Sally was asked to review a new book, which was previously published as a set of weekly instalments on the author’s blog, called ‘Acts and Omissions’ by Catherine Fox. I’ve been off to Spain again recently for work, which means lots of time sat around with nothing to do. I’d had a brief look at the book before I left and found myself laughing out loud. Consequently, I figured it would pass the time on the plane and stuck in the hotel very nicely, so I decided to pinch Sally’s proof copy and take it with me. Having now finished the said novel, I’m getting in there first and posting my review.
The story’s set in the fictional Anglican diocese of Lindchester, and follows a year (specifically, 2013) in the life of various of its inhabitants, including the bishop and cathedral staff, some of the local clergy, and others they come into contact with along the way. Fictional events are interwoven with actual happenings, such as the passing of the Equal Marriage bill and attempt to resurrect the measure to allow women to become bishops. It’s clear that Fox has spent a good deal of time around both cathedrals and universities; she studied in both Durham and London to gain her theology PhD, and she’s married to the dean of Liverpool Cathedral, hence the depictions of cathedral life in particular are deliciously naughty. It does have the downside that there’s a lot of ‘insider’ jokes there, but having spent far too long loitering in Durham Cathedral as a PhD student, I couldn’t help but think of real people I know and smile…
The novel primarily focuses around the adventures of the decent but conflicted bishop of Lindchester, Paul Henderson. He has a reputation for taking in waifs and strays, and his latest is a young blonde gay walking disaster area called Freddie May. No-one, not even his wife Suzanna, who deals with life’s ups and downs in typical Christian fashion – by baking – quite understands why Paul’s so taken with Freddie, whose capacity to mess things up is quite remarkable. Our first introduction to him (Freddie) sees him rolling off the bishop’s palace roof after getting stoned on New Year’s Eve, so hardly an auspicious beginning! The young Mr May continues to cause trouble for the Hendersons, the bishop’s chaplain and secretary, the archdeacon and many others, yet it’s hard not to like Freddie, who’s immensely talented as a singer but also very hurt by things that have happened in his past.
Fox’s sympathetic portrayal of May is typical of her narrative as a whole, from Father Wendy who carries her grief over her daughter’s death as a daily burden as she walks her elderly dog Lulu along the river paths, to Dr Jane Rossiter, a hard-nosed feminist historian with a propensity to develop migraines at the mere mention of university administration, who’s dealing with empty-nest syndrome after her son takes off to do a gap year in New Zealand with his dad, via the love-struck archdeacon, Matt, whose ethics and desire for his new partner come into conflict when sex appears on the cards. I particularly like Father Dominic, a gay Anglo-Catholic who is an excellent parish priest, simply because he really deeply loves the people he’s been given to lead and to care for, yet who finds being single (not through choice) difficult at times. He reminds me of various people I know, and in that captures one of the strengths of the book; Fox’s depictions are very real and honest.
While thoroughly taking apart the way church life can be utterly disconnected from the rest of the world, and frequently ribbing certain parts of said church (evangelicals don’t come off too well – Liverpool experience shining through, perhaps?), Fox nonetheless avoids painting one-dimensional pictures or merely wheeling out stereotypes. Her characters’ vulnerability and humanity comes through, and I found myself both laughing out loud on the metro in Madrid (which it appears is just as frowned upon as laughing on the Tube!), particularly following the antics of the Dean’s camp and hilariously rude husband, Gene, and then crying buckets, as life takes its toll on the characters and they get themselves into interesting situations.
The book doesn’t shy away from dealing with difficult subject matter, not least the way the Anglican Church’s muddle when it comes to sexual ethics, in particular homosexuality and sexual identity, impact its clergy. It’s hard to say more without giving away the plot, sufficed to say that the fallout from the messiness that engulfs some of the main characters is written in such a way that it’s possible to feel deep sympathy for the participants, while being angry about the way the church (and wider society) forces people to tie themselves up in knots as they navigate their way through the muddle.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to my churchy friends everywhere, though while Fox attempts to translate the oddities of the Church of England into something readily comprehensible outside of its mysterious little world, I do fear a certain amount would be lost on someone unacquainted with its peculiar little ways… Looking forward to the upcoming sequel!
The story’s set in the fictional Anglican diocese of Lindchester, and follows a year (specifically, 2013) in the life of various of its inhabitants, including the bishop and cathedral staff, some of the local clergy, and others they come into contact with along the way. Fictional events are interwoven with actual happenings, such as the passing of the Equal Marriage bill and attempt to resurrect the measure to allow women to become bishops. It’s clear that Fox has spent a good deal of time around both cathedrals and universities; she studied in both Durham and London to gain her theology PhD, and she’s married to the dean of Liverpool Cathedral, hence the depictions of cathedral life in particular are deliciously naughty. It does have the downside that there’s a lot of ‘insider’ jokes there, but having spent far too long loitering in Durham Cathedral as a PhD student, I couldn’t help but think of real people I know and smile…
The novel primarily focuses around the adventures of the decent but conflicted bishop of Lindchester, Paul Henderson. He has a reputation for taking in waifs and strays, and his latest is a young blonde gay walking disaster area called Freddie May. No-one, not even his wife Suzanna, who deals with life’s ups and downs in typical Christian fashion – by baking – quite understands why Paul’s so taken with Freddie, whose capacity to mess things up is quite remarkable. Our first introduction to him (Freddie) sees him rolling off the bishop’s palace roof after getting stoned on New Year’s Eve, so hardly an auspicious beginning! The young Mr May continues to cause trouble for the Hendersons, the bishop’s chaplain and secretary, the archdeacon and many others, yet it’s hard not to like Freddie, who’s immensely talented as a singer but also very hurt by things that have happened in his past.
Fox’s sympathetic portrayal of May is typical of her narrative as a whole, from Father Wendy who carries her grief over her daughter’s death as a daily burden as she walks her elderly dog Lulu along the river paths, to Dr Jane Rossiter, a hard-nosed feminist historian with a propensity to develop migraines at the mere mention of university administration, who’s dealing with empty-nest syndrome after her son takes off to do a gap year in New Zealand with his dad, via the love-struck archdeacon, Matt, whose ethics and desire for his new partner come into conflict when sex appears on the cards. I particularly like Father Dominic, a gay Anglo-Catholic who is an excellent parish priest, simply because he really deeply loves the people he’s been given to lead and to care for, yet who finds being single (not through choice) difficult at times. He reminds me of various people I know, and in that captures one of the strengths of the book; Fox’s depictions are very real and honest.
While thoroughly taking apart the way church life can be utterly disconnected from the rest of the world, and frequently ribbing certain parts of said church (evangelicals don’t come off too well – Liverpool experience shining through, perhaps?), Fox nonetheless avoids painting one-dimensional pictures or merely wheeling out stereotypes. Her characters’ vulnerability and humanity comes through, and I found myself both laughing out loud on the metro in Madrid (which it appears is just as frowned upon as laughing on the Tube!), particularly following the antics of the Dean’s camp and hilariously rude husband, Gene, and then crying buckets, as life takes its toll on the characters and they get themselves into interesting situations.
The book doesn’t shy away from dealing with difficult subject matter, not least the way the Anglican Church’s muddle when it comes to sexual ethics, in particular homosexuality and sexual identity, impact its clergy. It’s hard to say more without giving away the plot, sufficed to say that the fallout from the messiness that engulfs some of the main characters is written in such a way that it’s possible to feel deep sympathy for the participants, while being angry about the way the church (and wider society) forces people to tie themselves up in knots as they navigate their way through the muddle.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to my churchy friends everywhere, though while Fox attempts to translate the oddities of the Church of England into something readily comprehensible outside of its mysterious little world, I do fear a certain amount would be lost on someone unacquainted with its peculiar little ways… Looking forward to the upcoming sequel!
Title: Acts and Omissions
Author: Catherine Fox
Publisher: SPCK Publishing (17 July 2014)ISBN: 0281072345
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