The View Beyond My Father

by Mabel Esther Allan

A young girl, trapped by her blindness and the narrowness of her father's world, tries to overcome both handicaps

Genres: Fiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

A prolific British children's author, who also wrote under the pen-names Jean Estoril, Priscilla Hagon, Anne Pilgrim, and Kathleen M. Pearcey, Mabel Esther Allan is particularly known for her school and ballet stories.

Born in 1915 at Wallasey on the Wirral Peninsula, Allan knew from an early age that she wanted to be an author, and published her first short stories in the 1930s. Her writing career was interrupted by World War II, during which time she served in the Women's Land Army and taught school in Liverpool, but the 1948 publication of The Glen Castle Mystery saw it begin to take off in earnest. Influenced by Scottish educator A.S. Neill, Allan held progressive views about education, views that often found their way into her books, particularly her school stories. She was interested in folk dance and ballet - another common subject in her work - and was a frequent traveler. She died in 1998.

Reviews

[Classical Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually have time to write reviews but this book surprised me so much I had to say something. It's because of books like this that I continue to seek out and read these older and forgotten books and authors. The book details how Mary Ann must find a way to be independent while she is blind and her wealthy family does not allow any freedom. The characters in this book felt so real to me. I was able to identify with Mary Ann's struggles for independence from overprotective parents and was fascinated by her father's character. Most of the characters were not necessarily likable but I considered all of them to be real people. I never felt that anyone had acted out of character. If I had read this when I was younger I would not have appreciated the character nuances as I did when I currently read the book. I like the theme that in order for Mary Ann to be completely independent she had to be able to mentally be able to see outside her father's perspectives instead of just her physical sight.

This book spoke to me in many different ways that would be hard to fully express. This is not the first time I've read and loved such an obscure book. I probably would never have known this book existed if I had not been perusing my university's children's collection. I have inserted this information at the end of this review to encourage anyone reading this to give older books they have never heard of a chance.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review from when I was a children's librarian. Set in England in the 1930s. Mary Anne Angus is slowly going blind. Her parents refuse to allow her to adjust to her disability and pledge to protect her; from the outside world, herself, etc. It is only after she meets a boy that she insists on some independence and forces her parents to accept her blindness. I enjoyed the way it presented Mary Anne's feelings about her growing blindness and her parents' protectiveness. Recommended.

[Monica Willyard Moen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of those rare gems you stumble across by accident and want to reread just for the pleasure of rediscovery. This is a story of a young girl who is coming to terms with both her blindness and her aloof, oppressive father while looking for her own strength and value.

[Louise Culmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is 1930 and Mary Ann Angus, who is nearly fifteen and has suffered from bad eyesight all her life, has been blind for two years. Her conventional narrow minded parents are over protective and will not allow her to do anything or go anywhere by herself, and she is maddened by the restrictions of her life. Then she meets a boy called Dennis, a year older than her, who wants to be an artist, and introduces her to ideas she has never thought about before. And she also makes friends with Gwynn, her parents new maid. And then the exciting prospect opens up that she may be able to get her sight back in one eye if she has an operation.
This is an interesting story which is partly autobiographical, the author suffered from bad eyesight all her life, particularly when young (though she was never completely blind like Mary Ann) and her descriptions of Mary Ann’s returning eyesight are particularly vivid. Mary Ann’s mainly unsympathetic parents are also I think based on her own parents. Her real life friends Miffy, Binkie and Veronica also appear in fictional form. The rather over idealised Dennis does not I think have any basis in real life. But perhaps the author would have liked a Dennis in her life? I don’t know.