The Seven Sisters

Each book is a journey and author Drabble's novel 'The Seven Sisters' is indeed a trip. At first I wondered where this book was going and it took some investigative reading. The first part was a diary written in first person by the protagonist Candida who is in her third quarter of life. Drabble can throw out some wonderful phrases like that. 'She likes to keep up with the past' and 'social squawkers on their mobile phones' were another couple of favorite phrases. The next part was written in third person telling of the trip that Candida embarked on with a variety of women, all seven stars in the constellation in their own ways. After a following type of life Candida leads them in tracing Virgil's Aeneid's trip to Italy. Water plays a character throughout the novel too. The third part of the novel is a bit of a shock but rounds out the life of Candida.

This is a spectacular book--but it may fool you, because it is quietly spectacular.It's basically about death and rebirth--spiritual death and rebirth--but you only find this out gradually.At first it just seems the (brilliant) musings of Candida Wilton, a fiftyish woman who has been dumped by her husband (who is the head of a pricy private school) for a younger model.She uproots herself for London--penniless (or almost), friendless, jobless, childless, skill-less, and, it would seem, futureless.Almost by accident, she takes a course on Virgil, then, thanks to an unexpected windfall, retraces part of Aeneas's journey from Carthage to the Sybil at Cumae. She takes with her five other women, some new, some old, and meets the astonishing Valeria; and these become the Seven Sisters of the title.But the Seven Sisters are also a part of London she can see from her shabby apartment; and also a constellation she can see through her slightly flawed living room window.And that's the way this novel works--by connecting. Connecting the past and the present, and building the future. By connecting unlikely people and building not only friendship but character. Connecting the present day with the ancient past and forming a huge perspective on civilization.Drabble's character is a triumph. Candida writes a diary that, unwittingly, turns into a kind of poetry. Surprisingly, poetry is not so much a matter of expression as of observation.And the book is full of unexpected twists and jolts--always moving into new thematic material, just when you thought it had finished.The last (very short) part is called "A Dying Fall." This seems apt and almost anticlimactic, except that it perfectly ties off and rounds out the main theme, which is: even the most mundane things are miracles; it is only a question of jumping the fences and noticing them.

I enjoyed the first person accounts, but lost interest when she switched into third person, and then totally made up a portion in which the main characters daughter allegedly wrote about the protagonist’s death.

I really enjoy Margaret Drabble's writing. The organization of this book confused me a little until I figured it out and then I got pulled into the story. I find stories about people finding the courage to reinvent themselves very compelling. The main character did her reinventing in fits and starts, but the author made me feel for the character. I enjoyed this book.

This book needs to be read more than once to fully appreciate the complex twists and turns the author flawlessly leads the reader through. The basic story concerns a middle aged woman starting over after the failure of her marriage. It is the writing that makes it much more than that. I would have rated it 5 stars, but there are a few things that I found tedious. Maybe I need to read it a third time to see if I can find the point of them, I am sure it is there.

Brilliant evocation of growing old alone--well not quite alone--growing old with memories, with new and fleeting friends, with children who no longer care. Drabble is better at capturing the vicissitudes of aging than anyone I know of....and she is witty and a great stylist.

.... and that adoration continues after reading "The Seven Sisters." Maybe because I'm in my 70's now and wonder what it would be like to be widowed at this age. I admired her efforts, appreciated her good fortune, satisfied my self that this character (her hero) lived an examined life and a life well-lived. Dear Margaret Drabble, please keep 'em coming.

I was to read this for book club. I couldn't finish it. I just didn't like it and most of the woman felt the same way.

Not the best story tbh. Liked the general plot but wanted to shake the protagonist out of her malaise and pad out her character a bit more. It felt quite thin and one dimensional. Would not recommend.

Unusual narrative voice switches perspective and interjections further shift the viewpoint. Unsympathetic main character interacts with a wide range of interesting female characters while the male characters take a back seat. Yearning, whimsical, unresolved, sad.

It's a while since I read any Margaret Drabble, but this book reminded me of what a good writer she is. It also arrived promptly and was in good condition.

The book arrived swiftly and was well packaged. It is in very good condition and was up to the usual extremely high standard of a Margaret Drabble novel. Excellent thank you.

Margaret Drabble - from her first book - charted the progress of the English family life in the welfare state. Her keen eye for detail makes readers nostalgic for years less influenced by television. Her protagonists were energetic, larky intelligent women. Candida Wilton - the diarist of "Seven Sisters" is the older version of those amazing characters and so, a bit slower. When the book opens, Candida has been living alone for a couple of years since being supplanted by a younger woman. Her headmaster ex-husband and her daughters having reduced her to invisible wife-work - they don't appear to notice she has gone. By now, she has come to terms with solitude, managing a small budget and coping. It sounds depressing but domesticated wives are watchers, and slowly her wry, crafty humour emerges into the diary. The spirited young woman she must have been, made her choose a flat in a mixed area of West London - very unlike the Georgian house in Sussex she left behind. Candida's life started to change when the building where she took evening classes was redeveloped into a health club, and she was encouraged to join. The flattening of her personality from a long boring marriage, begins to open out - she suggests the old classmates meet to continue their study. They discuss travelling to the Mediterranean to follow in the footsteps of Virgil's story. Then an unexpected windfall encourages her to organise the trip - six assorted intelligent women - and an exotic tour operator who drives their vehicle - makes seven. The grey of Ladbroke Grove explodes into brilliant colour and they start their great adventure. The atmosphere of symbolism & legend is beautifully maintained - a kind of tranquility produced by supportive companions on a pilgimage together. Then a minor drama from the inquisitive husband, temporarily brings her family nearer - but by this time - she is complete on her own. Candida is a beautiful character - a witty grumpy, complex and intelligent woman. I read every page slowly with pleasure - it's a marvellous book.