Book Review: "Sweet William" by Beryl Bainbridge

As you know from A Quiet Life I've been reading, or rather intending to be reading, more Beryl Bainbridge. A Quiet Life was probably one of the more incredible books by her I believe and it is also one of the better known. When it comes to this author, as I have said, someone had said that I should read her some years' ago. I did not and thus became a spiral of here and there until I came back to her without the same motives. Even though I am no longer around the same people (you know, those people who would suggest you read certain authors and books), I still remember those conversations from time to time. Let’s take a look at this next book by this author therefore.

Ann Walton is a young woman living in London, working as a secretary for a documentary film company. Her life is relatively mundane, shaped by routines and societal expectations. Ann is engaged to Gerald, a stable but unremarkable man who is about to leave for America on a business trip. Gerald is practical and reliable, traits that initially attracted Ann to him. However, Ann harbors doubts about their relationship, feeling that Gerald is more committed to his career than to her. Despite these reservations, Ann remains engaged to Gerald, largely because it seems like the safe and expected path for her life.

Ann’s life takes a dramatic turn when she meets William McClusky at a film screening. William is a charismatic and attractive playwright, whose charm and magnetic personality instantly captivate Ann. Unlike Gerald, William is spontaneous, witty, and seemingly passionate about life. He quickly becomes a stark contrast to the predictable and somewhat dull world that Ann has known. William flirts openly with Ann, paying her the kind of attention she craves but has not received from Gerald. The thrill of William’s interest in her ignites a longing in Ann for something more exciting and fulfilling than what she has with Gerald.

Despite being engaged to Gerald, Ann finds herself increasingly drawn to William. She begins an affair with him, which quickly consumes her thoughts and emotions. Ann’s relationship with William is intense and all-consuming, causing her to question her engagement to Gerald. Eventually, unable to resist William’s allure and believing that he represents a chance for true happiness, Ann breaks off her engagement with Gerald. This decision marks the beginning of Ann’s descent into a chaotic and emotionally fraught relationship with William, who becomes the focal point of her life.

As Ann’s relationship with William progresses, she begins to uncover disturbing truths about him. William is not the idealised figure she initially believed him to be. He is, in fact, a notorious womanizer with a history of deceiving and manipulating women. Ann discovers that William is still married to his wife Edna, despite his claims of being in the process of divorcing her. William’s life is filled with complexities and secrets, including other romantic entanglements and children from his marriage. Ann is shocked and hurt by these revelations, but by this point, she is deeply in love with William and feels powerless to extricate herself from the relationship.

As William’s true nature becomes more apparent, Ann finds herself trapped in a cycle of emotional turmoil. William’s behavior is erratic and unpredictable; he frequently disappears without explanation, leaving Ann in a state of anxiety and despair. When he returns, he is often charming and affectionate, rekindling Ann’s hopes that their relationship will improve. This pattern of emotional highs and lows creates a dependency in Ann, who becomes increasingly obsessed with keeping William’s affection. Her life revolves around William’s unpredictable presence, causing her to neglect her own needs and desires. Ann’s self-esteem begins to deteriorate as she sacrifices more of herself to please William, hoping that he will eventually commit to her.

The writing style has moments of wit, but I wouldn’t say it is as good as the previous work I read by her. It has its moments of turmoil, but again cannot compare to my first experience of her work. I enjoyed the character of Ann but I think that this book, though it was still amazing - did not quite reach the standard I had hoped for. Even if the book wasn’t shorter, the story sure felt shorter.

All in all, the want to have true love is taken over with the want to be in control of everything in between. Beryl Bainbridge writes a novel of dependency and romance, but also of great sadness and grief. I was surprised to read this of her, but not shocked. As I had read, A Quiet Life, I knew what it was like to keep these stories in which there is one character that feels as though they are going mad amongst others. I know these books all too well and I hope I get to read more of them.