At one level the whole book is a play on the objective/subjective narrative and what sort of a response the author is trying to evoke from the reader.
The “Non linear” narrative at once encourages readers to NOT have a subjective emotional response but a very aware objective response yet the narrative itself is - all along about personal relationships, including that of Jackson Brodie, his relationship with his separated wife and child.
To me, the use of non-linear narrative always encourages emotional displacement in the readers – or at least that is the intent of the author for using this particular style.
2. By titling “Case Histories” at once she is conveying two things (a) one way of looking at all these inter-connected stories is through the eyes of the police/investigator – objective reading
(b) by adding the subjunctive “A Novel” – the author is inviting us for a subjective reading. She is also telling the readers that the people involved are very real and the events could happen to anyone...
Jackson is the only true male in direct contrast to all other males who are “alive”. The earthy handsome Keith is dead.
Jonathan from the Michelle-Carolina case is man enough but is only on the fringes and easily forgettable by the reader
All crimes are committed on women.
The perpetrators of “real” crimes in this novel is always the male – even if the hand that wielded the axe or stopped the breath was of a female it was done at such a “childish” age when one didn’t fully understand the consequences of one’s actions. The third crime is committed by the so-called certified “lunatic”. The way Stan’s neighbour is portrayed by Atkinson is such that, the author herself agrees he is truly a lunatic.
In my opinion, the actual perpetrators have gone scot-free. Victor who sexually abused his daughter is never punished for his crimes. He even has his two daughters at home during the last few hours before his death – he did not even die alone.
In fact it is Laura, the most innocent of all the victims killed who dies alone – surrounded by strangers she has just met while her father is away.
And Shirley, the real killer of Keith gets to live in the normal world and complete her education – the education her sister Michelle craved for. It is Shirley who gets to marry a doctor, while her sister is paying for her crime in a prison. Yes, Shirley is unable to have children with her doctor husband – a mild punishment indeed, compared to around 20 years her sister lost in the prison.
As for X – we do not even know if Theo is going to do something about him. Maybe Theo only needed “to know”, just wanted some sort of closure. He probably did not care to think that this Mr.X may go on to kill other precious girls like his own daughter.
So, what is Kate Atkinson really trying to convey via this novel comprised of case histories?
That , girls are never safe ether within or without the house? There is always some sort of danger lurking always to harm them?
Why didn’t Atkinson not kill any of the male characters? Is it because she only cares about the endless list of “females” who disappear every year, never to be found; or even never known what exactly happened?
Is finding the body that much of a console?
The “Non linear” narrative at once encourages readers to NOT have a subjective emotional response but a very aware objective response yet the narrative itself is - all along about personal relationships, including that of Jackson Brodie, his relationship with his separated wife and child.
To me, the use of non-linear narrative always encourages emotional displacement in the readers – or at least that is the intent of the author for using this particular style.
2. By titling “Case Histories” at once she is conveying two things (a) one way of looking at all these inter-connected stories is through the eyes of the police/investigator – objective reading
(b) by adding the subjunctive “A Novel” – the author is inviting us for a subjective reading. She is also telling the readers that the people involved are very real and the events could happen to anyone...
Jackson is the only true male in direct contrast to all other males who are “alive”. The earthy handsome Keith is dead.
Jonathan from the Michelle-Carolina case is man enough but is only on the fringes and easily forgettable by the reader
All crimes are committed on women.
The perpetrators of “real” crimes in this novel is always the male – even if the hand that wielded the axe or stopped the breath was of a female it was done at such a “childish” age when one didn’t fully understand the consequences of one’s actions. The third crime is committed by the so-called certified “lunatic”. The way Stan’s neighbour is portrayed by Atkinson is such that, the author herself agrees he is truly a lunatic.
In my opinion, the actual perpetrators have gone scot-free. Victor who sexually abused his daughter is never punished for his crimes. He even has his two daughters at home during the last few hours before his death – he did not even die alone.
In fact it is Laura, the most innocent of all the victims killed who dies alone – surrounded by strangers she has just met while her father is away.
And Shirley, the real killer of Keith gets to live in the normal world and complete her education – the education her sister Michelle craved for. It is Shirley who gets to marry a doctor, while her sister is paying for her crime in a prison. Yes, Shirley is unable to have children with her doctor husband – a mild punishment indeed, compared to around 20 years her sister lost in the prison.
As for X – we do not even know if Theo is going to do something about him. Maybe Theo only needed “to know”, just wanted some sort of closure. He probably did not care to think that this Mr.X may go on to kill other precious girls like his own daughter.
So, what is Kate Atkinson really trying to convey via this novel comprised of case histories?
That , girls are never safe ether within or without the house? There is always some sort of danger lurking always to harm them?
Why didn’t Atkinson not kill any of the male characters? Is it because she only cares about the endless list of “females” who disappear every year, never to be found; or even never known what exactly happened?
Is finding the body that much of a console?
Kate Atkinson is another of my favorites. I discovered her even before she started writing detective stories.
ReplyDeleteNice review, Thoughts! I saw your review just now and so am commenting late. I liked the way the book is a blend of the objective and the subjective, as you have described. It is sad that most of the 'bad' people in the novel get away with it. Hope the author had a valid reason for that. I have never read a Kate Atkinson book before. I want to read one now.
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