"The Women in Black" are the black-clad female employees of F.G.Goode's--an upscale department store in Sydney, Australia. The employees that this slim novella centres on are: Patty Williams married to the ever-predictable Frank, Fay Baines--a single girl who longs to meet a decent man for a change, Lesley (Lisa)Miles--a schoolgirl hired for the Xmas holidays, and Magda--the sophisicated "continental" who presides over the Model Gowns Department.

The novella is well-written, all the characters were well-developed, and presented in strong contrast to one another. I have read all of Ms St John's books, and this one was probably my least favourite, but I would recommend it nonetheless. Madeleine St John possesses a unique subtlety to her writing. Her books resonate long after the final cover is closed.

Madeline St John's "The Essence Of The Thing" tells the story of how Nicola copes in the aftermath of an unexpected breakup with her live-in boyfriend Jonathan. The premise of the plot is so basic in terms of human experience that anybody reading it is going to instantly relate to the personal trauma and the feeling of pain and incomprehension that take hold of Nicola and yes, even Jonathan. The novel's main strengths lie in the honesty and simplicity of St John's writing. Except for those who might dismiss it as a mildly feminist tinged "woman's book" in which the male characters are either cads or morons (not counting the gay Philip), readers might derive casual reading pleasure from this very small book about a commonplace experience of the heart. But as serious literature, it doesn't quite stack up. The insights offered by St John aren't particularly deep or enlightening. Structurally, the novel is also one-dimensional, making no attempt to raise or explore more complex issues on life and love. I am amazed that such a small novel was even considered deserving of a Booker Prize nomination. The selection committee must have seen something special in it which I didn't. Either that or 1997 was a year which spawned a poor crop.

Sometimes I want to read a book that I can finish in one sitting, books that are long enough to allow me to disappear for a few hours in another's life, but don't have to ever have their covers closed until the end. This was one of those books. Beatifully written, succinct, yet filled with rich characterizations, this novel perfectly captures the feeling of being broken up with while also suprisingly giving perspective to the agonies sometimes endured by those doing the deed. Also, it is believable and rooted in everyday life, there is a bit of this story in everyone. Although the subject matter is a bit sad, this book is far from depressing, and is filled with moments of humor and delight. I am not a huge fan of contemporary fiction (often too fantastical or depressing), but books like this one could make me change my mind.

I'm sure that whoever reads the book will want to encounter Ms. St John in person. She's great in depicting character's psychology - so much as we think it's our best friend(s) she's writing about. Certainly great book to read - truthful, sincere and catching...

I picked up this book because The Wall Street Journal gave it a good review. I'm not sure why. It's a very short 230 pages, and can be read in a couple of hours; it has a very light tone, almost flippant in the handling of the main character's affair. Serious subject, light tone - they don't often go well together, and they don't here. There are issues that are brought up (religion, for instance) that are not explored to the depth they deserve. The author is British, and those unfamiliar with English culture will surely be confused at certain social references (for example, the subject of the parish jumble is mentioned several times). Also, the author has an annoying way of starting chapters with dialogue that is not attributed to specific characters, forcing the reader to backtrack once a character is identified to find who said what. Perhaps I'm too used to the gravity of the Oprah line of novels, because I didn't like the fact that I didn't take anything away from this.

This novel is an enjoyable, light read that will make you think about some rather contemplative ideas. It is the story of a seemingly happily married couple whose marriage breaks down on each end. He has an affair, and she becomes involved in religion, something he as an athieist cannot embrace. The story is told with a light and humorous tone, yet all along St. John makes us think about the temporariness of our lives, how seemingly permanent things can change based on seemingly meaningless events. The characters are humorous, all sort of exaggerations, at times, of people we all know.

If you are looking for something light, but would like to think a bit, I recommend this book. It is entertaining and easy to read, yet still thought provoking.

Deception is both depicted and practiced in A Pure Clear Light. At first glance, the book seems to be about an affair. But, the frequent mention of time and items being "in transit" shows that it's really a look at how people deal with the temporary nature of life. The various ways of dealing with this condition are portrayed through the three main characters. Flora chooses to deal with it by becoming more involved with religion, thereby creating permanence though spirituality. Simon abandons all pretense of fighting temporariness by immersing himself in a transitory relationship. However, his embrace of the "temporary" is nothing compared to Gillian Selkirk. Her cool detachment from any emotional aspect of the relationship, as embodied by her purely sexual definition of the affair and her involvement with other men while the liaison is occurring, marks her as someone who embodies the term "living for the moment."

These characters are very powerful archetypes for conveying the theme. However, the theme also serves to undermine the characters. Since most of them embrace the lack of permanence to a great degree, it is difficult to develop an emotional connection to them. The problem is compounded with the minor characters, who seem to be little more than footnotes. The effect is to make the book seem stark and more than a little cold.

Despite the emotional sparseness of the characters, the book has many attractions. The dialogue is sharp and the narrative has an effective flow. But above all, A Pure Clear Light deserves a recommendation simply on the basis that it's a skillful exploration of an aspect of the human condition. Ultimately, that's what good fiction is supposed to do, even if it needs to practice a little deception to do it.