Donoghue does choose unusual subjects. This one features two teen girls in a boarding school in the early 1800s, exploring their sexuality. What makes it extra unusual is that the story is based on an actual account by one of the girls, with more limited writing by the other.
The main subject is Eliza. It may be that Donoghue chose her because her roommate Anne Lister wrote five million words about the affair so her viewpoint is well known.
Eliza and Anne are relegated to an obscure room that fits just the two of them. Eliza suspects they are separated from the others because they are unusual, not necessarily a "fit" with the other girls. Eliza originally came from India and has the dark coloring of her mother, while Anne is simply a too-brilliant and at times abrasive student. Anne also comes from a lower-income family.
The two become friends quickly, in spite of Eliza's reservations. That friendship develops into a close bond, something that often happens in girls' schools. Then it goes further. Eliza falls deeply while Anne is more exploratory. Their personalities seem to dictate what will come next.
I was unaware of this couple, this amazing diary. It had to be very difficult for at least one if not both girls, at that time. The story is told primarily about the school days but then starts to interject chapters about later, when both are adults. So we can see how the early days might lead to the outcome.
The main subject is Eliza. It may be that Donoghue chose her because her roommate Anne Lister wrote five million words about the affair so her viewpoint is well known.
Eliza and Anne are relegated to an obscure room that fits just the two of them. Eliza suspects they are separated from the others because they are unusual, not necessarily a "fit" with the other girls. Eliza originally came from India and has the dark coloring of her mother, while Anne is simply a too-brilliant and at times abrasive student. Anne also comes from a lower-income family.
The two become friends quickly, in spite of Eliza's reservations. That friendship develops into a close bond, something that often happens in girls' schools. Then it goes further. Eliza falls deeply while Anne is more exploratory. Their personalities seem to dictate what will come next.
I was unaware of this couple, this amazing diary. It had to be very difficult for at least one if not both girls, at that time. The story is told primarily about the school days but then starts to interject chapters about later, when both are adults. So we can see how the early days might lead to the outcome.
