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Dignity
'An Indian household can no more be governed peacefully without dignity and prestige, than an Indian Empire' The Complete Indian Housekeeper and Cook, Flora Annie Steel & Grace Gardiner
Magda lives alone in her a huge house by the sea. A former scientist with a bad temper and a good dose of old fashioned British pride, she does not need help from anyone - despite her derelict house and her body's many betrayals. With her sharp tongue, she gets through carers at a rate of knots.
Until Susheela arrives.
And Susheela, it turns out, is in even more trouble than Magda. Still reeling from the recent death of her mum and trying to prop up her heartbroken dad, she finds herself falling for Ewan, a beautiful, fragile young man recovering from the brutal experience of war.
The two women - seemingly separated by class, culture and time - strike up an unlikely and sometimes uneasy friendship. Magda's no-nonsense approach to life turns out to be an unexpected source of strength for Susheela; and Susheela's Bengali heritage brings back memories of Magda's childhood in colonial India, a time filled with servants and privilege, and terrible secrets.
Those memories slowly bring back to life the tragic figure of Magda's mother, Evelyn, once a warm hearted, and free-spirited school teacher in rural England who had her innocent optimism ground away by a controlling husband and the misery of being a respectable member of the Raj's ruling class - with devastating consequences.
Magda lives alone in her a huge house by the sea. A former scientist with a bad temper and a good dose of old fashioned British pride, she does not need help from anyone - despite her derelict house and her body's many betrayals. With her sharp tongue, she gets through carers at a rate of knots.
Until Susheela arrives.
And Susheela, it turns out, is in even more trouble than Magda. Still reeling from the recent death of her mum and trying to prop up her heartbroken dad, she finds herself falling for Ewan, a beautiful, fragile young man recovering from the brutal experience of war.
The two women - seemingly separated by class, culture and time - strike up an unlikely and sometimes uneasy friendship. Magda's no-nonsense approach to life turns out to be an unexpected source of strength for Susheela; and Susheela's Bengali heritage brings back memories of Magda's childhood in colonial India, a time filled with servants and privilege, and terrible secrets.
Those memories slowly bring back to life the tragic figure of Magda's mother, Evelyn, once a warm hearted, and free-spirited school teacher in rural England who had her innocent optimism ground away by a controlling husband and the misery of being a respectable member of the Raj's ruling class - with devastating consequences.
384 pages, Hardcover
Published April 4, 2019
8 people are currently reading
302 people want to read
About the author
Alys Conran
4 books24 followersAlys Conran’s first novel Pigeon won the Wales Book of the Year Award 2017 and was shortlisted for the International Dylan Thomas Prize.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
April 1, 2019
This is one of those books with a blurb that immediately captured my interest. It's the story of three women, all of them fascinating characters.
Magda is, I think, the one around which the other two revolve. She's a clever lady, but she's old now and her body is letting her down. She lives in a huge house with parts closed off and relies on carers to come in and help her, even with going to the toilet. One of her carers is Susheela and whereas many of the carers seem to Magda to be annoying and insipid, Susheela reminds Magda of her early life in India.
The third woman is Evelyn, Magda's mother. Having travelled to join her husband in India with hope and love in her heart, things didn't turn out at all how she expected. Evelyn's story is ultimately a sad one, of broken dreams, toeing the line, of being stifled by her husband and her situation.
The title really means something. Dignity is something Magda is fast losing and it makes her prickly and difficult for the carers to like. But Susheela sees beyond that and finds herself warming to Magda. It's an unlikely friendship but that's what it becomes. Susheela is finding that things are going backwards in her home town and racial slurs are aplenty, and in India Evelyn seems to have no chance of dignity anymore.
I could feel the tears forming quite early on, in Susheela's first chapter in fact, when we go with her to Henry's house, a man she is caring for. She's only allowed half an hour with each person she cares for - what can you do in half an hour? I know this is an accurate portrayal of the care system and it just highlights even more that lack of dignity that so often comes with old age.
I found myself thoroughly drawn into the lives of the three protagonists. Their stories are told in pretty much alternating chapters and this works so well to explain how each of them ended up where they are. Whilst the chapters set in India with Evelyn and her husband were not perhaps my favourite of the three, I really found Colonial India during the 'rule' of the British Raj beautifully drawn, if not our finest hour. I had a real sense of the way Evelyn was living, shut up in a house with servants feeling like they are watching her every move. I hated the way the servants were treated in their own country and feel ashamed that the British thought they were so superior.
Dignity is a skilfully written story in every way, looking at parallels between the women's lives. It's a powerful and perceptive look at racial issues in the 20th and 21st centuries and I was thoroughly captivated by it. It's not the easiest read in terms of content and at times it feels quite brutal, but in terms of readability Dignity has it in spades.
Magda is, I think, the one around which the other two revolve. She's a clever lady, but she's old now and her body is letting her down. She lives in a huge house with parts closed off and relies on carers to come in and help her, even with going to the toilet. One of her carers is Susheela and whereas many of the carers seem to Magda to be annoying and insipid, Susheela reminds Magda of her early life in India.
The third woman is Evelyn, Magda's mother. Having travelled to join her husband in India with hope and love in her heart, things didn't turn out at all how she expected. Evelyn's story is ultimately a sad one, of broken dreams, toeing the line, of being stifled by her husband and her situation.
The title really means something. Dignity is something Magda is fast losing and it makes her prickly and difficult for the carers to like. But Susheela sees beyond that and finds herself warming to Magda. It's an unlikely friendship but that's what it becomes. Susheela is finding that things are going backwards in her home town and racial slurs are aplenty, and in India Evelyn seems to have no chance of dignity anymore.
I could feel the tears forming quite early on, in Susheela's first chapter in fact, when we go with her to Henry's house, a man she is caring for. She's only allowed half an hour with each person she cares for - what can you do in half an hour? I know this is an accurate portrayal of the care system and it just highlights even more that lack of dignity that so often comes with old age.
I found myself thoroughly drawn into the lives of the three protagonists. Their stories are told in pretty much alternating chapters and this works so well to explain how each of them ended up where they are. Whilst the chapters set in India with Evelyn and her husband were not perhaps my favourite of the three, I really found Colonial India during the 'rule' of the British Raj beautifully drawn, if not our finest hour. I had a real sense of the way Evelyn was living, shut up in a house with servants feeling like they are watching her every move. I hated the way the servants were treated in their own country and feel ashamed that the British thought they were so superior.
Dignity is a skilfully written story in every way, looking at parallels between the women's lives. It's a powerful and perceptive look at racial issues in the 20th and 21st centuries and I was thoroughly captivated by it. It's not the easiest read in terms of content and at times it feels quite brutal, but in terms of readability Dignity has it in spades.
April 3, 2019
Dignity is probably one of the most beautifully written books that I have ever read! I had been really looking forward to reading it but I was completely overwhelmed by the stunningly poetic prose that was so descriptive I was immediately transported into the narrative. My senses were on overload with the sights, sounds and even the smells that exploded off the page with a vivid and vibrant energy. Yep, this book is definitely one of my favourites of the year so far.
Characterisation was key to the storyline with some very strong female voices throughout. Magda was the one I felt most sorry for and was immediately drawn to. A former scientist who is now confirmed to a wheelchair and reliant on caregivers who struggle with her demands, she is unable to keep her home to the standard she has before. When a new carer starts, they build up an unlikely friendship even though it starts off on a difficult note when Magda’s past makes her come out with an unexpectedly racist slur against Susheela. Susheela has her own problems though with her relationships with her father and her boyfriend, not to mention a job that is impossible to do within the time available. But as they discover more about each other’s lives, Susheela brings back some memories for Magda of her time as a child in colonial India and her relationship with her mother. Evelyn’s story I found to be the most affecting, as the author managed to convey many things to the reader about the life she was living out in India without giving away too many details so that I was able to surmise the truth about what was really going on around her without being spoon fed the information by the author.
This is a stunning book, beautifully crafted and powerfully presented by its author. The recurring themes throughout the book were of home, family, motherhood and belonging and as the dual timeline progresses those themes become tangled together in an exquisitely moving and heartbreaking tapestry of womanhood that defied race and religion. It will transport you into the lives of these three women as they make decisions that will change their lives forever. All of the women felt so real to me that I didn’t want to finish the book as that meant I would have to leave them all behind.
The gorgeous cover will tempt you inside Dignity and the beautifully drawn characters will keep you there.
Highly recommended by me.
Characterisation was key to the storyline with some very strong female voices throughout. Magda was the one I felt most sorry for and was immediately drawn to. A former scientist who is now confirmed to a wheelchair and reliant on caregivers who struggle with her demands, she is unable to keep her home to the standard she has before. When a new carer starts, they build up an unlikely friendship even though it starts off on a difficult note when Magda’s past makes her come out with an unexpectedly racist slur against Susheela. Susheela has her own problems though with her relationships with her father and her boyfriend, not to mention a job that is impossible to do within the time available. But as they discover more about each other’s lives, Susheela brings back some memories for Magda of her time as a child in colonial India and her relationship with her mother. Evelyn’s story I found to be the most affecting, as the author managed to convey many things to the reader about the life she was living out in India without giving away too many details so that I was able to surmise the truth about what was really going on around her without being spoon fed the information by the author.
This is a stunning book, beautifully crafted and powerfully presented by its author. The recurring themes throughout the book were of home, family, motherhood and belonging and as the dual timeline progresses those themes become tangled together in an exquisitely moving and heartbreaking tapestry of womanhood that defied race and religion. It will transport you into the lives of these three women as they make decisions that will change their lives forever. All of the women felt so real to me that I didn’t want to finish the book as that meant I would have to leave them all behind.
The gorgeous cover will tempt you inside Dignity and the beautifully drawn characters will keep you there.
Highly recommended by me.
February 18, 2024
3.5. I was rooting for this book so hard. It's a novel with loads of highly ambitious elements that shouldn't work but kinda do, and other more conventional elements that should work pretty easily but feel kinda off.
Basically we got a very old lady in like the equivalent of Southend refusing to leave her home, her young n unexpectedly pregnant carer, and THEN her mother way back in colonial India getting pregnant and having a bad time. Also then the old lady in her childhood later on. All in first person. It's a lot. The main hook for me was seeing how Conran was gonna pull it off. And tbf she did a pretty good job of it.
I think there are some problems with the writing itself, mostly the dialogue. I felt like the robot devil in futurama going 'you cant just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!' There definitely could have been something quite phenomenal here had the author reigned herself in a little bit and let the stories speak for themselves more.
BUT the characters and the drama really grabbed me, and the rapid shifting of perspective, which sHOULD have fucked any prospect of momentum, actually made it a really engaging and pacey read.
Bonus points for all the wild psychadelic imagery just sandblasted onto the page outta nowhere.
Basically we got a very old lady in like the equivalent of Southend refusing to leave her home, her young n unexpectedly pregnant carer, and THEN her mother way back in colonial India getting pregnant and having a bad time. Also then the old lady in her childhood later on. All in first person. It's a lot. The main hook for me was seeing how Conran was gonna pull it off. And tbf she did a pretty good job of it.
I think there are some problems with the writing itself, mostly the dialogue. I felt like the robot devil in futurama going 'you cant just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!' There definitely could have been something quite phenomenal here had the author reigned herself in a little bit and let the stories speak for themselves more.
BUT the characters and the drama really grabbed me, and the rapid shifting of perspective, which sHOULD have fucked any prospect of momentum, actually made it a really engaging and pacey read.
Bonus points for all the wild psychadelic imagery just sandblasted onto the page outta nowhere.
November 25, 2019
Dignity is a beautifully written, emotion book that I know will stay with me for a long time. As the name suggests it explores the concept and meaning of the word dignity in two different times and places. It was very poignant to see how dignity and the loss of it can affect people.
The story centers around three women, elderly Magda, her career Susheela and Susheela’s mother Evelyn who travels to India to get married but ends up very unhappy when it doesn’t fulfill her expectations. Their stories are told in alternate chapters and while I did find all of them interesting I didn’t perhaps enjoy Evelyn’s story as much as it was exceptionally sad. I did enjoy watching Magda and Susheela’s relationship develop throughout the book. It was wonderful to watch them get close and be a comfort to each other.
The descriptions in this book are very vivid and helps the reader to picture the setting as if they are actually there experiencing everything first hand. This is especially true of the descriptions of colonial India, which has always held a lot of intrigue for me anyway. I felt I could see all the colours, feel the sun and even smell the spices in some cases.
This book is very enthralling read and I felt utterly absorbed into the women’s lives as I read. I quickly warmed to all of the woman and felt great sympathy for them. I felt involved in their lives, feeling everything that they were feeling meaning I was often in tears whilst reading. I always think it takes great skill for a writer to make you feel so strongly about a character that you actually cry whilst reading their story.
Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Gigi from W&N books for my copy of this book which I received in exchange for an honest review.
The story centers around three women, elderly Magda, her career Susheela and Susheela’s mother Evelyn who travels to India to get married but ends up very unhappy when it doesn’t fulfill her expectations. Their stories are told in alternate chapters and while I did find all of them interesting I didn’t perhaps enjoy Evelyn’s story as much as it was exceptionally sad. I did enjoy watching Magda and Susheela’s relationship develop throughout the book. It was wonderful to watch them get close and be a comfort to each other.
The descriptions in this book are very vivid and helps the reader to picture the setting as if they are actually there experiencing everything first hand. This is especially true of the descriptions of colonial India, which has always held a lot of intrigue for me anyway. I felt I could see all the colours, feel the sun and even smell the spices in some cases.
This book is very enthralling read and I felt utterly absorbed into the women’s lives as I read. I quickly warmed to all of the woman and felt great sympathy for them. I felt involved in their lives, feeling everything that they were feeling meaning I was often in tears whilst reading. I always think it takes great skill for a writer to make you feel so strongly about a character that you actually cry whilst reading their story.
Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Gigi from W&N books for my copy of this book which I received in exchange for an honest review.
February 25, 2020
I liked this book, easy to read, u would want to know what happens next specially the part telling their story in Indian. I wanted to keep going to know how it ended. I mean it is a touching story and everything but it was way too predictable for me. I would see this book more a success as a movie rather then a book. The part about Susheela and her boyfriend was a bit slow, and was pushing myself to finish it to get to the “ time spent in India part” i must say there was not much details in the book, the story was a bit monotone but i would still recommend reading this book nonetheless.
April 11, 2022
This book started well and I was quite interested to find out about the relationships between the main characters and the stories about their lives in the UK and India. However, the plots grew thinner and thinner and the quality of the writing declined as the book went on. By page 160 (about a third way through) I had lost interest and decided to give up.
July 4, 2020
I read it for my book club but found it very dull. There was a very "choppy" format and I couldn't wait for it to end. I wanted to like it but there wasn't really a strong story and the ending was weak (which is the reason why we're reading it because my friend wants to know what happens in the end...).
January 11, 2019
Outstanding. This book grabbed me instantly and held me totally captive, start to finish. An extremely hard read to follow!
April 2, 2019
Wow. What can I say?
This book left me with such a severe book hangover-here are 3 women, looking for a place which they can call home, but where do they belong?
Is belonging something that happens when it's a state of contentment with who you are or does it depend on a geographical place?
Their individual and group journeys are so beautifully wrought it was an anguish to walk away from them-dignity is a thing they strive to maintain but for some reason,each finds it impossible.
Magda's only recourse to maintaining hers is the control she has over carers, finding fault with each of them until they quit. The only one she relates to is Susheela because she reminds her of her childhood in India.
Susheela is frustrated by the role she plays as a carer, she is compromised by time and feels dignity for her clients is being by it.
Evelyn is the one who links them both-it is her voice that related to me the most. She is a woman living at the time of colonial rule in India, shipped off to marry a husband whether she likes it or not, and has to maintain a dignified silence about it. She has a strict code to live by and despite having servants they are little better than spies who monitor her every move and how she is supposed to behave.
Her narrative broke me a lot,the expectations on a young woman with no life experience being sent so far away was horrific and harks back to an inglorious part of Britain's past was just heartbreaking and awful.
The 3 narratives are so distinct, yet woven together through pure poetry and divine plotting to make a remarkable and unforgettable whole.
Who we belong to, and who belongs to us, in the sense of the Welsh word hiraeth is so much more than blood or marriage, it relates to the self actualised concept of dignity and love.
This book left me with such a severe book hangover-here are 3 women, looking for a place which they can call home, but where do they belong?
Is belonging something that happens when it's a state of contentment with who you are or does it depend on a geographical place?
Their individual and group journeys are so beautifully wrought it was an anguish to walk away from them-dignity is a thing they strive to maintain but for some reason,each finds it impossible.
Magda's only recourse to maintaining hers is the control she has over carers, finding fault with each of them until they quit. The only one she relates to is Susheela because she reminds her of her childhood in India.
Susheela is frustrated by the role she plays as a carer, she is compromised by time and feels dignity for her clients is being by it.
Evelyn is the one who links them both-it is her voice that related to me the most. She is a woman living at the time of colonial rule in India, shipped off to marry a husband whether she likes it or not, and has to maintain a dignified silence about it. She has a strict code to live by and despite having servants they are little better than spies who monitor her every move and how she is supposed to behave.
Her narrative broke me a lot,the expectations on a young woman with no life experience being sent so far away was horrific and harks back to an inglorious part of Britain's past was just heartbreaking and awful.
The 3 narratives are so distinct, yet woven together through pure poetry and divine plotting to make a remarkable and unforgettable whole.
Who we belong to, and who belongs to us, in the sense of the Welsh word hiraeth is so much more than blood or marriage, it relates to the self actualised concept of dignity and love.
April 4, 2019
A powerful story of race, class, culture and what it means to be “home”.
I love stories set in a different time and place, stories that captivate me and transport me to another world. If they are thought-provoking and challenge me to reconsider my beliefs and assumptions, so much the better. Dignity is certainly a book that ticks those boxes.
Dignity is set partly in British India in the 1940’s during the dying days of the Raj and partly in the present day. It’s a powerful story dealing with race, class, culture and what it means to be “home”.
The story is told through three main characters from different generations; Magda, Susheela and Evelyn. Each character has a very distinctive, authentic voice and the part of the book set in India under British rule almost feels like it could have been a separate book in its own right, so different is the style.
Dignity depicts very clearly life within the Raj. My grandfather lived in India in the 1940’s and I have heard many stories about life there at that time which crossmatch perfectly with the descriptions in this book. It gives a real sense of the privilege but also strict social order that the wives and children of British officials lived under.
Magda is the central character, appearing in both parts of the book. Her childhood in British India was tightly constrained by what was deemed proper by colonial society. When she is sent “Home” to school, Magda struggles dreadfully to fit in and is teased by the other children and even the teachers for her lack of independence after growing up surrounded by servants.
In the present day, Magda is struggling to come to terms with the loss of independence that comes with old age. Highly educated and a successful scientist, Magda has strong ideas about how things should be done but is no longer able do it and is forced to sit and watch her once immaculate home crumble and decay around her. She is reliant on carers but her sharp tongue and stubbornness make her unpopular with them.
Susheela is a student who is funding her studies by working part-time as a carer. She has recently lost her mother, her father has fallen apart, she has just found out that she is pregnant and her boyfriend has left her. Life is not going well.
On the surface, she and Magda seem to have little in common. They are worlds apart in terms of generation, class and culture. However, an unlikely friendship develops between the two women.
Evelyn is Magda’s mother. When we first meet her, she is a young newlywed on her way to join her husband, a British official, in India. When she arrives, she is overwhelmed by all the new rules and constraints of colonial society but she is full of hope and optimism for married life.
However, Evelyn’s husband very quickly shows his true colours and Evelyn discovers that she is trapped far from home with a man whom she despises. Life in India wears her down and Evelyn herself notes that there are two versions of her – Evelyn Roberts, the bright, warm-hearted young school teacher and Mrs Benedict Worsal Compton, the cold, bitter, lonely Memsahib.
The three women’s stories are tightly woven together and there are strong parallels between them. The theme of dignity repeats again and again in all of the stories and through all of the characters, not just the three central women.
Dignity is a thought-provoking, powerful read which will stay with you long after you have closed the final page.
Reviewed by Louise Chamberlain for The Glass House Book Club
I love stories set in a different time and place, stories that captivate me and transport me to another world. If they are thought-provoking and challenge me to reconsider my beliefs and assumptions, so much the better. Dignity is certainly a book that ticks those boxes.
Dignity is set partly in British India in the 1940’s during the dying days of the Raj and partly in the present day. It’s a powerful story dealing with race, class, culture and what it means to be “home”.
The story is told through three main characters from different generations; Magda, Susheela and Evelyn. Each character has a very distinctive, authentic voice and the part of the book set in India under British rule almost feels like it could have been a separate book in its own right, so different is the style.
Dignity depicts very clearly life within the Raj. My grandfather lived in India in the 1940’s and I have heard many stories about life there at that time which crossmatch perfectly with the descriptions in this book. It gives a real sense of the privilege but also strict social order that the wives and children of British officials lived under.
Magda is the central character, appearing in both parts of the book. Her childhood in British India was tightly constrained by what was deemed proper by colonial society. When she is sent “Home” to school, Magda struggles dreadfully to fit in and is teased by the other children and even the teachers for her lack of independence after growing up surrounded by servants.
In the present day, Magda is struggling to come to terms with the loss of independence that comes with old age. Highly educated and a successful scientist, Magda has strong ideas about how things should be done but is no longer able do it and is forced to sit and watch her once immaculate home crumble and decay around her. She is reliant on carers but her sharp tongue and stubbornness make her unpopular with them.
Susheela is a student who is funding her studies by working part-time as a carer. She has recently lost her mother, her father has fallen apart, she has just found out that she is pregnant and her boyfriend has left her. Life is not going well.
On the surface, she and Magda seem to have little in common. They are worlds apart in terms of generation, class and culture. However, an unlikely friendship develops between the two women.
Evelyn is Magda’s mother. When we first meet her, she is a young newlywed on her way to join her husband, a British official, in India. When she arrives, she is overwhelmed by all the new rules and constraints of colonial society but she is full of hope and optimism for married life.
However, Evelyn’s husband very quickly shows his true colours and Evelyn discovers that she is trapped far from home with a man whom she despises. Life in India wears her down and Evelyn herself notes that there are two versions of her – Evelyn Roberts, the bright, warm-hearted young school teacher and Mrs Benedict Worsal Compton, the cold, bitter, lonely Memsahib.
The three women’s stories are tightly woven together and there are strong parallels between them. The theme of dignity repeats again and again in all of the stories and through all of the characters, not just the three central women.
Dignity is a thought-provoking, powerful read which will stay with you long after you have closed the final page.
Reviewed by Louise Chamberlain for The Glass House Book Club
April 2, 2019
Dignity was a book I was drawn to on the socials due to its beautifully colourful cover. When I read the synopsis, I thought yeah I’m interested in this and wangled myself a copy. Then it arrived and I flicked through it and put it in my book trolley ready to get to before its publication date. If I’m honest it kinda went out of my head until time whizzed by and March was upon us. It was next up in the loose order of books I ‘had’ to read, and I’m not saying that in any derogatory way, I’m sure we all have a schedule of proofs we need to get to as we’ve committed to reading and reviewing. Anyway, waffle waffle waffle, I grabbed Dignity, marvelled at its beauty once again and tucked it into my bag for the journey to work, not really having any expectations.
What followed, for me, was a beautifully empowering, touching, unflinching reading experience. I LOVE when a book takes you by surprise and you think ‘I’ve had this sitting patiently on my shelf, why the very devil have I not read it sooner?!’.
Dignity tells the interweaving stories of three women, over two time periods. Firstly we have Magda, her young care worker Susheela in the present in the UK, then we have Evelyn, Magda’s mother in the past, in India. Magda is a curmudgeonly old lady who’s brusque no nonsense nature has meant that she has worked her way through a whole host of different care workers trying to find someone who will put up with her challenging ways and moods. Magda is house bound in her large family home, she has an aversion to the outside world and takes great pains to not allow any aspects of the outside world permeate through her precious protective walls.
Enter Susheela, a young university student with problems of her own, dealing with the death of her mother and her difficult relationship. She's trying to cope not only with her own grief but with her father's too, desperately trying to keep them both afloat. Susheela has a begrudging admiration for Magda and doesn’t seem phased by her off hand manner. When an event in Susheela’s life accidentally involves Magda, their relationship takes a turn and they are somewhat thrown together.
The evolving of their friendship is so beautiful and heart warming, the stubborn, taciturn, old fashioned nature of Magda and the caring, nurturing but vulnerable side of Susheela.
Interspersed in the modern day we have chapters told from the perspective of Evelyn, Magda’s mother. Told right from the point that she leaves the UK to head to India to be with her railway engineer husband, Benedict in Darjeeling. We learn of Evelyn's struggles with living in a completely different country, far from home and learning to live with her Indian servants, whom her husband has a very distinct lack of respect for. When she falls pregnant with Magda, Evelyn struggles even more with the Indian way of life, how the British behave over there and the customs she is ill prepared for. She is even less prepared for the change in her husband's attitude towards her, his demeanour with the staff and his philandering lifestyle.
She feels as though she is being sidelined as a mother to Magda when an indian wet-nurse named Aashi is employed by Benedict to feed the baby. As Magda grows, Evelyn distances herself more for the child, as a self preservation instinct to protect herself from the inevitable pain and heartache when Magda is to be sent back to the UK to be schooled. This is another custom Evelyn is not in agreement with. When Aashi's involvement with the family causes irreparable issues, there is a life changing event for both Magda and Evelyn.
There are almost too many marvellous threads weaved and storylines crafted for me to discuss. Essentially, we have an epic story of three remarkable women's lives, each of them in turn as compelling as the other. The dual timeline narrative is always a big plus point for me, however the extra nuance of Evelyn being Magda's mother and determining and shaping the character she is as an old lady herself is just fascinating, especially as there are chapters in the second half of the book told from the perspective of Magda as a young child in India.
Each of the characters of the three women are so wonderfully written, each with their own distinctive voice, they draw you in and take you right along with them. Magda I think is my favourite, a woman left with no family in a huge old house with only her failing health and her memories. The house is actually pitched as a character in itself, Number 3 Victoria Road. It has become almost a suit of armour, or maybe a prison enclosing Magda in isolation for most of her life. It almost breathes along with her.
There are lots of themes running through this story, grief, war, motherhood and what that means to different people, relationships both romantic and familial, traditions and secrets. I think this would be a fantastic book club choice, so many issues to discuss and a wealth of interesting conversations to be had.
A truly stunning gem of a book that I think will safely make it onto my best books of the year list.
Get yourself a copy!
I would like to thank Virginia Woolstencroft and the publisher for the advanced review copy.
What followed, for me, was a beautifully empowering, touching, unflinching reading experience. I LOVE when a book takes you by surprise and you think ‘I’ve had this sitting patiently on my shelf, why the very devil have I not read it sooner?!’.
Dignity tells the interweaving stories of three women, over two time periods. Firstly we have Magda, her young care worker Susheela in the present in the UK, then we have Evelyn, Magda’s mother in the past, in India. Magda is a curmudgeonly old lady who’s brusque no nonsense nature has meant that she has worked her way through a whole host of different care workers trying to find someone who will put up with her challenging ways and moods. Magda is house bound in her large family home, she has an aversion to the outside world and takes great pains to not allow any aspects of the outside world permeate through her precious protective walls.
Enter Susheela, a young university student with problems of her own, dealing with the death of her mother and her difficult relationship. She's trying to cope not only with her own grief but with her father's too, desperately trying to keep them both afloat. Susheela has a begrudging admiration for Magda and doesn’t seem phased by her off hand manner. When an event in Susheela’s life accidentally involves Magda, their relationship takes a turn and they are somewhat thrown together.
The evolving of their friendship is so beautiful and heart warming, the stubborn, taciturn, old fashioned nature of Magda and the caring, nurturing but vulnerable side of Susheela.
Interspersed in the modern day we have chapters told from the perspective of Evelyn, Magda’s mother. Told right from the point that she leaves the UK to head to India to be with her railway engineer husband, Benedict in Darjeeling. We learn of Evelyn's struggles with living in a completely different country, far from home and learning to live with her Indian servants, whom her husband has a very distinct lack of respect for. When she falls pregnant with Magda, Evelyn struggles even more with the Indian way of life, how the British behave over there and the customs she is ill prepared for. She is even less prepared for the change in her husband's attitude towards her, his demeanour with the staff and his philandering lifestyle.
She feels as though she is being sidelined as a mother to Magda when an indian wet-nurse named Aashi is employed by Benedict to feed the baby. As Magda grows, Evelyn distances herself more for the child, as a self preservation instinct to protect herself from the inevitable pain and heartache when Magda is to be sent back to the UK to be schooled. This is another custom Evelyn is not in agreement with. When Aashi's involvement with the family causes irreparable issues, there is a life changing event for both Magda and Evelyn.
There are almost too many marvellous threads weaved and storylines crafted for me to discuss. Essentially, we have an epic story of three remarkable women's lives, each of them in turn as compelling as the other. The dual timeline narrative is always a big plus point for me, however the extra nuance of Evelyn being Magda's mother and determining and shaping the character she is as an old lady herself is just fascinating, especially as there are chapters in the second half of the book told from the perspective of Magda as a young child in India.
Each of the characters of the three women are so wonderfully written, each with their own distinctive voice, they draw you in and take you right along with them. Magda I think is my favourite, a woman left with no family in a huge old house with only her failing health and her memories. The house is actually pitched as a character in itself, Number 3 Victoria Road. It has become almost a suit of armour, or maybe a prison enclosing Magda in isolation for most of her life. It almost breathes along with her.
There are lots of themes running through this story, grief, war, motherhood and what that means to different people, relationships both romantic and familial, traditions and secrets. I think this would be a fantastic book club choice, so many issues to discuss and a wealth of interesting conversations to be had.
A truly stunning gem of a book that I think will safely make it onto my best books of the year list.
Get yourself a copy!
I would like to thank Virginia Woolstencroft and the publisher for the advanced review copy.
April 5, 2019
There are always books out there that claim to be different to everything else, to be that little bit unique, that little bit individual. I am constantly surprised to find that this is true, and find myself wondering how Authors can consistently come up with something gripping and beautiful. Conran has certainly created another.
The story follows two women, their lives and interactions weaving together wonderfully to give richly described scenarios that pull a range of emotions from the reader.
They each have their very individual and distinct personalities and their own histories to come to terms with. Each person in this story is dealing with something in life, but it is how they come together and build something from this that is truly wonderful.
Two very different people in very different lives that just mesh, and then things start to get complicated. They live in a place where it isn’t always easy to befriend whomever you want, to hold to that friendship and support one another, and yet they hold to it anyway.
I adored the ways in which the Author has woven in issues of social class and acceptance throughout, and yet has also shown how important strength of character can be. Both in reality, and in story telling. The characters in this story go through a lot, and yet they remain true to her they are, and that is no small thing.
Magda and Susheela are two very different women, who have many troubles following them, and yet somehow they manage to come together to handle that, and two strong women become two incredible women. They are very different, and I love that although their friendship is strong in many ways, their difference make this less than picture perfect. But despite this, both Characters are endearing, and they work things out.
Full of gorgeously written scenes, I think this is one of my favourite books for a look at how two very different people can build a strong bond, and that differences can make you stronger. Seeing them work together and come to terms with their lives in their own ways was wonderful, and this is certainly a powerful and compelling story. Magda and Susheelas pasts are troubled, and reading about them is heart-wrenching at times, yet beautifully honest as to how life can be for some.
From the gorgeous cover to the wonderful writing contained within, this is a book that will keep you enthralled long after the final words.
The story follows two women, their lives and interactions weaving together wonderfully to give richly described scenarios that pull a range of emotions from the reader.
They each have their very individual and distinct personalities and their own histories to come to terms with. Each person in this story is dealing with something in life, but it is how they come together and build something from this that is truly wonderful.
Two very different people in very different lives that just mesh, and then things start to get complicated. They live in a place where it isn’t always easy to befriend whomever you want, to hold to that friendship and support one another, and yet they hold to it anyway.
I adored the ways in which the Author has woven in issues of social class and acceptance throughout, and yet has also shown how important strength of character can be. Both in reality, and in story telling. The characters in this story go through a lot, and yet they remain true to her they are, and that is no small thing.
Magda and Susheela are two very different women, who have many troubles following them, and yet somehow they manage to come together to handle that, and two strong women become two incredible women. They are very different, and I love that although their friendship is strong in many ways, their difference make this less than picture perfect. But despite this, both Characters are endearing, and they work things out.
Full of gorgeously written scenes, I think this is one of my favourite books for a look at how two very different people can build a strong bond, and that differences can make you stronger. Seeing them work together and come to terms with their lives in their own ways was wonderful, and this is certainly a powerful and compelling story. Magda and Susheelas pasts are troubled, and reading about them is heart-wrenching at times, yet beautifully honest as to how life can be for some.
From the gorgeous cover to the wonderful writing contained within, this is a book that will keep you enthralled long after the final words.
August 30, 2020
I chose this on a complete whim in Waterstones, because of the title alone; I thought it was interesting. I’ve also been trying to explore the ‘family drama’ genre lately and this seemed to fit that box.
So, why 5 stars? Firstly because the writing was great. I’d have several highlights if I’d have read this on my Kindle but I can’t bring myself to mark a physical book, which is the form I have this in. I probably need some post-it’s instead. There were just lots of lines I loved, some humorous, some deep and thought-provoking.
I also enjoyed the explorations of issues such as race, mental health, the adult care system, ageing and domestic violence. There were other issues but these felt like the main ones, to me. Everything was discussed in a very natural way and none of these individually complex and large issues felt like they had been shoehorned in or like lip service was being paid to them, which was a refreshing change.
I liked the way the three female leads interacted with one another across time and how vibrantly described both India and England were. I did also feel though, that Conran left just enough to the imagination that you didn’t become bored or feel that things were over-explained/described.
I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a family drama with switches in time period, who wants something a little different. Be prepared for this to go way above your expectations and to surprise you!
So, why 5 stars? Firstly because the writing was great. I’d have several highlights if I’d have read this on my Kindle but I can’t bring myself to mark a physical book, which is the form I have this in. I probably need some post-it’s instead. There were just lots of lines I loved, some humorous, some deep and thought-provoking.
I also enjoyed the explorations of issues such as race, mental health, the adult care system, ageing and domestic violence. There were other issues but these felt like the main ones, to me. Everything was discussed in a very natural way and none of these individually complex and large issues felt like they had been shoehorned in or like lip service was being paid to them, which was a refreshing change.
I liked the way the three female leads interacted with one another across time and how vibrantly described both India and England were. I did also feel though, that Conran left just enough to the imagination that you didn’t become bored or feel that things were over-explained/described.
I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a family drama with switches in time period, who wants something a little different. Be prepared for this to go way above your expectations and to surprise you!
July 5, 2020
Initially drawn by the beautiful cover art and appealing description it only took a few chapters before I realised I had completely misjudged the direction of this book. I thought the novel would be about a divorced, disheveled woman finding a new lease on life. To my surprise, it turned out to be a book exploring deep spirituality and culture.
I enjoyed the story of Evelyn the most. I loved the way Conran transforms her character from a young, enthusiastic, naive girl to a hardened woman. Susheela and Magda seemed to stay more stagnant and I didn’t enjoy their narrative as much. They reminded me of my personal work, which is the last thing I want to be thinking about when reading.
I also found the personification of the house a little tiring at times and often felt like an HSC student reading a prescribed “belonging/journey” text.
I found myself wanting more from each character. More detail, more time, more understanding of each woman. Coran hit the nail on the head with her character development, giving us just enough to get by but leaving the reader wanting to know more.
I enjoyed the story of Evelyn the most. I loved the way Conran transforms her character from a young, enthusiastic, naive girl to a hardened woman. Susheela and Magda seemed to stay more stagnant and I didn’t enjoy their narrative as much. They reminded me of my personal work, which is the last thing I want to be thinking about when reading.
I also found the personification of the house a little tiring at times and often felt like an HSC student reading a prescribed “belonging/journey” text.
I found myself wanting more from each character. More detail, more time, more understanding of each woman. Coran hit the nail on the head with her character development, giving us just enough to get by but leaving the reader wanting to know more.
April 20, 2019
Magda lives in a large house by the sea, now elderly and unable to fend for herself. Once a brilliant Chemist, she now requires help from carers several times a day for meals and all her personal needs.
This is the story of three women, Magda, one of her carers Susheela and Magda's mother Evelyn who lived in colonial India where Magda was born and spent her early life.
This was a well written book and the theme of Dignity was strong throughout. This was the story of three women who were all so different but had so much in common.
I would recommend this thought provoking book.
This is the story of three women, Magda, one of her carers Susheela and Magda's mother Evelyn who lived in colonial India where Magda was born and spent her early life.
This was a well written book and the theme of Dignity was strong throughout. This was the story of three women who were all so different but had so much in common.
I would recommend this thought provoking book.
July 7, 2019
Wow - a beautifully winding story told from the perspective of three women, Magda a difficult elderly lady living in an old house by the sea, her story is current and of her childhood in India. Susheela, her car worker of Bengali decent, with modern struggles and a difficult personal life and Evelyn, Magda’s mother moving from the uk a naive optimistic young woman upturning her life to move to colonial India. All three women’s voices voices distinctly different but all trying to find the place they belong.
December 2, 2019
This is an intelligent read that draws you into the lives of three women, all loosely connected with the Indian sub-continent, and all in some sense shaped by the Raj. Its strength is in its recognition of colonialism as deeply flawed and damaging, to its upholders as well as those subjected to it. It can make small details telling; one of the most painful scenes concerns a dignified Indian woman now made a servant, forced publically to consume tea and cake by the master who is abusing her.
I find the ending perhaps a little soft but we are well prepared for it.
I find the ending perhaps a little soft but we are well prepared for it.
January 31, 2021
I love books that come and of nowhere and are just fantastic, rich and satisfying.
I loved every character, the different settings and how it moved backwards and wards though time seamlessly.
I also always enjoy learning about something I don’t know, in this case: British people living in colonial India.
The three main characters were great, and the only downside of this book is that I wish there was more of it!! I can imagine enjoying standalone books based entirely on each of the characters individually, especially Evie, weaving them together was just a bonus.
I loved every character, the different settings and how it moved backwards and wards though time seamlessly.
I also always enjoy learning about something I don’t know, in this case: British people living in colonial India.
The three main characters were great, and the only downside of this book is that I wish there was more of it!! I can imagine enjoying standalone books based entirely on each of the characters individually, especially Evie, weaving them together was just a bonus.
June 9, 2023
Read with the reading group. The characters are fully developed and well described. I found in the early parts it was a little confusing as to whether it was Evelyn or Magda who we were following but it became clearer as the characters developed. The story is well told and the descriptions of the relationships and hierarchy are clearly marked out - a little depressing at times.
The relationship between Magda and Evelyn is brilliantly portrayed and the relationship between Magda and Susheela spiky but eventually respectful.
Would definitely read more by this author
The relationship between Magda and Evelyn is brilliantly portrayed and the relationship between Magda and Susheela spiky but eventually respectful.
Would definitely read more by this author
July 21, 2019
Magda’s elderly mind and body are crumbling, as is the house by the sea meant to shelter from the world. Susheela is one of her poorly-paid carers, mourning for her mother, concerned for her father and recently dumped by a former soldier who suffers from PTSD. Almost a century earlier, Evelyn is sailing towards a new life in British India with a husband she barely knows. Alys Conran weaves their stories together, to explore caring and cruelty, the legacy of empire and the meaning of home.
Full review
Three-handers between Britain and the Indian subcontinent: Dignity & The Runaways https://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post...
Full review
Three-handers between Britain and the Indian subcontinent: Dignity & The Runaways https://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post...
September 8, 2023
An absolutely beautifully heartfelt novel, told from the point of view of 3 people, over 2 timelines. It portrays 3 strong women, Evelyn, Magda and Susheela, each fighting their own battles and demons. Evelyn is the mother of Magda, Susheela the carer and we have Magda, the central character, just wanting to hold on to her dignity, but each woman, in their own way, have their own version of dignity. Wonderful!
May 19, 2019
Fantastic novel, transporting us to the world of these three women, who are living in a present, with baggage of the past but clear determination towards the future. The prose or the quotes in the beginning of each chapter is pretty interesting and gives an essence of what to look forward in the pages to follow.
July 10, 2019
I would have given this five stars but felt that there was an overuse of one particular swear word whenever the Chapters on Susheela took place. But otherwise, it is an interesting look at the Colonisers and Colonised, what it means to have 'dignity' as well as the notion of 'Home' whatever that may be.
November 28, 2019
3.5 was going to be a 4 but the final stages of the story disappointed. I know this book is only recently published but I had a strong sense that I had read this story before. Right down to small details particularly in the parts set in India. Interested to hear if anyone else can put their finger on a similar storyline
September 28, 2020
Loved this. Wasn't sure at first but was soon captivated. The British Raj parts had me spellbound: I winced, I groaned, I hated B and his colonial ilk as much as his wife did; I fell in love with Evelyn, Aisha, Raja, and the dignity of all the servants. And fierce, feisty, wonderful Magda will stay with me for a very long time. One of the best books I've read for a while. Da iawn, Alys.
October 25, 2019
Beautiful! Set in the time of the British raj in Bengal 1930s and in modern day Britain. Beautifully written with true understanding. Dysfunctional relationships and the purest of love between peoples connected by circumstance are central to this story.
December 12, 2020
This felt like a dark book with issues around loss, abuse, power, belonging and of course dignity. The dignity to make choices and be seen. However the characters and interlinking stories between the past in colonial India and that of modern day UK was gripping despite the dark themes.
October 5, 2022
I liked the premise of this book - the stories of three women and their different lives in colonial India and present day Britain. I felt that some of the bits about social care were a little uncomfortable and not well informed but it was a good pacy read.
May 6, 2019
A very beautiful book about three women.
May 21, 2019
Really moving story of three different generations of women. The way the story is told is so beautiful and you find yourself relating to all the women despite the generational differences.
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