Saturday, August 11, 2012

The Heat of the Day by Elizabeth Bowen

'He dared not decide whether her eyes, with their misted askance look, were those of the victim or of the femme fatale.'

Stella Rodney lives on the top floor of a house on Weymouth Street near Regent's Park.  Working in a secret branch of government during World War II she is skilled at living a veiled existence both in her public and private lives.  Despite the fact that details surrounding her divorce from Victor have been misconstrued, Stella leaves the past behind and moves forward with strength and confidence to live independently.

One evening she has a visit from a man named Harrison who delivers a bombshell.  Telling Stella that her lover, Robert, is a spy for Nazi Germany, he offers to withhold the information in return for a sexual relationship with her.  So begins the unraveling of what is true, what is false and deciding which man is being deceitful.  Meanwhile her son, Roderick, serving in the Army, learns that he is to inherit the family home in Ireland (mirroring Elizabeth's inheritance of Bowen's Court).  Feeling he needs the blessing of Cousin Francis's widow, Nettie, he travels to a home for the aged and insane where he ends up discovering some unsettling news about his father.  But is the narrator reliable?

While this book has been described as Bowen's 'war novel' the reader is acutely aware that people have the ability to wreak as much havoc with lies as with bombs.  Even something as benign as a visit to Holme Dene, Robert's crumbling family estate, is cloaked in secrecy as he and Stella keep the fact that they are a couple secret from relatives.  Colder surroundings you would be hard pressed to find as the inhabitants even jealously guard their butter rations at mealtime.   

Bowen's descriptions of London during the war are both life affirming...

'The very soil of the city at this time seemed to generate more strength: in parks the outsize dahlias, velvet and stretched out perfect against the sun blazoned out the idea of the finest hour.'

...and chilling...

'You dared not envisage sleep.  Apathetic, the injured and dying in the hospitals watched light change on walls which might fall tonight  Those rendered homeless sat where they had been sent; or, worse, with the obstinacy of animals retraced their steps to look for what was no longer there.'

But while other novels from this era are full of people scurrying for shelter during air raids, there seems to be a more relaxed feeling about it all in this novel.  At one point near the end of the book, Stella receives a visitor as the guns are blaring in the distance only causing a slight delay in her conversation.  Defiantly perhaps, she has taken yet another top floor flat at a time when others are living half of their lives underground.

There is a backdrop storyline involving Louie Lewis who shares a flat on Chilcombe Street with Connie.  They also offer an opportunity for Bowen to expose social and class distinctions, of which she was very much aware, as the ladies share a bed with noisy springs, work in a factory and wear gloves with grimy seams.   More secrets permeate their storyline and as skillfully as one could imagine, Bowen brings these characters together in one of the most unforgettable stories I will ever read.

To anyone who is still unaware of this author's talent, yes there are times when Bowen's richly layered passages full of observations slow you down and make you work but I beg of you, do not shy away!  She is sublime, a genius, a doyenne, and with this book has taken the crown as my absolute favourite author.      

27 comments:

  1. I'm still unaware, but think what I have to look forward to! Thank you for telling us about her...I'm adding some of her books to my must-read list.

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    1. We do like to do our bit filling everyone's bookshelves to bursting! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Audrey.

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  2. Sounds interesting. I look forward to researching both the author and the book. Lately, I've read several books set in the WWI, WWII years. Thanks for sharing! Bonnie

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    1. Books set during those eras are fantastic and better still if written by someone during those years. Definitely have a look at The Heat of the Day, Bonnie, it's a stunning piece.

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    1. Lovely to see you, Mystica! Have a good day.

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  4. Great review of a great book -- one of my best reads of last year. Yes I agree Bowen can demand a bit more concentration than some other writers but my goodness it really pays off. I'm very much looking forward to hearing what you think of Parade's End -- I have read Ford's The Good Soldier and thought it was absolutely brilliant.

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    1. Oh Harriet, a handful of pages in to Parade's End I just wasn't feeling it. Right book, wrong mood I think. No doubt once the BBC dramatization airs I will want to dive right back in. So it was off to my bookshelves and Gissing got the nod!

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  5. Like that new banner.

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    1. A Friday off and a napping dog...amazing what you can get done! Thanks, Susan.

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  6. I'm currently reading Bowen's A world of love now I'm I'm holiday. I tried it during term time travelling & within a few pages knew it was one to savour not read on a 7am weekday train.

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    1. Definitely not! Too much hustle and bustle. There is a woman living behind us who loves to have phone conversations while she paces on her back patio...arrggh. That's me packing my book in!

      Enjoy your book, it's not one that I've read yet but it's on my shelf.

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  7. So many years since I read this. And now you make me want to pull it down from the shelf again.

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    1. Hello there, stranger! Hopefully this means your blogger comments situation has been remedied.

      I could very easily have turned straight back to the first page, Mary.

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    2. It wasn't remedied - I was in the library. But have just had expensive computer overhaul this afternoon, and tonight I see that comments are back in action!
      It does feel more sociable!
      Have been celebrating with glass of wine and the first few episodes of Parade's End - which you are going to love!

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  8. Wonderful review, Darlene. My only experience with Elizabeth Bowen has been The House in Paris, and it sounds like this one should be next on my list!

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    1. Too bad there wasn't any Bowen in that wonderful stack of books you bought at the library sale. I had a laugh at the image of you whipping through the offerings while watching the clock, well done!

      If you like Bowen and enjoyed The House in Paris, JoAnn, I am confident you will get on with this one.

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  9. I haven't been here for a while. I like your new layout.

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    1. Thanks, Vipula! It was time to move the furniture about but the new look still jars a bit once it appears. I'm going to pop round yours...see you in a bit!

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  10. Haven't herd much about The Heiress lately - how is she doing?

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  11. I thought I'd commented on this but apparently not - amazing review and so glad you loved it - how does it rank with other Bowens in your opinion? nothing has reached the depths of To the North for me, but The heat of the day was a close second!

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    1. If the house were on fire and I had to choose one title from the three I've read so far it would have to be To the North. That book was a reading experience apart from any other and was probably the first time I really allowed myself to sink into prose. Bowen has every sort of author's skill all rolled into one! Also, To the North was my introduction to her so perhaps that plays a part in my affection for the novel as well.

      At the beginning of The Heat of the Day when Harrison is basically blackmailing Stella I thought 'oh, oh...I am not going to like this' because men manipulating women does not sit well with me. But my reading self must be maturing as I was able to get past that, admire other aspects of the novel and not judge the situation personally. Bowen really drew me in! And The House in Paris *sigh*...oh god, Rachel...what will we do once we've gone through the lot?!

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  12. It's a rare and wonderful thing when a writer really speaks to you. For me it's probably Rebecca West and of course, Austen. I think there is something of a Bowen revival as I've seen a few of her books in Waterstones which isn't known for stocking too much early 20thC fiction!

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    1. I was thinking of you today while browsing a couple of Rebecca West titles at a bookshop! And if I were in Waterstones no one would be safe to walk past the Bowen books without being told to have a go. I can hear it now 'Security to the B shelves...'

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  13. Your absolute favourite, Darlene! Gosh, I must try Bowen again. I will try...

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    1. And I have been eyeing my copy of Manservant and Maidservant. We shall see who reads something from the other camp first!

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