Martha Baillie

If you work in a library or any other service-based industry, you are probably familiar with incident reports — detailed written reports that must be completed whenever a disturbance or criminal act occurs during your work hours. This novel by Martha Baillie is narrated by a library clerk, Miriam, in the form of reports regarding both library and personal incidents. Captured in these reports are unruly and ill-behaved patrons of all sorts — and those of you who have worked in libraries can attest to the fact that they are probably based on real patrons. Miriam also writes shyly of her budding romance with a young taxi driver named Janko, as well as more alarming reports about mysterious notes being left around the library.

This enjoyable mystery is an excellent addition to the collection of fiction set in libraries. Library workers will embrace her stories and probably tell ones of their own to accompany them.… (mais)

I think I would like to read more of Martha Baillie's books if they live up to this one. The Quill & Quire said her "literary style occasionally echoes both Anne Michaels and Elizabeth Smart." I would agree with that assessment; both of those writers haven't written profusely but each line they have written is crafted with care and attention and that is what I felt reading this book.

Beatrice Mann, a middle-aged Canadian sculptor, writes a long letter to Ulrike Huguenot, a young German pianist, after Beatrice's 18 year old daughter is killed while cycling on a Montreal street. Beatrice and Ulrike have met twice but not for years and Ulrike only met the daughter once. So why did Beatrice decide to write to Ulrike? Beatrice is grieving but she cannot talk to her partner, Isaac. Beatrice used to write to Ulrike's father, Gustave, who she met when she was seventeen and Gustave was just starting on his career as a university professor. Gustave died a few years previously and before he died he sent Beatrice all the letters she had sent him. In her daughter's backpack when she was killed was all the correspondence between Beatrice and Gustave. Beatrice did not know that her daughter had taken the letters but their presence in her backpack draws her to Gustave's daughter to explain her relationship. Ulrike knew that Beatrice wrote to her father because the letters used to arrive at their home in Berlin regularly. Ulrike assumed that Beatrice and Gustave were lovers but she learned from Beatrice's letter that their relationship was more complex. For Beatrice the letter also acts as a catharsis and helps her move forward. Ulrike is also affected by the letter and she decides to further her relationship with her boyfriend.

A poem at the beginning of the book seems to work well as an explanation for Beatrice's motivation:
We wanted to confess our sins but there were no takers.
White clouds refused to accept them, and the wind
Was too busy visiting sea after sea.
We did not succeed in interesting the animals.
Dogs, disappointed, expected an order,
A cat, as always immoral, was falling asleep.
A person seemingly very close
Did not care to hear of things long past.
When you can't talk to someone close and the clouds and wind and animals aren't interested then maybe you have to give shape to someone else who will hear what you have to say.… (mais)