Havisham
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley November 26, 2014
Author Ronald Frame
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ISBN: 978-0-571-28829-8
Publisher: Faber and Faber Ltd
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Website: http://www.faber.co.au
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Ronald Frame has portrayed the era of Charles Dickens and the Bronte sisters with masterful pen strokes as he creates the world of Miss Catherine Havisham as she grows from her privileged birth as the daughter of a wealthy brewing family, to a young woman being finished off for the marriage market. Catherine eventually becomes an embittered woman manipulating the life of her adopted daughter, which in its final sadness fails to achieve all she has intended.
Catherine is as a young woman given everything her father can give her as his only daughter. She grows up with the smell of hops and the noise of a working brewery as her daily companions, always understanding her privilege comes from the well run business.
Catherine is sent off to the Chadwick’s, a family who have entrée to the upper levels of society, to be further educated in the ways of the world, being introduced to theatre, the Chadwick sons and their sisters.
She discovers a world far greater than the sheltered one she has always led. Along the way she meets a mysterious stranger who, although received in polite company has a certain air about him.
Carefully coached by Mr Compeyson she falls desperately in love, in spite of the many veiled warnings given to her by her friends.
On the death of her father Catherine returns to Havisham to take over the running of the brewery, eventually giving her lover, Compeyson, a position of management within the brewery.
The formerly smooth running of the brewery begins to change to with tallies being inaccurate and trouble within the brewery. Compeyson asks Catherine to marry her but on the day of wedding sends a note saying he cannot marry her thus bringing disillusionment and an end to her innocence.
Things then go from bad to worse at the brewery with men demanding higher wages, an obvious shortfall in the registers being discovered and tough times descending on the economic conditions within England.
Catherine’s mental health beings to suffer; She closes the brewery and takes her first steps towards becoming a recluse and embittered woman.
Beautifully written this is a compelling story of love lost, deceit, treachery and all the aspects of the human character which go into making a great story.