Papyrus by Irene Vallejo (translated by Charlotte Whittle)

It's a solace knowing that my propensity for acquiring vast shelves of books isn't an oddball impulse because book hoarding and the cultivation of large private libraries has been around since the first book was created. Vallejo has composed an ambitious and fascinating history of physical books from scrolls initially created using papyrus plants in ancient Egypt to the development of digital books. The story follows not only evolution of books as objects but the way they've been an integral part of building our culture and civilisation over the centuries. It emphasizes how fragile books are as objects being prone to deterioration, loss and purposeful destruction. While the author mourns the loss of certain texts and writing which now only exists in fragments, she also celebrates the miraculous way certain key books have survived over the centuries.

I found it especially fascinating that creating essential reading lists is also a process as ancient as books themselves and such hierarchies created by dedicated readers heavily contributed to why certain books have survived the weather of time over others. She gives fascinating examples of how female authors have been de-prioritised over male authors over the centuries and she makes a compellingly strong case for why original texts shouldn't be revised to remove offensive ideas and terminology. Alongside accounts of intriguing historical figures from literate leaders to scribes to book traders to fearless librarians, Vallejo occasionally interjects the personal role books have played in her own life. I appreciated how this added an emotional undercurrent to this well-researched and knowledgeable history of my favourite object.

Forbidden Notebook by Alba De Cespedes (translated by Ann Goldstein)

There's a deceptively simple premise to Alba De Cespedes' 1952 novel which has recently been published in a new English translation. Office worker and housewife Valeria Cossati impulsively purchases a notebook to secretly record her thoughts and reflections. She has the sense that this is a transgressive act and when her family consider the possibility of her keeping a diary they find it laughable because they assume she'd have nothing to write about. So the notebook is kept hidden and she becomes increasingly anxious it might be found. It's challenging to keep it concealed because her lower-middle class family live in a small apartment. This adds to the feeling that this is an individual with no space of her own and the notebook becomes her refuge. We're the only ones privy to her writings which become a journey of self discovery as well as a record of the transition her family is going through over a period of several months. It's profoundly moving following how Valeria articulates her desires and negotiates her position in the world through this conversation with herself.

There's an increasing dramatic tension as there are developments within her family but there's also an increasing fear this notebook might be found and read by a family member. Of course, it's possible someone else might be reading her notebook without her knowing about it. She becomes increasingly candid discussing her thoughts about her husband, children and romantic feelings that develop between Valeria and her boss at work. Her children are almost adults so she must re-negotiate her position as a wife and mother. It's significant her own husband Michele now calls her “mamma” instead of her name as if her identity is only centred around her being a mother. It's fascinating how she wants to break free of the constraints of this role, but she also embraces and loves her position within her family. Yet the very act of secretly writing the notebook means she must stay up late at night. This adds to her sense of fatigue on top of keeping a job as well as cleaning and cooking for her family.

So many thoughts and feelings have been building inside her for years. Now that she's found an outlet for them through the notebook it becomes almost an obsession to her. She remarks that “It's strange: our inner life is what counts most for each of us and yet we have to pretend to live it as if we paid no attention to it, with inhuman security.” It's stunning how meaningfully this narrative presents the divide between her inner and outer life. The act of writing is like dipping deeper and deeper into a well of suppressed emotion. It also presents her specific position as an Italian post-war woman grappling with financial pressures. She's caught between her more liberal daughter Mirella and more conservative son Riccardo. Even though the diaries are necessarily only from her perspective, the narrative also gives a sense that her husband and boss have their own private lives whose expression is being suppressed. Her husband Michele has written a racy film manuscript and her boss Guido goes into the office on Saturdays as a respite from the demands of family life. In this way the novel illuminates how this tension between the inner and outer life is universal.

I naturally felt very sympathetic towards Valeria and the position she maintains. But I can also see why her family would grow impatient and fearful of her. Scenes she recollects in the notebook show how she often presents quite a strict and steely exterior. It's understandable she feels the need to conceal her notebook but it also feels like a tragedy that her family can't understand her as fully as the reader does because she won't allow them to know about her inner life. At times I almost wished they would discover it in order to get a better insight into Valeria's struggles. The situation raises poignant questions about how close we really are to the people we think we know the most and what levels of honesty are possible within the structure of our familial and romantic lives. Since this novel was written over fifty years ago it also makes me reflect upon past generations of my own family and consider the secret inner lives my grandparents led which I won't ever know about. This novel is a testament to those lost interior worlds but it's also a highly compelling story which describes the human condition with candour and insight.

Lonesome Reader is 10 years old!

I started this book blog back in 2013 on a whim, but updating it and becoming involved with online bookish activities has become a daily part of my life. Not only has it given me the opportunity to articulate my thoughts on what I'm reading but I've had so many meaningful interactions with other readers and received many great book recommendations. To my surprise, it's also opened opportunities to interact with the publishing world from reviewing newly released titles to being closely involved with book prizes to interviewing favourite authors such as Joyce Carol Oates, Zadie Smith, Richard Powers and Martin MacInnes. Though it's time consuming to write posts and make videos about books all this activity has spurred me on to read even more than I did before blogging.

As a fun way of celebrating my blog's birthday I set myself the goal of picking a favourite book from each year of the past decade. Here you can watch me reminisce about some of my top readers from the past ten years: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1edH0pNkZ14 It's a pleasurable (and slightly tense) process!

I still like to write about individual books in blog posts but recently my time has been largely taken up with the online book club I started a few months ago. It's been wonderful that so many readers have joined leading to lots of casual chat and close reading of our monthly book club picks. The murky world of online life and social media certainly has its pitfalls, but mostly it's been a positive experience full of energetic discussion and meaningful exchanges about literature. Reading is a necessarily solitary activity but all the activity and relationships which have grown out of this blog has shown me that being part of a community of readers means that I won't ever be lonely.

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

I've been somewhat hesitant to pick up Paul Murray's new novel – not because of its 600+ page length – but because his previous novel “The Mark and the Void” was a disappointment to me. It had an interesting concept but I felt it didn't have much heart. Conversely, “The Bee Sting” is filled with so much emotional tension I was riveted. It also has an increasingly suspenseful story and explores a number of meaningful issues. And Murray makes a very bold choice with the ending which has got a lot of readers talking! My online book club spent the past month discussing it and it's so interesting reading everyone's point of view.

This novel is a big contemporary family saga set in a small Irish town. We follow the perspectives of the Barnes family from their different points of view during a specific period of time. They are going through a crisis as a family as well as having their own serious individual issues which might take them over the edge. It deals with economic instability, environmental decline, the sometimes repressive nature of community, infidelity, internal and external homophobia, and the silences which exist within the home when family members aren't honest with each other or themselves. This is all couched within a very dramatic plot with many mysteries and misdirects which make it increasingly thrilling to read.

It's so clever how Murray focuses on the perspectives of all the family members in turn to sympathetically portray their different points of view. I was convinced by each version of this family's story which moves from teenager Cassandra to adolescent PJ to the mother Imelda to the father Dickie. Even when I had something like a complete portrait there were still lots of gaps and misunderstandings which are dealt with in the final section of the novel. As well as creating suspense, this gives such a strong sense for how so many conflicts and contradictions occur within one family. Though this appears to be a normal family from the outside and they broadly support each other, there's a lack of emotional openness and there are an increasing number of lies which fill their household. Even the title of this novel is a lie. It begins to feel absurd that they can live within such close physical proximity but have so much psychological distance that they don't really see each other anymore. There's also a tragedy to this because knowing what we do about each family member's inner life we know if they were honest with each other they could help each other in meaningful ways. The novel shows how this is such a common state of affairs for families to fall into and how it can lead to great heartache and potential tragedy.

There are so many details within this novel which could be discussed at length, but one of the most striking things about it which any reader who completes the book will want to talk about is the ending. I'll get into spoilers here because it's impossible not to if I'm going to explain my own theory about it. The noteworthy thing about the ending is that it gives no conclusion. Dickie and his friend Victor are hidden in the forest preparing to shoot the man who has been blackmailing Dickie. Meanwhile, his children and wife Imelda are separately trying to find him though it's night and there's a torrential rain storm. Just as there's a click where Dickie might shoot one or all of them the novel ends. Though this later section has switched to a second person narrative with lines attributed to different characters the final line of the book simply states “You are doing this for love.” Which “you” and what “this” is remains unknown. The ambiguity of this ending is in many ways the point of this book. It prompts reflections about our own family life and why honest communication is difficult but necessary.

I can't help speculating on what happens in the moment after this book ends. Having grown to intensely care about these characters and intimately know their lives, I can't help wondering about what happens next in their story. Here are the two likely scenarios I envision: Dickie and/or Victor unintentionally or intentionally shoot one or all members of the family prompting Dickie to shoot himself and/or Victor OR that a shot is fired and misses the family creating a moment of nearly averted crisis and the beginning of an open communication/reconciliation that Imelda, PJ and Cass were hoping to start by finding Dickie. There are an infinite number of variations and mixture of these events which could also occur. However, we can speculate about likely outcomes given details and foreshadowing which have come before.

To start with, there's the very first line of this novel: “In the next town over, a man had killed his family.” This local tragedy casts a shadow over the story as this unknown family and their now empty house have become the subject of gossip and morbid intrigue. It's poignant thinking that if things also end in tragedy for the Barnes' family they'd also likely become just another subject of gossip for the community. In fact, they already are with their failing business and the corruption surrounding it. However, this local legend also conveys the sense that Dickie might shoot his family as well as himself. This is reinforced by Dickie's later conversation with Victor where Victor says the only way to be sure to keep Dickie's secret from his family is to kill them.

Eilish, a member of my online book club, pointed out that at the beginning of the novel Cass feels very anxious about climate change and when the entire family becomes lost in the forest during a storm it's like the environment itself is threatening their lives. There's also the character of Imelda's Aunt Rose or her adopted Aunt who apparently has psychic abilities and in her delirious state seems to express warnings of a forthcoming tragedy. She stresses to Imelda that Cass shouldn't return and makes reference to a squirrel which could be PJ. Additionally, when Cass and PJ were younger they'd play a game in the forest where they were squirrels being hunted by their father. Cass makes reference to this in the very last line from any of the characters.

So, every sign seems to be pointing to a tragic conclusion which is about to occur. However, I have a theory that things might actually continue in a more positive direction for this family. Murray has structured this novel in a way that many sections end with a cliffhanger. Chapters that focus on a particular character end with the sense that something really bad might be about to occur. This is partly what makes this book such a compulsive read despite its considerable length. But when we finally find out the result of these suspenseful moments it often turns out to be okay. The threat Murray has created dissipates and the story continues. In doing so, I think the author is saying our lives can veer towards tragedy but we don't often go over the edge of the cliff. I think Murray has been steadily preparing us for this final moment of crisis and if we continue with this line of logic, no one would be fatally shot. There might be panic; someone might be wounded, but I'm guessing that being pushed to the brink of destruction would cause these family members to finally start being honest with each other and hopefully move towards positive changes in their life together because, after all, they are connected by love.

We'll never know for certain how their story ends and I think the lack of resolution is poignant. I believe Murray made the right decision in not giving us a definite conclusion. But I know some readers have found this too frustrating. There is a whole other level of discussion to be had about this ending. Does it rely too much on coincidence? Is it believable that Imelda, Cass and PJ would all suddenly have a change of heart and care about Dickie when previously they'd mostly ignored or dismissed him? I think like a lot of dramatic plots it relies on some contrivances. But personally I can forgive that because it made the story so engaging and ultimately it produces a powerful message. Like all the best epics it was both a pleasure to read and increasingly engrossing so that I didn't want it to end.

The British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding 2023 shortlist

Since I primarily read novels, I want to incorporate more history, biography and literary journalism into my reading. A favourite non-fiction literary award, The British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding, recently announced their 2023 shortlist and you can watch me discuss it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgrdpXAqRdk They recognise work that searches for truth and reason in difficult places and books which highlight the connections and divisions that shape cultural identity worldwide. I've started reading through the six books on this year's list and they're taking me on some fascinating journeys.

First, “Papyrus” is an enjoyable and insightful look at the history of books in our ancient civilisation. Not only does it explain how the very first books were created in the form of scrolls, but it shows how there have been book hoarders and literary list makers since the very first books were created. Good to know we've always been around! Irene Vallejo draws in her personal history and contemporary references to show our close connection to the earliest books. I've also just read “Red Memory” which offers penetrating accounts from people involved with or affected by the Cultural Revolution. It's in turns shocking and psychologically insightful getting these first hand accounts of the atrocities which led to so many deaths and betrayals within Chinese communities. I was especially interested in reading this after having read the novel “Cocoon” last year.

Additionally, “Black Ghost of Empire” re-examines the history of emancipation in the US and British Empire showing how slavery turned into another form of subjugation for many people. “The Violence of Colonial Photography” explores how the early photography was used as an instrument of warfare within colonial conflicts. “Courting India” traces how English diplomat Thomas Roe forged connections with the Mughal Empire in the early 1600s & impacted relations between Britain and India for centuries. And “Ritual” explores what ritualised practices in different cultures say about our personalities and how they sooth, excite, divide and unite us.

Have you read any of these books or are you interested in them now? Is there any other non-fiction you’ve read recently that you’d recommend?

There will be a free online event with the shortlisted authors on October 30th and the winner will be announced on October 31st.

The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng

One of my favourite kinds of literature is novels about novelists. So it was inevitable I'd be drawn into Tan Twan Eng's tale about Willie Somerset Maugham's 1921 travels to Penang and the inspiration he found there for his short story 'The Letter'. He and his secretary/lover Gerald stay with Willie's old friend Robert and Robert's wife Lesley. The narrative revolves around the uneasy companionship formed between Willie and Lesley. It's very compelling how Eng portrays this relationship because they aren't exactly friends but they're not enemies either. Each makes assumptions about the other, but both are at a crisis point and possess secrets. As more about their lives is revealed they form a special connection and understanding about one another. This is a novel primarily about the dynamics of romantic relationships. It's about how to balance levels of truth and intimacy in a marriage. It also vividly brings to life an area with a colonial past and the stirrings of political revolution. And it's about the process of creating fiction: which stories are memorialised, which are forgotten and how the past is manipulated through storytelling. It's a tale whose power became more evident the more I read and it's left me with a lot to think about in regards to all these issues.

I found this book immediately compelling because of the beauty of the writing. Eng's descriptions of the landscapes, the food and the society is so immersive. I felt like I could visualise the environment of Malaysia and feel the sensations being described. There's a transcendentally gorgeous scene where two characters swim in a sea that's filled with bioluminescent life. Not only did this brilliantly capture the feeling of this experience, but it also represented a poignant moment of liberation for the characters. The central metaphor concerns the titular House of Doors which is a structure that houses and displays beautiful old doors salvaged from buildings which have been destroyed. It develops a richer meaning over the course of the story suggesting gateways into the past which lead nowhere, stories whose truth can't be known and doors that open to new possibilities. It prompted me to wonder what is preserved and what is lost. This location is also an important focal point for the plot of the novel.

Lesley conveys to Willie the story of her close friend Ethel who was put on trial for murder after shooting a man. This formed the inspiration for Willie's fictional story, but we learn there is an even more complex and scandalous tale behind the one which Willie writes. Additionally, Lesley is more complex than she initially appears as details about her personal history, marriage and desires are revealed. Though certain sections concern the personal, professional and financial struggles Willie is going through, the narrative really belongs to Lesley and she takes control of her own story through this novel. At one point she realises: “we all had the power to change our pasts, our beginnings – or our perception of them, at least – but none of us could determine how our stories would end.” This epiphany allows her to take some agency in her life rather than be a victim of her circumstances. It also allows the reader to romantically imagine what might occur with her character after the end of the novel. This is such a superbly written and psychologically-rich novel I'm now eager to read Eng's previous two novels.

The Booker Prize 2023 Shortlist

Here are the 6 novels shortlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize! A new video is up on my YouTube channel where I give my live reaction to each book as I discover it's been listed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MID-r2k20l8

It's a really surprising group – even though I predicted three of them. An interesting diversity of styles and subject matter. It includes two debut authors and three authors named Paul! As it's been commented on social media, there are more writers named Paul than female authors on the list!

I’m very happy to see “Prophet Song”, “Western Lane”, “The Bee Sting” and “If I Survive You” here. I’m a good way through Murray’s doorstopper and I love the twists and complex view of family life that’s formed through their varying perspectives. I’m reading this with my new online book club and we’re having such interesting conversations about it.

I’ve not read “This Other Eden” yet but looking forward to it. Now… I did not finish “Study for Obedience” after only 40 or so pages. It felt way too tedious to be worth it. But keep in mind the judges have read all 6 books at least three times. Sooo… maybe it’s worth a revisit. Should I? Or I might not bother.

I’m very sad “In Ascension” didn’t make the cut and I’m also currently reading “The House of Doors” and I’m shocked it didn’t make the list.

What do you think of the list? Any favourites, disappointments or books you're looking forward to? Let's get discussing and it will be exciting to see which book wins late in November.

The Word for World is Forest by Ursula K Le Guin

I've been meaning to dip into more classic sci-fi for a while so I'm glad my physical book club chose this slender novel by Ursula K Le Guin for us to read. It won the Hugo Award in 1973 and was nominated for several other book prizes. The story is set on the fictional planet Athshe where an outpost of people from Earth are rigorously clearcutting the planet's vast forests. Wood has become a valuable resource since Earth (referred to as “Terra”) is now hopelessly polluted. This is devastating for Athshe's native population, a series of peaceful tribes of Athsheans who are small hairy green beings – given the derogatory nickname “creechies” by humans. The forest is not only their habitat but it's intrinsically linked to their culture. However, the majority of humans not only ignore how its loss impacts the native population but they enslave the Athsheans and treat them cruelly – sometimes raping and murdering them. When a creechie called Selver suffers a horrific loss he resolves to stand up to the colonial intruders and launches a war for the planet. It's an imaginative tale which vividly invokes a range of perspectives to relate dramatic events.

I appreciated how the novel begins with the point of view of Captain Davidson, a human commander of one of the logging camps. He's in many ways a repulsive and hyper masculine figure but it's valuable getting his initial skewed perspective on the creechies as sub-human. Since this native race is completely invented I initially bought this point of view even though Davidson is clearly prejudiced. It felt like an inventive way for Le Guin to encourage the reader to never make assumptions – especially when it comes to encountering living beings we are ignorant about. I also feel like the author had a lot of fun creating the voice of such an awfully aggressive and misogynistic character. When the narrative switches to Selver's perspective we see how Davidson is horribly misguided in his attitude and judgement of the Athsheans. They actually have a very strong sense of community and unique way of inhabiting consciousness. The line between waking/sleeping and reality/dreams aren't as clearcut for the creechies as they are for humans. This was a unique way of thinking about other ways of perceiving the world as well as creating different forms of community.

While I enjoyed the sense of adventure the story invokes and obviously felt sympathetic to its message, I'm not surprised this novel has been criticised for being a polemic. The message about the inevitably destructive effects of colonialism is extremely clearcut. However, it feels like Le Guin is making an important point. There can be no denying how destructive such colonial enterprises are to native populations and the environment. The story has clear parallels with the Vietnam war which was reaching its devastating conclusion in the time around when Le Guin wrote this novella. So it's impactful how the story is imbued with so much emotion. Nevertheless, I felt like it was somewhat simplistic in the way it depicts the harmonious nature of the Athsheans and the permanent ill-effects to their culture once the concept of war is introduced to them. I appreciated how a human scholar named Lyubov becomes an important bridge between the two races and adds more complexity to this tale which has clear lines between good and evil. So overall I felt this was an entertaining novella with some inspired world building but it could have been more thought provoking and complex. I've been told some of Le Guin's other books have more layers to them so I'm eager to explore more of her work.

Prophet Song by Paul Lynch

There's a long tradition of literature that vividly shows how the liberties of citizens can be systematically stripped away by totalitarian governments. From Orwell's “1984” to Yevgeny Zamyatin's “We” to Atwood's “The Handmaid's Tale”, these dystopian stories pinpoint the way that language and technology are used to manipulate the public into obedience and complicity. It's something every society must be continuously vigilant about because the designation of power in any form of government will always give rise to some form of abuse and corruption. Now there is a powerful new modern novel which stands alongside these classics. Paul Lynch's “Prophet Song” details a nightmarish fictional version of Ireland where increasingly draconian laws and policies lead to the suppression of all personal freedom and the disappearance of individuals designated as potential dissidents. It focuses on the point of view of Eilish who is a scientist, wife and mother of four. When her husband comes under scrutiny and restrictions increase her life and community gradually unravel in an alarming way. It's a harrowing story which grows increasingly gripping and acquires more contemporary relevance as Eilish's reality spirals out of control.

At first the style of this novel might seem unnecessarily confusing because quotation marks aren't used in the dialogue. It also blends any speech into the overall narrative to create big chunks of text. However, it's usually clear who is speaking and, as the story progresses, this form takes on more significance as it adds to Eilish's sense of claustrophobia and chaos. Eventually the crowded narrative comes to feel like a stream that cannot be stopped and it becomes oddly hypnotic. As a busy individual trying to balance a demanding job on top of caring for her four children and a father struggling with dementia, much of her life is composed of the chores and small details in her day to day existence. There's little time for taking a stand against the government or working to preserve her liberties. The oppressive system relies on this and gradually strips away her autonomy. Of course, she raises her voice when obvious illegalities are turned into policy but if the government disappears those who violently object to it or remains mute there can be no recourse. It's observed at one point that “they take something from you and replace it with silence and you're confronted by that silence every waking moment and cannot live, you cease to be yourself and become a thing before this silence”. A sense of dread increases as the story goes on, but nothing can be done as normal checks and balances fail and her circumstances become dire.

I sympathised with Eilish's sense of helplessness when faced with a larger system that feels like it can't be changed or even questioned. I encounter this issue on varying scales from my work to my community to the government of my country. It's a constant process of negotiation about how much I'm willing to take a stand when falling into line is much easier or might even be the only option given other obligations. However, alongside this strong message about the individual being caught in larger systems, this novel also movingly represents changes in personal relationships over time. Eilish's 12 year old son Bailey is at a precarious stage in life and when the authoritarian pressures increase his development is affected. There's a striking scene where Eilish is challenged by this son. She can simultaneously see him as a boy and as a growing man. This is something anyone who has known an adolescent will understand. It's impressive the way the novel captures these in-between stages where individuals inhabit multiplicities that are warped by the stress of living under oppressive circumstances.

Though this story is set in a nebulous alternative present or possible future in Ireland, it also feels like it draws upon real elements of history. Aspects of the plot resembled the recent novel “Black Butterflies” which so vividly describes the Siege of Sarajevo from the inside and other parts of the novel reminded me of the people who went “missing” during Argentina's “Dirty War”. However, it also comments on the international reaction to strife and warfare occurring within a particular country. At one point Eilish's daughter comments “They are calling it an insurgency on the international news, Molly says, but if you want to give war its proper name, call it entertainment, we are now TV for the rest of the world.” As the book progressed, it made me think more and more of the war on Ukraine which came to dominate the news in 2022 though the conflict had really been going on for many years prior as described in the memoir “The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister”. In these ways, it felt like this novel speaks to our present day as well as potential dark paths our society might take in the future.

“Prophet Song” is certainly an unsettling read, but it never feels too dreary because of the elegant use of language. Paul Lynch conjures images of startling beauty in short descriptions of the environment such as a pond where there is “a swan gliding whitely through wrinkles of sun”. Of course, the potency of this verbiage also intensifies scenes of horror. It's particularly effective when things occur rapidly during a catastrophic event. It's very challenging to convey this on the page but Lynch does an impressive job of dramatically representing that experience. Both the psychology of the characters and the physical details being portrayed feel so realistic in these moments. Overall, there are many memorable scenes in this book and impactful ideas. These make this novel such an arresting read which also leaves a lasting impression.

Announcing The LonesomeReader Book Club

As I near the 10th anniversary of this book blog, I've decided to launch my own bookclub on Patreon. This is so exciting and I've been thrilled by the enthusiastic members who've joined so far: https://www.patreon.com/TheLonesomeReaderBookClub

We'll vote on a different book to read every month, engage in weekly discussions as we progress reading our book club choice and I'll make a video for each selection talking about our reactions to it. As well as having more personal discussions about particular books, this is also a way to help support me as a creator. I love reviewing and discussing books with other readers and I want to spend even more time doing so while creating better content. I never expected this book blog and my BookTube channel to become such a big part of my life, but it's now such a passion project.

I hope you'll consider joining and that we can form a tight-knit community of readers who regularly engage with each other about what we're reading and what we want to read next!

Promise by Rachel Eliza Griffiths

It's tragic how the connection between childhood friends can be gradually poisoned by social issues. An instance of this is vividly described in poet Rachel Eliza Griffiths' debut novel 'Promise'. It's a story about Ezra Kindred, her younger sister Cinthy and Ezra's friend Ruby. They're adolescent girls growing up in the late 1950s in a small town in Maine. Though they're conscious of being one of only two black families in the area, the Kindreds create their own humble oasis in a book filled home set in a beautiful location. The sisters are raised to be smart and strong as their parents are well aware of how harsh the world can be – especially for black Americans amidst the growing civil rights movement. Ezra and Ruby's friendship forms naturally but it soon becomes apparent that differences such as Ruby's whiteness and poverty matter a great deal. In a striking early scene the trio of girls intimately examine themselves and each other to try to understand whether there really is a difference between them. Over time, underlining fears and prejudices come to play a prominent role in their relationship. The novel focuses primarily on clever and defiant Cinthy's perspective as the community grows increasingly hostile towards her family and dramatic events unfold.

Griffiths' poetic leaning is evident in the prose. There are lush, beautiful descriptions of the landscape, the food and their home. The sometimes testy relationship between the family members is also well conveyed in dialogue which crackles with personality. I appreciated how the tumultuous history of the parents is built into the nature of their characters. There's a reason why the father is so eager to forget the past and the mother smothers her pain with drinking. The story of their lives is gradually revealed in a way which is effective. I especially liked the later introduction of a charismatic grandmother who is so vivacious and strong. As a family unit they're very compelling to read about because each generation has been so differently effected by the circumstances of the time. This means that there are frequent misunderstandings and tensions which arises between them. However, there is a unifying love and commitment to one another which is very endearingly portrayed.

Ruby's personal story of adversity and survival is also initially effective when a teacher's untimely death leads to an opportunity for her own good fortune. Unfortunately, the course of her tale felt a bit more confusing when she comes under the sway and guardianship of a monstrous woman. Of course horrific people motivated by bald-faced racism exist but I couldn't figure out the larger schemes of the perpetrators in this novel. Perhaps they were motivated by nothing more than a desire to alienate, harass and kill the black families in the community but it seemed like there were also other motives beyond this especially when it came to Ruby. It is interesting how their influence comes to deeply change Ruby and especially how this causes such a bitter clash in her relationship with the Kindred sisters. Overall, the story came to feel somewhat perplexing as the tragedies pile up and history seeps into the present. In the later part of the book the characters are also prone to didactic speechifying. These aspects lessened the sense of realism so the novel didn't feel as impactful as it could have been. However, I appreciated this book on the whole. There are some beautiful and moving passages towards the end. It's also poignant how it builds a layered meaning about the potential promise we hold both personally and as a nation.

A Little Luck by Claudia Pineiro (translated by Frances Riddle)

As someone who now lives far away from my region of birth, I find stories about characters returning to their origins especially poignant. In “A Little Luck” Mary Lohan returns to the Buenos Aires suburb of her early life after a twenty year absence. She has a new look, eye colour (with the aid of contacts) and name which is handy because she's desperate not to be recognized. Though she nominally goes for work she's also curious to reconnect with this place that she abruptly left under mysterious circumstances many years ago. This novel drew me in on multiple levels over the course of the story. Firstly, there's a compelling tension about what made Mary initially leave and what her relationship is with someone who recognizes her. This is enhanced by a short crucial scene from her earlier life which is described multiple times like a recurring nightmare. When the significance of this event is revealed it's truly shocking. Next there's the emotional connection I felt as we get Mary's full back story. It's truly heartbreaking and tragic as she was caught in a situation with no easy answers. And finally there's the larger meaning of the story which contemplates issues such as chance, the loyalty of family and the precarious nature of insular communities.

The circumstance Mary found herself in is so difficult because the choices she made are understandable but it led to a horrific accident. Because the community is wracked with grief it's easier to blame Mary and conspire against her rather than forgive her. It made me reflect on incidents from my own past which could have turned out very differently for better or worse. The story also asks a powerful question about how strong we are as individuals, as a family and as a community when we're tested by terrible circumstances. The relative success or failure of individuals is often due more to chance than willpower. Mary reflects how “Some mothers have all the luck; life never puts them to any kind of test. I only have a little luck.” It's poignant how the novel details how Mary's own mother was the victim of bad luck herself. Though she is severely tested, Mary also finds an opportunity to recreate herself with the help of another kind soul. While this story is centred around a tragedy it's beautiful how it also offers a hopeful message as she is able to survive the worst kind of loss.

Lie with Me by Philippe Besson (translated by Molly Ringwald) - novel & film

Nothing tugs on the heartstrings like a tale of tragic teenage love! I finally got to Besson's short novel before seeing the new film adaptation and I'm glad I took the time to read the text first. The story follows famous author Philippe who glimpses a man walking by and suddenly he's swept back to memories of the past. Having grown up in a rural agricultural region of France in the 80s, he was frequently bullied and felt alienated because of his sensitive bookish nature. He was also fully cognizant of his own homosexuality and didn't hide it. His openness means that his handsome, popular and quiet classmate Thomas feels emboldened enough to proposition him for a furtive fumble – basically demanding a series of secret trysts. Given Philippe's powerful attraction towards Thomas he gladly acquiesces to this attention though it's entirely stripped of romance. After a number of meetings and candid discussions they develop a deeper passion for one another.

Philippe naturally wants their relationship to continue believing they can find a place together outside of their provincial home town. However, Thomas won't deviate from his expected familial role continuing his father's business, finding a wife and remaining in their native region. He also believes there is a fundamental difference between them stating “We come from different worlds.” Their split leaves an indelible haunting mark upon Philippe who abruptly loses his first love. After an extended opening section about their teenage affair the story leaps forward to decades in the future when Philippe gradually discovers the shocking truth about Thomas' life. The novel brilliantly calibrates the release of information to surprise the reader and stir a sense of aching longing for those fleeting moments of intense youthful passion. It also cleverly plays with notions of the truth since as a novelist Philippe is a professional liar. But, in choosing to live a more “honest” life that conforms to expectations,Thomas spends his personal life lying about his true self.

The book's structure presents an interesting dilemma for the filmmaker because the later two sections are almost entirely composed of dialogue. If the story was adapted in a straightforward way it'd make for long visually static scenes. However, director/screenwriter Olivier Peyon came up with a clever way to centre this tale in the present using frequent flash backs to Philippe's tender early love affair. The movie builds to a corporate lecture Philippe has been sponsored to give as the visiting literary artist in his native region and through a surprise encounter he learns the truth about what happened to his first love Thomas. Through this interplay between past and present we get a strong sense of the longing and loss which informs Philippe's writing. A more complex drama unfolds in the contemporary time period which also includes a distinct female character who wasn't in the novel. Gaëlle begins as a figure of light comic relief but gradually she's shown to have more depth and complexity as Philippe is overwhelmed by revelations about his past love. It's a highly sensuous and emotional film. It's also very moving how this story demonstrates the way we can feel so much regret even when we've chosen the best path in life.

If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery

Imagine being constantly asked by strangers “What are you?” as if your existence isn't valid until you can be properly categorized within a particular ethnicity and racial identity. Of course, many people don't need to imagine this because it's a daily reality. 'In Flux', the opening story of Jonathan Escoffery's debut book of fiction, conveys how demoralizing and exhausting it is for a boy named Trelawny to grow up in America being persistently quizzed about this. It's especially frustrating for him because he doesn't know the “correct” answer since his skin tone and accent don't fit into any one group or people's common conceptions about individuals from his background. Neither his family, friends or a blood test are able to provide a definite conclusion which will satisfyingly answer this question. With sharp-toothed wit and tremendous feeling, the story reveals the truth of his experience using the second person. In doing so, it's as if Trelawny is condemned to not only be plagued by this question but to internalize it and turn it outward. Though this book branches out to sympathetically portray other members of his family, it's bookended by this viewpoint and rooted in his experience.

Family dramas often involve siblings battling for favour and the inheritance of property, but this book gives such a uniquely structured and vividly personal view of one such struggle. It revolves around Jamaicans Topper and Sanya whose move to Miami in the late 1970s eventually results in a self-built home and the birth of sons Delano and Trelawny. However, the lives of these characters are related in pieces showing how their experiences and perspectives leave them physically and psychologically distant from each other. It also builds a larger plot concerning patriarch Topper's dream house which is plagued by hurricane conditions, subsidence issues and an ackee tree whose growth has been stunted by his axe-wielding progeny. Along the way it traces Trelawny's pressing economic struggles as he lives out of his car while finding various work teaching, raising rent for elderly individuals in subsidised senior housing and catering to the masochistic/narcissistic fetishes of people from classified ads. The struggle for money and acceptance often leads to exploitation and violence. It's impactful how these stories show the barefaced reality of racism which becomes something to be weaponized in plays for power while the lived experience of it must be passively accepted.

In consciously choosing not to write a more traditionally structured linear tale through a single voice, Escoffery allows the reader to imaginatively build a larger story and meaning. I understand why some readers find it an uneven book as being offered such slivers can feel jarring and not all its sections have the same powerful effect. But personally I enjoyed following the surprising pathways this fiction takes to explore a variety of points of view and the growing tensions between these family members. Individual characters often fail to understand the challenges and disappointments the others face leading to conflict. I only wish there had been a story focusing on the mother Sanya whose progression we learn about in bits and pieces, but it would have been interesting to get her own perspective and how she is also unaware of aspects about her family's struggle – such as Trelawny's desperate circumstances which he conceals from her. However, it makes sense that this series of interconnected short stories focuses primarily on Trelawny himself as he feels like the heart of the book. Though he's sympathetic he has his own prejudices and shortcomings. There are also a number of peripheral characters whose fleeting presence is distinct and memorable. Together these stories build to a larger portrait of a unique multi-cultural landscape at a particular time. Though oppressive issues weigh heavily upon the inhabitants' daily lives, survival is achieved through cunning, compromise and a wry sense of humour.

Western Lane by Chetna Maroo

I was initially a bit apprehensive about how much I could connect with this novel's story as I knew it centres around a girl who plays squash. Since I have zero interest in sports I approached it cautiously. But I instantly felt involved in this tale which has a wonderful quietness to it. Beneath the surface action there is a lot of subtle power which arises through finely crafted descriptions of this family's life. It gradually shows how there are silences which can grow between family members until they become monumental. At the beginning the narrator, Gopi, informs us that she was 11 years old when her mother died and we follow the aftermath of her loss. She's left with her two older sisters and brooding father living in a town on the outskirts of London. Instead of dealing with or discussing their grief, the father trains his girls to play squash in a sports centre called Western Lane stating to them “I want you to become interested in something you can do your whole life.” In other words, this is an activity that can potentially stave off the void that's been created because of the loss of their mother.

Gopi develops a passion and talent for playing which her Pa fosters leading up to a local tournament. She spends so much time refining her technique in this empty box of the squash court repeatedly hitting a ball against the wall. It turns into a space which has a timeless quality to it where neither her adolescent development or the loss of her mother matters. The story traces this period showing no matter how much we'd like to remain suspended in the present moment change is inevitable. This becomes apparent through gradual shifts which occur in the family's routines between work, school and home life. Their restrained interactions are charged with an aching sorrow because of the loss of Gopi's Ma and all the emotions they're suppressing. What her sisters and father are truly feeling can only be guessed at in brief moments of overheard conversations or uncharacteristic behaviour. At the same time, the prospect of Gopi's own displacement becomes more probable as her aunt and uncle offer to take her into their home to relieve her father of the burden of raising three daughters on his own. It's heartrending following Gopi's lonely journey as she becomes more and more disciplined in her training while the conspicuous absence within her family grows larger.

I admire Maroo's pared down narrative style which builds precise details of action and dialogue to give an intricate portrait of Gopi's world. As time moves on and their lives necessarily progress without Ma there are reminders that she's gone. Gopi attends a Gujarati school in addition to her English education. This was her mother's primary language. There are moments when one sister still tries to speak to Ma using it or when their father seems to see Ma in a living room chair. While each member of the family mourns in their own way, the aunt and uncle as well as the Gujarati community hurriedly move in to provide instruction for the motherless girls and fill their kitchen with food. The narrative gracefully moves between tender private moments of family life and more public demonstrations of being a functioning unit. While it's definitely a melancholy story there's also a lot of warmth and joy to it. The sisters share such a close physical bond often climbing into each other's beds but they all have distinct personalities. There's also a sweetness to how adolescent Gopi invests so much energy and focus upon this tournament when we know in ten or even five years time the result won't matter to her because she'll have grown and moved beyond it.

It's also a story of an immigrant family and community in Britain who have connections between India, Kenya and Pakistan. While there are subtle tensions which arise from this such as a wariness about Gopi and Pa developing close relationships with a white woman and her son Ged at Western Lane, it's not dramatised for the sake of the plot. It's simply there in the background as part of their lives and I appreciate how this is presented so naturally. Though the family possesses a strong sense of self through their place in the community there's still an ambivalence about how to interact with each other given the tremendous loss they've sustained. Equally, Gopi is so uncertain in how to communicate openly with Ged though there are strong feelings between them: “We were shy and afraid because there was all this feeling between us and we didn't know who we were.” It's beautiful how moments like this capture all the awkwardness of adolescence where so many emotions are present but can't be adequately expressed. At the beginning of the novel her sister Khush assures Gopi that “Things are going to be okay” and we know this will be true despite the depression which could overwhelm them. But it's very touching how this novel shows the way Ma's absence will always be a part of their lives but it won't be the main thing which determines their future.

I imagine some readers might grow impatient with this novel or feel its plot is too slight, but I felt very moved by the gentleness of its story. It's interesting that Chetna Maroo worked alongside author Thomas Morris in The Stinging Fly's workshop program. He's a writer that similarly writes about scenes of contemporary life in a way which stirs a lot of subtle emotion. “Western Lane” feels like a promising debut and I hope Maroo writes more.