The Kite Flyer

by Rose Tremain

A selection of modern stories by the bestselling author of "Restoration". They demonstrate her wit, irony and range.

Genres: Short Stories

59 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Dame 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.

Reviews

[K.D. Absolutely · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Is she this good?" was the question that kept coming to my mind while reading this small book. My first time to read a Tremain despite the fact that I have in possession for quite sometime now, at least two of her more popular novels in my tbr such as Restoration and The Colour.

She writes oh so clearly and her characters are well-developed and her storytelling is similar to that of that of Anne Tyler's. I mean I got reminded of how much I enjoyed Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant or Breathing Lessons when I was reading the three stories included in this book. Incandescent. Engaging. Emotion-filled stories and characters. Makes you want to repeat reading them again. That's how this book moved me.

The first story "The Kite Flyer" (5 STARS) is about an aging couple. The man is a pastor who is losing his faith in God. The woman has been in the background as the pastor's wife until this time that she discovers a heroine in the person of a namesake who lived inconspicuously in their town many years ago. It is a gripping story as you can almost see these character leaping out of the pages of the book ending their life together in a tragedy.

The second story "A Shooting Season" (4 STARS) is about another couple. This time a mistress and a married guy. The married guy has children in both of his wife. He is obviously fooling the mistress trying to have sex by pretending that his wife is also fooling with another guy so he makes it as an excuse to visit the mistress. The story is nothing new but the language that Tremain used to describe the inner emotion of the mistress is one for the books. It lacks the emotional drama yet there is something in the dialogue that silently makes you feel you want to hug her and assure her that everything will be alright.

The third story "Words with Marigold" (4 STARS) is about a 16-year old girl who just had an abortion because of her disturbed mind brought about by the fact that she has been a neglected child. She sleeps around until she gets impregnated by a 32-y/o man who she probably thought to be her savior. She gets it wrong. Again, old story, old plot. However, again the language and the storytelling makes the story new and different. There is just something about Tremain that makes her story tastes new and so I am now looking forward to reading more of her works.

Thank you to Sir Egay for this book. I hope you did not just include this in the bunch of books that you donated to our book club last year. I hope you read this too because this is one of the books that I thought you should have kept. Beautiful.

[Debbie Robson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Rose Tremain book, a little Phoenix paperback. The book contains three stories, The Kite Flyer, A Shooting Season and Words With Marigold. Each one is brilliantly written. Tremain quickly envelopes you in her character’s lives. But she also doesn’t spare the reader. I found all three stories quite depressing. The title story, in particular, about the Vicar and his wife Olivia and what happens to both of them.

In a Shooting Season, my favourite, Anna is visited out of the blue by her ex-husband Marcus. I love this paragraph!

“‘How did it start?’
The novel-writing, he meant, but he had a way, still, of sending fine ripples through the water of ordinary questions which invited her to admit: I was in love with him for such a long time that parting from him was like drowning. When I was washed ashore, the sediment of him still clogged me.”

I’m afraid I didn’t enjoy the last story at all. Well written, of course, but ultimately grim when you discover all that Marigold has gone through. Probably the point Tremain is making but grim never-the-less.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book and to this day still remember most of the details. A lot of sad parts which made me cry but it was worth reading.

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stories, not one. Slight but disarming, delightful and depressing in turn. I always forget how deft an observer Tremain can be.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book