I would never normally read a long historical novel with a child narrator, but I was captivated by the story of the diminutive Marie Grosholtz with the nickname of Little. The book follows her life from childhood through to early adulthood and is never less than interesting. Occasionally comic, sad, emotional and dangerous. There are some set piece chapters midway which do not move the story on, but are fine nonetheless.
Only towards the end did I realise that what I thought was only a partly dramatised account of late eighteenth century Paris, was in fact a much more like reality. Little proves to be a survivor despite the hardship she faces. She is a finely drawn character who proves to be resilient despite her stature.
The book is punctuated by pencil drawings from our narrator. These add a wonderful perspective to the story, and I was very pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the book. It was one of the suggestions from Hilary for our next book club read but wasn't chosen. I wish it had been.
The last book in the trilogy that started with "Old Filth" and was followed by "The Man in the Wooden Hat". I loved the first two books, but "Last Friends" is even better. There are devastatingly brilliant switches in time and character, some sixty years apart, but superbly linked. We know most of the people from the first two books, and this gives the author the licence to indulge in their back stories. But it also finds those who are left in old age, and their stories are very emotional. Jane Gardam writes scintillating prose that stirs the soul. Mostly in the third person, but sometimes wanders off into the first. Magical.
Here we have Dulcie, the aged widow of William Wilky (Pastry Willy), at one point head of a new chambers in London. Some of Dulcie's musings are quite extraordinary. The book almost revolves around her in present day as she remembers the old days: Feathers and his wife Betty, Veneering and his short lived marriage to wealthy Elsie after they met in Singapore. (The most beautiful woman in Hong Kong). As the trilogy gets better and better, so does this book, with a surprisingly uplifting final chapter.
I thought this sequel to "Olive Kitteridge" was even better than the original when I wrote "An extraordinary book, if a little depressing. A number of interlocking stories held together by Olive herself, a retired schoolteacher. (In one she is only referred to as Rebecca's teacher). The construction of this book is quite original and works really well. Olive herself is not a nice person, bitter and self righteous, in denial about her relationship with her son Christopher. She must have some endearing qualities for her husband Henry has stuck by her all these years, I never quite worked out why. Elizabeth Strout deserves her Pulitzer Prize. She can create a real sense of emotion in her writing".
There were thirteen stories in the original and here there are thirteen again. And Olive again is the central character in some, peripheral in others. All base in the fictional town of Crosby in Maine. Her husband Henry has died. In the first story called "Arrested" we meet Jack, an angry lonely man. In "Labor" Olive is called on to do something unexpected. "Cleaning" features eleven years old Kayley Callaghan in an outstanding short story. In "Motherless Child" Olive's son Christopher and his family come to stay after a three year absence. A difficult piece to read. We know that Olive can be hard work but does she deserve more respect? It's all in the title.
"Helped" is about Bernie and Suzanne, another even better independent story. In "Light" Olive visits Cindy who may have a terminal illness. So bits about death where brilliant conversations could have been sad but were just superb. "The Walk" is only eight pages but just devastating. In "Pedicure" Olive and Jack go for a car ride and Jack has an unexpected and upsetting encounter. Then in "Exiles" here comes Bob and Jim. You remember Strout's novel "The Burgess Boys"? I read it in 2019 and thought it was marvelous. Set this time in Shirley Falls, their wives, out for a walk, bump into ..... yes, Olive and Jack.
In "The Poet" Olive meets one in a diner. Awesome. "The End of Civil War Days" is a powerful piece about the MacPhersons, Fergus and Ethel, and their grown up daughters Laurie and Lisa. Olive is back in "Heart". When asked if she knows about the camps she typically replies "Of course i do. Do you think I'm an ignorant fool". She just says what she thinks. Then to end we have the emotional "Friend" and a link to one of the author's other books, this time "Amy and Isabelle".
This is just an incredible collection of stories. Highly recommended
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