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The Women's Pages
Ellis, an ordinary suburban young woman of the 1960s, is troubled by secrets and gaps in her past that become more puzzling as her creator, Dove, writes her story fifty years later. Having read Wuthering Heights to her dying mother, Dove finds she cannot shake off the influence of that singular novel: it has infected her like a disease. Instead of returning to her normal life she follows the story it has inspired to discover more about Ellis, who has emerged from the pages of fiction herself - or has she? - to become a modern successful career woman.
The Women's Pages is about the choices and compromises women must make, their griefs and losses, and their need to fill in the absent spaces where other women - especially those who become mothers - should have been. And it is about the mysterious process of creativity, about the way stories are shaped and fiction is formed. Right up to its astonishing conclusion, The Women's Pages asserts the power of the reader's imagination, which can make the deepest desires and strangest dreams come true.
The Women's Pages is about the choices and compromises women must make, their griefs and losses, and their need to fill in the absent spaces where other women - especially those who become mothers - should have been. And it is about the mysterious process of creativity, about the way stories are shaped and fiction is formed. Right up to its astonishing conclusion, The Women's Pages asserts the power of the reader's imagination, which can make the deepest desires and strangest dreams come true.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
11 people are currently reading
250 people want to read
About the author
Debra Adelaide
30 books41 followersDebra Adelaide has worked as a researcher, editor, and book reviewer, and has a PhD from the University of Sydney. She is presently a senior lecturer in creative writing at the University of Technology, Sydney, where she lives with her husband and three children.
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debra_Ad...
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debra_Ad...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
February 13, 2016
I didn't much enjoy Letter to George Clooney, Debra Adelaide's short story collection from a few years back, so I went into this with pretty low expectations. Adelaide really proved me wrong though, with a lovely book, intertwining the story of Dove, a writer, and Ellis, the character that she obsesses over. Both stories are about missing parents, motherhood and women's independence. Although Ellis' story is the more engaging of the two, the portrayal of Dove's grief and her need to write her way to an understanding of Ellis' life is neatly done. The book is littered with allusions to Wuthering Heights, which I must admit I've never read, so there were probably some key connections there that passed me by.
May 15, 2016
I found this book really interesting. It's a different concept reading a book that is about writing the book as well as the story, and to begin with I wasn't sure where it was going or whether people who weren't interested in writing would enjoy it. But then the ending, wow. I did not see it coming and as soon as I finished I wanted to go back to the start and read the book again, with the ending in mind, to see what Debra Adelaide has actually done. It's brilliant.
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June 18, 2017This was outside my usual reading preferences, but how could I resist a book that has Wuthering Heights playing a role in it?!
The book follows Dove, a motherless daughter (a recurrent theme in this book, and how it connects to Wuthering Heights) as she writes a book about a woman named Ellis - also a motherless daughter, and a woman who gives up her own children. .
The most intriguing part of the novel for me was in following Dove's creative process as she writes her book. As a non-writing book lover, it was fascinating to gain insight into how a book develops and grows from a seed of an idea.
With thanks to Goodreads First Reads and the publisher for this copy to read.
The book follows Dove, a motherless daughter (a recurrent theme in this book, and how it connects to Wuthering Heights) as she writes a book about a woman named Ellis - also a motherless daughter, and a woman who gives up her own children. .
The most intriguing part of the novel for me was in following Dove's creative process as she writes her book. As a non-writing book lover, it was fascinating to gain insight into how a book develops and grows from a seed of an idea.
With thanks to Goodreads First Reads and the publisher for this copy to read.
May 30, 2022
‘It was reading that had brought Dove to this.’
Dove has read Wuthering Heights before but reading it to her dying mother, Jane, has made Emily Brontë’s novel more important to her. And, after her mother dies, Dove finds herself unable to return to her normal life. Instead, Dove writes about Ellis, a young suburban woman of the 1960s.
Dove sees some elements of Ellis’s life clearly and wants to learn more.
‘She had not meant to write the story of women but that was how it appeared, that was the only story in her head.’
This is a story about women, their compromises, choices, dreams, and roles. The story touches on the gap created in a woman’s life when she is motherless and the search to fill those interstices. I read, thinking of Emily Brontë’s restlessness and the impact of the bleak Yorkshire moors on the shape and structure of Wuthering Heights. I read, wondering what might happen next.
‘And she understood that something frightening was about to happen. Something liberating but frightening, and as she thought about it – and thought again about the maddening autonomy these characters exerted, well beyond her control – she believed that she began to understand the author of Wuthering Heights a tiny bit more.’
While the mention of Wuthering Heights is what had me pick up this novel in the first place, Ms Adelaide’s writing held my attention as she explored Dove’s story and Ellis’s life. Can dreams come true? I want to be back on the Yorkshire moors with Emily Brontë, but I am caught in Ms Adelaide’s story, wondering how it will end.
I finished the novel completely satisfied.
‘Sometimes you see the entire story in mere seconds, and then the story stays with you, swelling to fill your mind until your head might burst.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Dove has read Wuthering Heights before but reading it to her dying mother, Jane, has made Emily Brontë’s novel more important to her. And, after her mother dies, Dove finds herself unable to return to her normal life. Instead, Dove writes about Ellis, a young suburban woman of the 1960s.
Dove sees some elements of Ellis’s life clearly and wants to learn more.
‘She had not meant to write the story of women but that was how it appeared, that was the only story in her head.’
This is a story about women, their compromises, choices, dreams, and roles. The story touches on the gap created in a woman’s life when she is motherless and the search to fill those interstices. I read, thinking of Emily Brontë’s restlessness and the impact of the bleak Yorkshire moors on the shape and structure of Wuthering Heights. I read, wondering what might happen next.
‘And she understood that something frightening was about to happen. Something liberating but frightening, and as she thought about it – and thought again about the maddening autonomy these characters exerted, well beyond her control – she believed that she began to understand the author of Wuthering Heights a tiny bit more.’
While the mention of Wuthering Heights is what had me pick up this novel in the first place, Ms Adelaide’s writing held my attention as she explored Dove’s story and Ellis’s life. Can dreams come true? I want to be back on the Yorkshire moors with Emily Brontë, but I am caught in Ms Adelaide’s story, wondering how it will end.
I finished the novel completely satisfied.
‘Sometimes you see the entire story in mere seconds, and then the story stays with you, swelling to fill your mind until your head might burst.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
November 25, 2016
It took me a while to get into this novel and the circumstances under which I read it didn't lend themselves to good concentration or reflection. The relationships between the strands of the novel were complex too and it took a while for me to get my head around them. It helped, I think, that I'd heard Debra Adelaide talk about this novel at Adelaide Writers Week in March this year. Once I grasped the essential relationship between the story of Dove and the story of Ellis (a character Dove is writing about but who takes on a life of her own) and the subtle links to Wuthering Heights, I was absorbed and impressed.
Fundamentally this is a book about mothers - missing mothers, dying mothers, mothers who gave up their children for adoption - and about women without children. The title of the novel refers to a magazine in Sydney which over the decades changes its focus as women's roles change. OF course it has the dual meaning of this novel being pages for women and about women. It is a clever metafiction and it is an honest and thoughtful look at why being (or not being) a mother or a daughter is important. It considers how artistic endeavour can be a form of gestation and nurture.
I'm sure this novel would well repay another reading when I could give its subtleties the attention they deserve.
Fundamentally this is a book about mothers - missing mothers, dying mothers, mothers who gave up their children for adoption - and about women without children. The title of the novel refers to a magazine in Sydney which over the decades changes its focus as women's roles change. OF course it has the dual meaning of this novel being pages for women and about women. It is a clever metafiction and it is an honest and thoughtful look at why being (or not being) a mother or a daughter is important. It considers how artistic endeavour can be a form of gestation and nurture.
I'm sure this novel would well repay another reading when I could give its subtleties the attention they deserve.
November 5, 2015
Ahhh SO GREAT.
July 25, 2017
❤️❤️❤️
A contemporary Australian novel.
It is a brilliantly executed novel-within-a-novel set in both 2015 and the late 1960s.
I was THERE. The setting is Sydney, mainly the inner west - Camperdown & Ashfield. The evocation of the 1960s is flawless. (The author is my age).
Dove is grieving the death of her mother, whose favourite book was Wuthering Heights. She deals with her grief by beginning writing her own novel, about a woman called Ellis.
The two stories run in parallel. The common theme is the absence of mothers. And the search for motherness and mothers.
It also describes the compulsion of the writer, the roadblocks that are encountered, and how characters have their own agency.
And just about one of the best endings I have ever read. The final two sentences are pure gold.
A contemporary Australian novel.
It is a brilliantly executed novel-within-a-novel set in both 2015 and the late 1960s.
I was THERE. The setting is Sydney, mainly the inner west - Camperdown & Ashfield. The evocation of the 1960s is flawless. (The author is my age).
Dove is grieving the death of her mother, whose favourite book was Wuthering Heights. She deals with her grief by beginning writing her own novel, about a woman called Ellis.
The two stories run in parallel. The common theme is the absence of mothers. And the search for motherness and mothers.
It also describes the compulsion of the writer, the roadblocks that are encountered, and how characters have their own agency.
And just about one of the best endings I have ever read. The final two sentences are pure gold.
July 21, 2016
The Women's Pages, by Debra Adelaide, longlisted for The Stella Prize, is a novel about reading and writing. Through twin narratives, we follow the lives of two women. The first is 38-year-old Dove, who is grieving for her mother, and compulsively drawn to writing a story about women, the absences they create in the lives of others, the absences they harbour inside themselves, fuelled by her re-reading of Bronte's Wuthering Heights at her dying mother's bedside. The second is Ellis, the character about whom Dove writes, imagining for her a life and circumstances around her turmoil at age 16 in the 60's, through decades of social change and unheaval, to her position as managing editor of the magazine Women's Pages, and the relationships and children she has sacrificed along the way to get there. The simultaneous narratives are compelling as we piece together the lives of the two women - one real and one imagined - and the tension rises as their two stories converge. One of the most fascinating things for me about this novel was its examination of the act of writing, of how characters - rather than be created and developed - might simply already exist, emerging into the author's psyche, with their own trajectories already mapped out; the idea that the author can only look on - sometimes feeling terribly trapped and impotent - while the lives of the characters play out, the author desperate to intervene, but unable to do so. 'At what point she had begun thinking of these characters as women and not characters she could not say. All she knew was that they had so effectively developed into real creations, ones whose waking moments were punctuated by the same pain and frustration as hers, and whose dreams were as potent as any she had ever experienced, that their inability to discuss what she felt they should be discussing was almost too much for her to bear...no matter how much she pummelled on the glass or shouted, they were oblivious to her presence.' Or this: 'But she had been foolish enough to think she exercised some control over the story...she wanted to yell at people who simply did not exist...' The notion that the author's desire or intentions can be merely thrust aside in favour of the characters' own purposes or objectives is maddeningly recognisable. The plot has many twists and turns, and the ending is sweetly serendipitous. This story is about mothers - absent and wanting, and also fathers - loyal and betrayed. But it is also about the literary life, about the blurred line between our imaginations and reality, and about the angst and heartache of depicting characters that perhaps already exist.
September 7, 2017
I found this book to be so warm & inviting. It tells two parallel tales- firstly that of Dove, who is recovering from her mother's death and finds herself haunted by a character whose story she feels compelled to write; the second is the story of Ellis, a housewife in the 1960s who has taken residence in Dove's mind, but who is out of her control. Unlike many other novels with two parallel storylines, I felt equally invested and interested in both. I think the importance of the novel Wuthering Heights within the text is overstated- although it is referred to by the narrator, and some character names are inspired by Wuthering Heights, you don't need a working knowledge of it to enjoy this book. It did inspire me to reread Wuthering Heights after almost 10 years, which was enjoyable as well. Overall, I found The Women's Pages to be a comforting, cosy read that still gives you something to think about.
March 27, 2016
The story of two women, one ostensibly writing the story of another. Clever piece of metafiction about the art of novel writing, as well as a telling story about women's lives, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s. Explores motherhood - not having mothers, not being mothers, and the gaps that result.
At first the two voices are distinct and easy to follow, but as Dove (the writer) starts to have doubts about the characters she's created, the voices intersect more, but this just added to the interest and intrigue. A very engaging read.
For my review, please see Whispering Gums: http://whisperinggums.com/2016/03/24/...
At first the two voices are distinct and easy to follow, but as Dove (the writer) starts to have doubts about the characters she's created, the voices intersect more, but this just added to the interest and intrigue. A very engaging read.
For my review, please see Whispering Gums: http://whisperinggums.com/2016/03/24/...
December 7, 2015
Not very good. I used to love reading Debra Adelaide's work but this writing is clunky, the refs to Bronte awkwardly obvious, the characters simpering and the constant refs to pop culture and branding hackneyed ( she writes, in her Bic Pental ball point and then crosses it out to tap into her Apple iPhone). It feels mechanical and formulaic. And I can't believe how closely part of the story follows Paper Giants, the tv series on Ita Buttrose. Perhaps I shouldn't have picked it up straight after Colm Toibin.
January 29, 2016
An interesting 'conceit' to meld a story around Emily Bronte's classic. I enjoyed the set up of the story between the two women of different generations - one inside the novel of the other. However I did not find the resolution of Ellis' story entirely satisfactory. Debra Adelaide writes well and has an almost obsessive eye for detail. I grew up in the 1960s so it was not a historical period for me. This meant I found the parade of brand names, events and customs of the period became relentless and overdone. Adelaide must have mined every copy of the 'Women's Weekly' published in the 1960s!
November 16, 2015
Another terrific novel written by Debra Adelaide. Really enjoying her writing and particularly enjoyed this one. Such a great part of history for women in Australia - so much change, so many challenges which Debra has conveyed magnificently. Love the mix of old and new, always a winner with me - especially when they come together so beautifully in the end.
November 10, 2015
I really like Debra Adelaide as a writer - letters to George Clooney was just brilliant. However, I got confused with all the changes in voices in "pages".
November 28, 2017
The main character Dove, is rather elusive as the story revolves more around her desire to write and her creation of her story about Elis which demands to write itself. The book jumps from Dove's life which seems very inconsequential to that of Ellis whose history unravels quite slowly and deliberately to keep the reader wondering if there will be an end or not..
Abortion and the compromises women have always had to make is an important issue but does not have the impact it probably should. There are some interesting topics raised but I found the book rather confsuing
Abortion and the compromises women have always had to make is an important issue but does not have the impact it probably should. There are some interesting topics raised but I found the book rather confsuing
May 24, 2017
I liked the concept behind the book, and did feel a connection with the inner western suburbs of Sydney, of which I lived myself during my early 20's. However, I found it laborious to read. I felt this book lacked a natural flow, and the descriptions were at times mundane in detail. Unfortunately I read only half way, and after having attended book club, I do not feel a desire to attempt again.
March 5, 2018
I really disliked this book on a lot of levels. The parallel lives, the modern flicking back to the 60's, the referral to Wuthering Heights. If it had just been Ellis's story I probably would have enjoyed it and given it a good rating. That part of the story was well written and interesting albeit with a few plot holes. Couldn't wait to finish it!
September 28, 2022
A friend reminded me of Debra Adelaide and I downloaded Womens Pages straight away. What a fantastic writer she is. I enjoyed this book a lot. In many ways this is an historical document, a story that shows how much work is being done in suburbs and cities around the world. Mostly by women. Mostly unpaid. Still.
August 10, 2021
Quite a good read, figured out the ending before it happened though.
April 11, 2022
An enjoyable but at times frustrating read. The constant change between characters totally confused me at times.
March 21, 2017
Disappointed. Enjoyed most of Ellis but Dove the writer really annoyed me.
March 7, 2017
Felt like I was reading an intricate braid of stories, entwined enmeshed and beautifully realised.
December 16, 2015
A review in GR (Good Reading) magazine suggested that it was almost worth re-reading Wuthering Heights before starting this novel, but having read Emily Bronte's classic about 50 years ago didn't hinder my appreciation of this novel at all. The novel takes us back and forth between 1960s and present day setting as well as delving into Wuthering Heights as she reads it to her dying adoptive mother. The story is well planned and never confused me and explored the theme of motherhood as well. Excellent read.
January 12, 2016
I received this book through Goodreads.
While reading Wuthering Heights to her dying mother Dove finds her own story hidden inside herself ready to be let out.
Dove creates a story with Ellis as the main character and we follow along Ellis's life.
While also following along Doves life.
While I really liked reading this type of story I did find myself getting lost lots of times I was often losing track which character I was reading....Dove..Ellis...Ellis...Dove.
It was a fun read and has plenty of laugh at loud moments.
While reading Wuthering Heights to her dying mother Dove finds her own story hidden inside herself ready to be let out.
Dove creates a story with Ellis as the main character and we follow along Ellis's life.
While also following along Doves life.
While I really liked reading this type of story I did find myself getting lost lots of times I was often losing track which character I was reading....Dove..Ellis...Ellis...Dove.
It was a fun read and has plenty of laugh at loud moments.
September 8, 2016
I enjoyed the references to creating characters and writing fiction, the life of women in the 1960s and publishing and the inner Sydney locations. But there were just too many unanswered questions for me at the end. One of the few books I've read that I would have preferred to be longer. The last half of Ellis' life seemed to pass in a few short pages. Haven't read the classic Wuthering Heights, but it didn't seem to matter and probably would have been just as strong without the references to it.
January 10, 2016
I received this book as part of the Good Reads Giveaways and thank Good Reads, Picador and the author for this copy.
This book describes the lives of two women from different time periods and their encounters with sexism and patriarchal entitlement. Written with a feminist slant, the women overcome their feelings of listlessness by empowering themselves by following their passions.
I enjoyed the paralleling stories of the two women and highly recommend the read.
This book describes the lives of two women from different time periods and their encounters with sexism and patriarchal entitlement. Written with a feminist slant, the women overcome their feelings of listlessness by empowering themselves by following their passions.
I enjoyed the paralleling stories of the two women and highly recommend the read.
March 1, 2016
An interesting premise, intertwining the story of a woman who is writing the story of another woman from an earlier time, while also referencing Bronte's Wuthering Heights. The overarching theme was around mothers, or lack there of. However, I found the character's voices confusing and struggled through sections where information was revealed in an unclear way. The conclusion was not "astonishing" as referred to on the book jacket, but rather fell flat (for me).
January 3, 2016
Heavy handed and over-written. Unless this is meant to be a satire it also makes women look stupid. The question of why there are no mothers in Wuthering Heights is not answered here - although I'm not sure why that is such an issue to begin with. Not sure that Emily would like the way her novel and characters have been used.
On the plus side there is some great descriptive writing on inner Sydney.
I expected a lot from this novel but didn't find it.
On the plus side there is some great descriptive writing on inner Sydney.
I expected a lot from this novel but didn't find it.
September 5, 2017
I found this book unputdownable - in fact when I finished I went straight back to the beginning and skim read again, just to make sure I picked up on the bits I had probably missed. The two stories are both separate, yet intertwined, and although just occasionally I mixed up whether it was Ellis or Dove writing, I really didn't find it confusing. The ending was unexpected, and it was that that sent me back to the beginning again, to see why I hadn't seen it coming :-).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews