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The Cupboard
When Erica composes herself to die in a cupboard, she know that Ralph will find her. Aged 87, she has told the young journalist the full, colourful story of her life from childhood to political activist to lover, from Paris between the wars to oblivion in post-war London. One secret remains, the mystery inside her cupboard.
- GenresFiction
Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
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About the author
Rose Tremain
79 books1,105 followersDame Rose Tremain is an acclaimed English novelist and short story writer, celebrated for her distinctive approach to historical fiction and her focus on characters who exist on the margins of society. Educated at the Sorbonne and the University of East Anglia, where she later taught creative writing and served as Chancellor, Tremain has produced a rich body of work spanning novels, short stories, plays, and memoir. Influenced by writers such as William Golding and Gabriel García Márquez, her narratives often blend psychological depth with lyrical prose.
Among her many honors, she has received the Whitbread Award for Music and Silence, the Orange Prize for The Road Home, and the National Jewish Book Award for The Gustav Sonata. She was shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Restoration and has been recognized multiple times by the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. In 2020, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her services to literature. Tremain lives in Norfolk and continues to write, with her recent novel Absolutely and Forever shortlisted for the 2024 Walter Scott Prize.
Among her many honors, she has received the Whitbread Award for Music and Silence, the Orange Prize for The Road Home, and the National Jewish Book Award for The Gustav Sonata. She was shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Restoration and has been recognized multiple times by the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. In 2020, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her services to literature. Tremain lives in Norfolk and continues to write, with her recent novel Absolutely and Forever shortlisted for the 2024 Walter Scott Prize.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
July 29, 2021
Unfortunately I did not love this book as much as I have loved others by Tremain.
The Cupboard uses the narrative trope of an elderly former author, Erica, telling her life story to a young American journalist, Ralph. The novel alternates present day sections between the two characters and flashbacks to Erica's former life. This method of storytelling is used a lot in books and usually I quite like it. The main issue here is that Erica's life just isn't that interesting so it didn't make for compelling reading.
As an early work of Tremain's you can see her talent for character observation and fascination with individual lives and stories. However these skills are used to much better effect in her later work.
The Cupboard uses the narrative trope of an elderly former author, Erica, telling her life story to a young American journalist, Ralph. The novel alternates present day sections between the two characters and flashbacks to Erica's former life. This method of storytelling is used a lot in books and usually I quite like it. The main issue here is that Erica's life just isn't that interesting so it didn't make for compelling reading.
As an early work of Tremain's you can see her talent for character observation and fascination with individual lives and stories. However these skills are used to much better effect in her later work.
October 2, 2010
Hmm ... I couldn't quite get into this one. An 87-year old English novelist recounts her life story to a young American journalist and then crawls into a cupboard to die. It just didn't grab me. In fact now I think about it, the only one of the four Rose Tremain books that I've read that has really stuck in my mind as a book worth re-reading is Music & Silence. So skip this and read that instead.
February 27, 2011
Another Parson's Egg of a book from Rose Tremain.
At face value, this is the simple story of a young, aspiring American writer coming to England to find out the life story of a rather niche, octagenarian English lady novelist so that he can tell it in his small time journal....
But like Russian dolls, there are stories within stories within stories here. It's probably a deficiency in my levels of comprehension, but I simply don't "get" a lot of the stories. No doubt some of them are meant to be deeply allegorical - but they went miles above my head. I could be unkind and say that Rose Tremain found herself under the influence of some of the various noxious substances and dark moods that she mentions throughout the course of the book, and wrote a streamof consciousness down on a piece of scrap people - then revisited at a more sober moment, and decided to try and craft a book around it.
At one of the denouements (there are 3 or 4, which is an intriguing outcome in its own right) two of the characters are discussing one of the "magical" novels which form one of the many sub stories, and they say about it that "maybe nobody was supposed to understand it anyway". And maybe the key to the whole book lies in that sentence?
As I say, plenty of good, interesting stuff to keep you engaged in this - the struggle of the artist to find his/ her muse is a recurring theme throughout many of the sub-plots, for example - but ultimately for me, the whole "egg" is a bit spoiled because there are just too many "bad" bits punctuating it.
Original, unique and thought provoking though - which is precisly what you expect from the author.
At face value, this is the simple story of a young, aspiring American writer coming to England to find out the life story of a rather niche, octagenarian English lady novelist so that he can tell it in his small time journal....
But like Russian dolls, there are stories within stories within stories here. It's probably a deficiency in my levels of comprehension, but I simply don't "get" a lot of the stories. No doubt some of them are meant to be deeply allegorical - but they went miles above my head. I could be unkind and say that Rose Tremain found herself under the influence of some of the various noxious substances and dark moods that she mentions throughout the course of the book, and wrote a streamof consciousness down on a piece of scrap people - then revisited at a more sober moment, and decided to try and craft a book around it.
At one of the denouements (there are 3 or 4, which is an intriguing outcome in its own right) two of the characters are discussing one of the "magical" novels which form one of the many sub stories, and they say about it that "maybe nobody was supposed to understand it anyway". And maybe the key to the whole book lies in that sentence?
As I say, plenty of good, interesting stuff to keep you engaged in this - the struggle of the artist to find his/ her muse is a recurring theme throughout many of the sub-plots, for example - but ultimately for me, the whole "egg" is a bit spoiled because there are just too many "bad" bits punctuating it.
Original, unique and thought provoking though - which is precisly what you expect from the author.
December 13, 2016
Journalist, Ralph is assigned to record the life of eighty seven year old writer, Erica. Through him, her novels and her dreams we begin to discover the separate stories of her life.There are as many layers to this book as the mille feuilles she eats in Paris. The Paris episode has the authentic feel of a French novel and it is this period that governs her existence. Until the end, she lives for the grande passion she had with Gerard. For other writers in the book, too, the need to convey love through the written word becomes dominant.
Rose Tremain conveys the struggle of the eighty seven year old mind to recall, remember and to put into words all the events of her long life - from her upbringing on a Suffolk farm, to her associations with suffragettes during her stay in London, to her exploration of freedom and her emergence as a celebrity novelist. Her speeches move in and out of consciousness. Dreams and reality blur.
"She couldn't remember where she had left her life the previous afternoon."
This is the lot of the ageing and elderly.
You have to read the text quite closely to put events into place. Time sequences and speakers change rapidly. Some passages are completely (intentionally?) perplexing, particularly extracts from The Hospital Ship. But the writing draws you in to so many worlds you feel can only try to understand.
Rose Tremain conveys the struggle of the eighty seven year old mind to recall, remember and to put into words all the events of her long life - from her upbringing on a Suffolk farm, to her associations with suffragettes during her stay in London, to her exploration of freedom and her emergence as a celebrity novelist. Her speeches move in and out of consciousness. Dreams and reality blur.
"She couldn't remember where she had left her life the previous afternoon."
This is the lot of the ageing and elderly.
You have to read the text quite closely to put events into place. Time sequences and speakers change rapidly. Some passages are completely (intentionally?) perplexing, particularly extracts from The Hospital Ship. But the writing draws you in to so many worlds you feel can only try to understand.
October 10, 2014
I really hated this book. It commits some cardinal sins, alienating the reader by pretending to allusions, ideas, threads that you can't make sense of. Like it aspires to bits of Iris Murdoch at her rambliest. Like Cloud Atlas without the likeability.
It's true that in general I distrust novels which include 'extracts' from fictions within the fiction- and those 'extracts' present a massive stumbling block in this book, they are pointlessly inaccessible, hinting at an allegory that is not there, a badly formed partial thing that the author fancied but could not justify as a whole story they could commit to,- but I could live with even that if the rest of the story were halfway worthwhile.
The only star I can give is for a neat end, which at least acknowledges the futility of the attempt to capture a life, of claiming it in any way, in life or in fiction. Rose, I am not coming back.
It's true that in general I distrust novels which include 'extracts' from fictions within the fiction- and those 'extracts' present a massive stumbling block in this book, they are pointlessly inaccessible, hinting at an allegory that is not there, a badly formed partial thing that the author fancied but could not justify as a whole story they could commit to,- but I could live with even that if the rest of the story were halfway worthwhile.
The only star I can give is for a neat end, which at least acknowledges the futility of the attempt to capture a life, of claiming it in any way, in life or in fiction. Rose, I am not coming back.
January 29, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this book with its multiple layers and reflection on the history of the 20th C through the life of Erika, recorded in her recount to a journalist, extracts from her books, comments by other characters. I liked the surreal aspect. However I didn't feel that I understood all of it or even the significance of the cupboard. It was very sad in its evocation of death and loss and violence. Although the workings of the novel's machinery were quite visible, I believed in the character and was absorbed. I didn't really get the American journalist or what his 'summary' was about.
April 11, 2020
An intriguing novel that showcases a variety of styles, and tells the story of the life of a novelist. It's odd- light on detail in the wrong places and too much detail in others; but this may be the point as we're listening to the retelling of this life by the novelist herself. And memory is an odd beast!
It is a reasonably emotionally charged book- especially towards the end. It deals with regret but more strongly with creative passion and stifled creative passions especially. Unfortunately I don't have a huge amount ot say about it- it didn't move me greatly in any direction. A worthwhile read but nothing extraordinary.
It is a reasonably emotionally charged book- especially towards the end. It deals with regret but more strongly with creative passion and stifled creative passions especially. Unfortunately I don't have a huge amount ot say about it- it didn't move me greatly in any direction. A worthwhile read but nothing extraordinary.
January 5, 2020
I enjoyed the layers of this book and found the telling of the main character's life intriguing. The story told of some of the horrors of the twentieth century from one woman's perspective. The theme of the ability of an artist to create recurs throughout the book and it's interesting to see how outside forces impact on this. I wasn't sure what to make of the American character who befriends the main character. All in all a good read, if not an easy one.
October 5, 2010
Didn't enjoy this as much as the other Rose Tremain books I have read. Found it hard to get into. Didn't enjoy the dream sequences or the extracts from the Old Ladies books
October 22, 2011
Great writing but ultimately just didn't capture me. I can appreciate the drawing of an amazing character but didn 't hook me in so I found it difficult to finish.
October 20, 2014
Another excellent book from one of my favourite authors.
December 18, 2019
This is the third Rose Tremain book I've read, but it's the first that didn't resonate with me. The story is about a young American journalist sent to London to interview an elderly and somewhat obscure literary author. The old lady herself is quite an interesting character, but the American is vapid and dull. Most of the book consists of the author narrating the story of her life which introduces a distance to the proceedings that makes it hard to engage with. This is exacerbated by the fact that apart from her friendship with Emily Davison, her life simply isn't that interesting. There are also extracts from her books to contend with - presumably allegorical, they are strange and incomprehensible and bring nothing to the whole. Disappointing after I had enjoyed both The Road Home and Music & Silence so much.
March 22, 2021
I am a fan of Rose Tremain but I am happy to acknowledge some of her work is quirky. The cupboard falls into this category. However her characters are strong and clear and the story telling has pathos.
The descriptions of love helped me understand how debilitating, and all consuming it can be or just a safe harbour when it is needed.
I think the stories within the story, Erica’s books just underpin the lack of process or clarity in her own life. For the time, Erica was extraordinary. Stick with it, finish the story. But this book needs time and reflection.
The descriptions of love helped me understand how debilitating, and all consuming it can be or just a safe harbour when it is needed.
I think the stories within the story, Erica’s books just underpin the lack of process or clarity in her own life. For the time, Erica was extraordinary. Stick with it, finish the story. But this book needs time and reflection.
April 1, 2018
The main character in this novel is very richly described and the story she tells interesting and exciting, I enjoyed this part of the book enormously. Towards the end of he novel there were quotes from other books which I assume were some references to the main characters but they just confused me, hence only 4 rather than 5 stars!
July 17, 2020
I normally love Rose Tremain but this one was so dull I didn't even finish it. An old woman is telling her memoirs to an American journalist. Her life seems so completely dull(despite being a writer), that I lost all interest. It meandered off into details about the journalist and extracts from her bizarre novels. There seemed to be no story so I gave up.
October 29, 2021
There is something about Rose Tremain's books that I just love. Her characters come alive on the page and I find myself very willingly becoming absorbed into their lives. Erica March is just such a character, and as Ralph becomes totally convinced of her talent and won over by her personality, so did I. Not a perfect book but so worth reading.
November 9, 2021
This book was such hard work to read as evidenced by the fact that it took me over 7 weeks to read a 251 page book! A shame as I am a big fan of Rose Tremain books normally. It seemed like a hodge podge of ideas and I had to skip the bits of the old lady's novel that were interspersed with the rest of the story. The only thing that kept me going was that Erica March is an interesting character...
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April 7, 2024It's well written, as is everything Rose Tremain writes, but it pissed me off a lot. I'm loathe to give out spoilers as I've been bollocked for it before. Just appreciate the fact that it has done nothing but incur apathy in my soul. An overwhelming sense of "mehness".
Other people have probably liked it. *shrug*
Other people have probably liked it. *shrug*
February 13, 2025
Congratulations, Erica Marsh, you have just been elected (posthumously) to the Literary Hall of Fame for self-centered, unappealing and, ultimately boring fictional characters. Your prize will be handed over to your equally uninspiring biographer Ralph. For the sake of male/female equality you will be sharing this much coveted award with Henry Perowne, created by Ian McEwan in "Saturday."
May 25, 2020
This is a sensational book tracing the story of a fascinating character through the conversations she has with an American journalist. I loved the way the relationship between them grows as we get to know them during their staged encounters. A true gem!
April 19, 2022
I suspect this novel was intended to be deep, many-layered and beautiful. It is beautiful in parts, I must admit, but generally it is long-winded, unnecessary and tedious. And for goodness' sake, shouldn't an established and famous novelist have learnt how to spell "crotchet"?
October 28, 2018
Unusual but interesting story of a woman as old as the 20th century. Not my favourite Rose Tremain.
April 13, 2019
Good idea but became boring and turgid about half way through
July 5, 2020
A bit difficult to get into and it really goes nowhere. More obscure than usual from RT and not her best.
July 28, 2021
Baffling, struggled to finish it.
May 14, 2022
Gully. Bits of good, bits of boring. Haggard's Bulls.
December 17, 2022
A little laborious this one. The actual prose/dialogue great as usual, but I struggled a bit to finish. My least favourite so far
August 22, 2024
Maybe I didn't understand this book....
...but I do know that I didn't like the imagery at all.... Had this been the first book I read by Rose Tremain, I'd not touch another.
...but I do know that I didn't like the imagery at all.... Had this been the first book I read by Rose Tremain, I'd not touch another.
November 1, 2023
Mostly this was dated, insistent about its symbolism in an irritating way, and muddled, but there were moments where it reached effectively towards something deeper about love and death. I didn't enjoy it but it was interesting.
Note for occasional use of the n-word which felt surprising to me for 1981, but that's possibly my naivete.
Note for occasional use of the n-word which felt surprising to me for 1981, but that's possibly my naivete.
February 8, 2017
I love Tremain's later works so wanted to read her earlier stuff but this is not a good book. The story of Erica March as told to Ralph is interesting; I found his story dull; but the 'extracts ' from Erica's books and everyone's dreams were confusing, meaningless to me and pointless. My recommendation would be to skip those parts and just read the bits where Erica describes her life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews