“How many seven-year-olds do you know who are friends with eighty-one-year-olds?” “It’s not ideal,” she agrees, after a moment’s consideration. “But beggars can’t be choosers.” I feel a rare moment of pity for the child. “You’re not a beggar, child.” She laughs. “I know that. You’re the beggar. I’m the chooser. Because I choose you!”
“What do you think happened to Ishaan, Ms. Fitzpatrick?” Baldy says, adopting a patronizing, kindly voice. It feels like a remarkably ridiculous question. “I think he got dicked by the dangling dong of destiny, that’s what I think.’
I guess I’m kind of a cheap date as far as books are concerned. If a book can make me laugh I’m in the author’s pocket. If a character can make me laugh, it’s hard for me not to like and care about what happens to them. If a book can both make me laugh, cry, and keep me on the edge of my seat…well. Elsie “Mad Mabel” Fitzpatrick’s acerbic wit kept me buoyed throughout. All of Sally Hepworth’s books that I have read, so far, are dual timeline. All of them have hooked me with the children in peril trope in “the past” of the story, and kept me hooked when that same child (or children) experience the fall out as adults. Mad Mabel is no different in that way from the three others by her I have read. I gave the previous book I read by this author, The Mother-in-Law5 stars, but I loved this one in a different way. I admired the character development in the former more than I liked the characters. Unlike that one, all of the protagonists in this were extremely likable and admirable, and there were many of them. I was cheering for them all the way, and their outcomes, with one exception, were very satisfactory. Well, two exceptions. One worthy character’s fate was a little over the top fortunate, but I generally don’t mind that at all. Usually, the happier the better for characters that deserve it.
81-year-old Elsie has lived on Kenny Lane in Melbourne for 60 years. Only she and her friend Daphne know her true identity: Mad Mabel, the youngest person ever to be convicted of murder in Australia. Soon though, her neighborhood, Melbourne, and the whole country (if not the world), will know her true identity. One of her neighbors whom she didn’t make any secret of being at odds with drops dead, and Elsie discovers the body. This sparks a chain of events which at first will cause her to be a target of public gossip, a witch hunt, and even a police investigation. It isn’t long though before Elsie, finally thrust out of her reclusive existence, decides to tell the world the real story of her life and how she became the notorious “Mad Mabel.” Thanks to a pair of small-time podcasters and her own actions and events, she gradually reveals her true self behind the prickly and intimidating exterior, and earns her neighbors’ good will, loyalty, and even love. And let’s not forget the influence of Persephone, a precocious 7-year-old whom Elsie describes as an “irritating little despot.” It is a story that is full of tragedy and injustice although there are some bright spots, so not unremitting. Elsie’s voice is so engaging and worldly-wise, I didn’t feel crushed by all that befell her. And of course, the knowledge that because she is finally telling her story, people will at last know the truth, was a lifeline. The book alternates between Then and Now. The Now parts, although there are some scary moments, provide a respite from her sad Then parts. Yet I was always OK with going back to Then because her story was so interesting and told with the wisdom of age. Plus, I wanted answers. (One of the answers I still want is who is that supposed to be on the cover of the book?)
The truths that are revealed by the podcast are pretty blockbuster, and one was a genuine shock. One reveal, I had guessed right away. In fact, I found it so obvious that I suspect Sally Hepworth never meant it to be a big secret from any careful readers. The fallout in the present time despite some devastatingly sad past occurrences, was overall good, if not great. I was perfectly fine that some of the outcomes turned out to be almost fairytale. I love that in all of Sally Hepworth’s books. She really puts you through the wringer, but, at least so far in the books I have read, it is all worth it. She is now in my tippy top echelon of favorite authors. I’ve loved all the books I’ve read by her and am grateful she still has some I have yet to read. I meant to stop at the 80% mark and leave the rest for another day. But I couldn’t put it down. I can’t remember the last time I was moved to tears at the close of a book.
One more quote: “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”— Albus Dumbledore
