Go tell the lemming

by Bernice Rubens

A story which attempts to capture the fierce heat of the Italian landscape as well as the rhythm of London days and evenings. The author is also known for her novels The Elected Member, Kingdom Come and Five Year Sentence.

232 pages, Hardcover

First published February 21, 1991

About the author

Bernice Rubens was born in Cardiff, Wales in July 1928. She began writing at the age of 35, when her children started nursery school. Her second novel, Madame Sousatzka (1962), was filmed by John Schlesinger filmed with Shirley MacLaine in the leading role in 1988. Her fourth novel, The Elected Member, won the 1970 Booker prize. She was shortlisted for the same prize again in 1978 for A Five Year Sentence. Her last novel, The Sergeants’ Tale, was published in 2003. She was an honorary vice-president of International PEN and served as a Booker judge in 1986. Bernice Rubens died in 2004 aged 76.

Reviews

[Alisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is difficult for me to review because, while it is well-written, none of the characters are likable. Angela Morrow's husband leaves her to live with another woman, but he does not want to give her a divorce and continues to string her along. Angela, brought to the brink of suicide, idolizes her husband and continues to debase herself throughout the novel while he throws her scraps of his attention. At one point he even punches her when he discovers that she has slept with someone else, but Angela brushes this off and continues to follow him like a lovesick puppy. Other characters in the book put up with similar spousal abuse (one character's husband even shows up to their dinner with his mistress). Angela seems to understand that she needs to cut ties with her husband but cannot bring herself to do so, choosing instead to wallow in self-pity and self-destructive, dangerous habits.

I guess I did not understand the point of this book. There was no resolution or character growth; Angela continues to make bad choices until the end. What was the message here? I kept hoping for an ounce of self-respect from the main character or even a modicum of self-reflection from any of the characters, but the book finished abruptly and on a disturbing note.

[John Newcomb · Rating 3 out of 5]

A divorcee attempts to change her life with the aid of her diary. This is a funny and amusing book but not really a very nice book.

[Kathy Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most disturbing books I have ever read and it stays with you. It's not for the faint-hearted, but it is absolutely excellent.