MISS JANE is the gorgeously written but often painful story of a girl born with defective genitals at a time when such a thing could not be surgically corrected. Because of Jane's incontinence, she is kept at home and deprived of an education, friends, the world at large. Her doctor becomes one of her few friends and his enjoyment of her intelligence and her, of his, allows her some sense of the community. As she matures she takes some stabs at friendship and romance but retreats as she understands the issues. Jane grows up in a rural community and Watson is especially adept at describing the sights, sounds and ambience of such a place. Although she is somewhat able to overcome her situation, Watson never makes her into a larger than life character. She is human and you feel her pain.
Apparently the book is based on the life of his great aunt.
The elegance of the writing and the vivid characters make this an excellent read.
For more reviews, consult the wonderful Barrie Summy right here.
4 comments:
Those intensely personal stories can really be powerful, Patti. Glad you enjoyed this.
That sounds like a moving and original story, especially since it was based on a family history.
This book sounds really interesting. I just googled it and saw it was long-listed for the National Book Award. Whew. I'd also like to read this author's book of short stories (Last Days of the Dog-Men) and may start with it. It's been a while since I've read a bk of short stories, and that'll often fit the bill over the busy holidays. Thanks for reviewing!
What a difficult book it must have been to write. He does honour his aunt. Good job.
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