Book of the Week

This week's book of the week is UNION STREET by Pat Barker.

This is a bit of a forgotten gem of a book, as Barker is more well known for her novels depicting young men at war. However, her portrayals of North-East working class women struggling to get by are just as, if not more convincing.

Union Street is not a novel as such, but a collection of short stories about women of all ages whose lives are connected. These women live on the same street, and are familiar with one another. Some are even friends, but Barker's differing viewpoints show just how little they know about each other, and therefore highlights the irony in the title's reference to 'unity'.

The thing that most impressed me about this book's narrative is the beautiful amalgamation of gritty realism and poetic escapism. Barker isn't shy in her descriptions, they're often dirty, disgusting and (as consequence) harrowing and effective. But interspersed within these bleak depictions are moments of an otherworldly beauty. Maybe this is a reference to how much the women want to escape. Maybe it's Barker stating that this kind of life isn't so bad after all. But that's the beauty, it leaves it to us, the reader, to decide.

This is one of my favourite books of all time. It will stay with you long after you close it.