Love the layers in this — her reflection on different kinds of women. And on her dad: “his whole life was a front, his bloody fallout shelter, a cover for another bomb that he didn’t even have the words for, and nor did she.” This captures so well the depth of her insight and curiosity about the world. And the limitations of her understanding.
Ok, this last line wasn’t at all what I was expecting! You’ve done such a great job setting up Bridget’s resentment toward her mother, how she’ll do anything to be the opposite of her. But how cool is it that in one simple line, you reveal her longing, her love. She doesn’t want distance from her mom. she wants to respect her. Wishing her mother were the kind of woman that could protest by her side reveals so much about Bridget, how her heart in many ways, still resides with her mother, oh the complexity!
So marvelously complex. I'm having all these awkward mum moments as I listen to this. On the one hand, you want to be the mum who would show up for the protest, who would show some conviction and solidarity with your daughter. At the same, you fear showing up and having your daughter questioning your integrity or saying, "My God, Mum! Go home! You're completely embarrassing yourself and me." It can be such a fraught time. And Janet seems like she's the one holding it all together at home... since Ray's so recalcitrant and closeted. It's the perfect domestic dramedy--one that takes place in a kitchen, an unusable loo, and in a tent at Greenham.
Perfect timing to see your comment, a late decline from an editor came in this morning saying “it didn’t quite open up into the wider narrative they’d hoped.” In the past this would have floored me for a day. Now I think, hey ho, readers are loving it, & it’s readers who count. Thanks for being one of them.
"So Bridget woke on her sixteenth birthday not nervous of going to school like every other year, not dreading her mum saying, Wouldn’t you like a few friends round, love? But with butterflies in her stomach of excitement and planning and this was it. No more watching the others crawl through holes she’d cut in the chain link, no more waiting for them back at camp, seeing them return laughing, covered in bramble scratches, hearing about how they’d let the tyres down on a truck or sprayed, Greenham Common is common land on the side of the mess hall in massive red letters." This captures Bridget's transformation so brilliantly, butterfly image and all. The change feels complete. New Bridget is ready to fly.
Because I’m a husband and father I find myself extra curious about poor Ray. He seems so fragile and pathetic, like Willy Loman. Given the description of his workday––rain soaked and raving about bomb shelters––I get the impression he’s not closing many deals. That leaves Janet to be the earner, the opposite situation from Simon and Kate. Janet’s emerging for me as the person most affected by Greenham.
I love how Bridget's character shows bit by bit and what she's actually fighting for on a personal and universal level. At home, there was very little showing us that she was thinking about it all. Only here, the unfairness of society, family and politics are having an impact. Brilliantly written and told, as always.
Love the layers in this — her reflection on different kinds of women. And on her dad: “his whole life was a front, his bloody fallout shelter, a cover for another bomb that he didn’t even have the words for, and nor did she.” This captures so well the depth of her insight and curiosity about the world. And the limitations of her understanding.
“She couldn’t care less as long as she could stay, as long as she was free”…. Just brilliant 🤎
Ok, this last line wasn’t at all what I was expecting! You’ve done such a great job setting up Bridget’s resentment toward her mother, how she’ll do anything to be the opposite of her. But how cool is it that in one simple line, you reveal her longing, her love. She doesn’t want distance from her mom. she wants to respect her. Wishing her mother were the kind of woman that could protest by her side reveals so much about Bridget, how her heart in many ways, still resides with her mother, oh the complexity!
So marvelously complex. I'm having all these awkward mum moments as I listen to this. On the one hand, you want to be the mum who would show up for the protest, who would show some conviction and solidarity with your daughter. At the same, you fear showing up and having your daughter questioning your integrity or saying, "My God, Mum! Go home! You're completely embarrassing yourself and me." It can be such a fraught time. And Janet seems like she's the one holding it all together at home... since Ray's so recalcitrant and closeted. It's the perfect domestic dramedy--one that takes place in a kitchen, an unusable loo, and in a tent at Greenham.
Perfect timing to see your comment, a late decline from an editor came in this morning saying “it didn’t quite open up into the wider narrative they’d hoped.” In the past this would have floored me for a day. Now I think, hey ho, readers are loving it, & it’s readers who count. Thanks for being one of them.
Love Substack.
"So Bridget woke on her sixteenth birthday not nervous of going to school like every other year, not dreading her mum saying, Wouldn’t you like a few friends round, love? But with butterflies in her stomach of excitement and planning and this was it. No more watching the others crawl through holes she’d cut in the chain link, no more waiting for them back at camp, seeing them return laughing, covered in bramble scratches, hearing about how they’d let the tyres down on a truck or sprayed, Greenham Common is common land on the side of the mess hall in massive red letters." This captures Bridget's transformation so brilliantly, butterfly image and all. The change feels complete. New Bridget is ready to fly.
By god, I love these characters—all of them so brilliantly painted.
Because I’m a husband and father I find myself extra curious about poor Ray. He seems so fragile and pathetic, like Willy Loman. Given the description of his workday––rain soaked and raving about bomb shelters––I get the impression he’s not closing many deals. That leaves Janet to be the earner, the opposite situation from Simon and Kate. Janet’s emerging for me as the person most affected by Greenham.
I love how Bridget's character shows bit by bit and what she's actually fighting for on a personal and universal level. At home, there was very little showing us that she was thinking about it all. Only here, the unfairness of society, family and politics are having an impact. Brilliantly written and told, as always.