Helen Garner. 2008. Text Publishing Melbourne Australia
Is this 'Monkey Grip' for ladies in their 60s? Instead of junky boyfriends and love, in this story the disturbance is by hippie friends with cancer and death.
Helen cares for her bohemian friend with cancer. Nicola believes in all sorts of quasi medical miracles (vitamin c, cupping, electrode treatment). She refuses to face death, leaving that full sad knowledge to her carers. Carers become punitive mothers.
I really enjoy books set in Melbourne and look forward to the padding within the narrative for the scene descriptions. This story is set somewhere on the Broadmeadows line, near Moonee Ponds. The setting for clinic in Flinders Lane is so familiar. As is dinner at the Waiters Club.
Sparse elegant writing. Home life effortlessly described.
The morning was grey and gentle, with doves. p103
