A Certain Age

St Just Thursday Evening Reading Group 1st August 2024.

A Certain Age. Beatriz Williams.

Most of the group said they quite enjoyed this book, though some were unimpressed and did not finish it. Several people also said they found it ‘weird’, or ‘strange’. It was generally agreed that the narrative was somewhat confusing towards the end.

We discussed the idea of moneyed people wishing to marry ‘old names’, even in so relatively modern a period as this (1920s America), with affairs being tolerated since the marriage is one of convenience; and also the book’s suggestion that people in the upper echelons of society, both in this book and in real-life contexts, do not necessarily behave in a way commensurate with their advantages and their expensive educations.

Some readers said the story was quite predictable, particularly the turret room scene in which Sophie tells Rofrano to look for the woman he loves. Not everyone, however, foresaw that the gossip columnist whose articles punctuate the narrative is actually Mrs Marshall.

Sophie’s mechanical aptitude didn’t appear to have a very satisfactory outlet, we thought, though there are hints at the end that she is accompanying Rofrano to assist with his aviation projects.

We talked about the plot and how it is copied from Der Rosenkavalier, with the same names. An interesting book, slightly unusual, and left open for further stories about the characters, particularly Virgo, Sophie’s sister.

Lastly, the amount of smoking was commented upon; and how the cover of this edition appears wrong for the period.