“Hinterland” refers to a land which lies beyond what’s visible. With all the talk about mental health and how even the happiest of faces could be hiding a lot of pain, I agreed to read this book by Lorna Brown two months before its release since it brushed upon the subject of mental health.
What’s Hinterland all about?
Nicholas, our protagonist spends his life taking care of his five-year-old daughter Kate and wife Kathleen. On the surface, they seem like a happy family. But the title of this book is apt since from the beginning of the first chapter, one realises that there is a lot beneath the surface. Kathleen’s lack of involvement in Kate’s life unnerved me and slowly the truth emerged. She was suffering from schizophrenia and so her mood swings, paranoia, insecurities, they all made sense. But their dysfunctional family that tries too hard to be normal is swept by the storm when an old friend moves next door. Ina and Nicholas share a history which Kathleen is uncomfortable with. In her attempt to ensure that Ina doesn’t interfere in their family, she ends up being overly protective of Kate.
The collateral damage of a dysfunctional family
Whenever there’s turmoil in a family, it is the child that has the worst impact. Kate’s fear from her own family makes her rely more on Ina but how would a mother feel if her own daughter preferred spending time with a neighbour? Kathleen’s insecurities grow worse and Ina’s paranoia doesn’t make it any easy either. The first half of the book is drenched with a gloomy atmosphere. While reading it, one gets a feeling of being stuck in a moving car with people you dislike. You feel suffocated but there’s nothing you can do about it. When a major incident threatens to break apart the family, Kate becomes the collateral damage. Irreversibly damaged by the traumatic event, Kate rebels in her teenage while Nicholas can’t figure out how to handle her anymore.
Characters
It is a completely character-driven story. Without the strength, mystery and appeal of the characters, the plot would fall apart. Kathleen is such a strong character that she single-handedly twists the entire plot. Her absence shapes how the other characters live their lives. Her presence commanded an air of caution. I just wished Brown had given us more time to understand the various nuances of her condition in the initial chapters. But since the book is fast-paced, it is understandable why she would want to keep it concise. Nicholas is another complex character. On first sight, he is a good guy, the one you would want to root for but even he has his flaws. Her dynamics with Ina make the reader judgemental about his actions. And then there is Kate – a typical lost child overwhelmed by circumstances as young children often are. I had read it that parents, instead of trying to be good parents, should try to be less traumatizing and then, they would be the best parents in the world. Perhaps, that’s what Kate needed as well.
Overview
Hinterland is a heavy read. It is quick-paced, intriguing and tugs on your heartstrings but it’ll leave you in deep thought even hours after you are done reading it. Such works of literary fiction are hard to find these days.
This is a review of the Advance Reader’s Copy. The book will be out in October. You can add it on Goodreads and follow Lorna Brown on twitter for more updates!
