Grief Cottage

This is a hauntingly profound and moving novel that meditates on the spaces between life and death. 11 year old Marcus's life falls apart when his mother dies. He and his mother were so close, and her circumstances meant that Marcus was in a very grown place, taking care of her and their home, struggling to make ends meet. The lonely, adrift Marcus never knew his father and eventually ends up living on a South Carolina island with his crabby Aunt Charlotte, a woman who values her privacy and has her own emotionally damaging issues. She is obsessed with a cottage in ruins, known locally as Grief Cottage, which inspired her to become a painter as she searches to depict its spirit of utter devastation that parallels her own life experiences and childhood. This is a novel of spiritual ghosts, loss, grief, secrets, haunting memories, acceptance, redemption and survival.

Grief Cottage has a tragic history that Marcus comes to be aware of. In 1954, after a terrifying hurricane, the parents and a boy were discovered to have disappeared from the cottage. Uncertain in his new home and unsure whether his aunt wants him, Marcus takes on the responsibility of keeping the home in order whilst his aunt works in the studio. He spends his time outdoors to minimise his impact on her life and becomes enthralled with nature. He finds himself gravitating to Grief Cottage on a regular basis, despite the dangers that it poses, and sees the ghost of the boy. Marcus is an intelligent, sensitive, independent and inquisitive boy steeped in grief, as indeed is his aunt, and both are loners. He finds comfort in the ghost of the dead boy, this intimate knowledge of death and life allows him to endure and survive. He becomes close to his aunt learning of her trauma and family history, and adapting to his new life. Eventually a mystery comes to be resolved.

Gail Godwin writes beautifully, tenderly and atmospherically, on death and grief, topics that society oft deals with awkwardly, with discomfort and even insensitively on occasion. She gives us a great sense of location in her descriptions of the island and its people. The book is steeped in the rhythms of nature, the circle of life and death, such as with the turtles. The character development is superb and I liked the capable Laciotte and the elderly Coral who Marcus becomes close to. It is the grief of the characters that predominates and it is symbolised by Grief Cottage. I loved this low key, slow moving, thoughtful and insightful novel that I found myself completely immersed in. Highly recommended. Thanks to Bloomsbury for an ARC.