Skip to main content

Review: Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller


Book: Notes on a Scandal

Author: Zoe Heller

Pages: 258

Time It Took To Read: 4 hours

Read: Penguin Ink Paperback edition

Plot Summary: Schoolteacher Barbara Covett has led a solitary life until Sheba Hart, the new art teacher at St. George's, befriends her. But even as their relationship develops, so too does another: Sheba has begun an illicit affair with an underage male student. When the scandal turns into a media circus, Barbara decides to write an account in her friend's defense—and ends up revealing not only Sheba's secrets, but also her own.

Why this book is AWESOME:
1. The writing is brilliant. BRILLIANT. It's efficient and evocative all at once, which is a tough, tough thing to do and Ms. Heller pulls it off! 

2. This is a story of, essentially, two characters and both the characters- Sheba and Barbara- are beautifully etched. They are layered and multi-dimensional and you get to go under their skins and understand what drives them and makes them do what they do. It's amazingly efficient how all this layering is achieved in less than 260 pages! 

3. One often reads about these sensational stories of older female teachers having inappropriate "relationships" with much younger male students and I have always wondered how these "relationships" come to be. As in, are these women ritualistic pedophiles or is it a mere (and very unfortunate) lapse in judgement? To see the anatomy of Sheba's "relationship" with Steven, as it unfolded in the book, made for very interesting reading. 

4. The depiction of Sheba's highly dysfunctional family life was also interesting and acted as a backdrop against which her "relationship" with Steven played out. The quietly smug and superior husband, the hell-cat daughter and a young, vulnerable son, who needed Sheba. You can somehow see how tired and trapping this sort of a family life can be and what one may want to do to escape from it, even for a bit. Even if it is highly self-destructive. 

5. Barbara's character is masterfully crafted! She is a mix of plain old vulnerability, single spinsterly sadness and pure malevolence. A highly complex character, indeed. Barbara's need to be needed, to be a special person in someone's life is both scary and pathetic. You partly feel sorry for her and partly you want to punch her in the face. So, so, well written and interesting. 

General Thoughts: We are very excited to, now, watch the movie based on this book starring Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett! I am sure it will be amazing! 

Rating: 5/5 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Magic of the Lost Temple by Sudha Murthy.

Book: The Magic of the Lost Temple Author: Sudha Murthy Pages: 163 Read On: Paperback How Long it took Me To Read: 1 day Plot Summary:   City girl Nooni is surprised at the pace of life in her grandparents' village in Karnataka. But she quickly gets used to the gentle routine there and involves herself in a flurry of activities, including papad making, organizing picnics and learning to ride a cycle, with her new-found friends. Things get exciting when Nooni stumbles upon an ancient fabled stepwell right in the middle of a forest.Join the intrepid Nooni on an adventure of a lifetime in this much-awaited book by Sudha Murty that is heart-warming, charming and absolutely unputdownable. General Thoughts: Ah! A happy little Children's Book! I wanted it the minute I spotted it in the bookshop. And I started reading it pretty much immediately. :)  I read it after reading a beyond dull and boring and soulless book. This book just cured my bookish blues. I l

Book Review: The Room on the Roof by Ruskin Bond.

Some snippets of the stunning art inside the book!  Book: The Room on the Roof Author: Ruskin Bond Illustrator: Ahlawat Gunjan Pages: 171 Read On: Hardback How Long It Took Me To Read: 3 days or so. Plot Summary:   Rusty, a sixteen-year-old Anglo-Indian boy, is orphaned and has to live with his English guardian in the claustrophobic European part in Dehra Dun. Unhappy with the strict ways of his guardian, Rusty runs away from home to live with his Indian friends. Plunging for the first time into the dream-bright world of the bazaar, Hindu festivals and other aspects of Indian life, Rusty is enchanted … and is lost forever to the prim proprieties of the European community.  General Thoughts: This book is super special. Not only this 60th anniversary edition an absolute beauty. This is also a signed copy I picked up from Mussoorie when I was in Landour earlier in the year. This is perhaps one of Ruskin Bond's most well kn

Review: Grandma's Bag of Stories by Sudha Murthy.

Book: Grandma's Bag of Stories Author: Sudha Murthy Pages: 176 Read On: Paperback How Long It Took Me Read: 2 hours Plot Summary:   When Grandma opens her bag of stories, everyone gathers Around. Who can resist a good story, especially when it’s being told by Grandma? From her bag emerges tales of kings and cheats, monkeys and mice, bears and gods. Here comes the bear who ate some really bad dessert and got very angry; a lazy man who would not put out a fire till it reached his beard; a princess who got turned into an onion; a queen who discovered silk, and many more weird and wonderful people and animals. Grandma tells the stories over long summer days and nights, as seven children enjoy life in her little town. The stories entertain, educate and provide hours of enjoyment to them. So come, why don’t you too join in the fun? General Thoughts: I've read quite a few Sudha Murthy books this year and really enjoyed them. I find them soothing, simple a