Review: Bottled Goods by Sophie Van Llewyn
PUBLISHED ON June 14, 2018
A novella by Fairlight Moderns

Genre: Historical Fiction, magical realism

Similar to: An Eastern European Barbera Pym

Could be enjoyed by: Fans of short, kitschy, fantastical tales but with a dark side.

Publication date: 11th July 2018

Whilst browsing through NetGalley, I came across four or five flash fiction novellas by Fairlight Moderns. I’d never heard of the publisher or any of the authors, but the books looked so cute and interesting that I chose one to read without even checking the blurb – something I never ever do. However, I’m really glad that I did because Bottled Goods is a tiny little gem of a book (with great cover art).
Set in 1970’s Romania, Alina grinds out a living as a teacher under a communist regime. Her loveless marriage and difficult mother compound the oppression of living in a dictatorship, so when Alina becomes a Person of Interest to the Secret Services it all becomes too much. After asking her Aunt for help, Alina uses the old ways to invoke the magic of her people to deal with her mother and make good her escape. Part terrifying portrayal of a communist regime, part Grimms fairytale, this pressure cooker of a novella is richly evocative of a history that is seldom talked about in mainstream literature.

I loved the way that Sophie Van Llewyn built the tension in this book. Although a fairly short story, Bottled Goods was so atmospheric I was completely taken in from the first few pages. The writing was brilliant; emotional but precise. Oddly, I found it reminiscent of The Bottle Factory Outing or perhaps something by Patricia Highsmith – there was something about the way that the tension was layered in with the mundanity of everyday life that was very reminiscent of those mid-century female authors. However, this book brings it’s own distinct Eastern European flavour that really worked with the almost dystopian theme – especially if your knowledge of the Eastern Block has been informed by the terrifying kids tv programmes that were shown in the 1970’s and 80’s (and which was parodied so well by The Fast Show).

I really sympathized with Alina and appreciated how the author didn’t shy away from the horrors of investigation by the Secret Service. I also enjoyed learning a little about Romanian history and culture, as it’s not a country that I’m familiar with. The book really brought home what it must have been like to try to live an ordinary life under a communist regime and the reality of not being able to speak freely (even in your own home) or trust anyone (even your family). I loved how informative it was even though some elements were clearly fantastical.

I have to say that I did find some of the chapters slightly disjointed, especially in the beginning and the ending did feel a little rushed. I can absolutely see how some parts were published seperately, as they almost felt like stand alone stories within themselves.

Although short, this is an oddly charming, terrifying, interesting little book. Brilliantly written, I’d love to hear more from Sophie Van Llewyn – and I’m definitely going to check out some more Fairlight Moderns *watches NetGalley review percentage tumbling*.

This novella-in-flash is striking, mesmerising, and purely brilliant. I was drawn in by Alina and her mission to escape communist Romania, and the magical realism elements made this novella all the more powerful and memorable.

When Liviu's brother defects to the West, Liviu and his wife Alina are hounded by the Romanian Communist authorities. We are in the 1970s, at the height of the Cold War, and not even well-connected Aunt Theresa, who practices the forbidden old folk ways even whilst her son works for the regime, can save Alina and Liviu from the unwelcome attentions of the Secret Police. The constant danger blights a relationship which could, and should, have been a special one.

Totalitarian rule casts a shadow on the history of the last century. Bottled Goods is neither the first nor the last novel to be inspired by the horrors of authoritarian governments. What distinguishes this novel from many others is its stylistic and narrative approach.

It is, first of all, a "novel-in-flash" - written in the form of short interrelated vignettes which can, and in some cases have, been published as standalone pieces. Moreover, the narrative sometimes wanders into the territory of magical realism. These flights of whimsy give the novel a light touch, even whilst it's presenting us with the terror of a communist regime and its tragic impact on ordinary lives. The novel is permeated with a sense of fear and dread, yet the pill is sweetened by the fairytale narrative.

This is an original début from a distinctive literary voice.

This delightful novella blends historical fiction and magical realism, and it so captivated me, I read it in a single sitting. From the start, we get a sense of the claustrophobic world in which Alina lives. The short chapters move us swiftly from one moment to the next, the gaps in time mirroring the disjointed nature of Alina's life following her brother-in-law's defection. Alina came across wonderfully as a character; I was with her every step of the way. The prose is lyrical yet simple, and I loved the way the fantastical elements seeped effortlessly amidst the dire and mundane. Definitely one to read if you enjoy magical realism, or if you are interested in what life was like in communist-era Romania.

This is a bittersweet novella that reads as part magical realism and part historical fiction, being set in Romania in 1975, during the Communist regime of Ceaușescu.

The book is broken up into sections, some of which may well have been standalone written pieces previously that have been neatly tied together here. The sections cover topics such as family, Communism (and defection), marriage and fear.

The sections of the book that feature the main character Alina's aunt reminded me very much of Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel, in that this version of "reality" within the text is both darkly humorous and wonderfully kitsch. Similarly, in the sections where Alina is forced to meet with a man from the Secret Services, she appears to be blasé - having cake and coffee with the man... and then things get much darker.

Having listened to a BBC podcast with the author, I understand that this novella is party based on her family's history and woven in is a story based particularly on her godparents who were kept at border control for 24 hours and searched while they waited to head to the West. The underlying reality and pain of the characters sits nicely and in stark contrast with the dark comedy and absurdity of the text.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Fairlight Books and Sophie van Llewyn for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.