The Women In Black

To be perfectly honest, the only time I have ever "reviewed" a book was for a 17th Century Poetry class I once took in graduate school. While the book was actually very good, and the review was a gorgeous piece of writing, I will not bore you to death with its like.

Instead, my reviews nowadays typically go like this: pick up the phone and call my mom; tell her about the book I've just read and demand that she buy it; if she does not already have said book, she will run to the computer and we will chit-chat about a few other things — namely her grand-daughter or the state of their on-going remodel; then I will tell her, 'no, really, you should read this book, it is very good.' And she'll say something like, 'Honey, I ordered it 10 minutes ago. Keep up!'

I had never even heard of Madeleine St John, let alone The Women in Black, until a few months ago. And as much as I may pick my brains now — I cannot tell you how it came under my radar. Anyway, that is neither here not there. The point is that the book is marvelous.

The Women in Black takes place in the 1950s in Sydney, Australia. It follows four women who work at Goode's department store — three in Ladies Cocktail Frocks, and one in Model Gowns. It takes place during the busy Christmas season, which is actually summertime, as I kept having to remind myself. The title refers to the black dresses that make up the trademark uniform that the ladies must wear while at work.

Fay is single and wishes very much to be married. Patty is married to a right-old-bore and cannot seem to get pregnant. Lisa just graduated from high-school, and would like nothing more than to go to college and become a poet. Magda is the Continental who is glamorous, happily married, and dreaming of opening her own up-scale boutique.

The book was actually published in 1993, but has such a strong 1950s feel to it that it seems utterly authentic. Almost vintage, you could say. It is beautifully written — very clear and very elegant — and it has a certain charm about it. After all, how often do we hear the term 'frock' nowadays? However, don't think it is an old-fashioned commentary on women's lives in the 1950s. Instead look at it like a tube of red lipstick — very much a classic, yet terribly modern.

Anyway, I loved The Women in Black — and I would let you borrow my copy, but I fear I will never see it again.