Books by and for independent women

The Cure by Rachel Genn

The début novel of a former neuroscientist turned writer, The Cure by Rachel Genn is a slightly chaotic, very literary piece of fiction. Fleeing from heartache brought on by extreme fraternal jealousy, Eugene follows in his late father’s footsteps and travels from rural Ireland to London to work on the same building site.

Finding accommodation in his father’s old room in a decrepit pub run by his father’s old lover Della and her daughter Julia, and working for the building company belonging to his father’s old mate, the ‘hidden family secrets’ aspect of the novel aren’t very secret at all.

Eugene at first struggles in London; his natural shyness and lack of confidence lead to him doing typical country-mouse things like getting lost on the tube, and falling in with the ‘wrong’ crowd.

Obsessed with memories of his old love, Theresa, and his worship of his brother Vincent, Eugene tries to lose himself in work, cocaine and endless cigarettes. Along the way he sort of falls for Julia, but to be honest by this point I was a little confused.

There is a lot to this novel. As well as the coming-of-age of Eugene, the past history between his father, his landlady and his possible future lover, the book also has a subplot about the building site and the people who work on it, which completely takes over from the first plot before both plots are swung backwards and forwards.

Buck, Eugene’s dad’s old mate, and his Biff Loman-esque son Noble have a Greek tragedy of a relationship that causes Buck’s working associations to all go down the pan.

At the same time, the chorus of the drama, made up of Uri the Russian and his nefarious chums deal drugs, womanise, get into fights and generally lead Eugene astray, whilst at the same time providing a support for his development into adulthood, mature enough to return home and deal with his problems.

Not going to lie, this book confused the hell out of me. I know nothing about the building trade, but if half of what goes on in this book goes on in real life it’s a wonder that anything ever gets erected in the first place.

Eugene isn’t a particularly relatable or likeable character, and the whole ‘sins of the fathers’ thing seemed a little contrived; but that was what this novel came across as trying to be.

Excessively descriptive in places (one seven-sentence paragraph included four metaphors to open a door), parts of the books were like reading through glue and if you’re looking for a short snappy read this summer, then there are better books for that out there.

However, if you are a fan of literary novels, you would enjoy this. I’m sure there are acres of symbolism and substance that me and my populist genre-loving eyes will have missed. If you read and enjoyed Rebecca Hunt’s Mr Chartwell back in October, I’d give Rachel Genn a try.

Published last week by Constable, you can buy it in hardback for £8.99, or for Kindle for £8.54.

Rating: 2.5/5 (But only because it really isn’t my sort of book)

Recommended for: Fans of literary fiction, Esther Freud and Janet Fitch.

Other recommended reading: Mr Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt.

Jessica Haigh