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A review by z_reads4
Alfred and Emily by Doris Lessing
3.75
"All her talents, all her energy, was narrowed down to one graceless, angry girl who one had one idea, which was to leave her." (184)
This book is a love letter to the life Lessing's mother might have lived, had she not suffered during the war, and crucially, had she not married her father and had her. Emily's imagined, alternate life is no fanciful bed of roses, but simply, a life where she is able to maintain her energy, her wits, and her mind, and channel them onto productive measures, rather than on the obstinant Doris. The contrast between the Emily of the novella and Emily of the second part of the book is stark; I wonder if wondering is the lot of every daughter. Happy mothers' day I guess.
Some technical aspects of this book were not ideal. Firstly, it was not clear that this book would be set up in the way that it is, and so, the novella is confusing in terms of timelines. It might have been more interesting if the real story was told before the fantasy. Secondly, while the writing is lucid and readable, it flows from one idea to another quickly, with scenes slipping through my fingers. Maybe it is a particular style of Lessing's- I am not familiar with her work. There is no third criticism, but I am thinking about the extremely detailed novella Lessing wrote about her parents (that she was not close with) without any old friends or family near her. I wonder who told her about them. I must also say that while my review has been focused on Emily, Alfred also plays a large part- I just wasn't as taken by him.
A fascinating piece of family history! (in a loose sense of the term)
This book is a love letter to the life Lessing's mother might have lived, had she not suffered during the war, and crucially, had she not married her father and had her. Emily's imagined, alternate life is no fanciful bed of roses, but simply, a life where she is able to maintain her energy, her wits, and her mind, and channel them onto productive measures, rather than on the obstinant Doris. The contrast between the Emily of the novella and Emily of the second part of the book is stark; I wonder if wondering is the lot of every daughter. Happy mothers' day I guess.
Some technical aspects of this book were not ideal. Firstly, it was not clear that this book would be set up in the way that it is, and so, the novella is confusing in terms of timelines. It might have been more interesting if the real story was told before the fantasy. Secondly, while the writing is lucid and readable, it flows from one idea to another quickly, with scenes slipping through my fingers. Maybe it is a particular style of Lessing's- I am not familiar with her work. There is no third criticism, but I am thinking about the extremely detailed novella Lessing wrote about her parents (that she was not close with) without any old friends or family near her. I wonder who told her about them. I must also say that while my review has been focused on Emily, Alfred also plays a large part- I just wasn't as taken by him.
A fascinating piece of family history! (in a loose sense of the term)