Given the intrinsic gravity of the subject matter Anne Goodwin has done an impressive job of striking a balance between empathic sensitivity and some light hearted humour. The humour in no way dilutes or detracts from the heart of this novel which looks at the life of one woman incarcerated from early adulthood in a psychiatric institution. Indeed some humour is necessary for without it one’s anger would be hard to contain. Although there is still much more progress needed, attitudes to mental health have shifted in recent decades. Stories like these are essential to raise awareness and bring the tools for understanding to a wider consciousness, so that history is never allowed to repeat itself.
But the story isn’t just about dear, sweet Matty Windsor. It’s also about Henry, a demoted public servant and it’s also about Janice, an idealistic, yet practical social worker who became a social worker ‘Not for the paltry pay, not for professional prestige, but for the human connection with people who are otherwise hard to reach.‘ She’s a wonderful character, who wants to “give the dispossessed a voice.“ She is a cement of sorts linking both Henry and Matty within the narrative. The characterisations are astute and perceptive and you can’t fail to engage with all three of these seemingly different people. But maybe they have more in common than we are first led to believe. Identity, finding one’s place in the world, interacting and reacting, looking at cause-and-effect, motivation, are all crucial.
Henry is well-intentioned but there are times when you want to stick a firecracker up his posterior! But underlying it you know what eats away at him and has done for all his life and it will break your heart. His redemption towards the conclusion of the novel is uplifting.
But Matty, Matty........ The heart of this book and fueling something of a mystery within the tale, as bit by bit, her story unravels, from her first person perspective. And the horror of what has happened to her becomes searingly potent. The sense of injustice that has been served upon this poor woman just makes you want to protect her, nurture her and try to make everything all right for her. And as the institution she’s been resident in for the last 50 years is scheduled for closure Matty’s future seems precarious as she searches for her own closure. Matilda Windsor is coming home but what does home really mean?
It’s a bittersweet story. The research is impeccable but I understand that much of what occurs is from firsthand experience. And indeed some of the bureaucracy and local government protocols will be all too familiar to many readers. It’s depicted here so accurately. However what occurred between the four walls of an asylum may not be so familiar. It’s a story that needs to be told. Lessons need to be learned. Fiction can do that. It can entertain and it can educate. And when the fusion of the two work well together a book can leave a lasting impression on you. And so you’ll be thinking about Matty Windsor long after you turn the last page of this story. And I doubt you’ll ever consider jelly babies in the same way again!
My thanks to the book’s author, Anne Goodwin, for gifting me a much treasured signed copy.
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