The Undoing of Violet Claybourne: A Novel
“The Undoing of Violet Claybourne is an expertly written, engaging narrative, a journey into that place and time in the 20th century and the psychology of social pressure that is well worth taking, a tale that will resonate long after the final page has been turned.”
The Undoing of Violet Claybourne, the latest offering from Emily Critchley, is a literary suspense novel that satisfies from beginning to end. Emily is an award-winning British writer with several books to her credit. Her previous novel, One Puzzling Afternoon, was selected Indie Book of the month and named a must-read by People magazine. She studied at London Metropolitan University where she won the 2014 Sandra Ashman Prize for Creative Writing.
The Undoing of Violet Claybourne is set in England prior to World War II and follows Gillian Larking, Gilly, a plain unassuming girl enrolled at a boarding school by a father who ignores her, choosing to focus on his second wife and child. Gilly feels abandoned and wants to find a place for herself in the world, and, when her roommate becomes Violet Claybourne—a girl her age whose family is from English aristocracy, she sees the means to achieve that.
Gilly is envious of Violet’s rich upbringing, in stark contrast to her own simple beginnings. She becomes enthralled by Violet’s stories of her colorful family, particularly her sisters— Emmeline and Laura and is thrilled when Violet invites her to stay with her family over the Christmas break at Thornleigh Hall, the family’s ancestral home. During her time there, with Violet and her family, Gilly becomes enamored of her older sisters and more aware of Violet’s odd behavior such as her counting and other compulsive conduct, which intensifies when she is around her family. Gilly realizes Violet is not as sophisticated as her sisters, especially Emmeline. When a horrible accident occurs, Gilly becomes torn between the commitment to remain true to her friend and her desire for chance at a life that is better than the one she was born into. The choice Gilly makes forever changes the course of both her life as well as Violet's.
The writing is clean and concise, and Critchley uses clear, vivid images to describe the Claybourne family, their staff, and the grand Thornleigh estate that has now fallen into disrepair along with the fortunes of the Claybourne household. Violet Claybourne is a complex and empathetic character well worth the title of the narrative, and Gilly’s character is drawn deftly. Critchley does an excellent job in painting her emotional journey in a compelling way that is relatable. While at times, Gilly’s actions and alliances are unattractive they are an honest account of how people behave and the power that peer pressure exhibits over them and how easy it is to romanticize what is perceived as an idyllic life as evidenced in the following:
“I pictured Emmeline and Laura as I had seen them on the drive. How Emmeline had barely looked at me, and how Laura had scrutinized my homemade scarf. I wanted desperately for Violet’s sisters to notice me, for them to see me as more than a mere schoolgirl. . . . I decided they would notice me. They had to. This was my opportunity, the one I had been waiting for, the chance to be someone different, someone better.”
The narrative is engaging and fraught with unexpected turns as long-buried secrets surface casting the story into a new light and eventually expose the darkness that lurks at the heart of Thornleigh Hall.
The Undoing of Violet Claybourne is an expertly written, engaging narrative, a journey into that place and time in the 20th century and the psychology of social pressure that is well worth taking, a tale that will resonate long after the final page has been turned.