Oooh, I remember that song! I was active in community groups at the time (leftist, anti-nazi league, feminist and queer, support the miners etc etc - so all of this is so very nostalgic). Some women from our women's centre were Greenham regulars and used to come back, give us news, raise money, gather more women to go back with them and fundraise. That song was always in our singing circles. I sang it, years later, to my kids as a lullaby. https://youtu.be/-zojkZpRZ9w?si=kgt4fEpFoFhTOc4r
You know when you’re on the subway and you watch someone reading a book and they’re chuckling away and smiling and you just have to see the cover of the book but you can’t? Well, imagine watching that same thing and the cover pops up as they’re getting off and it’s your book.
I answered "I'm constantly imaging that" before I realised you were commenting on chapter 7. So I deleted it. And now I'm answering again. It's still the same. I'm constantly imagining that, only this time, it's actually happening. There is no greater thrill.
Wonderful immersion in Bridget’s family these last few installments! And this pure teen logic - Who can resist? 😅“she’d probably be back by then anyway so it wouldn’t matter and even if she wasn’t she’d be back soon after that, so it was probably going to be all right and even if it wasn’t she didn’t care.”
I’m so hooked Eleanor! And god I love feeling into Bridget’s experience. You write her into this world with all the tentativeness of a fledgling just about to stretch her wings. Just not yet. I smile with awkward resonance as I, too, had so many of those “don’t know what to do with my face” moments. I have a sense a belonging she’s only ever dreamed of is underway. ❤️
Thank you thank you thank you. She landed on the page with such teenage bolshiness, completely un-nuanced thinking but with so much struggling beneath the surface. She felt like a gift to write .❤️
I’m swept up in the adventure, the movement forward, layered with more about Bridget and her family. This line: “It was as if all this time she’d thought her mum was a bit thick and her dad was the boss when actually her mum had this secret control room at the back of their marriage where she pulled all the levers, while the levers her dad pulled were pretend ones like the toy steering wheel he’d got for Paul.” = so good!!
Taking me back - we occupied parallel worlds, divided by class and education. Loving the extremely good focalisation through Bridget's eyes - Heseltine's hair/Thatcher's handbag and the mum who didn't look mum age ...
Oooh, I remember that song! I was active in community groups at the time (leftist, anti-nazi league, feminist and queer, support the miners etc etc - so all of this is so very nostalgic). Some women from our women's centre were Greenham regulars and used to come back, give us news, raise money, gather more women to go back with them and fundraise. That song was always in our singing circles. I sang it, years later, to my kids as a lullaby. https://youtu.be/-zojkZpRZ9w?si=kgt4fEpFoFhTOc4r
So beautiful!
You know when you’re on the subway and you watch someone reading a book and they’re chuckling away and smiling and you just have to see the cover of the book but you can’t? Well, imagine watching that same thing and the cover pops up as they’re getting off and it’s your book.
I answered "I'm constantly imaging that" before I realised you were commenting on chapter 7. So I deleted it. And now I'm answering again. It's still the same. I'm constantly imagining that, only this time, it's actually happening. There is no greater thrill.
The way you capture the inner thoughts of Bridget is truly remarkable.
Thanks so much, Ben. I’d love to talk to talk to you about this off camera. Once yours gets going, let’s zoom & compare notes.
Wonderful immersion in Bridget’s family these last few installments! And this pure teen logic - Who can resist? 😅“she’d probably be back by then anyway so it wouldn’t matter and even if she wasn’t she’d be back soon after that, so it was probably going to be all right and even if it wasn’t she didn’t care.”
Ha! Yes, the teen logic. It felt totally freeing to write her. That bolshy “whatevs” that has no relationship with consequence.
I have a feeling she's gonna need it. 💪
I’m so hooked Eleanor! And god I love feeling into Bridget’s experience. You write her into this world with all the tentativeness of a fledgling just about to stretch her wings. Just not yet. I smile with awkward resonance as I, too, had so many of those “don’t know what to do with my face” moments. I have a sense a belonging she’s only ever dreamed of is underway. ❤️
Thank you thank you thank you. She landed on the page with such teenage bolshiness, completely un-nuanced thinking but with so much struggling beneath the surface. She felt like a gift to write .❤️
The turn where we learn the harm that teachers can so easily do--and what is the fallout from that?
Quite so…
I’m swept up in the adventure, the movement forward, layered with more about Bridget and her family. This line: “It was as if all this time she’d thought her mum was a bit thick and her dad was the boss when actually her mum had this secret control room at the back of their marriage where she pulled all the levers, while the levers her dad pulled were pretend ones like the toy steering wheel he’d got for Paul.” = so good!!
I love that line, too.
yes!! and isn't it so?
Taking me back - we occupied parallel worlds, divided by class and education. Loving the extremely good focalisation through Bridget's eyes - Heseltine's hair/Thatcher's handbag and the mum who didn't look mum age ...