Review of THE BOOK OF GUILT by Catherine Chidgey (New Release)

 4 Stars

I’ve read three of Catherine Chidgey’s novels and they’ve all been wonderful reads, so I was excited to read her latest. It did not disappoint.

The novel is set in 1979 in England but in an alternate world where there was no victor in World War II. After the assassination of Hitler by German conspirators, a peace treaty, the Gothenburg Treaty, was negotiated. It established peace and allowed for the sharing of scientific and medical research including “’access to studies conducted in the camps before and after the war.’”

Identical triplets, Vincent, Lawrence, and William, are the last remaining residents at a Sycamore Home for boys in the Hampshire countryside. Thirteen-year-old orphans, they are looked after my three women: Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon, and Mother Night. Every day they are given various medications, prescribed by the jovial Dr. Roach, to help them with a mysterious illness: “We didn’t know the name of our sickness, and its symptoms varied from month to month and boy to boy; we just called it the Bug.” Boys who recover are allowed to move to Margate, a paradisaical seaside resort with a huge amusement park.

In nearby Exeter, Nancy, also thirteen, lives a secluded life with her parents who dote on her but don’t let her leave the house. When her life intersects with the three brothers, dark secrets are brought to light concerning their origins, their purpose, and their likely fate.

The novel is narrated from three perspectives. Vincent, in first person narration, tells his story and that of his brothers, whereas Nancy’s story is told in third person limited omniscient point of view. Also in third person, the perspective of Sylvia Dalton, the Minister of Loneliness, is included. She is charged with closing down the remaining Sycamore Homes.

Though the three brothers are identical in appearance, distinguishable only by the colours of their shirts, they are not identical in personality; Vincent insists, “we weren’t the same. We weren’t.” Vincent is the watchful, thoughtful one; Lawrence is the sensitive, soft-hearted one; and William is the mercurial one who is capable of cruelties. Interestingly, it’s William that Vincent loves best: “I loved William better. I still can’t explain that.”

The book is cleverly crafted with secrets gradually revealed. I don’t want to reveal too much of the plot because much of my enjoyment was trying to answer the many questions that came to mind: The boys are told they’re special but not told why or how. Why are the boys kept isolated from the outside world? What is on the missing page of their Book of Knowledge? Why does Mother Night took at the boys so sadly? When the boys are allowed in the nearby village, why do people avoid them? Why are the boys’ dreams of such interest to the doctor? What is the purpose of the Book of Guilt in which their misbehaviours (lying, kicking, and displaying the wrong attitude) are diligently recorded? The only element that bothered me is Vincent’s seeing a newspaper with a photo of a little boy. His finding this picture is unlikely and too convenient to be believable.

I was kept interested throughout. From the beginning, there’s a sense of unease, but as more and more is revealed, I found myself increasingly unsettled. Not only is the book entertaining, it is thought-provoking: it addresses the nature versus nurture question and asks what is acceptable for the advancement of knowledge.

Here are links to my reviews of the other Catherine Chidgey novels I’ve read:

Remote Sympathy: https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2022/04/review-of-remote-sympathy-by-catherine.html

Pet: https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2024/03/review-of-pet-by-catherine-chidgey.html

The Axeman’s Carnival: https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/2024/06/review-of-axemans-carnival-by-catherine.html

Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.