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The Fat Lady Sings
Locked in a psychiatric unit because her public singing brought her to the attention of the police, Gloria meets another British woman of Jamaican descent with whom she can share her past, giving them both hope for the future.
242 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2000
41 people are currently reading
1598 people want to read
About the author
Jacqueline Roy
16 books34 followersJacqueline Roy was born and raised in London. Her father was Jamaican and her mother was English. She lectured in English at Manchester Metropolitan University for many years, teaching Postcolonial Literatures and Creative Writing. She writes fiction for both adults and children.
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September 23, 2021
”Foolish thing, expectation. This life is always one big disappointment.”
As is the case in so much of life, we’re not all treated equally. Whether it be due to gender, sexuality, race, lifestyle or mental health. And in the case of being female, of colour and not behaving as society decrees is acceptable, your fate may be more out of your hands than it should be.
Set in the UK in the 1990s, this story is told via alternating chapters with the voices of Gloria and Merle. Women of Caribbean background. Both find themselves in the psychiatric ward of the local hospital. ”Both of them are on medication that numbs their emotions and dulls their minds.” They share a bond and form an unlikely friendship within the confines of the dormitory they share. ”They are Bonnie and Clyde, Butch and Sundance, Thelma and Louise all rolled into one.”
Gloria :
”Everywhere I look, the future stares me in the face. Billboards, hoardings. All about tomorrow.”
For Gloria, this is an unfathomable idea. The thought of tomorrow. For her, ”It’s all past and present now, as if the future don’t exist.” She’s unable to cope after losing her love Josie. Grief has overtaken her. She keeps busy by doing household chores and singing to music turned up loud, as the silence of night is the time she can bear the least. Her neighbours eventually complain, and it’s her singing that ends up causing her to be sectioned and sent for psychiatric assessment at the local health unit.
”I was disturbing up the peace. What peace? I said. The world is not a peaceful place. This is the time of doom and gloom and all kinds of disaster.”
Her love for Josie meant they had to leave friends and family behind, as their relationship wasn't accepted within their community. It was not the done thing. Which has left Gloria feeling her loss even more keenly. It’s as though anything that matters has been taken away from her.
Gloria is larger than life, both in body and personality. She's outgoing, colourful, extroverted, and just wants to go home to the place she shared with Josie.
”Sometimes it feels as if I only dream I'm here. It's hard to catch reality. Half the time I lose count of the days.”
Merle :
”I have no face. When I smile it's an illusion. I am always the reflection”
Merle is as waiflike and introverted as Gloria is large. Her anxieties start when her Dad is sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit. Merle and her Mum have to keep moving addresses and changing their name, in an attempt to hide from people's assumption of guilt and violence toward them.
When her Dad is exonerated many years later, his return home is not the one she dreamt of. His attention is stifling and she feels suffocated by his presence. He has found the Lord, and is suspicious of her every move. Even resorting to both driving her to and picking her up from school. Locks are removed from doors. She is mistrusted when studying at the library. He is omnipresent.
Merle's story is told both by her voice, and the voices in her head. Which as much as she tries to drown them out, the silence when they stop is worse.
Now a woman in her mid-20s, Merle is trying to come to terms with the loss of a baby, her husband leaving her as he cannot deal with the changes in her, and is crushed by life. Like Gloria, she wakes to find herself in the psych ward.
”I feel. I don't feel. I have become a stone. There is nothing to separate me from things. I am all things and everything.”
It’s impossible to not have all sorts of thoughts and emotions reading this book. Fear (it could happen to me), guilt (how many times have I ignored or walked away from someone “acting funny”), sadness (why is it not ok to admit to feeling blue at times or ask for help), and why is there the need by society for people to fit into neat little boxes and conform. You’ll find yourself asking so many questions.
As is so tellingly put in the book:
" He smiles, like he has caught me out. 'This is the crux of the matter, Gloria. Your view of what is normal conflicts with that of most people.' " To which Gloria's reply is on point: "So how come you're so sure that you are right and I am wrong?"
Truly, while reading this you can't help but think "There but for the grace of God, go I." You simply do not know what event could trigger you to potentially have your life spiral out of control.
From the patients who have been sectioned and forced to take drugs to sedate their behavior, to the nursing staff dealing with verbal and physical abuse, to the registrars and professors who view the patients as "case studies", there are no winners. While outside the hospital walls, the world carries on, oblivious. The reality of this is disquieting.
”It’s a shame how this country crushes the youth.”
Life's traumas and grief take their toll. There is no use by date for a loss. There is no off switch for the pain. Loneliness and a sense of isolation exacerbate feelings of pointlessness.
"This grieving is a funny thing, you know. The hurt is always there but it comes and goes in its intensity. Today as I sit upon the ward, the tears fill up my eyes and spill out...”
"When does the grieving cease? Even angels sigh and whisper in the dark, remembering the end of things.”
Yes, this book tackles heavy themes head on, but don't be put off. Though the topics are heavy, the writing isn't. You'll easily enter Gloria and Merle's world. There are moments of humour and joy at the simple moments of life. At the littlest things that can give you happiness. And also from the absurdity of life. The structures put in place by society. And who's to say what "normal" is anyway. There is no absolute answer, and Gloria and Merle's stories don't provide any. In fact, the ending is quite open ended, which had me wishing desperately for the best of both of them, while having a sneaking suspicion it would be otherwise. But then hoping again it would all turn out in their favour. I loved the ending, the open interpretation to it. Just like life, you don’t know where it will go.
" 'Nothing wrong with a little happiness,' I say to her. 'Trouble with you is you so fucking miserable.' ”
This book is one of the Black Britain: Writing Back series. With an introduction by Bernadine Evaristo (Girl, Woman, Other) this book made me think on why we tend to push some writers away, when they obviously have so much to say. Why their voice has been subdued or even silenced. I read Sam Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners and was blown away by it. It also makes me question why some books stand the test of time and are well known, whereas books such as this one have flown under the radar. As Ms. Evaristo says of books ”…unless they become commercial successes, their legacy very quickly disappears…Good books withstand the test of time, even if they are of their time. “ I have another book Black Britain: Writing Back series, and would ideally like to work my way through the list. Please have a look at the other titles on offer in this series. It’s a stellar mix of writing styles, authors and genres.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/202...
I'm so glad this book is again seeing the light of day, and I hope a new, fresh audience appreciates it.
For me, it’s utterly poignant and telling that Ms. Evaristo ends her introduction by saying ”The title of the novel is taken from the proverb ‘It ain’t over till the fat lady sings’, which is understood to mean that we don’t know how a situation will resolve itself until it actually does. It is appropriate for a novel that offers no easy resolutions.” Which makes it all the more important that books such as these are highlighted and brought back to the spotlight. As while they capture the essence of a time and a place, they also show whether or not we've made any progress since then. I can’t recommend this book enough.
Five fit to bursting singing stars ✰✰✰✰✰ Sing it loud Gloria. I hope you find the fishes Merle.
”…because feeling alone in the bad world eats into your bones.”
As is the case in so much of life, we’re not all treated equally. Whether it be due to gender, sexuality, race, lifestyle or mental health. And in the case of being female, of colour and not behaving as society decrees is acceptable, your fate may be more out of your hands than it should be.
Set in the UK in the 1990s, this story is told via alternating chapters with the voices of Gloria and Merle. Women of Caribbean background. Both find themselves in the psychiatric ward of the local hospital. ”Both of them are on medication that numbs their emotions and dulls their minds.” They share a bond and form an unlikely friendship within the confines of the dormitory they share. ”They are Bonnie and Clyde, Butch and Sundance, Thelma and Louise all rolled into one.”
Gloria :
”Everywhere I look, the future stares me in the face. Billboards, hoardings. All about tomorrow.”
For Gloria, this is an unfathomable idea. The thought of tomorrow. For her, ”It’s all past and present now, as if the future don’t exist.” She’s unable to cope after losing her love Josie. Grief has overtaken her. She keeps busy by doing household chores and singing to music turned up loud, as the silence of night is the time she can bear the least. Her neighbours eventually complain, and it’s her singing that ends up causing her to be sectioned and sent for psychiatric assessment at the local health unit.
”I was disturbing up the peace. What peace? I said. The world is not a peaceful place. This is the time of doom and gloom and all kinds of disaster.”
Her love for Josie meant they had to leave friends and family behind, as their relationship wasn't accepted within their community. It was not the done thing. Which has left Gloria feeling her loss even more keenly. It’s as though anything that matters has been taken away from her.
Gloria is larger than life, both in body and personality. She's outgoing, colourful, extroverted, and just wants to go home to the place she shared with Josie.
”Sometimes it feels as if I only dream I'm here. It's hard to catch reality. Half the time I lose count of the days.”
Merle :
”I have no face. When I smile it's an illusion. I am always the reflection”
Merle is as waiflike and introverted as Gloria is large. Her anxieties start when her Dad is sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit. Merle and her Mum have to keep moving addresses and changing their name, in an attempt to hide from people's assumption of guilt and violence toward them.
When her Dad is exonerated many years later, his return home is not the one she dreamt of. His attention is stifling and she feels suffocated by his presence. He has found the Lord, and is suspicious of her every move. Even resorting to both driving her to and picking her up from school. Locks are removed from doors. She is mistrusted when studying at the library. He is omnipresent.
Merle's story is told both by her voice, and the voices in her head. Which as much as she tries to drown them out, the silence when they stop is worse.
Now a woman in her mid-20s, Merle is trying to come to terms with the loss of a baby, her husband leaving her as he cannot deal with the changes in her, and is crushed by life. Like Gloria, she wakes to find herself in the psych ward.
”I feel. I don't feel. I have become a stone. There is nothing to separate me from things. I am all things and everything.”
It’s impossible to not have all sorts of thoughts and emotions reading this book. Fear (it could happen to me), guilt (how many times have I ignored or walked away from someone “acting funny”), sadness (why is it not ok to admit to feeling blue at times or ask for help), and why is there the need by society for people to fit into neat little boxes and conform. You’ll find yourself asking so many questions.
As is so tellingly put in the book:
" He smiles, like he has caught me out. 'This is the crux of the matter, Gloria. Your view of what is normal conflicts with that of most people.' " To which Gloria's reply is on point: "So how come you're so sure that you are right and I am wrong?"
Truly, while reading this you can't help but think "There but for the grace of God, go I." You simply do not know what event could trigger you to potentially have your life spiral out of control.
From the patients who have been sectioned and forced to take drugs to sedate their behavior, to the nursing staff dealing with verbal and physical abuse, to the registrars and professors who view the patients as "case studies", there are no winners. While outside the hospital walls, the world carries on, oblivious. The reality of this is disquieting.
”It’s a shame how this country crushes the youth.”
Life's traumas and grief take their toll. There is no use by date for a loss. There is no off switch for the pain. Loneliness and a sense of isolation exacerbate feelings of pointlessness.
"This grieving is a funny thing, you know. The hurt is always there but it comes and goes in its intensity. Today as I sit upon the ward, the tears fill up my eyes and spill out...”
"When does the grieving cease? Even angels sigh and whisper in the dark, remembering the end of things.”
Yes, this book tackles heavy themes head on, but don't be put off. Though the topics are heavy, the writing isn't. You'll easily enter Gloria and Merle's world. There are moments of humour and joy at the simple moments of life. At the littlest things that can give you happiness. And also from the absurdity of life. The structures put in place by society. And who's to say what "normal" is anyway. There is no absolute answer, and Gloria and Merle's stories don't provide any. In fact, the ending is quite open ended, which had me wishing desperately for the best of both of them, while having a sneaking suspicion it would be otherwise. But then hoping again it would all turn out in their favour. I loved the ending, the open interpretation to it. Just like life, you don’t know where it will go.
" 'Nothing wrong with a little happiness,' I say to her. 'Trouble with you is you so fucking miserable.' ”
This book is one of the Black Britain: Writing Back series. With an introduction by Bernadine Evaristo (Girl, Woman, Other) this book made me think on why we tend to push some writers away, when they obviously have so much to say. Why their voice has been subdued or even silenced. I read Sam Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners and was blown away by it. It also makes me question why some books stand the test of time and are well known, whereas books such as this one have flown under the radar. As Ms. Evaristo says of books ”…unless they become commercial successes, their legacy very quickly disappears…Good books withstand the test of time, even if they are of their time. “ I have another book Black Britain: Writing Back series, and would ideally like to work my way through the list. Please have a look at the other titles on offer in this series. It’s a stellar mix of writing styles, authors and genres.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/202...
I'm so glad this book is again seeing the light of day, and I hope a new, fresh audience appreciates it.
For me, it’s utterly poignant and telling that Ms. Evaristo ends her introduction by saying ”The title of the novel is taken from the proverb ‘It ain’t over till the fat lady sings’, which is understood to mean that we don’t know how a situation will resolve itself until it actually does. It is appropriate for a novel that offers no easy resolutions.” Which makes it all the more important that books such as these are highlighted and brought back to the spotlight. As while they capture the essence of a time and a place, they also show whether or not we've made any progress since then. I can’t recommend this book enough.
Five fit to bursting singing stars ✰✰✰✰✰ Sing it loud Gloria. I hope you find the fishes Merle.
”…because feeling alone in the bad world eats into your bones.”
June 8, 2022
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Although I have not yet read anything by Bernardine Evaristo I am so grateful to her for bringing about this Black Britain: Writing Back series (which re-issues 6 titles by Black British authors). If it hadn't been for Evaristo, I doubt I would have come across The Fat Lady Sings, a criminally overlooked modern classic. Jacqueline Roy's novel provides an eye-opening look into mental health in Britain: set in the 1990s in London the novel is narrated by two Black women who have been diagnosed with mental illnesses and sectioned into a psychiatric hospital. The setting of course brought to mind Girl, Interrupted but style and tone-wise it seemed closer to Everything Here is Beautiful.
The narrators of The Fat Lady Sings have starkly different voices. Born in Jamaica Gloria, the title's 'singing lady', is now in her forties and grieving the death of her partner, Josie. Because she occasionally breaks into a song and or starts skipping instead of walking she is deemed mentally ill and forced into a psychiatric ward. Here, she grows irritated by the inefficient staff and doctors, who resort to overmedicating their patients or shaming them for not making 'progress'. Yet, despite her circumstances, Gloria is unwilling to be less of herself and I truly loved her for it: she was funny, observant, strong, and empathetic.
The other chapters are narrated by Merle. Whereas Gloria's narrative is full of life and awareness of her circumstances and new environment, Merle's narrative is far more fragmented, her voice often drowned out by other voices. These voices describe what is happening and what has happened to her, but they do so with vehemence, belittling her, calling her slurs, blaming her for everything little thing. Merle's chapters once again brought to mind Everything Here is Beautiful as they provide an unflinching glimpse into someone diagnosed with a mental illness. According to the hospital, Merle is in the ward because she suffered a psychotic breakdown. Yet, their attempts to help her seem at times to be more harmful than not. It is Gloria who begins to really see Merle, and the bond between these two women was truly heart-rendering to read.
During their time at the ward, they are made to do 'exercises that require them to talk or write about their past, and through these, we learn more about Gloria's early life and Merle's childhood and marriage.
First published in 2000 The Fat Lady Sings is not only stylistically innovative but discusses all too relevant issues (mental health, race, sexuality) and I hope that thanks to Evaristo it will find its audience. In spite of the harrowing depiction of mental health and sexual abuse, The Fat Lady Sings is not without its moment of joy and beauty. Roy renders the vulnerabilities and strengths of her characters with nuance and empathy. Like some of the best novels out there The Fat Lady Sings made me sad, it made me laugh, and, more importantly, it made me think. Not an easy read but a truly wonderful novel that I look forward to re-reading.
Although I have not yet read anything by Bernardine Evaristo I am so grateful to her for bringing about this Black Britain: Writing Back series (which re-issues 6 titles by Black British authors). If it hadn't been for Evaristo, I doubt I would have come across The Fat Lady Sings, a criminally overlooked modern classic. Jacqueline Roy's novel provides an eye-opening look into mental health in Britain: set in the 1990s in London the novel is narrated by two Black women who have been diagnosed with mental illnesses and sectioned into a psychiatric hospital. The setting of course brought to mind Girl, Interrupted but style and tone-wise it seemed closer to Everything Here is Beautiful.
The narrators of The Fat Lady Sings have starkly different voices. Born in Jamaica Gloria, the title's 'singing lady', is now in her forties and grieving the death of her partner, Josie. Because she occasionally breaks into a song and or starts skipping instead of walking she is deemed mentally ill and forced into a psychiatric ward. Here, she grows irritated by the inefficient staff and doctors, who resort to overmedicating their patients or shaming them for not making 'progress'. Yet, despite her circumstances, Gloria is unwilling to be less of herself and I truly loved her for it: she was funny, observant, strong, and empathetic.
The other chapters are narrated by Merle. Whereas Gloria's narrative is full of life and awareness of her circumstances and new environment, Merle's narrative is far more fragmented, her voice often drowned out by other voices. These voices describe what is happening and what has happened to her, but they do so with vehemence, belittling her, calling her slurs, blaming her for everything little thing. Merle's chapters once again brought to mind Everything Here is Beautiful as they provide an unflinching glimpse into someone diagnosed with a mental illness. According to the hospital, Merle is in the ward because she suffered a psychotic breakdown. Yet, their attempts to help her seem at times to be more harmful than not. It is Gloria who begins to really see Merle, and the bond between these two women was truly heart-rendering to read.
During their time at the ward, they are made to do 'exercises that require them to talk or write about their past, and through these, we learn more about Gloria's early life and Merle's childhood and marriage.
First published in 2000 The Fat Lady Sings is not only stylistically innovative but discusses all too relevant issues (mental health, race, sexuality) and I hope that thanks to Evaristo it will find its audience. In spite of the harrowing depiction of mental health and sexual abuse, The Fat Lady Sings is not without its moment of joy and beauty. Roy renders the vulnerabilities and strengths of her characters with nuance and empathy. Like some of the best novels out there The Fat Lady Sings made me sad, it made me laugh, and, more importantly, it made me think. Not an easy read but a truly wonderful novel that I look forward to re-reading.
March 15, 2021
This was amazing. I started yesterday evening and ended up staying up half the night finishing it.
It is the story of two ladies that because of several twists and turns of life are being treated on a London psychiatric ward. Gloria who loves to sing and wants to keep her life in technicolor and Merle who can't find herself anymore. The book talks about identity, race and belonging, grief and perceptions. It also deals with institutionalisation and the way we treat mental health.
The writing is clever and witty. I loved the wonderful scenes of adults misbehaving, like Gloria hiding all the As under the scrabble board.
It is simply wonderful! Read it.
It is the story of two ladies that because of several twists and turns of life are being treated on a London psychiatric ward. Gloria who loves to sing and wants to keep her life in technicolor and Merle who can't find herself anymore. The book talks about identity, race and belonging, grief and perceptions. It also deals with institutionalisation and the way we treat mental health.
The writing is clever and witty. I loved the wonderful scenes of adults misbehaving, like Gloria hiding all the As under the scrabble board.
It is simply wonderful! Read it.
April 14, 2024
Really wonderful. Written with so much love and care.
Loved the, first often unspoken, bond of mutual respect, care and understanding between the two women.
Loved the, first often unspoken, bond of mutual respect, care and understanding between the two women.
February 5, 2021
While a little hard to initially grapple with the style, this experimental novel appears to best tell the stories of the internal feelings of two Black women of Caribbean heritage as they experience breakdowns brought n by years of silence about who they are, how they fee and what has been done to them. It wonderfully explores the limits of mental health services when it comes to navigating the cultural relationships that certain cultures have with breaking silences and bringing strangers into your business.
The protagonists Merle and Gloria are full-bodied, broken, beautiful and trying in a world that doesn't hear their pain or have room for their healing.
The protagonists Merle and Gloria are full-bodied, broken, beautiful and trying in a world that doesn't hear their pain or have room for their healing.
November 26, 2021
Aanrader van een van mijn favoriete schrijfsters, Bernardine Evaristo en wees maar zeker dat het de moeite is. Roy zet twee vrouwen in een instelling neer aan de hand van hun interior monologues en observaties. Knap en meer dan de moeite!
July 8, 2024
4.5 an extremely well written and realistic feeling account of two black women sectioned in a British hospital in the 90s. There are 2 povs, Gloria who is from the Carribbean, windrush generation and relatively coherent. Then there's Merle, who is having a psychotic episode. Merle's chapters are initially very disjointed as we hear a lot from the voices in her mind. I found this quite difficult to follow at first but once I stopped trying to take everything literally and just let it wash over me I quickly got used to it. I always struggle with this kind of writing, it's my issue, not the book and is the only reason I knocked of half a star. The two characters are very different and feel very real. I liked the way that the author got us to question, without saying it overtly, whether Gloria really needed to be there or was just locked away to keep her quiet and control her individual 'quirkiness' whilst she was going through a hard time. The book manages to show us the ways in which the patients are undermined, dismissed, judged and never listened to by the mental health system without being a shocking horror show of a read. Nobody is advocating for these women who have no voices of their own and no amount of difference is tolerated and there were parts where I felt infuriated but the book is still highly readable
May 21, 2023
Het beste boek dat ik in lange tijd heb gelezen. Als een boek van drieëntwintig jaar oud nog steeds taboedoorbrekend is, weet je dat er onaangename zaken in besproken worden. Het verhaal is een accurate beschrijving van wat een psychiatrische opname met mensen doet - en het doet de lezer nadenken over normaalheid en wat dat moge zijn.
March 10, 2021
A beautifully written, sad, disheartening story of two broken women in a very broken system.
It is evident that Jacqueline Roy has had first hand experience of the mental health system and its many failures and shortcomings in helping patients who don't quite conform to the "accepted norm".
The two viewpoints of the protagonists are deftly handled; Gloria's loud, brash, happy go lucky personality and her justified questioning of why she cannot just be herself at home, and Merle's quiet, introverted, scared, voice-hearing personality who slowly realises that her "loved ones" at home have made her situation much worse with their complete misunderstanding and mishandling of her.
Great writing here. Fresh, original, and very brave.
It is evident that Jacqueline Roy has had first hand experience of the mental health system and its many failures and shortcomings in helping patients who don't quite conform to the "accepted norm".
The two viewpoints of the protagonists are deftly handled; Gloria's loud, brash, happy go lucky personality and her justified questioning of why she cannot just be herself at home, and Merle's quiet, introverted, scared, voice-hearing personality who slowly realises that her "loved ones" at home have made her situation much worse with their complete misunderstanding and mishandling of her.
Great writing here. Fresh, original, and very brave.
June 11, 2021
You know what Liv? I have to transgress the bookclub's vote and give that one a 5 stars-rating. It was just such a good reading experience! Full of feelings, strong themes and humour. I think it is quite a feat to write about mental illness, include many other important societal themes, and still make the reading experience light and easy as it was. I cared for the characters and the pages flew by.
So I'll just have to go on singing the praises of this book!
So I'll just have to go on singing the praises of this book!
February 8, 2021
Rep: Black mcs, lesbian mc with bipolar disorder (?), mc with unspecified psychotic disorder
CWs: institutionalisation, child sexual abuse, self harm, mentions of rape
CWs: institutionalisation, child sexual abuse, self harm, mentions of rape
February 10, 2021
phenomenal
September 12, 2023
Blij dat ik dit boek ben tegengekomen
February 11, 2024
Ik hou erg van boeken die zich afspelen op psychiatrische afdelingen volgensmij. One flew over the coockoo's nest en It's kind of a funny story vond ik ook al geweldig. Ik hou van helemaal in iemands hoofd kruipen. Met de saaie afdeling waar elke dag hetzelfde gebeurt is er genoeg ruimte voor alle diepe en donkere gedachtes in plaats van omgevingsbeschrijvingen. Er is een mooie afwisseling van heftige materie en kleine grapjes tussendoor. Het einde was niet helemaal bevredigend, maarja zo is het leven ook.
November 27, 2023
Gloria and Merle, two Black women find friendship as two patients in a psychiatric ward.
Gloria is middle-aged and sings to drown out the darkness in this world. Particularly, her grief for her girlfriend who has passed away in an accident.
Merle is in her early twenties, questioning her relationship with her father who was wrongly incarcerated for murder.
The story is told in alternating chapters and is a true masterpiece. I rated this four stars as I wanted Gloria and Merle to walk off into the sunset together but I know that is sadly not a reality for most.
Gloria is middle-aged and sings to drown out the darkness in this world. Particularly, her grief for her girlfriend who has passed away in an accident.
Merle is in her early twenties, questioning her relationship with her father who was wrongly incarcerated for murder.
The story is told in alternating chapters and is a true masterpiece. I rated this four stars as I wanted Gloria and Merle to walk off into the sunset together but I know that is sadly not a reality for most.
March 4, 2025
I liked this actually but dunno whether it’s like 3 or 4 stars
June 9, 2022
Heavy in subject but not in writing, The Fat Lady Sings tells us about middle-age Gloria and mid-20s Merle, two women of Caribbean background, staying in the psychiatric ward of London's local hospital.
“Sometimes it feels as if I only dream I'm here. It's hard to catch reality. Half the time I lose count of the days.”
Gloria grieves over the loss of her wife Josie and the fact that her in-laws and her community refuse(d) to accept her and Josie’s relationship. Her jubilant emotions rise from high to low without rhyme, often making her burst out into song; if the world won’t see her, she will at least be heard.
Merle on the other hand has to battle the voices in her head before she dares to speak; voices that sneer and pester her about her ex-husband Clyde and her controlling father. Or are they trying to make something clear?
“You think that as long as my mood don’t get too extreme, everything is going fine for me. You forget that there is more to life than this.”
The story is painful to read, not only because of the women’s mental illness, but because of the place we’re in. The psychiatric ward should be a place where Gloria and Merle find (a form of) healing, but everything is set against them.
The ignorant staff, the physical restraint and verbal (racial) abuse, the lack of information about their treatment or future: they're rather seen as “case studies” instead of as people.
“It seems to me that happy is a useful feeling. So why are you so keen to kick it out of me? Why you so determined to make me flat like the rest of you? Seems to me that everything I want is wrong and everything you want is right. Something wrong with that.”
Thankfully, it’s the bond between the two women that offers recovery and hope. Gloria’s brassiness and happiness cheer not only Merle, but the reader up too. And seeing Merle coming out of her psychosis and daring to making choices for herself, not others, filled my heart with joy.
I am so glad Bernadine Evaristo helped bring this overlooked, moving and honest novel into the spotlight, because The Fat Lady Sings deserves a wide audience and more praise.
“Sometimes it feels as if I only dream I'm here. It's hard to catch reality. Half the time I lose count of the days.”
Gloria grieves over the loss of her wife Josie and the fact that her in-laws and her community refuse(d) to accept her and Josie’s relationship. Her jubilant emotions rise from high to low without rhyme, often making her burst out into song; if the world won’t see her, she will at least be heard.
Merle on the other hand has to battle the voices in her head before she dares to speak; voices that sneer and pester her about her ex-husband Clyde and her controlling father. Or are they trying to make something clear?
“You think that as long as my mood don’t get too extreme, everything is going fine for me. You forget that there is more to life than this.”
The story is painful to read, not only because of the women’s mental illness, but because of the place we’re in. The psychiatric ward should be a place where Gloria and Merle find (a form of) healing, but everything is set against them.
The ignorant staff, the physical restraint and verbal (racial) abuse, the lack of information about their treatment or future: they're rather seen as “case studies” instead of as people.
“It seems to me that happy is a useful feeling. So why are you so keen to kick it out of me? Why you so determined to make me flat like the rest of you? Seems to me that everything I want is wrong and everything you want is right. Something wrong with that.”
Thankfully, it’s the bond between the two women that offers recovery and hope. Gloria’s brassiness and happiness cheer not only Merle, but the reader up too. And seeing Merle coming out of her psychosis and daring to making choices for herself, not others, filled my heart with joy.
I am so glad Bernadine Evaristo helped bring this overlooked, moving and honest novel into the spotlight, because The Fat Lady Sings deserves a wide audience and more praise.
July 25, 2024
What a good summer read!! Nothing goes wrong - well apart from being admitted onto a psychiatric ward. From reading the blurb not what I expected to happen - their storylines were a bit more separate than I was thinking but still I loved getting to know both Gloria and Merle besties forever!!
May 20, 2021
I enjoyed this book an average amount, nothing particularly amazing and I found the writing style a bit difficult to get into - the chapters narrated by Merle especially. It has an interesting premise that I enjoyed seeing explored, but I found it a little odd that it was set in the 1990s.
I couldn't see anything at all to tie it to the 90s, minus when the year being stated, so I'm not sure why this decision was made.
It's not a happy book, but it had moments of laugher in. I found myself hoping it went on a bit longer, I would've liked to see what happens after. My takeaway was an interesting thought on how often we all physically make an effort to act "sane" instead of doing something we'd like to.
I couldn't see anything at all to tie it to the 90s, minus when the year being stated, so I'm not sure why this decision was made.
It's not a happy book, but it had moments of laugher in. I found myself hoping it went on a bit longer, I would've liked to see what happens after. My takeaway was an interesting thought on how often we all physically make an effort to act "sane" instead of doing something we'd like to.
May 27, 2021
I really loved how strong the voices were in this novel, and I slipped into each of the protagonists voices really easily. Whilst I felt the plot moved quite slowly, I loved the subtle growth of the characters and the insight into how these patients felt and were treated within an apparently progressive and "better" environment for mentally unwell patients. The journey of the characters' health was nicely tied to the style of the novel and I really appreciated the ending and the relationship between Merle and Gloria.
February 10, 2021
'She walks with me, guiding me steadily out of the dark'
'Gloria' is a brilliant character and very well developed through the course of this book.
The story sometimes loses it's way a little, but always maintains a stronghold on the theme of self.
It is an (upsetting) must read and probably one I must read again!
'It's like I need to get inside the loss. Can't explain no better. This is my time.'
'Gloria' is a brilliant character and very well developed through the course of this book.
The story sometimes loses it's way a little, but always maintains a stronghold on the theme of self.
It is an (upsetting) must read and probably one I must read again!
'It's like I need to get inside the loss. Can't explain no better. This is my time.'
August 24, 2021
This book is one of the most powerful reflections of treatment of mental health in our society. Throughout you can’t help but feel the injustice of the way the characters are treated, I felt angry, sad and deeply moved by their experiences and I don’t think any book I’ve read recently has made me reflect me on the foundations of society and the prejudices in the way we treat people as much as this book did. This is fantastic, powerful and important and everyone should read this
June 4, 2021
Such a good book! I wish it was marketed as a book about mental health AND lesbian stigma in the black community, because it definitely does both justice. I implore everyone to read this important novel.
February 25, 2008
A moving account of mental illness from the perspective of two black women in Britain. It made me cry and made me realise how narrow the definitions of "proper behavior" can be.
March 28, 2021
Somebody understands
August 21, 2021
Super origineel en belangrijk boek! 😍
October 30, 2024
I can't recommend it enough.
An independent read for my Writing Black Britain class surrounding Gloria and Merle. Both stuck in a psychiatric ward for two very different reasons; one valid, one maybe not as much. Basically, it deals with the journey of their recovery, past traumas, and eventual release.
"It's to do with intimacy. It's locked in my dread of losing myself. And it's in my sense of sin."
Sometimes it's best to release past holdings and consider the possibility of a future for you, alone.
An independent read for my Writing Black Britain class surrounding Gloria and Merle. Both stuck in a psychiatric ward for two very different reasons; one valid, one maybe not as much. Basically, it deals with the journey of their recovery, past traumas, and eventual release.
"It's to do with intimacy. It's locked in my dread of losing myself. And it's in my sense of sin."
Sometimes it's best to release past holdings and consider the possibility of a future for you, alone.
January 2, 2022
Different to any book I've read before, I love the style and the use of formatting/font to convey different narratives. A story about relationships, mental health issues & how the past is entangled with who we are and how we understand the world around us.
July 29, 2022
‘We staan zij aan zij en zijn ons bewust van de eindes en de beginnen. We zien dat het vinden van iets, gevolgd door het verliezen daarvan, ons allebei het meeste pijn doet.’
———
Geïntroduceerd worden bij, zich schuldig voelen voor, en iedereen eindigt z’n zin hetzelfde weet je wel… De vertaling had nog even nagelezen mogen worden.
———
Geïntroduceerd worden bij, zich schuldig voelen voor, en iedereen eindigt z’n zin hetzelfde weet je wel… De vertaling had nog even nagelezen mogen worden.
April 7, 2024
Very interesting perspective. Felt a bit repetitive at times, but overall very well written. I enjoyed the ending but can understand how others may find it unsatisfying.
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