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July 29th, 2010 Jane J. - Central Library

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson takes place in the present day but could just as easily be set at any time in England’s history.  It includes a small-town society where everyone knows everyone else’s business, class differences, the clash between old and young and that ever important stiff upper lip the Brits are so known for.  It’s been described as “Jane Austen meets Alexander McCall Smith” and the comparison is spot on.  This debut is a comedy of manners and an examination of race relations all in one.

The book opens by introducing Bertie, Major Pettigrew and Mrs. Ali:

“Major Pettigrew was still upset about the phone call from his brother’s wife and so he answered the doorbell without thinking.  On the damp bricks of the path stood Mrs. Ali from the village shop.  She gave only the faintest of starts, the merest arch of an eyebrow.  A quick rush of embarrassment flooded to the Major’s cheeks and he smoothed helplessly at the lap of his crimson, clematis-covered housecoat with hands that felt like spades.”

And thus an unlikely friendship and future romance is begun.  The Major has just learned that his brother died and in his distress he allows Mrs. Ali to help him.  As he deals with the difficulties of a sister-in-law he has never liked, a son who can only think in terms of dollars, and the very strong grief he is feeling, Bertie finds himself turning to Jasmina Ali time and time again for her quiet thoughtfulness and concern.  As their friendship becomes more apparent, the other denizens of Edgecombe St. Mary begin to make their feelings known.  It’s all well and good for the widowed Pakistani woman to strike up a conversation with them in her shop, but to appear at the local ball?  Something shocking in that.  And the dismay is not all on one side.  Mrs. Ali’s relatives have a rather traditional view of things as well and feel that she should cede her shop to her nephew and move in with relatives to act as an additional caregiver.

Yes, there is a lot of quiet wit and humor in Simonson’s writing, but she manages to delve into societal concerns about race and class while telling this seemingly gentle tale.  Though the Major prides himself on being someone who doesn’t judge others, it’s clear he does and it’s something he has to acknowledge if he’s to succeed with Mrs. Ali.  And underscoring his struggle are the feelings he has about possessing an heirloom gun he was supposed to inherit from his father.  Mrs. Ali has her own hurdles to overcome but watching the pair work through their issues and possibly win through to one another is a great reward.

I read this novel for a book group and we had a great discussion, so if you’re looking for something new for your group, give it a try.

Entry Filed under: Book Groups, Literary Fiction