When Molly Keane wrote her final novel; Loving and Giving, she was well into her eighties. It had been over sixty years since her first novel was published under her pseudonym of M J Farrell.
In her introduction to this modern vmc edition (sorry virago, but I don’t like the cover at all) Michelle Roberts says Loving and Giving is her best novel. Other readers may argue that, Good Behaviour (another later novel) could also be in the running for that accolade. As Roberts says, the novel shows Keane’s maturity, describing it as ‘less superficial, less obviously funny than most of her previous fiction.’
Loving and Giving is a superb novel, Keane’s writing is as good as ever, she recreates a recognisable time and place without sentimentality. I always feel her characters could have been – and perhaps were, taken from life.
The novel opens in 1914, Nicandra is eight years old, life is good at the family’s grand Irish home; Deer Forest. Maman is beautiful, Dada a small, silent man is only really happy around his stables, horses and dogs. Aunt Tossie – Maman’s widowed sister is big bosomed and kind, and looks, she knows, quite wonderful in her weeds. This is a place where everyone has his or her place, above stairs the family live comfortably, below stairs or in the stables, the maids, butler, grooms and steward have a different kind of life. Nicandra runs between the stables, and the house with a freedom few modern children ever experience.
“Then, as light follows darkness, she saw Maman coming down the drive. She wore her lilac coat and skirt, braided with deeper lilac; the skirt, widened at the hem and floated out over thin boots, the tidy laces criss-crossing on shadowy ankles – there was something playful in Maman’s way of walking, something jaunty that swayed her hips, and made her straw hat tilt up on her frizzled curls…From the shrubbery side of the avenue fresh wet heads of lilac bowed over her, heavy in their prime flowering. She lifted her arm to catch at a branch and, as she held it down, rainwater fell on her face – her eyes were shut; it was as if she was drinking the scent of lilac.”
Nicandra simply worships her mother, enjoying the intoxicating scent of her hand cream, taking pleasure in small everyday acts she knows will please her mother. Every morning Nicandra runs into her mother’s bedroom when the morning tea is delivered. Life seems very nearly perfect, until Maman does something too terrible to be discussed, and thereafter, disappears from Nicandra’s life.
When love is suddenly ripped away, it leaves a hollowness so deep, perhaps it can never be filled. Nicandra takes the confusion and distress of her mother’s disappearance, out on Silly Billy – the son of the lodge keeper – who has some kind of unspecified learning difficulties. It is the one act of spite of her young life – a moment she forgets all about. As she grows up into a lovely young woman she wraps those around her in love and kindness.
As a young woman starting out in society, Nicandra is looking around for what love could possibly be, what it might mean for her. The heady excitement of a hunt ball, her best friend; beautiful heiress Lal helping her dress, the two young ladies are accompanied by Nicandra’s faithful old friend Robert and his friend Andrew. Here finally, is love.
“Before she undressed, Nicandra pulled back the window curtains, cold as glass in her hands, and stood between them to look out at the changed world. Even the moon was not the same. It hung lower in the sky, nearer, more golden, since now she loved and was loved.”
Nicandra’s heart is ripe for hurt and betrayal, Andrew is happiest when at the races, he sometimes seems to have more in common with their mutual friend Lal.
Meanwhile at Deer Forest, not too far from where Nicandra lives with her husband, Dada and Aunt Tossie have fallen into a comfortable, companionship. The two old friends rub along pretty well, understanding one another’s little ways. Around the time of the Second World War, Deer Forest is falling into disrepair there isn’t the money there once was, and the family home may need to be sold. In preparation, Aunt Tossie moves into a caravan in the grounds with her whisky hidden in the ‘po’ cupboard and her stuffed parrot, attended to faithfully and a little jealously by Silly Billy – now called William.
I can’t say too much more about this novel and certainly not about the ending, but suffice to say, there is the most spectacular and unexpected conclusion to this novel. My jaw dropped.
My word, you have me intrigued about the ending – it sounds most dramatic! With the benefit of hindsight, could you discern any clues along the way or does the conclusion come completely out of the blue?
I have a copy of her Good Behaviour somewhere, so your review reminds me that I ought to dig it out.
No real clues no, though I began to sense something was going to happen, but I was still stunned.
I’m sure I’ve read this – many years ago -but I don’t remember the ending, so I am going to have to look out my copy. It’s wonderful that she could look so far back to when she was a child with such love and convey that to her readers. I remember reading her introduction to a reprint of another of her novels and it was a joy.
Yes, she doesn’t usually do childhood in her novels, (Mad Puppetstown is an exception and I loved that too). I like Molly Keane’s writing but I know not everyone likes the horse/hunting stuff. This one has very little of that.
I’ve got to get to this book soon. It’s been on my shelf a long time.
I really hope you enjoy it.
This books and author are completely new to me! I feel I should be embarrassed at that… anyway, thanks for this review. Sounds like an intriguing author (and book, according to your last paragraph)!
Molly Keane was a very good chronicler of Anglo Irish aristocracy not all her books are in print now, but they show up in second hand editions quite often.
I had also forgotten the ending and pulled the book from the shelf. I read it and remembered being stunned, too. It’s odd that when I read your review, the characters came back to me but that remarkable ending didn’t. Thanks for bringing the book to life again. I’ve read three novels by Keane and am eager to read more.
Oh I think her characters are brilliant too, Nicandra is well drawn, but I always love Molly Keane’s eccentrics, Aunt Tossie is a great one.
I feel like I’ve read this but aeons ago. The cover is a bit weird, isn’t it. Bad Virago!
I think the cover makes it look a bit insubstantial. Or a bit like a Nancy Mitford or something.
yes, you’re right, some kind of silly flapper book at best!
Oh gosh! I didn’t get on too well with her on my first attempt but you almost have me convinced to have another go! And agreed about the cover – yuk!
I have been irritated before by some of the Virago covers of a few years ago, this one is particularly inappropriate I think.
I hope you do give Molly Keane another go. Some of novels have less of the hunting stuff in.
This sounds wonderful, I’ll definitely add it to the list. If it wasn’t a Virago I don’t think I’d judge the cover so harshly, as these days I’m happy if it’s not a still from a film adaptation or stock photography of a pair of shoes, but I always expect more from Virago 😉
I think that’s why I was annoyed. Virago should do better, the cover devalues Molly Keane’s writing, and I think that’s outrageous, it’s one of things that drives me nuts about publishing.
You have me totally intrigued about this novel Ali! I’ve enjoyed the 2 Molly Keane’s I’ve read so I’ll definitely hunt this down – hopefully with a different cover – yuck.
Very happy to have intrigued you. 😉
Molly Keane is a good read, and a better writer than that silly cover suggests. Glad it’s not just me irritated by it.
I dont care for that cover either. This is a Keane novel I havent heard of but will add to my wishlist….
It’s such a good one hope you enjoy it. It certainly has less of the horsey /hunting stuff although all her characters have an interest in it.
I just bought another one by her but now I can’t remember what it’s called…..
[…] Loving and Giving by Molly Keane was probably my stand out read of the month. Keane’s final novel – it shows great maturity and has a killer twist right at the end. […]
[…] Loving and Giving by Molly Keane (1988) Molly Keane’s final novel published more than sixty years after her first is utterly superb. On […]