Warning: Two small spoilÂers ahead.
Eva Rice’s period novÂels are kind of akin to curlÂing up on a rainy day with hot, butÂtery crumÂpets and tea. There’s a warmth and nosÂtalÂgia to them, like you’re setÂtling in for an hour or two of catchÂing up with old friends.
The Lost Art of KeepÂing Secrets is one of my favourite all-time books, one that I’ve read too many times to count. So when QuerÂcus conÂtacted me and asked if I’d like to review The MisÂinÂterÂpreÂtaÂtion of Tara Jupp I jumped at the chance. To my delight, the book arrived alongÂside a handÂwritÂten note by the author and a CD feaÂturÂing the hit release sinÂgle of the main charÂacÂter, with lyrics writÂten by a cerÂtain Inigo WalÂlace (fans of The Lost Art of KeepÂing Secrets will be pleased to disÂcover that yes, familÂiar faces do pop up in this book).
CounÂtry girl Tara is whisked off to ‘60s LonÂdon to become a star; there she is dressed, she is shown off at Chelsea parÂties, phoÂtographed by the best. She meets songÂwritÂers, singers, designÂers, and records her song. And she falls in love — with two men. Behind the buzz and exciteÂment of her sucÂcess, the bitÂterÂness between her elder sisÂter Lucy and her friend Matilda haunts Tara. Their past friendÂship is broÂken and among the secrets and the strangeÂness of both their marÂriages, the past keeps on reappearing.
Rice’s skills as an author lie not only in her abilÂity to bring the 1960’s so vividly to life, but in the way she writes realÂisÂtic, rounded and comÂpelling charÂacÂters. Tara isn’t as engagÂing a heroÂine as PeneÂlope, but I liked the narÂraÂtive choice to let the reader see the world through her eyes. Tara feels like a young woman I could have known growÂing up. I probÂaÂbly was her at some point growÂing up. ShelÂtered and naïve, I think Tara is a proÂtagÂoÂnist a lot of readÂers will idenÂtify with. That feelÂing of being slightly awkÂward in your own skin, unsure of yourÂself yet anxÂious to please, wantÂing to stand out, but not quite havÂing the conÂfiÂdence, expeÂriÂence or poise to pull it off. Yet she’s never a weak or insipid charÂacÂter. Rice really capÂtures that feelÂing of being sevÂenÂteen with the whole world at your fingertips.
The heart of the novel is really Tara’s relaÂtionÂship with her sisÂter. Lucy’s story forms some of the most fasÂciÂnatÂing parts of the book, from her turÂbuÂlent friendÂship with childÂhood friend Matilda to her pasÂsionÂate romance and trouÂbled marÂriage with Raoul. Tara idolÂizes both Raoul and her sister’s marÂriage, but as she is introÂduced to a world of famous singers, musiÂcians, phoÂtogÂraÂphers and modÂels, her underÂstandÂing of the world and the peoÂple in it is tested. Lucy is a far more stubÂborn, fiery counÂterÂpart to Tara and I enjoyed watchÂing both of them strugÂgle with their choices, find their own idenÂtiÂties and grow throughÂout the book.
Though you could easÂily read The MisÂinÂterÂpreÂtaÂtion of Tara Jupp withÂout havÂing picked up The Lost Art of KeepÂing Secrets, there are old friends who make brief appearÂances, while a grown up Inigo plays an imporÂtant part in Tara’s singing career. As someÂone who adored these charÂacÂters the first time round it’s always a thrill to see where they’ve ended up since we last left them.
Spoiler! For those who enjoy a bit of romance in their books, the scenes between Tara and Inigo are beauÂtiÂfully underÂstated though I found they lacked the chemÂistry of PeneÂlope and Harry. End of spoiler
Set eight years after The Lost Art of KeepÂing Secrets, this feels like quite a difÂferÂent book, which isn’t necÂesÂsarÂily a bad thing. It’s more mature, cerÂtainly denser and perÂhaps a smidgen over-long. It has quite a sedate beginÂning, but lookÂing back I appreÂciÂated the depth of charÂacÂter backÂground Rice takes the time to build up. Some readÂers might be a litÂtle thrown that a good first third of the novel is about Tara’s childÂhood and despite the synÂopÂsis, I wouldn’t say the focus of the book is really Tara’s singing career.
‘Small counÂtry girl makes it big’ may sound a litÂtle cliché but Rice hanÂdles it in her own unique style. The MisÂinÂterÂpreÂtaÂtion of Tara Jupp is a coming-of-age story that has a richÂness and charÂacÂter to it and in large part this is due to the amount of detail that has gone into this book. As with her preÂviÂous novel, Rice really capÂtures the era, the peoÂple and the moveÂments of the time and sevÂeral recogÂnisÂable figÂures grace the pages, includÂing Brian Jones, NikoÂlaus PevsÂner and David BaiÂley.
Spoiler! Not to menÂtion a big nod to the Rolling Stones whose first gig at the MarÂquee club in 1962 is a scene in the novel. End of spoiler
Rice gives us a host of messy charÂacÂters we can relate to and whips up the feelÂing and energy of the time. Fans of the 60’s or those who rememÂber it will undoubtÂedly get an even greater satÂisÂfacÂtion out of this one.
‘IncredÂiÂble,’ I said. ‘I have a rare feelÂing that I’m going to be able to tell my grandÂchilÂdren that once upon a time, I was in the right place at the right time.’
‘The right place at the right time,’ mused Inigo. ‘Don’t think I’ve been there since I acciÂdenÂtally walked in on CharÂlotte FerÂris in her underÂwear in the Blue Room at MilÂton Magna, ChristÂmas 1954.’
~ page 456
My iniÂtial thoughts were that it doesn’t quite stand up to its preÂdeÂcesÂsor, and while it’s true I didn’t fall in love with the charÂacÂters as I did with CharÂlotte, PeneÂlope, Harry and Aunt Clare, the more I think about it, the more I found I liked it. DefÂiÂnitely worth a secÂond or third readÂing to soak up all the details, perÂhaps this time with my extremely high expecÂtaÂtions put to one side.
Many thanks to Rik at QuerÂcus Books and Eva Rice for the opporÂtuÂnity to review The MisÂinÂterÂpreÂtaÂtion of Tara Jupp.