Literary Gems Unearthed in 'Retro Fiction' Reviews

This week's review of 'Retro fiction' brings to light two notable works: Caroline Blackwood's 'Great Granny Webster' and Agnes Owens' 'Bad Attitudes'. Both novels are lauded for their distinct literary merits, offering stark portrayals of human experience.

Caroline Blackwood's 'Great Granny Webster', controversially overlooked for the 1977 Booker Prize, is described as a darkly humorous and brilliantly crafted novel. The narrative follows an unnamed young girl sent to convalesce with her formidable great-grandmother. The setting is a cold, imposing house in post-war Hove, where the matriarch presides over generations of troubled women. Blackwood's creations, including an insane daughter in a decaying Irish mansion and a suicidal granddaughter, are rendered with vivid intensity. A later scene revisiting Hove is characterized as grotesque yet hilariously deadpan, cementing the novel's status as a 'work of genius'.

Agnes Owens' 'Bad Attitudes' is also featured, with its republication marking the centenary of her birth. The review positions Owens as a significant voice, a chronicler of poor, working-class Scottish lives through authentic and spare prose, imbued with black humor. The novel is set in the 1980s, focusing on the Dawson family in a re-housed council flat. The story centers on truanting son Peter, who frequents their old home awaiting demolition, where he encounters Shanky and a family of 'tinkers'. Peter's mother, Rita, endures her husband's drunken rages and a nosy neighbor, leading her to desperate measures for escape. Suspicion escalates when a social worker is murdered, shattering hopes and revealing the novel's compelling narrative.

The review also briefly mentions Celia Dale's 'The Innocent Party'. Dale's work is noted for its focus on lonely, vulnerable, and easily deceived characters, portrayed with a mix of pity and detachment. The novel depicts 12-year-old Linda, living with her resentful mother Vera and adored salesman father Denny. Linda's idealized view of her father is contrasted with his abusive behavior and Vera's despair. The story builds towards a chilling climax as Linda becomes increasingly manipulative.