Old women aren’t a common subject for contemporary fiction, not one that captures agents’ or publishers’ commercial attention, I suspect. Even that description is uncomfortable for many, but old lady somehow feels more so to me, genteel and patronising. Below are five novels whose authors have created strikingly memorable old 
In Molly McGrann’s The Ladies of the House, Marie lives a humdrum life with her mother. She rarely saw her late father who spent his working week in London, leaving his wife and daughter to their own devices. When Marie enquires at the bank if they’ve enough money for her to take Flavia back to Italy before she dies, she gets a shock. There are millions in the account, left untouched under strict instructions. Reluctantly, her father’s sleazy old solicitor discloses Arthur’s twenty London brothels, his ageing employees still happily occupying expensive real estate. The rest of McGrann’s highly entertaining novel is the story of one such brothel run by Arthur’s beloved mistress, mother of his (unacknowledged) son and madam to Rita and Annetta – girls ‘for the gods’ as Arthur called them.
In Angela Carter’s Wise Children Dora Chance sits down to write her memoirs on her 75th birthday. She and her twin are the illegitimate daughters of the renowned Shakespearean actor Sir Melchior Hazard whose 100th birthday is to be honoured at a magnificent party that evening. As Dora looks back over her life a tale unfolds of unacknowledged paternity, mistaken identities, twins at every turn, Shakespeare, Hollywood, music hall, discarded wives, glorious love and rollicking good times. Despite the social gulf that divides them and the refusal of Melchior to acknowledge the twins as his daughters, the paths of the Hazards and the Chances crisscross throughout their lives until the glorious finale when all the players are assembled, identities revealed, and more than a few home truths told.
Vesna Main’s Waiting for a Party sees 92-year-old Claire reflecting on her life as she waits to be taken to her dear 
friend’s 102nd birthday party. Martin was originally her husband’s friend. Claire married Bill when she was just twenty and he was in his forties. When he died in circumstances about which she seems a little confused, it took ten years for her to finally come into herself to the relief of her dearest friend, Patricia, now long gone. She knew she could look after herself despite Bill’s taking care of things for so long but had not expected the sexual awakening she enjoyed at sixty-two. As she looks back at her long life, Claire recalls its rich and varied path and the friendships that have meant so much to her. Main’s enjoyable, skilfully crafted novella takes the form of a long interior monologue exploring many themes: love, marriage, friendship, sexuality, loss, ageing, and, of course, memory.
Any novels about older women you’d particularly recommend?
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These books all sound fascinating. The theme of the older woman is interesting me more and more, for the obvious reason. I love Elizabeth Taylor’s Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont; the more recent Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey; Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym; and there must be so many more…
So much more interesting both to read about and to portray, I would think. Thanks for the recommendations. I’m sure there are many such characters in fiction published before society became so youth obsessed.
Three excellent books I was going to mention!
I had these three in mind too.
I loved The Night Guest! There are so few novels about women over 50, let alone old women, and even fewer novels about women who are childless past childbearing age.
I thought she handled the tension so well! Disappointing, isn’t it. I’m resigned to it in film but there’s so much scope for interesting characters in fiction left unexplored.
I really loved Vita Sackville-West’s All Passion Spent when I read it years ago. A wonderful treatment of how it’s never too late for to make one’s own life, even after years of marriage to “a great man.”
On a lighter note, Helene Tursten’s An Elderly Lady Is Up To No Good, for a different take on Scandi noir. You really wouldn’t want to get on Maud’s bad side …..
I read several Sackville-Wests many years ago although not that one. She was a fascinating character. Adding both to my list. Thank you.
What interesting stories!
All highly recommended!
Here’s a few that come to mind:
Lolly Willowes – Sylvia Townsend Warner
Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont – Elizabeth Taylor
The Summer Book – Tove Jannson
The Hearing Trumpet – Leonora Carrington
An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good – Helene Tursten
Thank you! That’s the second recommendation of the Tursten in quick succession.
Yes the Summer Book is fabulous
I’ve read the Carter and McFarlane from your selections. I like reading about elderly and/or curmudgeonly characters. There’s Olive Kitteridge, of course (she’s an old lady by the time of Olive, Again and Tell Me Everything). The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence, Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun by Sarah Ladipo Manyika, and The Weekend by Charlotte Wood are a few more that come to mind.
Dear Olive, the quintessential good-hearted curmudgeon! Many thanks for the recommendations. I’d forgotten about The Weekend.
I was thinking of Olive Ketteridge too.
Definitely a theme I’m always keen to explore! I loved Wise Children when I read it, soooo many years ago 😀
Probably my favourite Carter! Emma Rice did a wonderful stage production of it.
A few that come to mind:
Lilian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney
Mrs Quinn’s Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford (very light-hearted, for fans of The Great British Bake-Off)
Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf
And what about Miss Marple?
I’d forgotten the wonderful Lilian Boxfish! Thanks for the reminder and recommendations, Cathy.
I’m intrigued by The Ladies Of The house, it actually looks quite fun.
It is! Lots of dark comedy in it.
Also, Back Behind Enemy Lines by Chris Bridge was a book that I enjoyed with an old woman.
I’ll look that one up. Thanks, Rosie.
Ann Tyler’s recent Three Days in June has an older female protagonist too. A great character.
Oh, yes – Gail who’s told she’s lacking in people skills. Thanks for the reminder, Lucy.
That was so funny. Its amazing how people skills are interpreted differently by people!
She’s a brilliantly drawn character!
There are some great book choices here, particularly Lesley Glaister whose work is so underrated.
Thank you. I couldn’t agree more about Lesley Glaister. I’ve never understood why her writing isn’t appreciated more.
These all sound good. Too often older women are portrayed as quirky and feisty so it’s a pleasure to come across anything that goes beyond those stereotypes.
Ones that come to mind for me are Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont; Olive Kitteridge, All Passion Spent
Two words much beloved by blurb writers on the subject. Olive is a particularly brilliant depiction of ageing, isn’t she. Adding the other two to my list.
Wonderful post. And I also think of
– „The Stone Angel“ by Margaret Laurence.
– „The House by the Sea“ by May Sarton
– „The Seduction of Mrs Pendlebury“ by Margaret Forster
– „An Unnecessary Woman“ by Rabih Alameddine
– „Please look after Mother“ by Kyung-Sook Shin
– „Some Tame Gazelle“ by Barbary Pym
– „The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne“ by Brian Moore
– „One Hundred Saturdays“ by Michael Frank
Thank you, and that’s a brilliant list of recommendations!
For anyone who enjoys science fiction, I’d recommend Remnant Population by Elizabeth Moon. Story about an old woman who stays behind on a colony world after the rest of the population is evacuated. Turns out she isn’t so alone after all.
Sounds intriguing! Thanks for the recommendation.
Ohhh, that’s JUST what I was going to say, but I think anyone who enjoys character-driven fiction would enjoy it (if they could look past the weird covers it’s had over the years). Such a good story, and it has stood up to rereading over the years very well.
I’ll see if I can get my hands on a copy.
I really enjoyed it.
Thanks for all the recs!
Here’s one of my favs: Sarah Winman’s A Year of Marvellous Ways.
You’re wecome, and thanks for the suggestion. I’ll add it to my list!