The Girl from the Fiction Department: A Portrait of Sonia Orwell

by Hilary Spurling

Sonia Orwell, widow of George Orwell, was blamed for exploiting his name and squandering his fortune after he died. Here, Hilary Spurling shows that she was in fact a heroic woman who devoted much of her life to righting wrongs.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Biography Memoir, British Literature, History

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Hilary Spurling, CBE, FRSL (born 1940) is an English writer, known as a journalist and biographer. She won the Whitbread Prize for the second volume of her biography of Henri Matisse in January 2006. Burying The Bones: Pearl Buck in China was published in March 2010.

She is married to playwright John Spurling, and has three children (Amy, Nathaniel and Gilbert) and two grandchildren.

Reviews

[Bill Kupersmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The style of the photograph on page 98 is perfectly iconic. We seem to be looking over Sonia Brownell’s shoulder towards Lys Lubbock, in the offices of Cyril Conolly’s magazine Horizon. It is most ironic as well, supposedly taken on the final day of publication. No paper in Lys’s typewriter and Sonia’s telephone has gone silent. Today best known as George Orwell’s widow, who collected and oversaw what the Victorians would have termed the writer’s ‘remains’, we find from D. J. Taylor’s Lost Girls: Love, War and Literature: 1939-1951 that towards the end of the magazine’s run Sonia was virtually the editor, making the editorial decisions to reject and accept, as well as reviewing the latest publications of the Paris avant garde. Having had the experience myself of editing a journal in the humanities, I know just how much an able editorial assistant contributes, in effect an editor’s alter ego. Though her formal education did not extend beyond convent school and a year at a Swiss pension, Sonia held her own in the most rarified Parisian intellectual spheres, as well as gaining the affection of a wide variety of English and American admirers, not only George Orwell, whom she married on his deathbed, but Anthony Powell, Stephen Spender, Mary McCarthy, and Jean Rhys, whose rediscovery Sonia accomplished.

One fascinating aspect of Sonia’s career seems to have escaped the credit it deserves. Before her work at Horizon, she served as the editorial assistant to Eugene Vinaver, a name little known to readers of modern literature, but instantly recognisable by every mediaeval scholar as the editor of The Works of Sir Thomas Malory. A mediaevalist recently described her: “The individual in question was Sonia Brownell (1918–80), then nineteen years old, well versed in French but untrained in Middle English palaeography, and something of a femme fatale.” And adds: “Sonia’s name is absent from Vinaver’s acknowledgements to those who helped him to transcribe Caxton’s Morte or the Winchester Manuscript.” I wonder just how much of the Oakeshott MS Sonia transcribed but given what we know of her extreme conscientiousness, I should expect she made a good job of it, especially as the MS is in a very easy and readable hand. I imagine that had Sonia been born a generation later (ie my own) she would not only have attended university, but ended up a distinguished professor of French. I suspect Vinaver’s failure to acknowledge Sonia’s assistance may owe less to any scholarly failures than that he had since become married.

I found reading this biography that Sonia Brownell was someone I’d like to have had as a friend as well as an editorial assistant, and even though glad I’d not encountered her in her later years when that might have been possible. The heavy drinking, I suspect, accompanied an introversion I found amongst many English people and with which I easily empathised, one had to be half-shot to feel comfortable amidst strangers or in a crowd, and it is easy to overdo it. Unfortunately, Sonia was also extremely averse to dealing with finances, with bad consequences for the Orwell estate for which she was unfairly blamed. As we also shared a similar traditional Roman Catholic education, I know well the steel-trap conscience that accompanies that formation. However much rationally one rejects those beliefs, the guilt continues to haunt one. I wonder if she was ever tempted to slip into the much pleasanter harbour of Anglicanism. There were lots of first-rate Anglican writers in Sonia’s time – T. S. Eliot, C. S. Lewis, Dorothy Sayers. Maybe Sonia thought the via media too easy a course, unafraid to adopt the full-scale atheism of her French contemporaries.

Yet, Sonia Brownell Orwell accomplished much more for the literature and culture of the English-speaking world than all but a few creative writers or literary scholars. First of course by preserving Orwell’s works, but also by encouraging major writers and inspiring some of their best characters, as well as discovering and commissioning new writers. Even though I never met her, I feel I’ve discovered a friend and inspiration.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sonia Orwell was a fascinating and brilliant woman, though apparently much maligned by biographers of her first husband George Orwell. Hillary Spurling knew Sonia towards the end of her life and wished to redress this situation by writing about her friend and showing what a generous and kind person she was. She also wanted to show how Sonia was dedicated to protecting George Orwell's literary legacy, to such an extent that it preyed on her health and left her impoverished. In this Spurling succeeded, although I found the biography somewhat vague and repetitive. Spurling over romanticises Sonia's relationships with artists and philosophers of her youth, but only touches on her relationship with Orwell. If you are reading this because you are an Orwell fan, you will therefore find this book disappointing. I already knew of Sonia from reading the wonderful Jean Rhys biography by Carole Angiers and from Jean Rhys's correspondence - she was incredibly kind to Ms Rhys in her old age and helped her writing career by publishing an extract from Wide Sargasso Sea. Sonia was famously the inspiration for the character Julia in Orwell's Nineteen-Eighty-Four. She was a obviously a remarkable person, but I don't feel I really know her - even after reading this biography, Sonia Orwell remains elusive.

[Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would actually give this 0 stars!!

What a poor excuse for a biography! I was interested in reading this to hear about George Orwell 's wife and her relationship with him.

The marriage was short since when Sonia married him he was already dying of tuberculosis -- but the author, who claims to have been a good friend of Sonia Orwell's (and might have known a lot of information) glosses over the marriagee in about half a page.

Similarly, the author points out that she wrote the book to defend Sonia -- who had a reputation for fighting with the Orwell Foundation trustees to get money. However, this part is dealt with in 2 paragraphs -- with little information to back up her statements.

just hope that if you need your biography written that Spurling does not write it!!

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting biography of a woman who the basis for the character Julia in Orwell's 1984. Though they had been friends for years, she became his wife when he was essentially on his death bed. She tried valiantly to follow his wishes in spite of an unscrupulous accountant/adviser. However, this biography covers more than her attempts to follow Orwell's wishes. It shows how a woman, Sonia, actually did a good deal of the work to keep a literary magazine going while its editors were off gallivanting in the US and Europe. Like many women of the time period (and in history in general) she did most of the work and got little if any credit. This relatively short biography is an easy read that provides some insights into the intellectual circles Orwell inhabited.

[Amelie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sonia has story has inspired me to more strong willed and self confident.
Sonia was a hard worker and deserved better.
I’m thankful that I know her story.

[Stuart Hill · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't a particularly satisfying read as it lacked a perspective which incorporated several potential explanations for events in favour of a single viewpoint, resulting in a rather simplistic narrative. The author did not support her claims with relevant supporting evidence. It is asserted for example that Sonia was the model for the character of Julia in 1984, but this was never stated by George Orwell himself and some aspects of Sonia's personality seemed to be in direct contradiction to that of Julia. In the novel Julia's relationship with Winston was highly passionate and sexual; Sonia slept with Orwell 'more for his sake than hers' and in other circumstances seems to have been more interested in men for companionship than anything else, at one point marrying a man who was known to be homosexual. Others have considered that another woman may have been the inspiration for Julia, yet there is no reference to that possibility here at all.

Elsewhere there is a lack of explanation for events which leaves the book feeling rather hollow. Sonia's choice of Bernard Crick as Orwell's biographer is said to have been an impulsive gesture but there is no context provided to give insight into why a political economist was considered to be a suitable choice, an eccentric option to say the least. In later life Sonia seems to have become an alcoholic but whether she herself was aware of her unhealthy relationship with drink or her friends made any attempt to try to help her isn't explored. She seems to have always sought the company of artistic bohemians so it is possible that indulgence in alcohol was de riguer in such social circles.

Even with a relatively short length this book oustayed its' welcome somewhat so I can't really recommend it.

[Jukka]

The Girl from the Fiction Department - Hilary Spurling
This book is only so so. Rather flat as biography.
Sonia's story is quite interesting and that's what carries it.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of the rare books that I simply could not finish. I did not enjoy the writing and found it to be very dry and I was not drawn to the subject. It frustrated me to read.

[Megan Kelosiwang · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy the writing style of this biography but it was the story of a fascinating woman. It has left me wanting to know more about Sonia Orwell.

[Helen O'Toole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered this very handsome book in a second hand book shop for the princely sum of $2; imagine hard cover edition with a classic beige dust cover with a very fetching sepia toned photograph of Sonia Orwell in the centre.
It was written by her loyal friend, Hilary Spurling with the express intention of rescuing Sonia's reputation as the manipulative widow and demanding literary executor of George Orwell's estate. I feel that Spurling has done this task with due diligence especially as she uses the words and recollections of Sonia's contemporaries to provide the reader with a balanced perspective on the life of this intelligent, passionate, complex yet very warm and kind person. She had married George Orwell a mere four months before his death from TB. Orwell " had loved her for her passionate , instinctive responses " and from his observation of her work as a respected editor, he knew that her "meticulous thoroughness" would ensure that his wishes in regard to his writing would be honoured. He did not expect to only have four months of marriage with her and they were both optimistic that a planned Swiss Alps home would give him extra time. Was she in fact the inspiration for the heroine of 1984, the brave girl from the Fiction Department? I certainly hope so.

[Ms Yvette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting telling of the life of George Orwell's (author of 1984 and Animal Farm) second wife Sonia Orwell (Brownell).

She really did lead an interesting life, with cameos of some famous people sprinkled throughout. It provides a more friendly take on the picture that was drawn up about her as the gold digging, stoic widow of Orwell.

It shows a woman who really knew how to do a job, friendly, always welcoming and fully trusting. That latter one being what resulted in the fact that she eventually died penniless.

Very interesting, though slightly confusing due to the amount of names to keep track of. Also, the biography covers so much information on this very filled life, that I often lost track of what I was reading about. The inserts of seemingly unrelated information at times did not help with this.

But, I learned a lot, and I feel that was the main thing I wanted to gain from reading this.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh dear, I really wanted to like this.
And I hope someone writes a good book about this woman some day - but this writer failed to do it. She was one of those dull friends who write about a more interesting one and just doesn't get it.
Maybe it's worth it for the rehabilitation of Sonia Orwell - which she does achieve - but sadly she's not the one to write the book.

[Russell James · Rating 5 out of 5]

To those familiar with Orwell's life this may seem a controversial take, as it's an unashamedly defensive portrait of his second wife Sonia, nee Brownell, traduced by many (those in favour of his first wife and unhappy with Sonia's 'control' of his estate) but shown in a better light here. A case convincingly made.

[Philip Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m enjoying filling in the gaps in the life and work of George Orwell. This biography fleshes out the story of Sonia, who became George’s second wife almost moments before his death. Now I understand how the mystery woman who came to care for George’s toddler son, uniquely brought a life that fitted the time, place and requirements of the moment.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 - a striking sketch of Sonia Orwell.

[Sofía Aguilera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dios mio, que mujer más maravillosa y yo ni en cuenta de que había existido, de los mejores 3 mil pesos que he gastado

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this was the shortest "biography" of George Orwell's widow, more so his literary legacy keeper than a wife. The marriage was brief, taken as a last resort and it was a partnership to attempt to extend George's life by sheer willpower on Sonia's behalf. Sonia was a strong character, full of contradictions and full of life, a force of nature full of all the insecurities and prone to misunderstanding especially by the strong male characters who were dominating in her circle. The biography is more than anything a sketch, but if anything else, it does seem to fit with the type of intense yet brief personal and romantic connections to which Sonia dedicated herself throughout her life in the presence of stellar, brilliant, doomed artists and writers.

Do you get a full picture of who Sonia was by reading this account? No. But should you expect to? Equally no. I think some of the sketchy way in which her character is portrayed does it far better justice than an inept attempt at an all knowing biography. As someone who didn't know even about the existence of Sonia, this biography sketch shines a light into a complicated and misunderstood woman and as all good biographers do, creates a connection between the biographer's subject and the reader, glimpses in a cracked mirror.

“These things were often intangible, but Sonia had almost a genius for localizing wants and needs people didn’t even know they had. She understood the consoling power of silliness and frivolity.”

"He could have been thinking of Sonia in the tribute he paid his dead companion:
He and his old friend Bataille were among the few who taught me that nothing matters as much as that combination which only a handful of individuals manage to bring off: a fierce love of life joined to a pitiless consciousness of just how derisory that is…”

[Catie]

Recommendation from @anicegreenleaf - June 2018