Thursday, February 20, 2003
Title: Everything You Need
Author: A. L. Kennedy
Publisher: Vintage
Mary Lamb is 19. She wants to be a writer. Her father is dead. Her mother has abandoned her. She has been raised by her uncles, her mother's brother and his lover. With the offer of joining a small group of writers as part of a writer's retreat on a small island she is preparing to leave for the first time.
Nathan Staples is a writer. Who has written dark fiction for some years. He currently lives on the writer's retreat, where he periodically puts himself through near death experiences in an attempt to understand and appreciate life more. He is to be Mary's tutor. He is also her father and is desperate to be reunited with his daughter.
Everything You Need covers a period of years, starting in 1990 with an introduction to the two characters - father and daughter and writers. The narrative covers the relation between the two and how it changes over the years. At the core of which is Nathan's inability to tell Mary who he is, constantly aware of how negative the consequences could be. To facilitate our understanding of the characters and the progression of the story we switch back and forth between the two characters in mostly alternating sections, with periodic switches from third person to first for the inclusion of sections written by Nathan which cover his past. Working in this way is an important part of the books success, Kennedy concentrating so much on the emotions and thoughts of the characters and why they behave how they do in response to each event.
As well as the main plot of Everything You Need there is a clear secondary commentary that is present from start to finish. The characters are writers - Nathan and Mary, along with the other 5 people who live on the island. Nathan is assigned as tutor to Mary to help her to learn how to write, this sets up series of thoughts on writing - golden rules delivered to young prodigy. Along with this Nathan's best friend is his editor, so there is also input from the editorial side of publishing. Mary is taken to a couple of industry parties while visiting London, adding another layer - insight into the current state of publishing. One presumes that much of this comes from Kennedy's experience, either as witness or personal - which would lead to a somewhat caustic impression. Though it also provides an easier level of humour.
The characters are well developed, especially Nathan, who really does take the narrative over. Recovering from a previous cancer we have an aging man, with one lung, who has to look after himself every day just to stay alive. A man who comes across as cynical and harsh, prone to unpredictable depressions and anger. His relationship with his dog and his behaviour towards his daughter show a whole other side to the man.
Kennedy's prose is lyrical, bringing the reader in with her rolling narration. Which as I approach for the first time I feel I need to slow down and really appreciate what she is writing. As she lays out these lives for us to explore her words are evocative, the emotions and struggling dynamic palpitating. This enables us to feel Nathan's frustration and awkwardness - his desperate desire to reveal all and his reluctance to do just that. As far as I can gather Everything You Need is the first novel by A.L. Kennedy, following a series of short story collections as well as some film work. A chunky book that shows considerably more weight than those previous books - with Everything You Need as testament one can only hope that this is the start of a new direction for the author.
RVWR: PTR
February 2003
