Down Among the Women

I bought this book at an exceedingly cheap price in a library sale.

It’s a long time since I’ve read any of Fay Weldon’s books. I used to love them, but now I’m reading this one, it seems like a parody, since she has such a characteristic, flippant style.

The first people (women) we are introduced to are Wanda, aged sixty-four, and her daughter, Scarlet.

There is an “I” personage, but I never found out who this is.

Wanda is no longer together with her husband, Kim, Scarlet’s father. Kim is now married to Susan, who is much younger than he is.

There are many women in the book, too many to remember, One of them, Audrey, has another name too so she’s sometimes called Emma-Audrey. (This is because one of her lovers wants to show more change her name to Emma.)

Scarlet is pregnant with Byzantia, and Kim’s second wife, Susan, is pregnant with Simeon.

Byzantia is born; she is “dark, grubby and bright”. She is beautiful and at the age of 12 months walks well. Simeon, about the same age, is “a withdrawn and stodgy child”who still only crawls. Byzantia can say a few words, but Simeon has no desire to converse with anyone.

One couple are called X and Y but I could never remember which was the man and which the woman, Then Y who turns out to be female gases herself, and then I could remember that X was a man.

X and Y are somehow involved with Helen, who lives with Emma-Audrey. X and Y are artists, and Helen paints too.

Most of the women are married but have lovers, and these lovers are also married and some have other lovers, as far as I recall. It’s all very complicated, but realistic, I’m sure.

Scarlet eventually marries a boring, elderly man called Edwin; he is very controlling, and Scarlet leaves him. Edwin wants to have custody of Byzantia and to change her name; he doesn’t want any name in particular, he just hates the name Byzantia.

Scarlet prostitutes herself for two pairs of nylons.

“Scarlet feels that she is at last a whore. She need no longer resist Edwin’s accusations. She can accept them gracefully and have some peace.”

To sum up, I found this to be an entertaining, very readable book in Waldon’s usual facetious style; I couldn’t remember who everybody was, but it didn’t matter. show less

I found this a very confusing story - and not really worth the effort in the end

Indeholder kapitlerne "1. Wanda, Scarlet and Byzantia", "2. Ask Your Father", "3. A Certain Sunday", "4. Scarlet is Brought to Bed", "5. Susan is Selfish", "6. Problems and Solutions", "7. Scarlet Shows Off", "8. Scarlet Goes to Market", "9. On the Move", "10. Sorting Out", "11. Crucifixions", "12. Nice People", "13. Solutions", "14. Down Among the Women".

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