Jane Gardem - The Queen of Tambourine

[Kell]

One of the two books chosen for the September Reading Circle is The Queen of Tambourine by Jane Gardem.

Eliza Peabody is one of those dangerously blameless women who believes she has God in her pocket. She is too enthusiastic; she talks too much. Her concern for the welfare of her wealthySouth London neighbours extends to ingenuous well-meaning notes of unsolicited adviceunder the door. It is just such a one-sided correspondence that heralds Eliza's undoing. Did her letter have something to do with the woman's abrupt disappearance ? Why will no-one else speak of her? And why the watchful, pitying looks and embarassment that now greet her?

Set in South London and told entirely in the form of letters, this is an exploration of the imagination - the real world and fantasy - of a woman under terrible stress. The book was awarded the 1991 Whitbread Novel of the Year award.


Post your discussions here.

Happy reading! :reading:

[Michelle]

I seem to have trouble with books that are written as letters.. this one certainly has some good bits in it, but the general style is putting me off. I'm finding myself starting to skim, and I don't think I'll be going much further. :(

[Sarahrob]

I read this book on Friday, but I think I need to read it again. I got to the end and just thought "huh?"...

I did enjoy it, but the ending was the maddest thing I've ever read in my life. I don't think I'll be mad any more. No siree - no more hallucinations for me. What?????
So... did her husband actually go off to live with another man? It obviously wasn't the man she mentioned, as he would be ancient, so who was he? Or did her husband just go off on his own? Was she actually married? I DON'T KNOW!!

Madder than Mad Mick McMad. :?

[Michelle]

Part of me is now intrigued.. part of me glad I didn't continue!

[Kell]

I've only read a few letters at the beginning so far & already I think that Eliza is in severe need of a good slapping! If someone kept sending me little notes like this about things going on my my personal life, I'd be giving them a stern talking to & telling them to kindly but-out of my life! And if they persisted, I think I'd be getting a restraining order as it's a bit creepy & stalker-esque. I am, however, intrigued as to where the author will go with this, so I'm going to keep on reading... just as soon as I get 5 minutes to myself!

Actually, the short letters format makes it very easy to dip in & out of for a few minutes at a time.

[Kell]

No, I'm afraid I can't continue with this book. The character of Eliza is annoying me way too much & I can't figure out why she would persist in sending these letters to Joan. My mind is wandering & I really just want to be reading anything else but this - I'm just not getting into it or enjoying it at all.

I'm going to witch over to Eragon instead.

[Lilywhite]

This book is mad.... I've been reading it this afternoon, and even after reading a book set in an asylum, this book is crazier than a bag of squirrells. I just don't get it......

[Lilywhite]

Although I did manage to read it through, I really started to dislike it about two thirds in. I think it's because it is all one sided narrative and you don't really know.

[Renniemist]

I read this book on holiday and I have mixed emotions about it.

I found it incredibly sad and yet quite funny in bits and most definitely confusing. I think that I was meant to feel confused.

I don’t think her husband went off with another man. I think he went off with her cousin years ago. I could of course be completely wrong.
I think that someday I will have to read this book again, but I have a feeling that even then I will not really know any more than I do at the moment.