Which Way?

by Theodora Benson, Simon Thomas (Afterword)

‘There was no one in the room. Blinds and curtains were closed; the light of the skies, if any, was shut out. … Only the fire was alive, consuming its life—for what? Then the door opened and as Claudia came with hurried steps into the fire’s glow, two open letters in her hand, the telephone began ringing. She shut the door and turned up the lights.’

Claudia Heseltine returns to this moment three times in a series of parallel narratives. As the novel presses the re-set button, she accepts each invitation, one by telephone, two by letter, to a specific social event, and in doing so her life goes down a different path with its own possibilities and achievements, sorrows, and disappointments. This is an inventive novel, published in 1931, which contemplates the consequences of a single decision.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Ebooks, Womens

206 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1931

About the author

British novelist and short-story writer.

Reviews

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't heard of this author before, but I've enjoyed the other books in this series so far, so I thought I'd give it a go and it didn't disappoint.

I loved the premise of this book. In the opening chapter Claudia has two invitations, and the phone is ringing with a third. Next we get a build up to this moment; following that are three chapters, telling us what would happen to her if she had accepted each of the invitations. Her life comes out differently with each one, depending on which man she met that weekend, so her paths could be mistress, wife or mother. She is a fairly flexible character, so each choice changes her as a person, but none of them lead to ultimate happiness. At the end of each one, she has regrets, looking back on that moment and thinking what if, or in some cases, if only...

I loved reading the sections with her and Eileen, her best friend, visiting her parents. I'd have loved to have seen more of them

There is a very good afterward which explains the cultural references. I got some, but it was nice to have the others pointed out.

[JimZ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I was going to like this more than I actually did. I loved the premise: what would happen if the main character in the book chose Option A over other options in a certain situation — what would their life be like if they chose that option? Option B? Option C?

Claudia has three men in her life…. Hugo, Guy, and Lionel. She makes three choices in relation to these men and that is what the book is about. To divulge anything more would be dipping into spoiler land, and we wouldn’t want that would we? I thought not!

Why 3 stars and not 4 or 5 stars? I guess because I did not warm up to Claudia all that much at the beginning of the novel. And because the way in which she fell in love with men or how men fell in love with her was often done in fairly rapid, fall-in-love-at-first-sight fashion. Just seemed a bit phony and contrived. But that’s OK…. I did like the novel…I just didn’t go ga-ga over it.

This was a re-issue in the British Library Women Writers Series, and it’s my intention to read every one of the books in the series. The series is “a curated collection of novels by female authors who enjoyed broad, popular appeal in their day. In a century (Jim” the 20th) during which the role of women changed radically, their fictional heroines highlight women’s experience of life inside and outside the home through the decades in these rich, insightful and evocative stories.” Each of the novels that I have come across has a timeline of certain events that occurred around the time of the novel’s publication that is quite interesting and informative

Note: Benson never married, which Jenkins attributed to the youthful failure of a romance with a man whom her mother considered unsuitable. On Christmas Day 1968, Benson died of pneumonia while staying with her sister, at the age of 62. (She wrote this novel when she was 25.)

Reviews:
• https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2...
• https://www.stuckinabook.com/british-...
• https://acatabookandacupoftea.wordpre...
• https://www.on-magazine.co.uk/arts/bo...

[Zoe Radley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow… what a brilliant and intriguing novel. One that looks into the choices of a single woman in the 1930s and how each of her choices either leaves her alone, in a failing marriage or in a marriage that gives her comfort security and love and a bit of happiness. Along the way she either gains friends or loses old ones that were as she grew older became constricted and outgrown. I also loved how clever the transitions were and that this type of novel could also be brilliant as a play. An absolute classic and one I would highly recommend you read.

[Asha - A Cat, A Book, And A Cup Of Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s something very tempting about daydreaming: what could your life have been like if you had done something differently? There are infinite turning points that influence the course of our lives, some more subtle than others – for me, I always think of my first Sunday at university. In Freshers’ Week I’d signed up for so many new societies, including two which had their meetings at 7pm on Sunday night, and I was undecided about which to go to until I literally had to choose which way to walk. The society I chose to go to ended up being such an integral part of my life: not only was it the only society I stayed in throughout all four years of my degree (and for several years after!), not only did it develop my writing skills and allow me to find a ton of new things I love doing, it also brought me friends I still love twelve years on (hi Judith!) and, perhaps most influentially of all, that was the night I met my husband for the first time. So sometimes I think: if I’d have walked the other way that night, and gone to the other meeting instead, my life might be totally, completely different now.

That’s the central premise of Which Way?: Claudia, a young middle class woman in the 1930s, finds herself with three invitations for the same weekend, and she must choose which one to accept. The book starts with the build up to this one decision, so we learn a little about her, her upbringing, her friends and the man she’s dating, and then, in turn, shows us the results of her accepting each invitation, following her through the next five years in each timeline. There’s no high-drama sci-fi plot here, no crossing of the timelines or even awareness of them; it’s a thought experiment and a character study, and each Claudia is as real and possible as any other. Throughout the book the dramatic irony builds; when Claudia, at the end of the first section, ponders how life could have been different if she’d only gone to a different party, we as the reader are as much in the dark as she is, but when she thinks it at the end of the last section, we’ve seen the possibilities, and it colours the scene in a fascinating way.

This is not the kind of book you read to get hooked on the plot. It’s a slow, gentle story which could easily feel mundane – and that’s before you get into the parallel timelines and repeated scenes from different angles. But, despite there being very little action, from the very start I was riveted at how brilliantly clever the whole thing is. It’s wonderfully written, and it cuts into the realities of Claudia’s life with pinpoint precision, in a way that left me not only fascinated by her and her world, but considering my own life. There’s a bittersweetness to the story, because it doesn’t promise a ‘true’ timeline or a ‘good’ outcome, just showcases possibilities, all of which are as realistic as each other. None of the Claudias will ever know if they would have been happier in a different way, and I think that’s what I found most touching about this story – it could be bleak, but instead to me it felt almost optimistic. It’s also a fabulous look at the lifestyles of the well-off middle classes of the 30s, and how they spent their time – even without the timeline conceit, this would have been a brilliant read for social history reasons.

Most of all, it’s an incisive and introspective character study of a woman who is remarkably ordinary; she’s not a wholly good or bad person, even when she does good or bad things, she’s just someone moving through life as best she can. Yes, she’s rather selfish, and she can be silly, but her flaws are not really played for laughs or tragedy, they’re just a part of her. It’s utterly fascinating to watch as the different timelines show how easily she (and by extension anyone) can have their personality influenced by the people with whom they keep company. I found the feminist themes here fascinating; you could certainly accuse Claudia of being wholly centred around men no matter which timeline she’s in, and it certainly seems at times as though she’s utterly trapped by men and their decisions. But actually, what’s interesting is seeing how she is able to exert agency and seek her own happiness around and despite these men; I think it would definitely be an interesting reread, seeing how subtly her personality changes as she grows up each time.

I also found the other material included in the book really interesting. There are some historical notes, a biography of the author, and a preface before you start, and an insightful afterword from series consultant Simon Thomas that draws out some of the themes and parallels present in the text; none of this is strictly necesssary to enjoy the story, but it all helps contextualise Claudia’s actions in the time period. Given the lack of resolution to the actual plot, I found the afterword was a great way to sort of cool down when I finished the book – it gave me the space to think a little about it before turning the final page.

I read this book around two weeks ago, and it’s still hovering heavily in my thoughts. I highly, highly recommend it to anyone interested in women’s fiction or social history, with the caveat that it might make you feel very introspective about your life choices yourself! It’s just brilliant, in concept and in execution. Five out of five cats.

[Bronwyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really enjoyable. It’s very much of the British women’s books that I like, plus the “sliding doors” aspect which I also really like. Claudia is really interesting and I loved seeing the similarities and differences in the different versions of her. I’m glad to have read this and I’m glad the British Library is working to put these books back into circulation.

[Gina House · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5🌟 I was very excited to read Which Way? because I love sliding doors types of books. This one had such a great premise. A young woman, Claudia Heseltine, keeps coming back to this one point of time in her life. She has two letters and one phone call to answer at the same time. Each choice or decision takes her on a different path in life, even though the main connections stay the same.

When reading the description of the book, I was thrilled to start it. But, sadly, this book wasn't for me. I think the author's writing style just did not resonate with me. I had a slow start and it took me more than 2 chapters to get the hang of her somewhat strangely arranged sentences. A good portion of the book is in Claudia's mind or an unknown narrator is pulling us along. It found it very ironic when, towards the end of the book, a sentence said something like "Claudia was not one for introspection." It seemed liked the entire book was exactly that. Her thoughts on who she wanted and why.

Thanks to Simon Thomas' afterward, I was able to get a clearer idea of the book and I felt a little better about it. If I hadn't read his thoughts on the book, I might have given it a lesser rating.

Overall, it was a good experience to read a new author. I adore pretty much all of the British Library Women Writers books that I've read so far. I'm still motivated and eager to read more of the series for sure! I would love to know what you thought of this book!

[Muaz Jalil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fascinating read from British Library's Women writer series. Very modern, given that it was published in the 1930s. The plot is almost sci fi, alternative time lines.

[Feli_H · Rating 5 out of 5]

¿Qué tanto cambiaría tu vida si hicieses algo distinto en un momento decisivo? La protagonista de esta novela nos lo revelará, y para colmo de males, sin ella ser consciente de ello.

Goza del cariño de sus padres y amigos, fiel participante de la vida en sociedad además de despreocupada como ninguna con respecto a conseguir un marido, Claudia, claro está, disfruta de su juventud en la Inglaterra de principios del siglo pasado. Todo pareciese ir sucediendo a buen ritmo en su vida hasta que, un día, debe decidir entre asistir al cumpleaños de su mejor amigo en la campiña de los padres de éste, o ir a la fiesta de una amiga suya donde de seguro se topará con el hombre por quién ha sentido especial curiosidad este último tiempo. Estos acontecimientos por sí solos no tienen nada de distintivo, mas las decisiones únicas tomadas por la protagónica al volver a ese momento crucial durante tres veces a lo largo del transcurso de la historia darán cruciales cambios de curso a su, hasta ese momento, apacible destino.

Cada una de las tres subtramas nos permitirá adentrarnos en la complejidad de la personalidad de Claudia de forma irrepetible, mostrándonos tanto los eventos junto a los dilemas creados por cada específica serie de circunstancias, como las motivaciones y posteriores reflexiones de ella, en estas tres vidas particulares suyas.

De apacible al inicio esta serie de cambios de curso no va a tener mucho, mas esta travesía de autodescubrimiento se caracteriza por poseer tal encanto por la cotidianeidad de la vida en cuanto a relaciones, que de seguro no dejará a nadie indiferente.

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 3,5/5

[Tamara York · Rating 2 out of 5]

So far my least favorite from the British Library Women Writers collection. This is a sliding doors story that had an interesting premise exploring the consequences of accepting one of three weekend invitations. But the writing wasn’t engaging and the characters vapid.

[Davida Chazan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fascinating novella borders on speculative fiction. I read this for the 32nd #CCSpin, and you can find my full #bookreview here. https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2023/01/1...

[Niki (nikilovestoread)]

Unfortunately, this was a rather quick dnf, for me. The concept sounded like an interesting one, but I couldn't stand the main character as a bratty child and found myself with no desire to find out how her life turned out.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting - would have liked a ‘no man at all’ alternative! But maybe they didn’t have those in the 1930s!

[Mark Bowden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, witty and amusing in places, though there are some tedious passages and others that are just difficult to follow (quite possibly my fault rather than the author's), the book is ultimately rather disappointing. The premise is interesting but for me the plot did not live up to the expectation. The alternative lives of Claudia amounted only to marrying or not marrying one or other of a limited variety of young London society men - so what? I thought the alternatives might at least include being captured by the White Slave trade and taken to South America or becoming a missionary in Africa. Instead Claudia always ends up looking out of the window of a posh West End house/flat as the wife/mistress/friend of Hugo, Guy or Lionel. There is an interesting 'Afterword' by Simon Thomas which almost reconciled me to the book and I suppose it could be argued that it is a great deal more subtle than what I had in mind. Ultimately though, I just could not care enough about the heroine or any of her friends and lovers.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last in the series of the re-published women writers and this time a take on what would happen if only you made a different decision in life, a 1930s Sliding Doors original with the heroine choosing different suitors leading to more or less contentment and fulfilment in her various choices. The less satisfactory and the more easily forgettable of the novels, it still did raise a few interesting insights into soul-searching and the inevitability of escaping and/or really knowing oneself.

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting premise, but I disliked the main character quite a bit, so I didn't really care what happened to her. It was an interesting artifact, though, and I am glad I read it once. Another one I'm glad I was able to get on KU.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will give this 3 stars as it was an interesting concept though I found the writing wordy and, in some cases, not particularly interesting. I listen to a very good podcast, Tea or Books, and have found a number of excellent older titles. This was not one of the best.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I quite liked this, although there were times when the writing style made it harder to read and focus.

[Anita Dent · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of returning to the same point in time, exploring different possibilities. I also found the afterword useful.

[Kay Robart · Rating 3 out of 5]

See my review here:

https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2023...

[Emma Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a "sliding doors type" novel, published back in 1931, which contemplates the consequences of a single decision on which weekend party invitation to accept. The lead protagonist, Claudia who is in her early-20s, returns to the same moment in three parallel narratives, each time accepting a different invitation, all involving men she would like to meet or spend time with.

A 3.5* lighthearted easy read with an intriguing premise as the reader follows what happens next.