Scan barcode
A review by margaret21
The Language of Birds by Jill Dawson
3.0
Note to self: do not read the Afterword before the book. Because of this - spoiler alert, I knew that this book was heavily based on the Lord Lucan affair, so I knew how it would end. I know Jill Dawson chose to fictionalise this narrative to protect the many people still living who played their part in this story. I wonder how protected they feel, as I suspect this account sails very close to what actually took place?
That aside, this book is a page turner. Mandy the nanny comes across as a warm, likeable person, despite the very difficult circumstances of her childhood, teenage years and young adulthood. Her friend Rosemary, who plays the part of slightly unreliable narrator for part of the story is the vehicle for recurring imagery about birds and the freedom they seem to enjoy.
There's much to relish here about the portrayal of 1970s England, about class, about mental illness and domestic violence. It's worth reading for this alone.
That aside, this book is a page turner. Mandy the nanny comes across as a warm, likeable person, despite the very difficult circumstances of her childhood, teenage years and young adulthood. Her friend Rosemary, who plays the part of slightly unreliable narrator for part of the story is the vehicle for recurring imagery about birds and the freedom they seem to enjoy.
There's much to relish here about the portrayal of 1970s England, about class, about mental illness and domestic violence. It's worth reading for this alone.