Caro Fraser (1953–2020)

I honestly don't know whether to laugh or cry - I don't think I have ever read a novel with such an incestuous (literally!), unlikeable cast of middle class moaners. Thankfully, I didn't pay for the honour, but received this random selection in a 'mystery book' gift for Christmas.

The promising blurb, about a post-war country house party involving a 'scandalous' couple and a dark family secret, is over in the first fifty pages, killing off one of the few bearable characters in the whole book. show more What's left, after more convenient deaths of the 'old guard', is a motley crew of 'young things', who are self-obsessed, pathetic and believe in keeping it in the family. Covering fifteen years, in fits and starts, we follow feuding half-sisters Avril and Laura, obnoxious orphan Max, random godson Philip and Max's dodgy mate Alec. After falling for a black musician, because of course she does, Beautiful Laura - her looks are her whole personality - sleeps with former evacuee cockney Sid, who makes her a modelling star overnight, Avril's beloved Philip, and then her Uncle Dan. Both she and Avril are obsessed with Philip for a time, and I could not figure out the attraction, for the life of me. Max ruins Laura's relationship with the black musician - called Ellis Candy, I kid you not - and then realises he doesn't actually love her and ends up shagging his cousin instead. It's suggested that he's actually gay, but I suspect the views of various characters that 'homosexuality' is 'disgusting' and 'a sin' actually belong to the author, so there is little positive inclusivity to be found here. Avril and Laura bicker over men and Laura's lost inheritance - Avril's father 'seduced' his daughter's seventeen year old nanny and Laura was the result, brought up by 'Aunt Sonia', Avril's mother. Max hates Dan for killing his father with the revelation of his affair with poor Meg, even though Max actually did kill his mother by throwing a tantrum and making her chase after him while heavily pregnant. Hey ho!

The writing is also terrible - Caro Fraser, daughter of George 'Flashman' MacDonald Fraser, is patron saint of tell don't show and lacks any kind of subtlety or nuance. Every character is analysed to within an inch of their life, and we get passages like 'She caught sight of her reflection, and the way she looked reassured her, reminding her of what he saw, what everyone saw. Sometimes her beauty felt like her only strength', instead of - oh, I don't know - letting readers deduce from actions and dialogue what motivates the characters.

From the narrow lives of the ten per cent, with their art galleries and misogyny, to the latent homophobia and distinctly male bias - are we sure that George MacDonald Fraser is actually dead and didn't write this himself? - I can't honestly believe I kept reading. Bonus point for not giving Laura her HEA with Ellis Candy in the end, though. show less

This review discusses the plot, but doesn't reveal anything significant about its outcome.

It’s not often that a first-time novelist succeeds on as many levels as Caro Fraser did in her 1993 debut, The Pupil. Set in the competitive and clubby legal atmosphere of London’s venerable Inns of Court, its narrative is impassioned yet impartial, with a logical but unpredictable plot and characters so convincingly drawn you sense their physical presence. The Pupil is the first in an ongoing show more series of eight volumes.

Swept along by Fraser’s sure-handed narrative and steady pace, I quickly became engrossed in her vivid portrait of a young, working-class man fresh out of law school. Bright and diligent, he aims to parlay a one-year apprenticeship, or pupilage, with a topflight law firm into a permanent position there.

As an American I’m struck by caste systems’ profound ability to limit social and career mobility. Of course, 17 years after this book’s publication, rapid middle class growth has nearly eliminated such barriers in Western Europe. But when the curtain rises in this end-of-the-century tale, you know that Anthony, the guileless fledgling barrister, will need more than talent to achieve his immediate career goal.

Almost instantly I was seduced by the smug yet volatile atmosphere of this tightly sealed and stratified hothouse of a law firm. I strongly identified with Anthony and the fascinating senior barrister Leo, who managed by luck, intelligence, and what I call a reasonable amount of selfishness, to rise above their relatively unimpressive origins. Leo is the other half of one of Anthony’s two closest relationships; Anthony's other special bond is with Julia, a junior member of another top London law firm. Anthony and Leo are drawn to one another, but by disparate motives. Anthony and Julia, however, seek and partly find the same things from each other.

In both relationships, the pace never flags, as strong attractions and fundamental conflicts vie for ascendancy. But sentimentality is not the order of the day. Masterfully blending authorial objectivity and empathy, Fraser steadily pumps hot blood into her characters and makes their respective emotions all the more compelling and ultimately cathartic for readers.

Deftly managing every point of view, she reveals surprising motives and perceptions that sometimes move characters in unexpected directions, whether rich or poor, male or female, gay or straight, young or old. You see this most clearly when numerous people in the same situation react to it in significantly different ways. For example, when the partners vote on whether to grant Anthony or a rival pupil, Edward, a permanent tenancy in the firm, their primary objective is either to please the firm’s managing partner (Edward’s uncle) or to choose a colleague who will strengthen the firm. But only one partner – Leo – bases his vote on a third reason, one that is purely personal and unrelated to everyone else’s motives. And because Leo’s vote is prompted by a desire to satisfy his principal unmet need, it seems logical and natural.

Equally appealing is Fraser’s clear-eyed portrayal of Anthony’s feckless father, Chay. Through his own actions and the viewpoints of those who know him best – his family – he’s depicted as an incompetent dreamer. But when Chay hits paydirt in the American art scene, what had reasonably appeared to be his daffiness is revealed to be an intensity of artistic vision. When brought to fruition, it fully satisfies the tastes of a wealthy clientele. I came away perceiving Chay’s paintings as a difficult to achieve combination of vapidity and pretentiousness. Still, in my opinion, anyone upset by his success has a lot to learn about fair value. Although I sense Fraser would agree, I doubt she’d attend Chay’s next opening.

I, however, will quickly attend to the next book in this series. If The Pupil’s many virtues prefigure Fraser’s subsequent work, I’ll devour the rest of them as well. show less

Summer of Love by Caro Fraser is a sequel to The Summer House Party. It is August of 1949 when Meg, Dan, Sonia, Laura, Avril and Max gather at Harry Denholm’s home, Chalcombe in Kent. Meg has spent the summer decorating the house for him. They are out enjoying a picnic, when Avril tells ten-year-old Max a secret about his mother, Meg and stepfather, Dan. This one events leads to a tragedy that will change their lives. Laura, Avril and Max grow up in the 50s where decisions and actions made show more by their parents and relatives affect their lives. Avril resents Laura and will do what it takes to achieve her goals. The lovely and ingenuous Laura is looking for love and finds it with someone unexpected and unaccepted. Max nurses his resentment and anger as he grows up. Discover what happens to them in Summer of Love.

Summer of Love is a sequel to The Summer House Party, but it stands on its own. The past is never really in the past. The actions of others as well as our own continue to haunt a person throughout their life (especially in this digital age). The story takes place from 1949 through 1963 in England. I thought the Summer of Love was well-written and an engaging book. The book has a steady pace and the transitions are smooth (as you switch between characters). The author created complex characters whose lives are interwoven courtesy of their parents. Avril is a resentful woman who dislikes the attention her mother pays to Laura. Laura is raised as Avril’s sister, but her mother was their nanny. Max is a happy kid until a cruel girl reveals a secret that forever changes his life. The characters are not necessarily likeable (they are relatable), but I was drawn into their stories and wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next. Summer of Love is a character driven novel. We follow the characters in their life’s journey as they face love, heartbreak, happiness, grief, success and failure. I like how the author worked in the happenings of the 50s and 60s into the story and into the characters lives. Some of the issues/events mentioned are racism, drugs, homosexuality, birth control, changing fashions, and unwanted pregnancy. I also liked the inclusion of music from the era. While many of the storylines are wrapped up in the book, the ending is left open. I wonder if Caro Fraser will continue their stories in another novel or has she left their outcome up to our imagination. show less

I thought this was going to be a mystery. It isn't. It's one of a series of dramas about a group of lawyers (or solicitors). The main character appears to be Leo Davies, a mid-forties QC who has been chosen to lead a team representing a group of investors. The legal side of the story is interesting to those of us who had not thought about how large insurers like Lloyds of London work. The plot mixes the story of that case with the story of several characters: Leo, his wife Rachel, his show more protege Anthony, a newbie named Camilla, and several side characters. There are many love interests going in different directions. Clearly a series, as little is actually resolved in that department. I'm cheering for Anthony and Camilla but it's unlikely I will seek out another book in the series. It was fun to read but I have so many other books to get to! show less