Over - Margaret Forster

Margaret Forster has written over twenty novels and several works of non-fiction and I am a huge fan of hers and have read nearly all of her output.  A new Margaret Forster on the bookshelf is always a case of  rejoicing as far as I am concerned.  There have been the odd one or two that I have not thought were up to her usual high standards, I found Memory Box and Diary of an Ordinary Woman, slightly disappointing but then last year I posted about Keeping the World Away which was one of my top reads of 2007.  Now just over twelve months later I have just closed up the last page of Over which is also another superb book destined, I am sure, to make my top reads of 2008.

Odd that the last two books I have read, this and Mothernight, should have the loss of a child and the effect on the family, as its theme.  Pure accident that I should read these one after the other, as I have had Over for a few months now before finally picking it up.  In Mothernight it is a very new baby who dies, in Forster's novel it is a teenager, Miranda, who drowns in a boating accident.    The story is narrated by her mother, Louise, who is slowly coming to terms with her grief and is trying to refashion her life.  Her husband, Don, cannot.  He refuses to accept the the death of his daughter and is determined to find blame and bring someone to account for his loss.  He throws himself into endless investigations and research seeking a reason for what happened, not believing that Miranda took a boat out and, being an inexperienced sailor, could not cope when a sudden change in the weather placed her in danger.His obsession gradually drives his wife and children away from him and slowly the family cracks apart.

This is a very moving and remarkable book.  Margaret Forster has an uncanny knack of making the reader empathise with the thoughts and feelings of the narrator.  Difficult to realise that this is not autobiographical, at least I hope not, as she gets under the skin of her main character, Louise, and her feelings of grief, exhaustion and slow return to normality are depicted so realistically.  Forster's writing is flowing, fluid and draws you in so that you read easily and become totally absorbed.  I was late back from my lunch break at my office today as I could not go back to my desk until I had read the last few pages and then found it very difficult to return to my work and concentrate properly.

'What is left when the tide recedes and it's over'

After the event, after the understanding that you are never going to see your child again, how do you pick up the pieces and get back to a semblance of normal life.  How do you cope?  I found this book very moving and am sure that this post is very inadequate indeed as I really find it hard to put into words what a remarkable piece of writing this is.  Margaret Forster has been around a long time now, 70 this year, and because of her longevity and regular output, perhaps is not as valued as she should be.  I think she is one of our finest living novelists.

One comment on the back of this edition 'Like so many of Forster's novels it leaves behind a sense of something both absent and profound'

Spot on.  Do buy and read and tell me what you think.

Comments

[Simon]

Oo, want want want. I've not read any Margaret Forster, though have one of her books... can't remember what it's called, but it ends in a question mark...

[Simon]

Oops, sorry for multiple commenting... if indeed any of them appeared. I'm a little confused...

[elaine]

I think perhaps you own 'Have the Men had Enough?' Simon. I have deleted one of your comments which appeared twice - no worries. I am devoted to margaret forster but before you read this one, may I recommend keeping the world away which I mentioned above? I think you will enjoy that one very much.

[Ann Darnton]

I loved this book and so did everyone else in my f2f group who read it. Her previous work had been a bit off so it was good to see her back on track.

[Anne]

Can I join in ? I have read quite a few Margaret Drabble books but have been disappointed in last few. I have not read Over but will definitely look out for it. I did enjoy Shawdow Baby about adoption and motherhood.

[Janet]

I haven't yet read this book by Margaret Forster, although I intend to, as its theme is one that I have personal experience of - the loss of a child. How to cope after losing a much loved person from your life, who you expected to see grow up, develop into a full person with their own full life depends a bit on your own strength of personality, and also the support you may receive while copming to terms with the loss. Eventually you have to realise that you have your own life to live in the fullest and truest sense of that word and just get on with living it. To do otherwise is not an option and would be to negate the life that has been lost.

[Elaine]

Janet - thank you for visiting and for your comments. The loss of a child is to me, and of course all parents, the worst thing that could ever happen and I send you my profound sympathy on your loss. I found this book very moving and when I closed it up was quite unable to move for a few minutes and go back to my desk as I should have done, while I was quiet for a while. While Laura, the mother, realised that she had to fashion her life to make it liveable and knew that nothing would ever be the same again, her remaining children wanted it to be as it was before and it seemed to me that the sadness of it all, was that it could not be. Life could go on and they could find joy again but it would be different and I would think that mourning this loss of a previous life is as difficult to deal with as the loss of the loved one. If I am wrong or being insensitive then my apologies but this is what I took away with me from Over. I think Margaret Forster is a great writer.