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recorder of lives lived on the margins of a shabby and fading England, and describes the life led by middle aged spinsters, clergymen and minor officials of genteel birth.
There are four main characters, who work in the same office, doing mundane work, rapidly approaching retirement. In fact Letty and Marcia do retire, previously ‘the girls’ but are now referred to as the old dears’.
At their retirement party, the assistant director proudly declares “that nobody knows exactly what they do, or has ever known... doing good by stealth”.
The ladies grow older, more lonely and isolated. However, there is a hint of hope at the very end of the novel as “life still held infinite possibilities for change”.
We all agreed that coping with ageing and retirement very much depends on your attitude to life, whether you are proactive in seeking activities that you enjoy, meeting people with similar interests.
It was particularly noted that Letty and Marcia, although well educated, were not valued in the work place and were relegated to minor office roles involving tedious, repetitious tasks.
Gender equality at work is still a battle for many women but we have moved on substantially since the era of Letty and Marcia.
Other books mentioned included The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald; Excellent Women by Barbara Pym; Staying On by Paul Scott (winner of 1977 Booker) and Elizabeth Taylor novels.
Our next book will be The Sealwoman’s Gift by Sally Magnusson.