O Caledonia opens with an atmospheric description of the place of sixteen year old Janet’s recent death. She has been laid to rest away from the family plot in the local graveyard, a fact they are not entirely unhappy about, fearing ‘Her restless spirit might wish to engage with theirs in eternal self-justifying conversation or, worse still, accusation. She had blighted their lives; let her not also blight their deaths.’ It becomes clear in this opening chapter that Janet was not well loved, except by her bird, Claws, who committed suicide after her loss. Her family no longer talk about her, and the gossip of locals soon moves on. The rest of the novel takes us back through Janet’s short life, where we will discover that she did not deserve the disdain she received merely for not fitting in with convention.
Living in a remote castle in Scotland, Janet enjoys the space and the animals, but when her parents turn it into a boys school she finds herself under constant threat of harassment. An outcast for her gender, she attempts to show that she is as courageous as any boy, with limited success. She also develops tactics to avoid the unwanted advances of the others students. This danger from boys is present at multiple times throughout the novel, and feels like something her inattentive parents should have taken into consideration when filling her home with adolescent boys.
Gender roles are a recurring theme. We learn early on that her father believes girls to be an inferior form of boy, but that this unfortunate circumstance can be improved with education. Janet is intelligent and curious, but her bright spark is ignored. People are confused by her disinterest in babies and playing with dolls. She is equally as confused as to why it should be expected she should be just because she is a girl. Her own mother is no great advert for motherhood - Janet overhears her telling a friend she only really likes babies and finds children annoying, that it’s possible to not like your own child. Janet’s response? To feel that she has no need for a mother. And yet, there is a longing within Janet to fit in. Part of this manifests itself in a desire to be able to talk to other girls who are interested in completely different things. We see this desire reflected by her mother as they prepare for a party, wishing she could share the excitement of getting ready with Janet, that they would bond over the choosing of their outfits. Janet, naturally, does not opt for an outfit which her mother approves of, and in her resplendent purple dress she certainly stands out. She does exhibit a desire to be found attractive however - her mother once reports in astonishment that a friend has commented that Janet has a lovely face. She is flattered but instantly worries that if she ever sees her again she will change her mind so resolves to make sure she never does.
The opening chapter suggests that Janet will be difficult and objectionable, but we see throughout that she is merely a young girl doing her best. Often she is in trouble simply because she has misunderstood instructions, at other times because her passions lie in different areas. She loves animals and keeps Claws with her in her bedroom, where he protects her, but also, unfortunately, makes quite a mess. She feels deeply when animals are hurt and avoids the kitchen as there are more often than not animal corpses being prepared for food. You can see how some of her behaviours would be challenging for her parents, but she is kind and thoughtful, and her family do not give her the time or attention to really understand where she is coming from. Her closest human ally in the castle, for a time at least, is Lila. A relative by marriage, Lila’s presence in the castle was one of the terms of her father receiving it, and she largely keeps to herself. She enjoys drinking whiskey, painting, and foraging, and although they don’t necessarily talk much Janet finds comfort in her presence.
I had saved this book for the darker months, thinking it would suit the season. It undoubtedly has touches of the gothic, but it is a much lighter book than I expected. It has been likened to a mix between We Have Always Lived in the Castle and I Capture the Castle, and I can certainly see the resemblances. You feel for Janet as she tries to navigate family life, and then boarding school, an even more challenging environment. I became so involved in her life that I would find myself forgetting that we were heading toward a bloody ending. When we do circle back to her murder it feels shocking. I went back and read the first chapter after finishing it to compare how expectations had been set and how they compared. I found Janet much more sympathetic than might have been expected. There is much in here that young adults will relate to, as well as anyone who has ever felt out of place. A wonderful, richly evocative read with an enigmatic, oft-misunderstood protagonist.
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