Customer Reviews

Someone at a Distance

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Dorothy Whipple has been one of the authors Persephone Books has been most proud to re-dsicover, and the beautifully sharp prose in this 1950s novel will alert you immediately why she's been a favorite. Yet for all that the novel is bit of a disappointment. The plot seems reminsicent of Clare Booth Luce's THE WOMEN: a noble-minded wealthy married woman loses her weak and contempible husband to the clutches of a stylish and spiteful vixen, while her daughter suffers tremendously and her friends cluck and sympathize. Some of the characters are also quite hard to take. Anne, the sickeningly adorable daughter, carries on so much when her father is caught with the French interloper, Louise, that you begin to develop a perverse delight in her unhappiness; and all the male characters are wholly two-dimensional weaklings. With the older women characters, however, Whipple seems right on the money. The heroine, Ellen, is perhaps a bit too noble but is also observed with sympathy and skill, and Louise, the clear villain, is surprisingly well-drawn too. Whipple's ability to turn a memorable phrase is also consistent throughout.

A marriage of over two decades is in danger, and the culprit seems to be the groom's own mother. "Someone at a Distance" is the story of Ellen and Avery North, a happily married couple with two children; all seems well with their life. But when Avery's mother arranges for a French girl to become a companion for him, it incites a long and confusing turmoil for everyone involved. Composed in an enthralling and realistic manner, "Someone at a Distance" is a must read story about the end of marital bliss.

Dorothy Whipple's Someone at a Distance is a very complicated novel to write about. It's the story of the Norths, a suburban couple with two teenage children. Avery North's aging mother engages a young Frenchwoman as her companion, and he develops an attachment to her that develops into an affair and later leads to divorce from his wife Ellen. This novel is a stunning book about the wide-ranging effects an affair can have on several families.

Dorothy Whipple's language is very simple. Her prose is uncomplicated, yet there's a lot of meaning behind it. Her upper-middle-class English characters are all absorbed in their own mundane lives, until the arrival of Louise literally shakes them all up. Louise is obviously not meant to be a sympathetic character (unlike Ruth in Susan Glaspell's Fidelity); and at times she devolves into the stereotypical "other woman." Much more preferable is Ellen, the sensible English housewife who finds her life shattered during the after the divorce.

It's a sad subject, yet there are some truly funny moments; the surly Miss Daley going postal on Louise is an example that comes to mind. So in the end, each of the characters get what they deserve--even Avery, towards whom I feel a bit ambivalent. I feel as though he simply sat back and let things happen to him, rather than be an active member of the cast of characters.

It's interesting that I've chosen to read this book now, so shortly after reading another Persephone title, Fidelity--it's the story of an extramarital affair as told from the conventional point of view. Despite my feelings towards Avery and Louise, I though many of the other characters were well-drawn. Whipple's description of the angst teenage Anne goes through is very real, as are the difficulties that Ellen must feel as she prepares for a life alone. After all, she's been married for twenty years, and she's never had a job or had to pay her own bills; how will she cope? It's funny, then, how Ellen ultimately finds solace in a group of elderly ladies. Like the other Whipple novel I've read, The Priory, this is not a novel in which much "happens," but it's a powerfully emotional novel. Whipple's prose is simple, as I've said, but her way with words is absolutely stellar. She really knew how to play on her readers' emotions, so that you feel invested in the lives of her characters.

This is a beautifully written book, truly heartbreaking in parts, one that you will not be able to put down. It's a rather simple story, about marital infidelity, and nothing really "happens" in the sense that this is really just a snapshot of people's feelings and reactions to an event they never expected in their wildest dreams.
There are a couple of semi-cliche characters, the "other woman" for example...she's even French for heaven's sake! But the rest are as vivid as if they were standing in front of you. Whipple is able to convey the emotions of every character from the teenage daughter to the housekeeper, even the "other woman" with incredible care, and ease.
This book most reminded me of reading Elizabeth Gaskell, quiet, elegantly written, insightful emotions.
I'm not sure why this gifted writer has been so ignored by the literature intelligencia...maybe they should look around more. Fortunately, Persephone Classics has published several of Whipple's books, and some other wonderful (mostly female) authors. I've already bought a couple!

This book was completely engrossing. I felt as if I knew each character. They stayed with me even after finishing it and I found myself picking the book back up and rereading parts.

The author makes you realize that even if we are happy things can change that. She shows all sides of the story.

I highly recommend it!

Loved it...This book was my introduction to The Persephone Book collection. I had just come off reading some fabulous classics, and was searching for something new to catch my attention. Dorothy Whipple's simple, but brilliant style made for a quick, easy, but captivating read. Similar to a Willa Cather of Europe, she seemed to have her finger on the pulse of family emotion and drama. This will definitely not be my last Persephone or Whipple book....

Yes, it is an old story, but told in an original way. One of the best books I have read in awhile.

I must say that Dorothy Whipple is an undeservedly neglected writer, and we must be grateful to Persephone Books for rescuing her from obscurity. That said, I enjoyed this much less than other books of hers such as 'They Were Sisters' and 'The Priory'. Characterisation is usually Whipple's strong point but here the characters are largely pasteboard, two-dimensional creatures: Ellen, the virtuous, betrayed wife, Avery, the weak, charming husband, Louise, the calculating femme fatale. The two teenage children too, are amusingly free of adolescent vices. Nevertheless, one reads on, wanting to know how all fare in the end. However, for a book with a similar theme, but infinitely more subtle and nuanced, I would suggest Elizabeth Jenkins' The Tortoise and the Hare', an acutely perceptive, beautifully observed and exquisitely written book on a disintegrating marriage.

Dorothy Whipple's Someone at a Distance is a psychologically astute and well-written account of the happy marriage between Ellen and Avery North that becomes undone. A beautiful and manipulative young French woman, Louise, who is hired by Avery's elderly mother as a paid companion, sets her sights on Avery. Whipple's character study of Louise, who is a classic, selfish narcissist, is shrewd and insightful. The plot of this novel is far from original, but what makes this novel unique is Whipple's wonderful writing not only about the primary characters, but also about village life, parenthood and even gardening, along with wonderful character studies. Whipples' male characters are a little vague, but her female characters are sharply drawn. Her writing reminds me of Ellen Gaskell in its skill and sympathy.

I loved reading this book. It takes you to a different era and Dorothy Whipple's insights into human character are amazing, addictive reading!!!