The Gate of Angels by Penelope Fitzgerald - 4 stars (Subdue)

[Joy D]

The Gate of Angels by Penelope Fitzgerald - 4* - My Review

Set in 1912, Fred Fairley is a junior fellow at the St Angelicus College at Cambridge. He is a student of physics who has veered away from his Christian upbringing. When he and Daisy Saunders collide on their bicycles, he falls in love and contemplates the irrational emotional realm, which seems almost opposite to his scientific perspective. He returns home to visit his family, and finds his mother and sisters are now supporting women’s suffrage.

It speaks to a society on the verge of massive change, and I am sure it is no accident that it is set just before the onset of World War I. Upcoming changes include the rise of scientific explanations of the world, women’s suffrage, and the decreasing separation in social classes. It contains a number of literary allusions, and even an embedded ghost story! Fitzgerald covers a lot of ground in a short novel. I particularly enjoyed the subtle humor. It will appeal to those who enjoy quiet novels with interesting characters and societal insights.