“Death will not be denied. To try is grandiose. It drives madness into the soul. It leaches out virtue. It injects poison into friendship, and makes a mockery of love.”

 

Out on the reef. Agincourt Reef, the Great Barrier Reed, Far North Queensland. April 2021.

The Spare Room by Helen Garner

Helen Garner's most admirable quality - to my mind - is her unremitting honesty as a writer. The Spare Room captures the grim reality of acting as a carer for a friend in denial facing a terminal illness.

"Nicola", the friend that is desperately pursuing alternative - and obviously useless - treatments for her disease, is not the focus of the novel. Instead, in typical Garner style, we experience the inner perspective of Helen herself. As ever, she is frank.

We actually don't explore Nicola's own feelings about her illness, as the lens is fixed with Garner herself. However, feelings of concern, pity, anger, guilt and resentment are all present and afford an insight too often glossed over when we talk about death.

As such, there is an authenticity here often found lacking in similarly-themed books. It's also surprisingly funny. While this is not exactly a 'light' read, it is not as crushing as you might think. I suspect that it might be of use to anyone who has to face, or has faced, a similar situation.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐