Customer Reviews

Cupboard, The

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Erica March, now 87 years old, was once a well-known novelist. For some time, however, she has not written anything. Ralph Pears is a reporter from New York who wants to write a story about Erica's life. For that reason, he is now in London meeting with Erica daily, or as often as Erica's health will permit it.

The novel has one of the most unusual opening sentences I've ever encountered. "At the age of eighty-seven, Erica March died in a cupboard". The cupboard is one of Erica's most precious belongings, having been passed down to her from her own mother. The novel progresses as Ralph learns more and more about Erica.

Erica was raised on a farm in Suffolk by her father. Her mother died when Erica was a child. Erica spent some childhood months in London with her uncle who she adored. She also lived with her uncle for a while as an adult. The time period for this novel is the early twentieth century and Erica is quite involved in the women's suffrage movement, very politically aware and caught up in World War One.

My problems with the novel are that I found Erica too quaint a character and her statements often like quips - -undeveloped, shallow, and without the depth I needed in order to really get to know this woman and her times.