From now on, you are going to be seeing a lot of reviews of books long-listed for the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction. Almost English, the story of a part Hungarian school-girl trying to find her place, is the second off the list I have read. It's the story of Marina and her mother Laura, living in London with Marina's Hungarian relatives. Her Dad, Peter, has vanished without a trace, leaving English Laura struggling to fit in with Hungarian family life and Marina just wanting to be normal. Having decided that the best way to be properly English is to attend a prestigious boarding school, Marina moves to Combe Abbey, only to find that her romantic fantasies of the new person she would become there have little to do with reality.
I was really looking forward to Almost English. Despite not being an immigrant myself, I am really attracted to stories about the immigrant experience as they appeal to something deep inside all of us, that need to fit in, to belong to something. The blurb really plays up Marina's heritage and I was interested in the juxtaposition of Marina with her very British boarding school environment. But Almost English isn't really about that. It's really a story of emotional insecurity and distance, of a mother and daughter that torture themselves with anxiety but who are unable to reach out to each other. And it was still a good story, but it wasn't the one I was expecting it to be.
The thing I most enjoyed about Almost English was the character of Marina herself. I was a painfully awkward, anxious teenager (some days not much has improved!), and I really related to her constant indecision and worry. Mendelson perfectly captures that teenage experience of feeling like everyone is watching you, that your every move will be criticised and judged by the silent hoards around you. Combine that with an active imagination and you end up with Marina; someone who thinks herself in love with a boy that she has never even spoken to, who lies awake agonising over a throwaway comment and who attaches great importance to small events. I could relate to her so well that reading the book wasn't always a comfortable experience!
Almost English was one of those books that had a lot of potential but ultimately didn't really go anywhere. The characterisation was excellent but the plot was a bit weak, with too many threads that either didn't tie together, or which felt contrived. Marina's 'seduction' by her boyfriend's very-British father felt a bit plot-by-numbers, and Laura's anxiety was never fully resolved.
Ultimately, Almost English failed to live up to my expectations. I needed a stronger plot and more overall direction. I'll be surprised if it makes it on to the short-list.
Source: Library
First Published: 2013
Score: 3 out of 5
This one sounds like it could have been a very good book. I would most certainly have picked it up for its immigrant themes, only to get disappointed as I read the book. That said, it does sound to be good otherwise.
ReplyDeleteIt was a good book, it just would have been better if it was marketed more realistically.
DeleteEw, she gets seduced by her boyfriend's father? Or is it a metaphorical seduction where she becomes metaphorically seduced by the life of English luxury that her boyfriend's father leads?
ReplyDeleteA little bit of both. He's a professor and very English and she wants to be part of a family like that, but of course he has sleazier intentions.
DeleteHmm, I don't think this one would appeal to me much. I wonder if Mendelson was an immigrant herself and was writing about her experience or was she just writing a story? Her name doesn't sound very Hungarian, but I am not an expert on names :-) I actually think I feel the opposite about immigration stories as you do - I often feel like if you are a POC, you basically are REQUIRED to write a story about immigration or feeling "other" in order to get published, and they can start to feel repetitive to me. But I completely understand your point about how the struggle to fit in is universal. In a way, then, maybe all immigration stories are similar to coming-of-age ones. And I'm a sucker for a coming-of-age tale!
ReplyDeleteMendelson was born in England but her family were originally Hungarian Jews, she writes in the afterword about the experience she had finding out about her family history whilst writing Almost English.
DeleteHave you read Adichie's short story about a writing conference in Africa? The writers in the story want to write about lots of different things, but are told they have to write 'African' stories about colonialism, racism and war. It's very wrll observed.
Interesting premise, but sorry it didn't go very well for you.
ReplyDeleteIt's always a shame when the premise is very good but the execution isn't as good.
DeleteWhen I first learnt of Almost English the premise was one that intrigued me. Having read your review it sounds like the book isn't what I would expect it to be. Whilst there is a part of my interest still piqued, I think I would only pick up this one if I stumbled across it at the library or something - I wouldn't seek it out.
ReplyDeleteIt's always a shame when a novel doesn't go how you expect, or live up to its potential. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Sam.
:-)
Bits & Bobs
I read a library copy and I'm glad, it's not a book I would be rushing to own and put on my shelf.
DeleteThe Women's Lit prize has always been one of my favorites regardless of its name. Can't wait to see your opinions on more of them. This one is on my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteMine too, I've read so many great books because of it in the past.
DeleteI can see how capturing a teenage character that well can both impressive and uncomfortable to read, as I'm sure most of us can relate, at least in part! I don't think this is one from the long-list that I will try myself.
ReplyDeleteIt was a bit uncomfortable, I'd rather forget how awkward I was as a teenager.
DeleteI'm reading The Luminaries at the moment, it's in another league to this book.
It's always interesting to me when the way a book is marketed turns out to be very different from the book itself. I can't wait to see what you think of the rest of the longlist!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for the longlist this year, I just wish I didn't have to work so I had time to sit down and read all of them...
DeleteI already bought this and I was really looking forward for obvious reasons (being an immigrant from that part of Europe myself) and now the less than ecstatic reviews have dampen my enthusiasm slightly. Possibly now with the recalibrated expectations I will really enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read most of the books that are on the prize lists, so I'm glad to hear more about them. I'm an Anglophile, so I still might try this one!
ReplyDeleteI went to see Charlotte Mendelson do a reading from this last year and it sounded really good and quite amusing, to the point that I asked for it for Christmas (in hardback!). It's a shame it didn't live up to your expectations, I may approach it a bit more warily.
ReplyDeleteThis might hit too close to home for me with a character who is a big worrier. I was just such a teen (and yes, an adult) and find it hard to read about characters who suffer from anxiety, but at least it sounds like it is realistically portrayed.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry it did not work for you. I had high hopes for this book myself. Liked the one book I got hold of from this author so I did think this one would be good too.
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