"Living With It" by Lizzie Enfield

"Living With It" is Lizzie Enfield's third novel and for me it represents a significant change in her writing style. Her previous two novels could be seen as clever re-workings of the themes of Brief Encounter; intelligent romances with an edgy uncertainty about the potential of infidelity. This novel has a much darker tone and, to my mind, far greater depth and emotional resonance.

Essentially it is a novel about the choices we make in life, both for ourselves and for our families, and the unforeseen consequences that can result from those decisions. Ben and Maggie are devastated to discover that their baby daughter, Iris, has become profoundly deaf after being exposed to the measles virus. Their friends Isobel and Eric feel guilty that the virus was passed on by their daughter Gabriella, particularly as Isobel had refused the MMR vaccination for her children. Ben blames Isobel for his daughter’s deafness. The situation is complicated by the fact that Isobel is the woman that Ben fell in love with at University, who eventually married his best friend, Eric. The central question is whether Ben’s decision to sue Isobel and Eric for damages is motivated by a sense of justice for his daughter or a sense of revenge for past emotional betrayals.

Enfield previously used first person narration sporadically within "Uncoupled" for the character of Anne-Marie, although I personally felt that these sections were the least engaging of that particular book. Here she has embraced first-person narration fully and completely by telling the story through alternate first person voices, those of Isobel and Ben, her main protagonists. It's a device that gives the novel a sense of immediacy and enables her to present alternate views of the same situation to great effect. The novel has an intense focus which makes it a disconcertingly uncomfortable read at times. There were moments when I felt like a voyeur observing a series of fractious arguments between strangers.

Enfield’s real skill lies in the voices that she creates for Isobel and Ben. Her ability to write from a male perspective and her innate understanding of the male psyche give the novel a raw edge, and also provides much of the gentle humour, alongside her observations of Isobel’s children. I feel certain that Lizzie’s own children probably provided much of the source material.

As a reader I did initially question whether Lizzie had made a mistake in writing a novel where the central characters are all so flawed and unlikeable. Isobel’s husband Eric is so unsupportive and downright unpleasant that I began to question why he and Isobel were still together. However as I worked through the book I began to realise that the balanced approach to Isobel and Ben means that the reader is not encouraged to “side” with either one of them. Each of them has made mistakes, and each has to learn to live with them.

I found this to be a compelling, thought-provoking and ultimately satisfying novel that bravely tackles some complex and emotive issues. I would recommend it without hesitation.

"Worldwide Adventures in Love" by Louise Wener

“Worldwide Adventures in Love” is Louise Wener’s forth novel and it is a poignant and moving reflection on love, loss and the fragility of life.

Wener’s character’s crackle with life and carry a real emotional punch. The plot is both charming and engaging as two sisters struggle to come to terms with the death of their eccentric and reclusive elderly neighbour, Edith, just as their own family begins to unravel.

Discovering Edith’s letters from the 1930’s reveal her past as an explorer and adventurer, along with the doomed love affair that shaped her life. The resonances between her past life and the fragile and chaotic disintegration of the girls’ own family provides a rich and satisfying seam that Wener exploits with consummate skill.

Wener fashions a pitch-perfect evocation of growing up in the late seventies, where the problems of modern life could be successfully resolved by the combination of a Tarzan movie and a Battenberg cake. I loved the fact that her protagonist’s sister chose a Mohawk haircut because it could be successfully self-administered, rather than having anything to do with the blossoming punk-rock scene of the Sex Pistols.

For me this was as satisfying as Wener’s debut novel, but carries far greater emotional weight and currency. She had me in tears with the ending of the novel. I found her writing brave, knowing and wise. Given that this was originally published in 2008 I hope that Wener is close to publishing her next book. It will have been worth the wait.

"The Sixth Lamentation" by William Brodrick

This intelligent novel examines the consequences of secrets and lies from the past and their emotional resonance to the present.

It follows two main narrative threads that slowly intertwine. The first concerns Father Anselm, once a barrister, now a monk, and the suspected war criminal Eduard Schwermann who claims sanctuary at Anselm’s priory. The second thread follows terminally ill Agnes Aubret who decides to reveal the secrets of her war-time exploits to her Granddaughter Lucy. Agnes had once been a member of an underground brotherhood who smuggled Jewish children to safety from occupied France until the group was exposed and betrayed by a young SS officer: Eduard Schwermann. The two parallel investigations into the shadowy events of the past begin to collide and intertwine with compelling consequences.

It is a remarkable debut novel and Brodrick deftly juggles a labyrinthine plot which is full of complex moral ambiguities. His writing is extraordinary; he moved me to tears on more than one occasion and his narrative revelations caused me to gasp aloud.

I’m now looking forward to reading his other novels. I had the opportunity to hear him speak at a Polish Crime Night at Belgravia Books in Victoria recently, organised by Magda Raczynska of The Polish Cultural Institute. William shared a platform with another of my literary heroes, Anya Lipska, author of “Where The Devil Can’t Go” and “Death Can’t Take a Joke”. William spoke eloquently about the craft of writing and the importance of truth. I rather wished that I had read The Sixth Lamentation prior to hearing him speak. Hopefully by the time I have the opportunity to hear him speak again I will have read the rest of his canon.

In the meantime I would urge you to read this wonderful, wonderful novel.

"The Galton Case" by Ross Macdonald

“The Galton Case” is the first Ross Macdonald novel I have read, but it won’t be the last. I still get a buzz from discovering an author whose work moves me. Macdonald’s work spans from the mid-forties to the early eighties, but many critics feel that this novel, originally published in 1959, marked a shift into a deeper and more complex phase.

Macdonald was often compared to Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. Indeed his detective Lew Archer owes his name to Sam Spade’s murdered colleague Miles Archer in Hammett’s seminal work “The Maltese Falcon”. Yet Archer is a very different character to either Spade or Chandler’s Philip Marlowe. He might be as hard-boiled, yet beneath his tough exterior he somehow has more in common with a therapist that a traditional detective. In Macdonald’s hands he often makes an initial wisecrack about a character that foreshadows a much deeper truth.

“The Galton Case” is a surprisingly complex and literary detective story. Archer is hired by a dour lawyer to trace Anthony Galton, missing for over twenty years and heir to the Galton fortune, held by Anthony’s dying mother who seeks a reconciliation.  Is Anthony alive or dead and is a man claiming to be his long-lost-son real or an imposter? Archer has to pick his way through a cast of disparate characters, most of whom are not as they first appear. The plot is deliciously complicated and has more red herrings than a Baltic trawler.

This isn’t a simple “whodunit” but a beautifully layered work bout identity, greed and the power of myth. It owes as much to the Oedipus archetype, classical tragedy and Freudian analysis as it does to the tradition of Hammett and Chandler.

It also includes some powerful and timeless writing. One phrase that will stay with me for a long time occurs when Archer opens a dead man’s suitcase. “Its contents emitted a whiff of tobacco, sea water, sweat and the subtler indescribable odour of masculine loneliness.”

Definitely not your average detective novel.

Curtis Brown Creative - The Mid Point

On the Curtis Brown Creative six-month novel writing course we have been discussing the importance of the mid-point in our novels. This represents the point of no return; the point where the narrative has achieved a critical mass. With a certain symmetry I realised that we had reached the mid-point of , and personally I feel that my novel “Ilona” has also reached a critical mass. I have been re-writing the novel throughout the course using the feedback from the group to address some of the core issues.

For me the process of submitting extracts for a group critique has been one of the highlights of the course so far. The comments from our tutor Louise Wener and the other fourteen students have been supportive and encouraging. The criticism has been constructive throughout and particularly illuminating for me. I think it helps that as writers we are all facing similar challenges, yet are prepared to share insights and suggestions. The sense of support for each other has been tangible and I am very grateful. “Ilona” is slowly becoming a better novel in the process.

We have all now submitted two 3,000 word extracts and we are just about to start on the third and final round of submissions. These have provided tantalising glimpses into the various works-in-progress, rather like watching a succession of film trailers. I have found it fascinating to observe the physical writing process and the different ways that we each approach our craft.

I have been impressed by the format of the Curtis Brown course and by the excellent way it has been managed by CBC Director Anna Davis and new writing editor Rufus Purdy. The range of speakers they have organised have been superb and I particularly enjoyed Nathan Filer and his agent Sophie Lambert, and the engaging Tom Rob Smith with his agent Felicity Blunt. Both authors were very open in sharing stories of their own journeys which I found inspirational.

The quality of the teaching has been first rate with a great mix of tutors. Louise Wener’s practical and down-to-earth advice has been motivational. As a crime writer I particularly enjoyed the sessions with guest tutor Tobias Jones, and I will be forever indebted to him for introducing me to the writing of Ross Macdonald.

So as we move into the second half of the course I am excited about the ongoing work with “Ilona” and in finalising the novel ready for submission. However, in the first instance maybe my third and final 3,000 word extract needs one more polish!

Death Can't Take a Joke by Anya Lipska

Anya Lipska’s compelling sequel to “Where The Devil Can’t Go” demonstrates that she is fast building what the marketeers like to refer to as a “brand” for herself. In simple terms it means she’s a damn good writer.

The intricate plot interweaves a number of story threads, reuniting the characters of Janusz Kiska and DC Natalie Kershaw. The chemistry between Kiska and Kershaw is carefully constructed and beautifully weighted. Lipska writes the nuanced dialogue with real skill, and Kiska’s dour grumpiness provides a counterpoint to his muscular approach to detecting. He also gets some of the best dialogue, particularly when in conversation with his dodgy Polish compatriot Oskar.

The plot is complex and multi-layered, constructed with a number of false starts and dead ends so that the reader is kept guessing nearly as much as the protagonists. The denouement is both brilliantly set-up and executed, with more than a hint of Thomas Harris.

Lipska excels at creating believable minor characters with strong individual voices. I was a little disappointed that Kiska’s complicated love-interest Kasia [one time exotic dancer now running a nail-bar] didn’t get to make an appearance, apart from a brief text message. I thought she was one of Lipska’s great inventions from “Devil”, and I hope that she may return in the next book.

I was privileged enough to hear Anya speak at a Polish Crime Night a few months ago, organised by Magda Raczynska of The Polish Cultural Institute at Belgravia Books in Victoria. Anya shared a platform with another of my literary heroes William Brodrick, author of the Father Anselm books. They both spoke eloquently about their work and each performed a brief reading from their current WiP.

I am a huge fan of her writing and me this novel is even better than her debut. So many of the scenes have a cinematic sensibility, which screams movie / TV mini-series to me. I can only hope that the novel gets optioned, which it richly deserves.

Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty

Apple Tree Yard is a profoundly unsettling novel. It starts out as a tale of obsession and sexual passion, but quickly becomes a much darker morality tale about predators and the inherent danger that can often accompany sexual fantasies.

 

Written in the first person which gives Yvonne’s voice an immediacy and a sense of realism, her story is narrated from the dock at the Old Bailey. Doughty jumps backwards and forwards to slowly tease out the story of her protagonist’s fall from grace. As I was reading it became clear to me that in any case such as this context is everything; certainly context is one of the key factors that members of a jury need to reach an unbiased decision. Doughty has a real skill in balancing the ambiguity of context in a number of key scenes, which serves to highlight the dramatic tension within the novel.

 

I found Yvonne’s measured and precise voice perfectly encapsulated her personality, the slightly passive scientist who finds herself drawn into a web of deceit that she cannot control.

 

A fellow reader whose opinion I normally value bemoaned Yvonne’s lack of depth to me. I had to disagree. For my part I didn’t feel there was a lack of depth; I was certainly able to fill in any intentional gaps. It is true that there are many things left unresolved, left unsaid. Whilst this can be mildly irritating I can appreciate why Doughty has chosen to do this. How often in life is everything neatly and fully explained? However as a reader there were a few crucial conversations that I felt were missing, particularly between Yvonne and her husband Guy. His inability to question her about her affair struck me as unlikely, given the measured personality that Doughty had constructed for him, and so I wondered why she had made this conscious decision as a writer.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed the novel which slowly builds to its final denouement. It does not disappoint.