, even when time is short. I closed the final chapter feeling both heartbroken and grateful—and I suspect I’ll be thinking about Lenni and Margot for a long time to come.

Another Book I’ve Reviewed Written by Marianne Cronin:

Eddie Winston is Looking For Love