Jane a lesson in following dreams
The Remarkable Miss Digby is a stunning debut historical novel set in Syria about a woman who refused to be constrained by the customs of her time by Patricia Donovan.
Donovan grew up in Christchurch, and graduated from the University of Canterbury with a master’s degree (with honours) in English Literature. After graduation she worked in corporate communications in Australia and New
Zealand, and is the author of a comprehensive reference book for the profession: Communications. The Four Essential Steps to Best Practice.
We asked her some questions:
Can you tell us a little about The Remarkable Miss Digby and its key themes?
This is a story about Jane Digby, specifically the last 20 years of her life. It’s the 1850s, and Jane, in her mid-40s, having suffered constant ridicule for her scandalous ways, flees Europe for Syria, where she intends to settle but just can’t help herself and soon gets into more trouble.
The key themes of the book are knowing oneself is a prerequisite for happiness and that we shouldn’t let societal constraints stop us from pursuing our dreams.
The novel will appeal to readers intrigued by the life of one of England’s most notorious and appealing socialites, and who enjoy an adventure set in a wild romantic place, against a backdrop of historic events.
What inspired you to write The Remarkable Miss Digby?
Although it wasn’t until 2017 that I began writing this book, I first heard about Jane Digby in 2008. My partner and I were travelling across the desert, from Damascus to Palmyra, and our guide told us about Jane, that we were following in her footsteps. I was immediately entranced by Jane’s story.
I was also entranced by Syria, and in particular the desert. Syria is a rich and romantic place — which now, due to the civil war, seems like a lost world. I wanted to capture it, and to take people there. Also, the books I read about Jane Digby were short on detail. I craved that detail. I wanted to get down and dirty with her in that desert, know what it was like for a woman, and a Victorian woman at that, to live and survive in that wild land.
How much of the book is fact, and what have you fictionalised?
The key characters — Jane, Eugenie, Medjuel, Richard Wood — were all real people and the key incidents did happen: Jane’s past and various humiliations, the situation with the Druze massacre, her affair with one Bedouin and marriage to another. Accounts of Jane Digby’s life, however, leave a lot of gaps and these are what I imagined to create my story.
How difficult was it writing a novel that features a real-life person?
Not difficult at all. I put myself in Jane’s shoes and we set off together.
You are donating your earnings from book sales to Reliefaid, can you tell us a little about the organisation?
Reliefaid was founded in 2014 by Aucklander Mike Seawright to provide material support to people made homeless by conflict.
It’s a lean organisation, very focused and very brave. Its people go right into conflict zones where help is most needed, but where few aid agencies are able or willing to operate, to distribute shelter materials, such as blankets, tarpaulins, cooking equipment and children’s clothing, to families who otherwise would receive no help.