Muriel Gray, chair of the 2007 prize, when announcing this year’s longlist, said: “There were lots of books we rejected – about personal female issues, the loss of a child, the break-up of a marriage, thinly veiled autobiographical things of no consequence – because they weren’t expansive enough”. So, what on earth, is this novel by Margaret Forster, doing on the longlist?
For if ever a novel existed to record the minutiae of personal existence, this is the one. Recorded by the mother, it charts the voyage one family travels after a daughter dies in a freak accident. Wife, husband, adolescent son and the surviving twin sister all cope in different ways and, inevitably , pull in different directions.
Thankfully it is only 200 pages long. Thankfully , because it is a bleak book and it is an uncomfortable read. How can a book examining the nature of grief be otherwise? Grief seeps into every nook and cranny and distorts absolutely every aspect of human existence. Is it unseemly to carry on living?
I can’t see this novel being universally adored. Some may find it maudling. (And, indeed, there’s a very cynical synopsis of the book here.
SPOILER ALERT – don’t click the link if you’re intending to read the novel:
http://books.guardian.co.uk/digestedread/story/0,,2032507,00.html
Yet, for me, it was a very powerful read and one which transcends Forster’s scenario. For death is not the only trigger which suspends normality. Having come through a few years of hell on earth, I recognise many of the situations Forster describes. During that time friends would urge me to write it all down for posterity. I couldn’t – living through it once was bad enough. Rehashing it in a journal wasn’t an option. I also thought no-one would be interested. Well, I was wrong on the last point. I was very interested in Forster’s novel. And I am grateful. She’s saved me a job. I shall be sending copies to a number of close friends in the coming month.
Hi Lizzy,
I checked this book and yours was the first site I came across! I really like this book, not because I have suffered a lot of grief but because I found the underlying theme of how you love and whether you love and what can stop you loving interesting and relevant.
I have posted something about it on our bigreaders board.
Cheers, Caro.
Lizzy Happen to see your blog today by chance. Everybody is appreciating all the reviews you have given, i searched for any review you have ever given for Margaret Forster. Especially for “Hidden Lives” by Margaret Forster.
In case you get time just keep this novel in your TBR. I’ve not read “Over” all intentional. Knowing her capability of touching the depth of ordinariness i wanted to keep myself away from this pain as long as possible.