The neighbor was Estelle’s lover and neighbor across the landing; he’s deceased in the novel’s present. Estelle never shares his name, but they were both avid readers and eventually, they began swapping books and notes in the elevator. Ultimately, the neighbor gave Estelle a key to his apartment, but Estelle believes he would’ve liked it if she visited him. She never did, but when he died, she kept the key. In the present, Estelle gives the neighbor’s key to the bank robber so she can go hide in the neighbor’s old apartment to evade the police.
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The Neighbor Character Timeline in Anxious People
The timeline below shows where the character The Neighbor appears in Anxious People. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 58
...what happened. Estelle says Knut wasn’t a reader, but she was. The other man, her neighbor, also read and soon, they started swapping books in the elevator. This progressed to leaving...
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Chapter 66
...she also likes books. Estelle says all people make mistakes, like her affair with her neighbor. He gave her a key, and she kept it. Running her hands along her bookcase,...
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...to sell to someone who will love it. Estelle confirms that her lover was the neighbor in the apartment across the landing—and the new owners never changed the locks. The bank...
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