![]() I was more than thirty years late to this book (story of my life!) and only started to read it after seeing a conversation about it on social media. My London flatmate of almost forty years ago declared it one of her favourite books; I am still in touch with her even if I am out of touch with so many wonderful books yet to be explored… She is from Scotland and the clue is in the title, being the Latin name used by the Roman Empire to refer to that part of Great Britain lying north of the River Forth. Certainly the reader is drawn in by the beautifully-described landscape before witnessing the ever-present destructive qualities that nature hides coyly up its sleeves: winds, rain and the beguiling waves of the sea. Janet is a destructive child – often self-destructive – but also creative in a largely, unnoticed way by her family who have clearly made up their minds about her rather than trying to at least understand better why she thinks the things she does and does the things she cannot help but do (even though she recognises that these acts are ‘wrong’ and will result in yet more punishment). This is a coming-of-age story where a lonely child tries to navigate her way through both familial and contemporary groups, each of which desires to impose their own norms and expectations upon her. We applaud (and are relieved by) Janet’s absolute resolution to remain independent. Others label this eccentricity, which is their lazy shorthand for non-conformist – or perhaps fear that there may be more to life than they have yet discovered (and Janet is nothing if not an explorer). We laugh out loud at Janet’s views of the world around her, whilst also admiring her bond with nature. Her befriending of a kindred soul – a jackdaw – was one of the loveliest passages in the book for me. Her sensitivity was never going to work in a cold, dark Scottish castle where Gothic horrors arrive in the form of nastiness, spite and drink as coping mechanisms. We really want Janet to survive, though we also know that she won’t. The story builds carefully towards its climax and then we are left with nothing: a hole in our lives as readers probably greater than the one left behind for her family to reassure themselves that they always knew her life was destined to be short. I did get a bit bogged down with some of the literary and classical references – often beautiful and apt though they were – as I felt it slowed the pace of the book much more than the many raw descriptions of nature that Janet noticed all around her - while most of the other characters saw only themselves as players rather than the stage’s scenery against which they played out their much duller lives. I did though love it that her safe place usually came in the form of books. How that comfort still resonates! All in all, an enjoyable read which transports the reader to the widespread glories of upper Britannia whilst acknowledging that difference can be so defining – and not always in a good way.
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![]() I haven’t yet seen the Apple TV+ adaptation of this book which I read some months ago. I always worry that the visualisations of director/creative team will not match those conjured up in my mind by the prose itself. To convincingly bring to the screen the ethereal, almost eerie atmosphere conveyed by these words alone would be a triumph indeed. I enjoyed many aspects of this Gothic novel, set in late Victorian times, and set in the claustrophobia of East London and Essex’s Blackwater Estuary, offering time, space and fresh air. Cora Seabourne and William Ransome are well-drawn and quite believable characters, as is Cora’s son Francis who is as curious as I was to find out where the legend of the Essex Serpent really came from. I liked the science v religion debate throughout, especially when the Essex villagers turned on Cora for supposedly encouraging the monster to return, rather than God for letting them all down. The other aspect of scientific discovery centres on gruesome medical operations back in London and it is this contrast between medical progress and science with belief and superstition which makes it such a fascinating read. We are meant to be cheered by Cora’s relationship with William after her suffering at the hands of her controlling husband died. Human machinations of the conflict which provides the backbone to the story, Cora and Will barely agree about anything – drawn together seemingly in order to fight their way apart again. But there is a consensus that lives should be lived as fully as possible. The book is about liberation of the spirit at the very least. We have to admire Cora’s independence at a time which would – and did – unsettle men and women alike, and I was with her right until the end. |
AuthorI am a fiction writer, currently living in Worcestershire, enjoying mystery dramas, thrillers, poetry, comedy and history. I read a wide range of fiction, also writing book reviews here and sharing on amazon, goodreads and Waterstones sites. Archives
October 2024
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