Unsettled Ground is Claire Fuller’s fourth novel. She’s one of those authors whose writing straddles the often very thin line between literary and commercial fiction, not that I’m sure I could define either of those terms. Suffice to say I’ve read and enjoyed all four, beginning with her debut, Our Endless Numbered Days, back in 2015. Set in southern England, not too far from where I live, this new novel explores the darker side of rural life through the story of Julius and Jeanie Seeder, middle-aged twins who have lived in the same cottage all their lives.
When Dot thinks she hears a noise in the middle of the night she gets up to investigate, collapsing and hitting her head on the flagstoned hearth. It’s Jeanie who discovers their mother’s body, Julius soon appearing dishevelled with sleep. They know that there are things they must do but both have led lives sheltered from bureaucracy by a mother determined her family kept themselves to themselves. Julius walks to their nearest neighbour, the man whose carelessness has long been held responsible for their father’s death nearly forty years ago, begging the use of his phone. Rawson does what he can to help despite Julius’ obvious dislike, surprisingly upset by the death of his neighbour. The Seeders have led a hand-to-mouth life, existing off part-time jobs and the sale of the produce grown by Dot and Jeanie whose life had been constrained by the heart problem with which she was diagnosed shortly after her father’s death. What they do have is the security of a rent-free place to live, an agreement reached with Rawson apparently in acknowledgement of the part he played in their father’s death. As the twins set about all that must now be done unwelcome and shocking discoveries are made. The closely guarded lives they’ve led on the edge of society begin to unravel until a dramatic climax is reached.
None of them are the people we thought they were
A new novel from Fuller is always something to celebrate for me. Her storytelling is pleasingly immersive, often exploring the lives of society’s outsiders. In Unsettled Ground, she flips perspectives between Jeanie and Julius but we spend most of our time with Jeanie, experiencing little shocks as her mother’s deceptions are uncovered. Themes of rural poverty and homelessness run through the stories of the Seeder twins, fracturing the shiny illusion of country life held by some townies, but Fuller takes care to balance this with kindness. By the end of her novel much has changed for Jeanie and Julius but we’re left with a thread of hope for the future. As ever, this is a spoiler-free zone but if, like me, your heart sinks a little when a dog appears in fiction, I’m here to tell you that the lovely Maude stays the course. Thoroughly deserving of its recent longlisting for this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction, this is another satisfying read from Fuller making four in six years which strikes me as a pretty impressive score.
Fig Tree: London 9780241457443 304 pages Hardback
I very much enjoyed this one too, as I have done all with of her books.
Very pleased to see her name pop up on the Women’s Prize long list.
I’ve yet to read Claire Fuller’s work although I do have Our Endless Numbered Days on my Kindle.
A good place to start! Hope you enjoy it, Cathy.
To a somewhat lesser extent than you, I’m a Calire Fuller fan (I missed Swimming Lessons but have read her other two novels). I was immediately interested when I saw this one on the long list and will probably get to it at some point this year.
Thanks so much for the head’s up about Maude. I’ve sometimes avoided a book simply because I couldn’t take the suspense when a character’s beloved pet pops into the story!
I hope you enjoy it if you do decide to give it a try. Always a sense of foreboding when the dog begins to play a significant part…
I have read really positive things about Fuller’s previous novels, though I have yet to read any. This one sounds really good.
I liked the way it debunked the British pastoral idyll fantasy, a bit like Amanda Craig’s recent novels.
I just started this last night so I will read your review when I’m done–I’m sure you’ve done a great job since you always do!
Ah, that’s very kind! Hope you enjoy it.
I’ve enjoyed all her books too, this sounds very much her style, creating surface lives then slowly digging beneath to find out what’s corrupted them, and who the real victim(s) are.
Yes, I think she excels at that digging, uncovering uncomfortable truths.
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I’ve read and enjoyed all of Claire’s books to date and am thrilled that she’s been recognised for this fourth one by the Women’s Prize. My copy arrived yesterday and I’m saving it for the Easter break but this sounds as if it’s another one for the Keeper Shelf.
I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, Kath. She’s reliably excellent and certainly deserves her place on the longlist.
She is, and does that. Thanks Susan!
Ahhhh, thank you in advance for that spoiler-received in gratitude from this spoiler-phobe.
Only this week, I read another book featuring a canine character who fared less well than Maude.
Great review! And glad to hear the dog makes it! This reminds me of some of the themes Fuller explores in her previous books.
Thank you! Her characters are often outsiders, aren’t they. I think that’s part of what makes her fiction so interesting
Yes, she seems drawn to writing characters and places on the fringes of society and I think that’s a subject that intrigues a lot of people.
Exactly! I’d compare her writing to Amanda Craig’s who appears alongside her on this year’s Women’s Prize longlist. It’ll be interesting to see if either or both make it to the shortlist.
The only book by Claire Fuller that I’ve read is Swimming Lessons, which I thought was very cleverly and well done. I must read more of her books. Thanks for your review.
You’re welcome! Swimming Lessons was such an impressive debut, wasn’t it. Shd’s gone from strength to strength since then.
Four great books in six years is no small feat! I’ve only read the first two and then she got away from me. This sounds good, though – I just might put it on hold…
She’s one of those authors who just quietly gets on with writing excellent fiction.
I just caught a recent episode of Radio 4’s Book which included a discussion with Claire Fuller (plus another author whose name escapes me). The novel’s premise reminds me a little of the situation faced by a friend’s brother as his current situation is not dissimilar to Jeanie’s. It’s such a difficult (yet important) subject to tackle, and it sounds as if the author has handled it with a good degree of sensitivity.
She has, indeed, Jacqui. I do hope your friend’s brother finds a way to cope.