Arts: Literary Reviews

Lyrical Ballads By William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge

LIAM ANTHONY ELVISH | LITERARY REVIEW EDITOR

Wordsworth and Coleridge’s portmanteau of poetic verse, first published in 1798, has been hailed as a ‘manifesto’ of the English Romantic movement. The collection marks the beginning of a significant turning-point in literary history, bringing together the initial works of two relatively young poets whose friendship secured a working partnership which lasted for decades well into the ensuing century. The poets’ obsessive love for the Lake District provides the basis for much of the content, their writings adapting many of the ‘incidents and situations from common life’ they observed whilst residing in that part of the country. The pieces are unpolished, experimental, often imperfect, but that is precisely what makes them so fascinating to read in historical hindsight; the poets were freeing themselves from the shackles of traditional rules on metre and form, seeking instead the explore the written effects of heightened sensory experience. The reader should not be mistaken in assuming that the quaint rural backdrops may wither the potential for being emotionally moving - consider the dramatic impact of such narrative verses as ‘Goody Blake and Harry Gill’, ‘The Last of the Flock’ and ‘The Mad Mother’; these are pastoral epic tales beautifully condensed into the space of a few simple pages. Two of Coleridge’s most famous works, ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ and ‘The Nightingale’ received acclaim from both his collaborator and wider literary circles in English society, as well other poems from his pen which sought to challenge conventional norms in poetry. Nonetheless, it is Wordsworth who is very much the master of the moment here; as editor of the collection and author of the majority of the poems within, he constructs a unique, miscellaneous anthology of broad themes and varied approaches. Whilst not as bold nor ambitious in setting and scope as his partner, it is Wordsworth’s many untitled ‘Lines’ which offer the greatest poetic impact, and whose stanzas flow with ease and emotive power. Who could possibly fail to relate to that state of bittersweet melancholy which nostalgia arouses in –‘I heard a thousand blended notes, While in a grove I sat reclined, In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts Bring sad thoughts to the mind’ -whilst gazing down upon the page, semi-dreamlike, in contemplation of former happier moments? These are poems for spring and early summer days while resting idly on the grass, the reader receiving the warmth of the afternoon rays while allowing the lines to transport the mind back two centuries – absorb the intricacies of expression from a period when the sheer range and breadth of the English language was advancing at a breath-taking scale. Lyrical Ballads is both modest and ambitious, spiritual and poignant, crafted by two pioneers who held new, bolder visions for the creative possibilities of the human state. Wordsworth revised the collection in both 1800 and 1802, including additional poems which were inserted for the purpose of embellishing the original edition.

Source: British Library

Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits by Laila Lalami

GRACE FROST | CONTENT WRITER

Moroccan author Laila Lalami’s 2005 novel Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits documents the thoughts and experiences of four Moroccans: Murad, Faten, Halima and Aziz as they attempt to illegally immigrate to Spain in search of a new life and a new beginning. Each one carries their own personal struggle or fantasy for the life that is awaiting them across the water which is revealed in the novel’s prologue, ‘The Trip’. Murad is determined to make something of himself and is driven by self-worth and pride; Faten is a highly religious woman in search of a job after being expelled from university; Halima is a mother traveling with her young children; and Aziz is a mechanic who leaves behind his wife in search of a job to provide for her. The prologue begins in the shadows of night as the characters board the boat that will take them across the Strait of Gibraltar into Spain, although the seemingly straight forward journey is not the one awaiting them. Following the prologue during which the characters leave behind their pasts in Morocco, the narrative is split into two parts, Before and After, and each contain one chapter from each of the character’s perspectives, all written with third person voice. This symmetrical structure results in the novel also reading as interconnecting short stories, by taking the two accounts from each character or from reading the four accounts in each section. The first part, Before, shines a light on the character’s backgrounds and what caused them to make the decision to immigrate. This is followed by After, which acts as a conclusion rounding off where the characters are in their progression to finding that new beginning and home that the opening of the novel introduces. Perhaps surprisingly to the reader, the expected or anticipated outcome is not necessarily the one that results in the happiest life.

Source: Amazon

The novel does not end with four completely rounded, perfect or fairytale endings. Instead, the reader witnesses four perfectly imperfect humans facing the trials of disruption and false hope that crop up throughout their lives and, therefore, the ending in fact demonstrates the progression, whether negative or positive, that each one undertakes. In this novel, Lalami constructs an authentically human narrative that is concerned with real world experiences, hopes, and dreams. Moreover, the boat, which acts as a physical vessel for hope, is the place where the narratives overlap, demonstrating the way each person has their own personal desires and pasts that drive them to take action, often meeting others with this same intention. The reader grows connected to these characters as they struggle to gain a new beginning and a better future for themselves and those they love. Hope is central to the narrative and is woven throughout, either shining through a character’s thoughts or being tainted by a harsh reality.

Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee

REBECCA WEIGLER | CONTENT WRITER

The likes of Atomic Habits or the infamous The Secret have infiltrated the non-fiction section of all literary related social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, as well as the shelves of plenty of avid readers. Amidst the popular titles, there are some intricately crafted books written to encourage that fresh start and new beginning which you may never have heard of. One of these is Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee, a primarily unknown, understated little book, all about harnessing that ever-desired new beginning in ways that the reader might never have thought of before. Ingrid Fetell Lee is an American designer with a keen eye for creating small changes in your surroundings which can spark new feelings of joy; to find the fresh starts and perspectives which can brighten any space and any mood of a client, reader, and friend. Combining psychological knowledge, creative whimsy, and sheer people skills, Fetell Lee describes a shared journey with numerous individuals into finding the perfect new beginning through the lens of joy. Joyful offers examples and a compilation of instances where people have found joy in starting to appreciate the little things. It ranges from rehabilitated cities which had started being painted pink, to apartments swarmed with new house plants each day, and every new story is just as interesting as the last.

Source: Twitter, @ingridfetell

The recurring theme throughout each fascinating chapter, is that these people, places, and companies have taken what they already had and created a fresh start to move forward into a brighter and more fulfilling lifestyle. The instances may be small, or vast, but they all reflect the essence of new beginnings and the power of changing one’s outlook. Through this method, Fetell Lee doesn’t write a selfhelp or spirituality book, but rather a celebration of tips and experiences from around the world. Vividly detailed, and beautifully illustrated in some chapters, Joy is a pageturner for multiple reasons. Fetell Lee herself writes of her reactions to these new environments and people, to include a relatable and balanced viewpoint of the ways in which people find joy through changing elements of their lives. It also takes into account the experiences of people from all over the world, giving the book an immensely communal feel and an insight into just how similar we can all think about our day to day lives, and that desire for new beginnings. Relatable, entertaining, and worldly. Every chapter in Joyful is unexpected and provides both learning opportunities and, above all, literary satisfaction. Some of the new beginnings people have embarked on might not be for every reader, for instance, beginning to collect life-size horse lamps to feel more creative in a space - but it’s the joy that these things have given to others which makes it a joy to read. When you next find yourself searching for that new beginning, be sure to find it with the company of this eccentric and exciting little book.

Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh

CHLOE BOULTON | CONTENT WRITER

Irvine Welsh’s debut novel Trainspotting was released in 1993, achieving cult status since its initial publication and being hailed as one of the most important novels of the Nineties. Adapted into a film in 1996, it garnered critical acclaim and further added to the popularity of the novel.

Set in Leith, Edinburgh, the novel revolves around a cast of characters whose lives have been affected in some way or another by heroin. Rather than opting for a straightforward narrative, Welsh writes Trainspotting from multiple points of view, giving characters their own unique voices and styles of narration. At times, Welsh writes from an omniscient third-person perspective that shows the thoughts and feelings of multiple characters. This alone could make for an intimidating read, having to keep track of the variety of voices, without the fact that Trainspotting is almost entirely written in Scots or Scottish English. Of the four ‘main’ characters, those whose names are featured on the cover of the novel, and later, the poster of the film: Renton, Spud, Sick Boy and Begbie, it is Mark Renton who comes the closest to taking up the mantle of protagonist. To label Renton a hero may be a stretch too far, but he is certainly the centre of this unheroic novel. Much of his narration revolves around his various attempts to break the habit and give up heroin. Renton is wildly introspective and completely clear in his motivations. His intelligent reflections provide the novel with several of its best and most memorable passages. The passage that sticks, the one that adorns posters and prints, is one in which he tells readers to “Choose life”. Renton The novel deals with drugs, boredom, violence, and the unreliability of the rail service, amongst other things. But it is the idea of 'choosing life' that is at its core. Starting again, choosing life, is something Renton does constantly. He claims not to - it is his ultimate act of defiance in fact to not choose life - but he does anyway. With every attempt to stay clean, he is starting again and it is in this that the novel finds its hope. Renton’s own selfcontradiction provides what could be an otherwise bleak novel about addiction with a light-at-the-end-of- the- tunnel. The novel was longlisted for the Booker Prize in its publication year but was rejected from the shortlist after having been rumoured to have offended two of the judges. It is easy to see why this may have been the case; a reader would not have to even finish the first ten pages to be completely desensitised to the use of expletives; but it makes Trainspotting what it is. Everything is shocking until it is not. To read this novel is to look upon Welsh’s all-too-real fictional world as an insider, as though it is all happening around you.

Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce

MILLIE GARRAWAY | CONTENT WRITER

ANew York Times Best Seller, Rachel Joyce encompasses both the excitement of the chase as well as a fear of the unknown. The setting of 1950, in the immediate post-war period, encapsulates the methodology of rebuilding and starting afresh as an urgency desperately needed in life. A lonely spinster, Miss Benson’s existence is about to change dramatically. Leaving her old, mechanical routine behind, Margery Benson finds comfort in a stranger whose ways lead them to a life full of crime and deceit. No longer enamoured with her life as a teacher, Margery takes a leap of faith into the unknown world of expeditions. Unbeknownst to her, her ideal of a new life leads her down a rabbit hole of murder, theft, and sickness. Despite her flaws, Miss Pretty, the elusive Nancy Coleen, opens Margery’s eyes to a world far beyond the depressing state of Britain after such a gruesome war-time experience. Although these flaws remained prominent throughout her time with Miss Pretty, they manage to lead Margery to a place of fearlessness; a place where she sheds her old skin and creates a new version of herself, one that is no longer weighed down by her past self and image. New beginnings present themselves in images of new relationships, the death of an old life, the birth of a new one and new perspectives of those around her. Once alone and broken, Margery Benson finds herself whole again. The unavoidable purge of the woman she once was, is prominent throughout this novel and evident from the get-go. Her fragmentation metamorphosizes into a catalyst to her blind pursuit of an elusive insect which would renew her faith. Her rebirth becomes dependent on this seemingly non-existent beetle, leading readers through a funny and heart wrenching journey of all things to do with life. The comic relief is evidently a likening to the unusual ways in which lives work. With no straight path to follow, the humour follows Miss Benson throughout and, despite a stalker on their tale as they journey through troubling waters and decimating climates, humour becomes comforting and reassuring that Margery is in fact on the right path. The adventure of life, bringing with it an unexpected friendship vital for the survival of Margery’s rebranding, is a saving grace for both women surrounded by danger and the unknown. The desire for clarity and self-reflection outweighs the anxieties that are encompassed in the idea of leaving a dead-end job with no foreseen future. Embarking on an expedition which starts and ends at the other side of the world, the search for an unidentified and elusive beetle is far from what a middle-aged woman with painful hip issues should be doing. Or so the world thought. Rachel Joyce has created a passionate and relatable rite of passage for all. The novel devoting time to adventure, new beginnings, humour, sadness, and murdermystery is the perfect novel to kickstart the new year with. Funny and heart-wrenching, 2022 will not be the same without experiencing the story of the life of Margery Benson and her all too sketchy assistant Miss Pretty. Source: Penguin

Normal People by Sally Rooney

VIKTORIA PRACZKO | CONTENT WRITER

“Marianne had the sense that her real life was happening somewhere very far away, happening without her, and she didn’t know if she would ever find out where it was and become part of it. She had that feeling in school often, but it wasn’t accompanied by any specific images of what the real life might look or feel like.

All she knew was that when it started, she wouldn’t need to imagine it anymore.” (Sally

Rooney, Normal People)

In addition to being one of the most popular recent reads,

Sally Rooney’s novel, Normal

People, was long-listed for the 2018 Man Booker Prize and was also ranked 25th on The

Guardian’s Best 100 Books of the 21st Century. Rooney’s work is both an unmistakable element of contemporary fiction and undoubtedly essential for those unfamiliar with her literature. Normal People follows the colliding lives of Marianne and Connell during their time at Trinity College, Dublin, soon after their somewhat unmemorable graduation from high school. Whilst Rooney’s plot may sound indifferent, it is truly gripping due to its exceptional depiction of youthful experience and saturation of pure emotions. Precisely as the title suggests, Normal People is founded on realistic situations and appears to generate an inclusive environment that addresses each reader individually. Rooney’s uniqueness is not only seen through her application of language but her daring and colloquial attitude towards issues that one may fear to express. Her linguistic simplicity is purposeful, consequently vividly mirroring the struggles of the every-day-life and relationships. Through Marianne and Connell’s contrasting upbringings and lifestyles, Rooney also offers an insight into those in possession of money and vice versa. Furthermore, her use of alternating perspectives within the narrative simultaneously showcases the two characters’ volatile sentiments and their imminently interweaving fates. Essentially, the novel can also be viewed as a collage of a variety of emotional turmoil and personal struggles. Despite the plot revolving around voicing mental health issues and the feeling of disconnection, Normal People establishes a nostalgic and almost sublime tone that is familiar to the reader. It appears somewhat like an emotional roller-coaster due to its centrality in the changing forms of Marianne’s and Connell’s sentiments, but it also educates one on life and morals. Rooney’s extensive exploration of psychology dissects human nature and acts as a guide using almost textbook-like examples of social situations. Her detailed descriptions of university days make you concurrently miss your youth and excited for the opportunities it can provide you. Regardless of what one studies or does in life, Rooney’s approach towards passion proves to be remarkable and aspirational, with the power to reignite and inspire. Normal People gives you a feeling that is similar to that of talking to a friend or writing an entry into your diary. It is simple, comforting, undeniably ‘enough,’ and a chance for a new beginning. Source: Unsplash

Transit by Rachel Cusk

SEB GARDINER | CONTENT WRITER

Would you return to live in your old hometown if you could? The travels of a female writer continues in the second book of Rachel Cusk’s contemporary trilogy. Following the first instalment, Outline, it follows Faye - named only once per novel - to Athens on a creative writing course. Transit uproots her from her life and moves her to London, where she lived years before. The very first scene of the novel could sum up the whole trilogy. An astrologer, or an automated email pretending to be one, emails Faye claiming to have an insight into her future, offering to share this with her if she pays. Faye right away notices the irony of someone claiming to care for you, despite being after your money, and this sets the tone of her objective loneliness in a busy city that will surely resonate with anyone living within an urban environment. Cusk was named as one of the writers changing the way we write and read fiction by The New York Times, and this is true with Transit. As anyone would with returning to an old hometown, she finds herself torn between new beginnings and old memories in a city that constantly changes. Faye moves with her two young sons to settle back down and is haunted by her old life and by the fear that it won’t change for her. The desperation to renovate her recently purchased flat seems bound to fail, the world closing in from below her in the form of angry neighbours. Outline previously sees Faye in a foreign country, and the final instalment, Kudos, opens with her on a plane to Europe - the two books either side of Transit ironically feature more physical transit than this particular novel. The desire to change is fast-paced, and, although she is in a familiar city, Faye feels the calling of an undefined point in her past she can’t reach. By having Faye as a writer, Cusk allows herself to challenge philosophies of writing. Her character attends events and meets fellow creatives that reflect her anxiety at the inability to escape her past and access her future in London. Rather than remaining with Faye’s thoughts in the novel, we are instead given full access to the richly detailed lives of her contemporaries and their own stories, sections of the novel sometimes centring around them and leaving Faye behind. The book is a brilliant second instalment in the series, and a vivid and painfully accurate revisiting of Faye’s past.