The Waiting Game

This is without a doubt among the best books I've read this summer, and indeed, all year. I've been meaning to read Bernice Rubens's books for several years now, ever since another LTer brought her to my attention. Until then, I wasn't really aware of her work. I'd heard of the movie Madame Sousatzka, based on her novel, because Shirley MacLaine had played the lead role, but had it not been for Kerry, Rubens might have gone on being completely unknown to me for decades longer, which would have been a sad loss. As it is, I've slowly been accumulating some of her books, and was delighted to discover Isis Publishing had recently put out audiobook versions of a number of her novels, all read by very good narrators.

The Waiting Game of the show more title takes place at Hollyhocks, a distinguished home for the aged close to Dover, where only the gentry need apply for admission. Matron, who keeps things well in hand, has always seen to that, and she has always been able to sift the scent of class from the other less pleasant effluvia of aging. Lady Celia is queen among the patrons, being the only one of the residents holding a title, and all the other residents defer to her in all matters. Of course nobody has any idea she makes a comfortable living with a thriving blackmailing concern which she runs with the help of a partner and Mr Venables, aka The Ferret. Yet, though they all show her respect, most of the residents dislike Lady Celia because their instinct tells them she will outlast them all. Jeremy Cross has more reason than most to hate her as he's made outliving everyone his one and only obsession. He keeps a constantly updated list of those who have passed away before their time and has every intention of outliving all the other residents at Hollyhocks, especially Lady Celia.

Each resident in the house has his or her secrets and when newcomer Mrs Thackeray arrives, she and Mrs Green become friendly and embark on seemingly harmless fantasy-ridden retellings of the past. After all, Mrs Thackeray had endured a miserable and sexually abusive marriage which isn't fit to talk about, while Mrs Green, well.. she perhaps has more reasons than most to wish to reinvent herself. Of course, for the most part, only the reader is privy to everybody's secrets, though in the end a very big surprise is revealed to everyone. I admit I saw it coming, but this didn't take away from my pleasure one bit.

I'm not sure why it is I enjoy reading about elderly people so much (and here I should specify when I say 'elderly', I do mean old and frail enough to need to be in retirement homes!)—it probably has to do with the fact that having lived so long, and lived through many generations, they've inevitably accumulated life experiences, have fully blossomed into the unique individuals those experiences have forged them into, and invariably have stories to tell, and in the hands of skilled writers, these characters can yield pure magic. Two of my all-time favourite novels feature men and women who are in the winters of their lives: Memento Mori by Muriel Spark and All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville-West. Both gems which I intend to revisit often and heartily recommend.

I can see lots more Rubens in my future, and this was a great place to start. show less

This is my favourite of Rubens' novels; it's witty, sly and seems a little slow to get moving (while things are actually happening just under the surface) - like the best residential home residents! The characters are, for the most part, quite horrible when taken at face value - but Rubens excels in finding the redeemable and ever likeable in each of her characters... and if we don't like them, we can often at least sympathise with them.

What struck me as most unusual about this book is how rare it is to see our elderly stripped of romantic notions in literature... their pettiness, secrecy and occasional nobility are a startling facet of the story, even before the seemingly trivial string of events start to coalesce into an observable plot.

This is the first book by Bernice Rubens I've read, and it's also a "genre" I've been interested in lately--life in an old folks' home.

This book is full of wickedly funny characters. Lady Celia keeps herself in style by running a thriving blackmail business on the side. Mr. Cross keeps a running tally of deaths as they occur, and revels each time someone dies before him. The residents all have hidden pasts and current eccentricities. Even the matron has some secrets.

This was a fun read, and I'll be looking for more books by Rubens.

How this book won a booker prize is beyond me. Repetitive happenings, uninteresting characters, little emotion, and it generalizes old people as horrible and petty.