Deborah Forster

I feel a bit guilty about reviewing this book four years after its release in 2012. I bought it as soon as I saw it because I was so impressed by Deborah Forster’s first novel The Book of Emmett (2009, see my review). I was not the only one impressed: The Book of Emmett was nominated for the Miles Franklin and for the Prime Minister’s Literary Award, and it won the Dobbie. Well, The Meaning of Grace has turned out to be equally impressive but now readers who want to get hold of a copy may have to hunt about a bit…

Forster’s great strength lies in characterisation, and in this novel as in its predecessor she focuses on the dysfunctional family. At the beginning of the novel the estranged members of the Fisher family need to come together because Grace, mother to two adult daughters and a son, is – after a brief remission – advised that the cancer is back. At Grace’s bedside in the hospital that night is loyal, reliable, stay-at-home Edie who has had more than her fair share of troubles, and it falls to her to ring her absentee sister Juliet – who has had more than her fair share of life’s good times, including running away to New York with Edie’s husband. When the social worker suggests a hospice, Juliet won’t countenance it, and Edie caves in as she always has, knowing full well that neither Juliet nor their immature brother Ted will be there to help. There is no father. A sad, hopeless man whose depression haunted the children’s young lives until Grace had had enough and left him, Ian committed suicide some years ago.

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2016/05/12/the-meaning-of-grace-by-deborah-forster/… (lisätietoja)

It is always interesting to see the emotion and passion a book can generate. It makes for a great meeting and wonderful discussion. So delivered the Deborah Forster novel The Book of Emmett with our group this month.

We had a big turn out for this meeting, thirteen of us around the table, so there were plenty of opinions to get through. Generally this book was, for want of a better word, enjoyed, although most admitted to finding it disturbing and confronting. Domestic violence is not a pretty topic, ever, so the pain and abuse suffered within these pages was felt deeply by the majority of us. The atmosphere of dread and tension within the house was strong, written well enough to bring back memories of violence experienced by some of us in childhood. It was thought very Australian, relevant and believable. Tera commented that she had a love/hate relationship with this book; a human condition that ironically could be found throughout the story.

There were a few who were not impressed with Forster’s writing. Anne and Carol felt it to be clearly journalism writing that ticked all the boxes needed for the ‘complete’ novel. There was no solid story foundation and they wanted more background on Emmett’s history and why he became an abuser.

Regardless of the differing opinions, we still managed a wide ranging discussion on many topics with an overall view that this was a worthwhile book addressing an all too real problem, today and in the past. Looking for something that will pull at your heart-strings? This is it.… (lisätietoja)

Okay, I didn't finish this one.

I had to work too hard in the initial chapter (trying to work out how many children and the family relationships did me in; and no, this is not a blended family). I don't mind working a little hard, but this was just over-the-top "let's be clever and make it really difficult". Once I got past that, it was beautifully written but I wasn't quite sure how much I need to be told about growing up poor with an abusive alcoholic father in Footscray, a working class suburb of Melbourne, in the 1950s. It's no picnic, but that's nothing new to anyone with half a brain.

I feel a bit mean not finishing this book, because it's so well written, and because it's obviously written both from the heart and from personal experience (although she has denied its autobiographical). But it was the wrong book for me at this time. Emmett Brown, the alcoholic father in question, apparently does become sympathetic in the end, but I didn't want to forgive him anything. He poisoned his childrens' lives, and I wanted to keep my hate pure for him.… (lisätietoja)