Undemanding up-lit with a mystery element spanning fifty years in a Brighton community.
Ruth Hogan’s fourth novel features a cast of interconnected characters within a Brighton community and spans over fifty years with a dual narrative moving between the early seventies and the present day. Tarot reader, palmist and clairvoyant, Madame Imelda Burova is the linchpin that connects both narratives, becoming proprietress of her forthright Romany mother’s dukkering booth on the promenade in 1972 and about to retire in the contemporary narrative. The years of being privy to the secrets of her clientele have taken their toll, with one revelation weighing heavier upon her heart than any other and, before she closes her booth, it is time to fulfil a long-held promise. Part of this promise entails conveying a message to middle-aged and newly redundant divorcee, Billie, who finds out upon the death of the couple she believed to be her parents that she was actually adopted. Madame Burova’s missive reveals that Billie was left abandoned in the doorway to her booth and in pursuit of further details Billie once again arrives at her door, forcing Madame Burova to revisit some of her most complicated emotions.
The narrative moves back and forth between Billie’s present day efforts to shed light on her biological parents and flashbacks to 1972/73 and the months leading up to her birth when Madame Burova joined the entertainment staff at the newly revamped Larkin’s Holiday Camp alongside a colourful cast of cabaret acts. It is pretty clear from the off that the mystery of Billie’s parentage has its origins in this summer season at the holiday camp and the busy social scene and romances amongst the staff. Alongside the camaraderie and reminders of the simpler life to be had in this era Ruth Hogan also touches upon the racism and the casual sexism that was so rife, but thankfully in the world of up-lit solutions are never too far away.
One aspect of the novel that I did appreciate was seeing what had become of the characters who featured in both the 1970s and contemporary narrative. I was slightly dismayed that I never had any real sense, or particularly cared for, the characters of either Imelda or Billie, perhaps because the large cast featured in the novel makes it impossible to get to know any of the characters well. Whilst I would have appreciated something a little meatier to get my teeth into and a more involving mystery element the novel is an undemanding read with a cast of quirky characters and is not all sugarcoated, highlighting the discrimination prevalent in 1970s Britain. Overall this is a very readable up-lit novel that potters along and doesn’t spring any nasty surprises on its readers making for a pleasing piece of escapism. Whilst I found it all a little too fanciful to seriously engage, and the mystery of Billie’s parentage rather obvious, the story did hold my attention throughout.
The narrative moves back and forth between Billie’s present day efforts to shed light on her biological parents and flashbacks to 1972/73 and the months leading up to her birth when Madame Burova joined the entertainment staff at the newly revamped Larkin’s Holiday Camp alongside a colourful cast of cabaret acts. It is pretty clear from the off that the mystery of Billie’s parentage has its origins in this summer season at the holiday camp and the busy social scene and romances amongst the staff. Alongside the camaraderie and reminders of the simpler life to be had in this era Ruth Hogan also touches upon the racism and the casual sexism that was so rife, but thankfully in the world of up-lit solutions are never too far away.
One aspect of the novel that I did appreciate was seeing what had become of the characters who featured in both the 1970s and contemporary narrative. I was slightly dismayed that I never had any real sense, or particularly cared for, the characters of either Imelda or Billie, perhaps because the large cast featured in the novel makes it impossible to get to know any of the characters well. Whilst I would have appreciated something a little meatier to get my teeth into and a more involving mystery element the novel is an undemanding read with a cast of quirky characters and is not all sugarcoated, highlighting the discrimination prevalent in 1970s Britain. Overall this is a very readable up-lit novel that potters along and doesn’t spring any nasty surprises on its readers making for a pleasing piece of escapism. Whilst I found it all a little too fanciful to seriously engage, and the mystery of Billie’s parentage rather obvious, the story did hold my attention throughout.