It’s very much about family and what those relationships do and should, mean. I need to go on some journey or why bother? I don’t always need the perfect story arc, but I do need a novel to take me somewhere. And I believe KJF definitely succeeded in this regard.Īs for the plot itself… I often grapple with narratives which I believe to be pointless (and I’ve put aside Chris Tsiolkas’ Merciless Gods for that reason). If I’m in someone’s head I want to understand their thoughts.
I often rave on about novels needing to pose a triple-threat (in terms of plot, characters and writing).
Her meeting with Harlow offers some release and when her newfound rebelliousness combined with confronting coursework and simmering family secrets intersect in a manner akin to the bermuda triangle Rosemary shares with us, her story. Talkative as a child, her silence is now a shield which protects her. Rosemary’s relationship with her parents – her father in particular – is fractious. She’s awkward with people and refuses to let her guard down. Her sister disappeared when Rosemary was only 5 years old and when she was 11 her brother ran away. A catalyst if you like. Rosemary (at 22) through no real effort of her own, has a ‘friend’ for the first time ever and realises she’s not accustomed to the sharing and camaraderie which comes such a relationship. Harlow plays a pivotal but minor role in the novel. She’s in her fifth year at University, admittedly pfaffing about when she meets Harlow (a slightly unhinged and eccentric fellow student). We’re in Rosemary’s head so experiencing everything from her viewpoint. It’s a novel which is really hard to describe (without giving too much away) as KJF slowly but surely invites us into the life of our protagonist Rosemary Cooke. In fact, the book was shortlisted for this year’s Man Booker Prize.Īs it was my first KJF* I wasn’t sure what to expect. And I most definitely didn’t think I’d be reading the book in a sitting… which (#spoileralert) I did. I had however, heard very good things about her latest novel, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, released (elsewhere) last year and in Australia in March this year (2014).
(Of course I’m conscious that the book was revered enough to inspire the movie, so… who knows?!) I haven’t actually read the book on which it’s based but a few people advised the movie’s better (a rarity), so I’ve given the novel by Karen Joy Fowler a miss. I’ve mentioned before that one of my favourite comfort movies is The Jane Austen Bookclub.
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