Our book of choice for May was ‘Trespass’ by Rose Tremain, the award-winning author of, among others, the Whitbread Novel of the Year ‘Music and Silence’ and ‘Restoration’ which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
The story mainly takes place in a silent valley near the village of La Collune in southern France, where the isolated farmhouse of Mas Lunel stands amid the dense forests of the Cevennes. The stone building and its surroundings are in a state of neglect thanks to Aramon Lunel, an alcoholic, who lives there in squalor. His sister, Audrun, is forced to live alone in a cold bungalow within sight of the Mas, and is resentful of her brother’s ownership of the former family home.
Into their lives comes Anthony Verey, a wealthy but disillusioned antiques dealer from London, who is seeking a new life in France. Anthony’s sister, Veronica, is already settled in the Cevennes with her partner, Kitty, and is only too happy to help him find his ideal home. When Aramon puts Mas Lunel up for sale, Anthony can see its potential and his interest in the property sparks off a catastrophic series of consequences.
Before any of these characters are introduced, a shocking event takes place in the first chapter. This is almost forgotten as the reader is absorbed into the lives of the main characters, but gradually a feeling of suspicion and dread is woven into the story. Both Audrun and Aramon are haunted by unspoken betrayals and childhood memories. Anthony, too, revisits times spent with his mother, Lal, whose love he craved but rarely felt. In the heat of the long, dry summer with decay in the air, resentment builds and catastrophe is inevitable.
Trespass is a recurrent theme in the book and comes in different guises. Audrun’s beloved mother, Bernadette, had warned her there could be trespass and that “People can come and steal from you…..Anything that has existence can be stolen or destroyed. So you must be vigilant.”
Without exception, all group members were invested in this well-written piece of fiction. The characters are flawed yet fascinating, the setting evocative and the plot cleverly and subtly constructed. Those of us who weren’t already Rose Tremain fans certainly are now!
Louise Elsome
‘Bookworms’ Group Coordinator