"The L-Shaped Room" by Lynne Reid Banks.
A novel set in London in the late 1950s and first published 1960.
The story surrounds one main character, Jane, an actress by inclination who became pregnant following a very brief liaison, was rejected by her father,
and chose to live in impoverished circumstances in a tenement in Fulham.
Her accommodation is a room up several flights of stairs off which live a number of characters, Jewish Toby, a black man, John, a landlady and a couple of prostitutes.
Her room, shaped with an elbow into an L becomes a character in the story.
She has turbulent friendships with the other house members and her temporary employers and eventually inherits enough money to buy a property and is reconciled with her father.
Set in the late 1950s a story about an unmarried pregnant woman would be shocking, but she decides she will keep the child without thinking through the issues and practicalities.
A number of club members had read the book many (40) years ago and found it disappointing on a re-read.
The historical perspective on racism sparked discussion.
The most disappointing aspect of the novel was possibly that the father-daughter relationship was under-explored. At least one member felt that his rejection of his daughter was unthinkable.
It is a book of its time, but we are no longer shocked by the issues it raised because both society generally, and club members individually are older and more aware.
Doorly score: 3.6
PC. 15th March, 2025
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