Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - Review by Mike G
MPLT is Helen Simonson’s first novel and what a lovely first book it is too. The book is crammed with what perhaps some people might see as stereotypical characters. We have a quaint country village, a retired Major in tweeds, the village shop keeper, and a local land owner. One may be forgiven that the village, Edgecombe St Mary is straight out of Midsomer Murders. But Midsomer this is not, for we have a Muslim shopkeeper in the shape of Mrs Ali, Major P’s love interest and both of these characters embody both decorum and respectability. We never get to know if Mrs Ali is an Indian or a Pakistani. Major P does not care, or give a damn. Mrs Ali has never been further than the Isle of Wight. It is the village and their respective families who cannot deal with their relationship. For me, it was the delicate admiration for each other that kept me captivated and held my attention throughout this book. Together with it’s light-hearted moments and there are plenty. The book is about families, village life, race, but most of all, it is about love. I cannot wait for Helen Simonson’s next book. - MikeG
Room - Review by Anne-Marie J
If you only do one thing on the basis of reading this blog, I would urge you not to write off Room on the basis of its stomach-churning subject matter – dig deep as, unlikely as it sounds, this novel will prove to be an ultimately uplifting read and one worth the emotional turmoil experienced en route.
SPOILERS AHOY! Told through the eyes of recently turned five-year-old Jack, the repulsive reality of Room gradually reveals itself as we introduced to a world no bigger than a 12-ft by 12-ft converted, sound-proofed garage, ruled by Old Nick who, despite being responsible for snatching Ma when she was a 19-year-old student, treats any request for day-to-day necessities as an outrageous imposition, yet sees it as his right to ‘make the bed creak’ with his captive, while Jack stays hidden, quietly counting the seconds in the wardrobe and trying to block out the raspy breathing.
Yet, viewed through the innocence and wonder of a child, we witness the lengths to which Ma will go to give Jack a sense of normality and shield him from the awful actuality of their existence. They do daily phys ed exercises, cathartic screaming sessions towards the skylight and enjoy the adventures of Dora The Explorer.
Just when you think the tension cannot be sustained, Jack, after being coached by Ma, embarks on a daring escape which proves successful and the second part of the novel deals with the reintegration of the pair into a media-savvy society hungry for the inside scoop on their incarceration. We also see Jack experience his first cold, negotiate stairs and stop breast-feeding, while Ma struggles to adapt to the changes in her family, especially the divorce of her parents and the unexpected acquisition of a step-father.
Despite inevitable comparisons with the Josef Fritzl case – and the unnerving realisation that this wasn’t unique to Austria and that there will be more similar sinister discoveries made in the years to come in different countries – this novel shines a light on how the human spirit can overcome even the darkest dilution of the soul and come out fighting for all its worth.
SPOILERS AHOY! Told through the eyes of recently turned five-year-old Jack, the repulsive reality of Room gradually reveals itself as we introduced to a world no bigger than a 12-ft by 12-ft converted, sound-proofed garage, ruled by Old Nick who, despite being responsible for snatching Ma when she was a 19-year-old student, treats any request for day-to-day necessities as an outrageous imposition, yet sees it as his right to ‘make the bed creak’ with his captive, while Jack stays hidden, quietly counting the seconds in the wardrobe and trying to block out the raspy breathing.
Yet, viewed through the innocence and wonder of a child, we witness the lengths to which Ma will go to give Jack a sense of normality and shield him from the awful actuality of their existence. They do daily phys ed exercises, cathartic screaming sessions towards the skylight and enjoy the adventures of Dora The Explorer.
Just when you think the tension cannot be sustained, Jack, after being coached by Ma, embarks on a daring escape which proves successful and the second part of the novel deals with the reintegration of the pair into a media-savvy society hungry for the inside scoop on their incarceration. We also see Jack experience his first cold, negotiate stairs and stop breast-feeding, while Ma struggles to adapt to the changes in her family, especially the divorce of her parents and the unexpected acquisition of a step-father.
Despite inevitable comparisons with the Josef Fritzl case – and the unnerving realisation that this wasn’t unique to Austria and that there will be more similar sinister discoveries made in the years to come in different countries – this novel shines a light on how the human spirit can overcome even the darkest dilution of the soul and come out fighting for all its worth.
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