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A Working Mother
A mordant, cautionary tale about a working-class woman who’s hemmed in on all sides by “the most unfairly neglected” of all Scottish writers (Alasdair Gray).
At home, Betty’s husband Alan is a depressed alcoholic, while her smart-mouthed kids are driving her crazy. Maybe an affair with her and Alan’s attractive friend Brendan will spice things up? No such luck—he proves to be just as much of a disappointment as everything else in her life. Even at work she can’t catch a her decrepit boss, Mr. Robson, has roving hands and a magnum opus he wants her help typing up after hours . . . Is it any wonder that Betty’s hitting the bottle now too?
Not since Muriel Spark has there been a Scottish writer so attuned to the black humor and surreal potential of the banalities and frustrations of ordinary existence. A Working Mother is a “sly, hilarious tale about one woman’s search for meaning” (Kirkus) in a miserable, messy world.
At home, Betty’s husband Alan is a depressed alcoholic, while her smart-mouthed kids are driving her crazy. Maybe an affair with her and Alan’s attractive friend Brendan will spice things up? No such luck—he proves to be just as much of a disappointment as everything else in her life. Even at work she can’t catch a her decrepit boss, Mr. Robson, has roving hands and a magnum opus he wants her help typing up after hours . . . Is it any wonder that Betty’s hitting the bottle now too?
Not since Muriel Spark has there been a Scottish writer so attuned to the black humor and surreal potential of the banalities and frustrations of ordinary existence. A Working Mother is a “sly, hilarious tale about one woman’s search for meaning” (Kirkus) in a miserable, messy world.
187 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
About the author
Agnes Owens
13 books31 followersAgnes Owens was a Scottish author. She was born in Milngavie in 1926 and spent most of her life on the west coast of Scotland. She has been married twice and raised seven children, also working as a cleaner, typist and factory worker.
Via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_O...
Via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_O...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
March 31, 2011
A crisp, fluent, fluid, exhilarating tale of a working mother’s descent into alcoholism. Owens’s prose is simple, unshowy, her characters addictively vile and unhinged. She opts not to write in dialect, or give a sense of place, though the world here is probably 1960s Glasgow. The story strikes a note of heartbreak from the first offhand man and wife quarrel, and sustains this with black humour, erudite dialogue and brusque scene-leaping.
Read Agnes Ownes now! Feast your eyes on this sensationally clever prose!
Read Agnes Ownes now! Feast your eyes on this sensationally clever prose!
February 25, 2022
I enjoyed this - a lot! I tried to find 'For the Love of Willie' on Internet Archive, because Ilse's review came up - and I re-read it and noted that Owens is a Scottish writer. So I settled for this one, which is full of humour despite its rather bleak ending which has a distinct overlap with 'For the Love...".
It's a story about a family in the mid-fifties and I'm guessing the city is Glasgow, Scotland. There is a reference to the 'docks' where Betty goes to an Agency, looking for work ...'I climbed rickety wooden stairs'. Betty is dissatisfied with life and resorts to 'the drink' on every possible occasion. She has a loving husband, Adam and 2 children, but indulges in an affair with 'short-of-a-shilling' Brendan, Adam's brother. If you put the bits of information together you can work out Betty's age to be about 28, 29 - and yes she has a clearly flawed personality. It's very obvious from the start that things are not going to work out for her - as her employer Mr Robson notes:
'It would appear that this subject is a reckless young woman who will readily enter into a situation without any thought of consequences. Given certain factors she could be a danger to society. Without any qualms she sits on the other side of the screen with an air of expectation which would be frightening if it were not so interesting. Such simple tests have proved-'
Old Mr Robson, a should-be-retired lawyer reveals only too clearly his own weird disposition; he's the one who has asked Betty to undress, while he goes behind the screen.
Anyway - diversion aside. Betty is an eminently enjoyable protagonist. Her behaviour escalates in its pursuit of a better life, but it's hard to dismiss her efforts and schemes. It would be too easy to view her as unreal, just a character in a book, and dismiss the whole plot, if I didn't ask myself, was I not similar at Betty's age?
Here's a little scene from one of many, in the pub. Mai, Betty's friend from work has turned up;
'Get us all a drink,' I said loudly, 'so we can all get drunk.'
Brendan laughed as if it was a great joke I had made.
'Isn't she terrible,' said Mai waving her hands about. 'That's why I like her though.'
When we were seated Mai sat between me and Adam. Brendan was on my other side. By the slant of him he appeared to have half a buttock on the seat.
'Move over,' I said. 'Brendan's arse is not the size of a pygmy's'
Adam's nostrils distended. He does not like me being coarse in company.
'I'm fine,' said Brendan, holding on to the table for support. Mai and I were jammed as close as Siamese twins, and the fumes from her perfume seeped through my pores.
Owens' dialogue is brilliant at creating the various characters. There is very little description, but you get a clear idea from the snappy and often very funny discussions. Personally I liked Adam; he has some of the best come-backs to Betty's view-points, and he strikes me as both a sincere and committed partner.
Let's move onto an outing to the beach - Betty keeps trying, to her credit to revive interest in her family.
'Mummy, get up. It's all sunny and you said you would take us to the seaside.'
Adam sprung up as if he'd been spattered by grapeshot. 'What is it-what's happening?'
'We are going to the seaside,' I said joylessly.
I rose and shuffled downstairs to face the litter of yesterday's dishes. It was incredible how much litter could gather in one small house in one day. It would have been simpler to burn the place down and start afresh, but the insurance policy had run out. By the time I had washed up and made toast and marmalade Adam was stumbling around the kitchenette, displaying a bleeding chin from a blunt razor blade while he searched dementedly for his tie.
'Perhaps you strangled Mai with it,' I suggested.
'Who is Mai?' he said, emptying out a pile of dirty linen on the floor.
'It's alright, Daddy,' said Robert triumphantly. 'I found it under your bed. It's all stinky.'
We had a sniff at the tie and came to the conclusion the smell was stale alcohol.
'Just put it on,' I said. 'It gives you a certain aura.'
One hour later we were as ready as possible to leave when we discovered we had lost the key.
'We can't go until we find it,' said Adam.
'Let's forget it then. We won't bother going.'
The kids wailed, stamped their feet and punched the wall.
'All right, we'll go,' said Adam. 'Anyone that breaks in will die of fright.'
There's a lot more of that sort of situation, which I find funny and pretty realistic - I think most women will recognize domestic chaos. But Owens, has most of the chaos neatly inverted so that it's Adam, without work, who has to deal with the daily drudgery of home-life etc.
There's plenty to interest in this read - there's a Mrs Rossi, who owns the dodgy agency and reads Tarot cards. Her backstory is related to the war and it turns out she is a Polish-Jew, who doesn't believe in God, or people either.
I enjoyed this immensely - there is a great quirky ending - which to be honest I saw coming. It was very nicely set up.
As Ilse pointed out in her review of 'For the Love of Willie', Agnes Owens only started to write at the age of 58. 'A Working Mother' was published in 1994 - this edition is Bloomsbury Press. I'm sure Betty would have appreciated that.
It's a story about a family in the mid-fifties and I'm guessing the city is Glasgow, Scotland. There is a reference to the 'docks' where Betty goes to an Agency, looking for work ...'I climbed rickety wooden stairs'. Betty is dissatisfied with life and resorts to 'the drink' on every possible occasion. She has a loving husband, Adam and 2 children, but indulges in an affair with 'short-of-a-shilling' Brendan, Adam's brother. If you put the bits of information together you can work out Betty's age to be about 28, 29 - and yes she has a clearly flawed personality. It's very obvious from the start that things are not going to work out for her - as her employer Mr Robson notes:
'It would appear that this subject is a reckless young woman who will readily enter into a situation without any thought of consequences. Given certain factors she could be a danger to society. Without any qualms she sits on the other side of the screen with an air of expectation which would be frightening if it were not so interesting. Such simple tests have proved-'
Old Mr Robson, a should-be-retired lawyer reveals only too clearly his own weird disposition; he's the one who has asked Betty to undress, while he goes behind the screen.
Anyway - diversion aside. Betty is an eminently enjoyable protagonist. Her behaviour escalates in its pursuit of a better life, but it's hard to dismiss her efforts and schemes. It would be too easy to view her as unreal, just a character in a book, and dismiss the whole plot, if I didn't ask myself, was I not similar at Betty's age?
Here's a little scene from one of many, in the pub. Mai, Betty's friend from work has turned up;
'Get us all a drink,' I said loudly, 'so we can all get drunk.'
Brendan laughed as if it was a great joke I had made.
'Isn't she terrible,' said Mai waving her hands about. 'That's why I like her though.'
When we were seated Mai sat between me and Adam. Brendan was on my other side. By the slant of him he appeared to have half a buttock on the seat.
'Move over,' I said. 'Brendan's arse is not the size of a pygmy's'
Adam's nostrils distended. He does not like me being coarse in company.
'I'm fine,' said Brendan, holding on to the table for support. Mai and I were jammed as close as Siamese twins, and the fumes from her perfume seeped through my pores.
Owens' dialogue is brilliant at creating the various characters. There is very little description, but you get a clear idea from the snappy and often very funny discussions. Personally I liked Adam; he has some of the best come-backs to Betty's view-points, and he strikes me as both a sincere and committed partner.
Let's move onto an outing to the beach - Betty keeps trying, to her credit to revive interest in her family.
'Mummy, get up. It's all sunny and you said you would take us to the seaside.'
Adam sprung up as if he'd been spattered by grapeshot. 'What is it-what's happening?'
'We are going to the seaside,' I said joylessly.
I rose and shuffled downstairs to face the litter of yesterday's dishes. It was incredible how much litter could gather in one small house in one day. It would have been simpler to burn the place down and start afresh, but the insurance policy had run out. By the time I had washed up and made toast and marmalade Adam was stumbling around the kitchenette, displaying a bleeding chin from a blunt razor blade while he searched dementedly for his tie.
'Perhaps you strangled Mai with it,' I suggested.
'Who is Mai?' he said, emptying out a pile of dirty linen on the floor.
'It's alright, Daddy,' said Robert triumphantly. 'I found it under your bed. It's all stinky.'
We had a sniff at the tie and came to the conclusion the smell was stale alcohol.
'Just put it on,' I said. 'It gives you a certain aura.'
One hour later we were as ready as possible to leave when we discovered we had lost the key.
'We can't go until we find it,' said Adam.
'Let's forget it then. We won't bother going.'
The kids wailed, stamped their feet and punched the wall.
'All right, we'll go,' said Adam. 'Anyone that breaks in will die of fright.'
There's a lot more of that sort of situation, which I find funny and pretty realistic - I think most women will recognize domestic chaos. But Owens, has most of the chaos neatly inverted so that it's Adam, without work, who has to deal with the daily drudgery of home-life etc.
There's plenty to interest in this read - there's a Mrs Rossi, who owns the dodgy agency and reads Tarot cards. Her backstory is related to the war and it turns out she is a Polish-Jew, who doesn't believe in God, or people either.
I enjoyed this immensely - there is a great quirky ending - which to be honest I saw coming. It was very nicely set up.
As Ilse pointed out in her review of 'For the Love of Willie', Agnes Owens only started to write at the age of 58. 'A Working Mother' was published in 1994 - this edition is Bloomsbury Press. I'm sure Betty would have appreciated that.
February 1, 2026
Nota: 4.5 sobre 5
Premisa:
Betty ha tomado la decisión de volver al trabajo ya que alguien ha que ingresar dinero en casa para poder mantener la estabilidad familiar. En sus tiempos libres, coquetea más de lo necesario con la bebida, al igual que con el mejor amigo de su marido. Consigue encontrar un empleo a través de una adivina que también gestiona ofertas laborales: redactará los textos para un abogado que tiene unos intereses tan inapropiados como atípicos.
Opinión:
El desempeño laboral que una madre puede tener en nuestra sociedad actual abre diversas posibilidades de desarrollar tramas con potencial para reflejar conflictos y contradicciones: consecuencias generadas por la brecha laboral, renuncia a motivaciones y sueños, diferencias en función del rol de género que desempeñamos... Un abanico de posibilidades que me incentivaron a descubrir cuál sería la elegida para vertebrar esta historia.
Puede que esta forma de acercarme a la novela propiciara que mi sorpresa fuese aún mayor, ya que el título se contrapone en muchos aspectos a la realidad de nuestra protagonista. Betty es una mujer condicionada por su entorno: madre de dos hijos que tuvo que renunciar a su desempeño profesional pero que, ante el declive de su marido en numerosos aspectos, ha de reinventarse y comenzar una nueva etapa como madre trabajadora. Cabría esperar que valores como la tenacidad, la coherencia y la lealtad fueran sus estandartes, pero es en la contradicción que encontramos al analizar su conducta donde percibimos la originalidad y la brillantez del enfoque de la autora.
Betty descarrila ante situaciones de lo más rocambolescas: es una adivina la que le da la oportunidad de comenzar a trabajar de nuevo; tiene que soportar las peticiones enfermizas de su nuevo jefe; el mejor amigo de su marido le hace perder los nervios. Y digo descarrila porque sus lealtades, aunque irrompibles, son cuanto menos cuestionables. La bebida es su centro de interés primordial, a partir del cual construye sus interrelaciones personales más significativas: un matrimonio cuyos pedazos ya son insoldables, una pasión desmedida hacia el compañero inseparable de su marido, unos hijos cuyo silencio reverbera. Como os podréis imaginar, no he parado de analizar sus patrones disfuncionales a nivel psicológico: me ha mantenido muy entretenida.
Lo ágil y fluido del ritmo narrativo acompañan a esta sucesión de situaciones límite que, a través del humor, interpelan al lector a la reflexión y a la apertura de miras. Una propuesta con el toque justo de incomodidad, sátira y costumbrismo; ideal para promover que el lector pueda asociar, inferir y sacar sus propias conclusiones, dependiendo de las capas que quiera explorar, ya que hay un buen repertorio donde elegir. Para mí, ha sido todo un acierto.
Premisa:
Betty ha tomado la decisión de volver al trabajo ya que alguien ha que ingresar dinero en casa para poder mantener la estabilidad familiar. En sus tiempos libres, coquetea más de lo necesario con la bebida, al igual que con el mejor amigo de su marido. Consigue encontrar un empleo a través de una adivina que también gestiona ofertas laborales: redactará los textos para un abogado que tiene unos intereses tan inapropiados como atípicos.
Opinión:
El desempeño laboral que una madre puede tener en nuestra sociedad actual abre diversas posibilidades de desarrollar tramas con potencial para reflejar conflictos y contradicciones: consecuencias generadas por la brecha laboral, renuncia a motivaciones y sueños, diferencias en función del rol de género que desempeñamos... Un abanico de posibilidades que me incentivaron a descubrir cuál sería la elegida para vertebrar esta historia.
Puede que esta forma de acercarme a la novela propiciara que mi sorpresa fuese aún mayor, ya que el título se contrapone en muchos aspectos a la realidad de nuestra protagonista. Betty es una mujer condicionada por su entorno: madre de dos hijos que tuvo que renunciar a su desempeño profesional pero que, ante el declive de su marido en numerosos aspectos, ha de reinventarse y comenzar una nueva etapa como madre trabajadora. Cabría esperar que valores como la tenacidad, la coherencia y la lealtad fueran sus estandartes, pero es en la contradicción que encontramos al analizar su conducta donde percibimos la originalidad y la brillantez del enfoque de la autora.
Betty descarrila ante situaciones de lo más rocambolescas: es una adivina la que le da la oportunidad de comenzar a trabajar de nuevo; tiene que soportar las peticiones enfermizas de su nuevo jefe; el mejor amigo de su marido le hace perder los nervios. Y digo descarrila porque sus lealtades, aunque irrompibles, son cuanto menos cuestionables. La bebida es su centro de interés primordial, a partir del cual construye sus interrelaciones personales más significativas: un matrimonio cuyos pedazos ya son insoldables, una pasión desmedida hacia el compañero inseparable de su marido, unos hijos cuyo silencio reverbera. Como os podréis imaginar, no he parado de analizar sus patrones disfuncionales a nivel psicológico: me ha mantenido muy entretenida.
Lo ágil y fluido del ritmo narrativo acompañan a esta sucesión de situaciones límite que, a través del humor, interpelan al lector a la reflexión y a la apertura de miras. Una propuesta con el toque justo de incomodidad, sátira y costumbrismo; ideal para promover que el lector pueda asociar, inferir y sacar sus propias conclusiones, dependiendo de las capas que quiera explorar, ya que hay un buen repertorio donde elegir. Para mí, ha sido todo un acierto.
March 16, 2017
Of the Agnes Owens novellas, this perhaps appealed to me the most. As a psychological study, A Working Mother is perhaps most interesting. The dialogue is the real strength here; it feels ultimately realistic, and often surprises. On reflection, I should have been able to empathise more with Betty, the protagonist; there was a distancing at work which made her almost unreachable at times. The poor decisions which she sometimes made took away some of the sympathy which I did feel, too. The ending is strong, and the writing is good; it just did not take my breath away.
September 13, 2026
El guion que rodaría Roman Polanski si le encargasen el remake de una película de Ken Loach.
June 29, 2026
A dark comedy so dark that it was hardly a comedy.
May 19, 2026
“After all, I am their mother”. This book had me SAT. The twists were so quick and silent that I was re-reading single sentences just wrap my head around Betty’s skewed narration.
May 25, 2022
This woman is quickly becoming my favourite writer by GOD did she have talent.
October 7, 2026
This was such an interesting read because it made me question my own life in that slightly uncomfortable, existential-crisis kind of way. It really made me think about the difference between the mundane life we actually live and the life we think we want. At first, I thought the story was going to go in a completely different direction, but it ended up being something I didn’t expect, in a good way. I especially loved the ending because of its slightly tragic feeling. It felt fitting for the story and left me with a lot to think about. What stayed with me most was the idea of how ordinary everyday life can coexist with all the lives we imagine for ourselves, the things we think we want, and the versions of ourselves we could have been. And maybe, at the end of the day, it’s all just a circle.
August 8, 2026
My worst nightmare
June 14, 2026
Well worth reading this novella by a Scottish author previously unknown to me (and whose life story is also worth reading about). Unreliable and somewhat unlikeable narrator but you are very much drawn in.
June 1, 2026
Amazing writer :) was easy to comprehend . Great book to read if you like seeing how people’s everyday life plays out. The ending caught me by surprise, really wish it was different, but it was still entertaining.
May 16, 2026
Jeg likte veldig godt det levende språket forfatteren bruker, men klarte ikke helt å leve meg inn i selve historien. Så da havner denne boka akkurat midt på treet for meg.
May 8, 2026
Will be reading more Agnes Owens for sure
January 15, 2024
Agnes Owens is Scotland's lost treasure. This novella is injected with dark humour, nuanced social commentary and a fascinating take on the role of women. This delightfully mysterious tale of a 1950s woman is perfect for fans of Muriel Spark! Really hope more people read Owens' work because it is a hidden gem which deserves so much more attention.
May 14, 2024
3.5
Vividly dismal - will linger with me for a while.
Vividly dismal - will linger with me for a while.
September 28, 2026
I listened to the abridged version of this on BBC Radio 4. Its very good. I haven't read anything by Agnes Owens but have heard her writing is quite similar to Beryl Bainbridge. This was a crisp and exhilarating story of a working mother's descent into alcoholism. A good listen!
September 22, 2026
Agnes Owens may not be a household name or have the readership of other authors but her writings about those living on the margins of society are a powerful reflection of a truth most ignore. Owens doesn't.
June 9, 2026
I read the word "timeless" across many realms, only now after reading this book I really understand what it means.
The book is relatively old, but here is no sign of historicisim besides for some major behavioral changes like not putting your kids life before yours, your life is primary.
As a women I understood her, not only her but why she acts the way she does and how she feels whilst deciding, as like she was a close friend of mine.
Eventhough its her narrative, it is hard to understand if she means what she says or just being sarcastic, the turns are so sharp. Loved reading it.
The book is relatively old, but here is no sign of historicisim besides for some major behavioral changes like not putting your kids life before yours, your life is primary.
As a women I understood her, not only her but why she acts the way she does and how she feels whilst deciding, as like she was a close friend of mine.
Eventhough its her narrative, it is hard to understand if she means what she says or just being sarcastic, the turns are so sharp. Loved reading it.
June 12, 2026
Karmaaaa
July 31, 2026
Loved this - quite disturbing.
July 19, 2026
3.75 ⭐️’s
May 30, 2026
3.5 stars
This is very strange and mysterious. Throughout this dark tale, I was constantly trying to work out whether the main character was delusional because something definitely isn’t right. It’s not until the end of the book that everything becomes clear.
If you like an unreliable narrator, then give this a go.
This is very strange and mysterious. Throughout this dark tale, I was constantly trying to work out whether the main character was delusional because something definitely isn’t right. It’s not until the end of the book that everything becomes clear.
If you like an unreliable narrator, then give this a go.
May 26, 2026
Loved this - short but wow a message to be had!
May 8, 2020
Odd and disjointed. The author likes to shock.
January 15, 2023
An intriguing glimpse into the mind of a woman sinking into alcoholism, in a post war Scottish working class environment.
September 13, 2023
i too want to watch the world burn <3
January 23, 2024
Love! Will read more Agnes Owens - writing that doesn’t feel forced in any way, a comfort despite its pessimism
June 16, 2026
In this, her centenary year, the Scottish writer Agnes Owens is ripe for rediscovery, aided by Polygon’s brand new reissues of four of her books, with another three to follow in September. Having variously worked as a typist, a cleaner and a factory worker, while also raising seven children, Owens published her first novella, Gentlemen of the West (1984), at the age of fifty-eight. Short stories and another three novellas duly followed, of which A Working Mother (published in 1994) was the third. Beryl Bainbridge called it ‘a remarkable book, funny and sinister’ – an apt description based on Owens’ sharp, acerbic and unflinching style. It’s a prickly, slightly surreal portrait of the frustrations of marriage, work and motherhood, oscillating between barbed humour and dismal tragedy, all narrated by a woman on the edge.
In an unnamed Scottish town in the mid-1950s, Betty is a woman trapped by circumstances. Her husband, Adam, is still suffering from PTSD ten years after the end of WWII; their children, ten-year-old Robert and eight-year-old Rae, are out of control; and there is little money at hand to put food on the table. Betty, then, must find herself a job, particularly as Adam has struggled to adjust. Adam, it seems, is addicted to alcohol, having resorted to the bottle to dull the trauma of war. Unfortunately, this reliance on the demon drink has extended to Betty, who happily downs a bottle of wine a night to relieve ‘the heavy, sullen silences’ that ‘hung on the air like a thick fog’, particularly in the early months of their marriage.
During her search for work, Betty strikes lucky with an employment agency run by Mrs Rossi, a Polish Jew who passed herself off as Italian to evade capture during the war. Mrs Rossi takes a shine to Betty and places her as a typist with a firm of solicitors, where she becomes embroiled in a seedy arrangement with her sixty-year-old boss, Mr Robson. The latter, it seems, is working on a study of human behaviour in animals, which Betty might be able to help him with. Consequently, he encourages Betty to discuss her marital problems during their dictation sessions, while also offering her some extra work on Sundays at his home. Mr Robson, we soon discover, is prone to sexual peccadillos, paying Betty to undress slowly while he relieves himself behind a screen. It’s all a bit sordid, but Owens manages to capture the absurdity of the situation in true Sparkian fashion. (I couldn’t help but be reminded of Spark’s Memento Mori here, in which Godfrey has a secret fetish for Mable Pettigrew’s stocking tops and thighs!)
Also of note is Brendan, ostensibly Adam’s only friend, but also Betty’s secret lover. Brendan is a near-constant presence in the family’s lives, so much so that the children call him ‘Uncle Brendan’ as he always seems to be around. Brendan, who also struggles to hold down a job for any length time, spends most of his evenings in the pub with Adam and Betty, adding to the sozzled atmosphere that characterises these people’s lives. All this makes for a chaotic homelife, which Owens captures in her characteristically sharp style, shot through with barbed, deadpan humour. In this scene, Betty has just suggested a family outing to the seaside at the weekend.
‘Is Uncle Brendan coming?’ asked Rae.
‘Uncle Brendan has no decent suit to put on. Besides he once said he didn’t like the sea. It makes him want to drown himself.’
‘I’ll come,’ said Adam, shaking his head. ‘I’ll come and drown myself instead.’ (p. 35)
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2026...
In an unnamed Scottish town in the mid-1950s, Betty is a woman trapped by circumstances. Her husband, Adam, is still suffering from PTSD ten years after the end of WWII; their children, ten-year-old Robert and eight-year-old Rae, are out of control; and there is little money at hand to put food on the table. Betty, then, must find herself a job, particularly as Adam has struggled to adjust. Adam, it seems, is addicted to alcohol, having resorted to the bottle to dull the trauma of war. Unfortunately, this reliance on the demon drink has extended to Betty, who happily downs a bottle of wine a night to relieve ‘the heavy, sullen silences’ that ‘hung on the air like a thick fog’, particularly in the early months of their marriage.
During her search for work, Betty strikes lucky with an employment agency run by Mrs Rossi, a Polish Jew who passed herself off as Italian to evade capture during the war. Mrs Rossi takes a shine to Betty and places her as a typist with a firm of solicitors, where she becomes embroiled in a seedy arrangement with her sixty-year-old boss, Mr Robson. The latter, it seems, is working on a study of human behaviour in animals, which Betty might be able to help him with. Consequently, he encourages Betty to discuss her marital problems during their dictation sessions, while also offering her some extra work on Sundays at his home. Mr Robson, we soon discover, is prone to sexual peccadillos, paying Betty to undress slowly while he relieves himself behind a screen. It’s all a bit sordid, but Owens manages to capture the absurdity of the situation in true Sparkian fashion. (I couldn’t help but be reminded of Spark’s Memento Mori here, in which Godfrey has a secret fetish for Mable Pettigrew’s stocking tops and thighs!)
Also of note is Brendan, ostensibly Adam’s only friend, but also Betty’s secret lover. Brendan is a near-constant presence in the family’s lives, so much so that the children call him ‘Uncle Brendan’ as he always seems to be around. Brendan, who also struggles to hold down a job for any length time, spends most of his evenings in the pub with Adam and Betty, adding to the sozzled atmosphere that characterises these people’s lives. All this makes for a chaotic homelife, which Owens captures in her characteristically sharp style, shot through with barbed, deadpan humour. In this scene, Betty has just suggested a family outing to the seaside at the weekend.
‘Is Uncle Brendan coming?’ asked Rae.
‘Uncle Brendan has no decent suit to put on. Besides he once said he didn’t like the sea. It makes him want to drown himself.’
‘I’ll come,’ said Adam, shaking his head. ‘I’ll come and drown myself instead.’ (p. 35)
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2026...
June 15, 2026
An engrossing read. I devoured it in one sitting. At times dark, at times you knew something was going to happen down the road that was bad. At times humorous. And we have a main protagonist, Betty, who is an unreliable narrator.
I read from a reissue by polygon books, and it looks like they are going to re-issue most of Owens’ oeuvre. I’m intrigued enough by this volume that I may go all in and order all the rest. Yet another one of those authors who have been forgotten who really should not have been. So kudos to polygon books for doing this!
Highly recommended.
Description of book from its back cover:
• ‘A Working Mother’ is a perfectly crafted novel that will enthrall, entertain and surprise in equal measure.
• Our unreliable narrator, Betty—arch, witty, clever—is married with children and feels trapped. While her husband, Adam, drinks and bemoans his lost in life, Betty flirts with their best friend, Brendan, and tries to avoid the roving hands of her new employer. Soon, Betty plots her escape, but her plans don’t work out as well as she had hoped.
• Agnes Owens’ sharp wit, dark humour and lean prose are expertly displayed in one of her finest achievements.
• Praise from the Guardian: ‘Agnes Owens is part of a Golden Age in Scottish literature.’
Here are a couple of lines that I found to be quite humorous…
• “Nothing but the sweetest things,’ she said. She was like an actress in a silent film except for the sounds she was making.
Note: Agnes Owens died in 2014.
Reviews:
• https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2026...
• https://www.the-independent.com/arts-...
• Journal article on the novel: Recommended Citation Pittin-Hedon, Marie-Odile (2025) "Agnes Owens and the Parliament of Insignificant Lives," Studies in Scottish Literature: Vol. 50: Iss. 1, 65–77. Available at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/ssl/vol...
I read from a reissue by polygon books, and it looks like they are going to re-issue most of Owens’ oeuvre. I’m intrigued enough by this volume that I may go all in and order all the rest. Yet another one of those authors who have been forgotten who really should not have been. So kudos to polygon books for doing this!
Highly recommended.
Description of book from its back cover:
• ‘A Working Mother’ is a perfectly crafted novel that will enthrall, entertain and surprise in equal measure.
• Our unreliable narrator, Betty—arch, witty, clever—is married with children and feels trapped. While her husband, Adam, drinks and bemoans his lost in life, Betty flirts with their best friend, Brendan, and tries to avoid the roving hands of her new employer. Soon, Betty plots her escape, but her plans don’t work out as well as she had hoped.
• Agnes Owens’ sharp wit, dark humour and lean prose are expertly displayed in one of her finest achievements.
• Praise from the Guardian: ‘Agnes Owens is part of a Golden Age in Scottish literature.’
Here are a couple of lines that I found to be quite humorous…
• “Nothing but the sweetest things,’ she said. She was like an actress in a silent film except for the sounds she was making.
Note: Agnes Owens died in 2014.
Reviews:
• https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2026...
• https://www.the-independent.com/arts-...
• Journal article on the novel: Recommended Citation Pittin-Hedon, Marie-Odile (2025) "Agnes Owens and the Parliament of Insignificant Lives," Studies in Scottish Literature: Vol. 50: Iss. 1, 65–77. Available at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/ssl/vol...
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