Dame Hilary Mantel passed away this year - before I could read the third installment of her Thomas Cromwell trilogy - and that's a book I plan to read soon. But before that I caught an interview of her, in which she identified this novel as "an overlooked classic". Good Behaviour was short listed for the Man Booker award back in 1981, and lost out to Rushdie's Midnight's Children. Given that Rushdie's book has since been selected the Booker of Bookers in 1994, Molly had a tough one could say.
Good Behaviour, I found to be a very unique book. Dame Hilary stated that the narrator Aroon St. Charles "has no idea what's going on". Others have stated that the narrator was unreliable - and some others (London Review of Books) claim that she knew exactly what she was going on, but behaved like she doesn't. While I think, this latter view is more inclined towards accuracy, I too think that her narration - made at the time of her mother's death - was attempting to be faithful to her understanding at the time the incidents took place. That explains her quoting Mrs. Brock, but stop herself for stating why "she swam to death". That also explains her plain simplicity to believe that Richard will one day return to her, in the times that the narration refers to. While she falls to pieces upon hearing Richard's engagement ( albeit temporarily), she never suspects - or never admits - or is willing to even excuse his questionable sexuality. Good behaviour requires that certain details are not gone into - never discussed - emotions never shown - the pain of death never openly shown.
"Our good behaviour went on and on, endless as the days. No one spoke of the pain we were sharing. Our discretion was almost complete. Although they feared to speak, Papa and Mummie spent more time together; but, far from comforting, they seemed to freeze each other deeper in misery"
The 1920s, post World War I, the aristocratic St. Charles can't bring themselves to change their ways even when disaster stares straight at their eyes. Appearances must be maintained, since Good Behaviour is of paramount importance. I think there is a clue to the level of understanding of Aroon, in the last paragraph of chapter one. She states:
"At fifty-seven my brain is fairly bright, brighter than ever I sometimes think, and I have a cast-iron memory. If I look back beyond any shadow into the uncertainties and glories of our youth, perhaps I shall understand more about what became of us"
Amidst the dark comedy, I couldn't but help feel sorry for the fate that the times dealt Aroon. Yet, such fates couldn't have been uncommon - after all she was gentry, and could manage with her make believe stories of "waiting for love", and "has had a lover in my bed". How Aroon recounts the instances of being unloved, considered "massive", her repeated snubbing by her mother welled a sea of sympathy for her, as I read on. But she did have the last laugh - twice - once when the will was read followed by acceptance of her power as mum and Rose had to put up with years of being taken care of by Aroon (note how quick she was to take on the tone of authority ) - possibly the sweetest revenge. And then the second and final revenge - the Rabbit... shooo... it was mousse. Good behaviour accounted for not dwelling into the details - even when Aroon was 57. Apparently the initial publisher turned down this book for the lack of any good characters. It is clear why even the solicitor Mr. Kiely, was willing to accept Aroon, for the St. Charles' had the one thing that Kiely didn't have.
A most excellent novel, no doubt. A unsympathetic look at the 1920s, with a great mix of satire, dark humour, which makes it a modern novel, written about a bygone era.
Rating: *****
Man Booker short listed novel (1981)
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