I’m so glad that I picked up this book, the third of Rumer Godden’s three ‘convent novels’, when she was The LibraryThing Virago Group Author of the Month.
It is a quietly compelling account of one woman’s life, telling of the downfall of Elizabeth Fanshawe, a young Englishwoman in Paris and the chain of circumstance that would lead her to become Soeur Marie Lise, one of the Sisters of Béthanie at the convent of Belle Source.
That historical setting is very real. The author spent time with the real Sisters of Béthanie, who minister to the poor, the downtrodden and the imprisoned; and she speaks wonderfully well for them. The pictures she paints of convent life is are vivid, rich with detail, and utterly captivating.
Elizabeth grew up in the quietest of English villages; raised by an elderly aunt as she was orphaned at a very early age. War came and, wanting to see more of the world, Elizabeth joined the army as a driver. She was in Paris when the city was liberated, and she was swept up in wild and joyful celebrations.
That would change her life.
She met Patrice Ambard, a handsome and charming elder man that night and he would draw her into his world of crime and high-class prostitution. It was clear that he had prospered during the war years, that he had been a collaborator, but Lise – he called her Lise – was far to innocent and inexperienced to see him for what he was.
She fell in love with him, and by the time she realised where he was steering her, and that he didn’t love her it was much too late. She had no family or friends to turn to; and because she had taken his name and lived openly with him she couldn’t bring herself to approach the church. And so she was trapped, she was broken and she became hardened.
Lise never lost her compassion for others, and so she had to care for the damaged, unhappy young girl she found.
That would change her life again.
Lise took her in; Patrice seduced her and set her in Lise’s place; and Lise’s love for the girl and her wish to guide her to a happier life than she had would lead to her downfall. Because she didn’t understand how damaged the girl was, she didn’t understand that she didn’t see the world as Lise did.
One desperate act would make her notorious, and send her to prison.
It was there that she met Sisters of Béthanie, who ministered to prisoners. She realised that she wanted to join them, she felt that it would be impossible for someone with her background, but she was told that her background would be no obstacle at all. The order included former prisoners and former prostitutes like her, and their experience of the world would help them to understand others in need of their help.
That would truly change her life.
Lise began a long journey that would lead to her becoming Soeur Marie Lise du Rosarie.
This wonderful story – of one woman’s downfall and redemption – is quite beautifully told. It moves backwards and forwards in time, setting stories of Lise’s past against stories of her life at the convent. The stories flowed into one another, and the author had such skill that it felt completely and utterly natural and I always understood where I was and what was happening.
She brought all of the women in this story and their world to life. They were utterly real, she cared about them and she made me care.
There was such love and compassion in this book that I couldn’t doubt for a moment that Rumer Godden was inspired by the real Sisters of Béthanie.
That is not to say that it is her best work. The story of Lise’s downfall wouldn’t stand up to close scrutiny, at least one character is compromised to make the latter part of the story work, and the conclusion is rather too contrived and melodramatic,
The arc of this novel though is quite wonderful; and the other side of the story, following Lise from the moment when she that she may have a vocation, through her novitiate and into her life as a fully professed nun, is exquisitely drawn and rich with detail.
For that, and for what this book has to say, I have to love it.
Beyond Eden Rock 
This is a really great review of a really good book.
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Thank you!
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This book and plot interest me.
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I would definitely recommend this book then, as it is wonderfully readable and thought-provoking. I think that Rumer Godden has written stronger books, but this one is definitely well worth reading,
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This sounds lovely Jane – I do enjoy a good redemption story! I will have to seek this out.
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This is a wonderful redemption story, so I hope you will find a copy.
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It’s been really interesting to read some of the reviews of this author’s work that have been flying around the blogosphere this month. I wasn’t terribly familiar with her before, so it’s been a bit of an education for me. She sounds like a writer with a strong sense of humanity and compassion – that certainly comes through very clearly from your review.
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She is, and there is a wonderful range of subjects in her books – growing up, India, houses, nuns – so I am sure you would find much to enjoy in her backlist.
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That sounds like a fascinating read – I’ve only read her family novels not the convent ones.
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I still have the third convent book to read – This House of Breed – and I haven’t read many of the other books so I still have much to look forward too. The River is on the library pile for AVAA.
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Lovely review Jane, and proof that a book doesn’t have to be perfect for us to love it and bond with it!
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Certainly, and this book does so many things so well that I couldn’t be harsh with it.
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Godden always does interesting things with narrative voice. Here, I was most intrigued by the way she told the two stories without them quite intersecting with or understanding one another. Kind of frustrating from a reader’s point of view, but revealing a kind of truth — there must be so many such stories in our lives.
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That didn’t worry me, maybe because I read ‘A Fugue in Time’ which was her first book in this style not so long ago and was prepared. I think that moving forwards and backwards kept me focused on what was happening rather than the drama and what might happen – and that felt right for this story and what it had to say.
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Glad you blogged about this wonderful title. It’s one of my favorite books!
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I can understand that – it’s left a wonderful impression with me.
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Rumer Godden has been on my list of books to read for a while, but I never seem to get there!
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
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You must – I have yet to read one of her adult novels that hasn’t had a great deal to recommend it.
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In This House of Brede is one of my desert island books. This one isn’t, in part because of the ending. I haven’t read it in quite a while, and you inspired me to dig out my copy and reread some of my favorite parts.
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Your beautifully written review is enough to sell this book.. it sounds like a pretty amazing reflection on a womans character, her dreams, hopes and resilience. Thanks for bringing your reviews to Paris in July 2017… so many different stories and authors from & about paris…
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Haven’t read this one, but loved Black Narcissus and In This House of Brede, both of which I liked very much – but I’ve liked everything of her’s that I’ve read. She’s very good on tensions and relationships within small, enclosed groups.
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I’ve never heard of her. Or, at least, if I did I don’t remember. But, reading all these reviews got me interested. I am noting her name on my reading list. 🙂
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