Book Review: "A Green Equinox" by Elizabeth Mavor

I have been led to understand that this book has been reissued and was originally written in the 1970s. It sooner or later went out of print and fell into obscurity with copies going on eBay and other websites for over £100. Fortunately enough for myself, this book was eventually reissued by Virago Modern Classics and I ended up buying it on my Kindle for no more than a few pounds. I feel like the advertisement behind this book misleads people into believing that the book itself is a love affair and a romp rather than a torrid emotional twister. To be perfectly honest, I was quite happy that I was misled because initially, I was not sure whether I'd enjoy it.

Hero Kinoull, the protagonist, is a deeply nostalgic individual, often stuck in the past. She works in an antique bookshop and binds books, an occupation that mirrors her fixation on history and tradition. Over the course of the story, she undergoes significant personal growth, particularly in how she navigates longing and obsession. Initially content with relationships with men, her life is upended when she develops profound feelings for a woman, an experience that challenges her sense of self.

Despite this development, Hero is a cynical and morally complex character. At one point, she remarks that a shipwreck is more tragic for the loss of the ship’s history than for the life of a young boy who perished, highlighting her flawed priorities. She also often makes weird observations and says strange things that are, in fact, references to other authors and other books. This flawed character was very well written and I love that constant reference she makes to "you" as if whoever the reader is, they are the other character in the conversation having their epitaph written before they have died. The writer does well of creating a character that the reader both loves and dislikes at the same time, reflecting the reality of relationships.

Hugh Shafto, Hero’s lover, is a character whose flaws dominate his personality. Married to Belle, a kind and idealistic woman, Hugh views his love for her as proof of his superior moral character rather than genuine affection. He is an expert on rococo art, an interest chosen more for its obscurity than for personal passion, and his elitism and misogyny colour his relationships. He cheats on Belle with Hero, and when Belle discovers the affair and temporarily leaves him, Hugh’s despair stems more from his longing for the concept of love than from any real attachment to her.

His mother, Kate, represents an independent, non-conforming figure in his life, a contrast to his narrow and self-serving views of women. This is the character of the book that everyone loves to hate which means that when Belle and Hero meet there is a moment of respite for the reader in which they can snicker at Hugh. None of the women in Hugh's life are to his liking in reality. He prefers the quiet and sub-servient women but instead has the upright Belle, the sexually-liberated Hero and his mother, the independent Kate. This only goes to show that Hugh is actually as stupid as he looks and becomes the 'fool' character of the book very nicely.

Belle Shafto, Hugh’s wife, is a sharp contrast to the other cynical and pretentious characters. She is a compassionate, practical, and idealistic woman who devotes herself to causes and lives by the motto “something can always be done.” Her generosity and insight into matters of the heart make her a compelling figure, even as others, like Hugh and Kate, dismiss her as simplistic or naïve.

Belle’s interactions with Hero form some of the most emotionally resonant parts of the narrative, as Hero grapples with her admiration and growing feelings for her. Belle’s role in the story is pivotal, not only as a counterbalance to the cynicism around her but also as a catalyst for Hero’s personal transformation. After Hero, Belle is probably my favourite character because apart from her upright pretentiousness, she is able to speak on an emotional and philosophical level - one that Hugh and Kate (and to some extent even Hero if you don't include the first chapter) are not able to.

The relationships of the text really make the book and as the book moves along, we add Hugh's mother, Kate, to the mix as well. The narrative can be difficult to get into and immerse yourself in but, I would highly recommend giving it a chance even if you feel it is jarring: I mean not everyone thinks the phrase "convoluted as broccoli" is poetic but stick it out. I mean it.