The Castle on the Hill (by Elizabeth Goudge)

I have slowly been re-reading my novels by Elizabeth Goudge, interspersed with other books. A week or so back I picked up ‘The Castle on the Hill’, which I last read in 2007 I did not remember much about it, other than three characters: a Jewish street musician, and two small sisters, one of whom loved the book ‘Peter Rabbit’.

I had entirely forgotten the main protagonist, Miss Brown. She is forty-two and never uses her first name. She is efficient, responsible and loyal, but when we meet her she has no idea what her future holds - if anything. The year is 1940 and the UK is at war. Miss Brown ran a guest house which was requisitioned by the army, and then blown up. So she has lost everything. And she is full of fear.

Miss Brown has been staying with a cousin, but at the start of the book she is going to spend the day with her cousin’s daughter. Her attention is caught by someone playing the violin; despite his disreputable appearance, she feels a sense of kinship with him. She does not suppose she will meet him again as she hurries to the train station, where she comes across the two small girls whom I also remembered, who are about to be evacuated.

Through various mishaps, Miss Brown misses her stop and is invited to become the housekeeper at a small castle, owned by the historian Mr Birley (whose books she has read and enjoyed) and his two great-nephews, Richard and Stephen. She manages to befriend the irritable butler Boulder, and quickly settles in, relieved and thankful to have found a place where she can be useful.

Elizabeth Goudge’s style is poetic, sometimes rather rambling and over-descriptive. But when I take the time to read slowly, I appreciate her use of language and metaphors. She takes an entire page to describe the elderly dog Argos at the castle; I could sense not just his appearance but his personality by the end. By word pictures and conversations, the story progresses slowly; sometimes gently, sometimes with violence, as the war takes its inevitable toll.

The two small girls, with the unlikely names of Moppet and Poppet are an important part of the story; one of them wise and responsible, the other artistic and emotional. But they don’t change much; they are really catalysts for Miss Brown to meet other people and eventually to find what her long-term future holds. Miss Brown herself discovers a depth of love she had not previously known, some of it requited, some of it not. But her loyalty, her common sense and her orderliness shine through all she does.

There is a strong Christian theme throughout, more overt than in some of the author’s other books. People pray in times of danger, and look to God to be their security; I didn’t have any problem with this, but some might find this content rather excessive.

I had expected to enjoy the book rather more than I did; instead I found it rather depressing in places. The ending is mostly positive, in a resigned acceptance kind of way. But although realistic for the era, I felt that too many people suffered or died. Perhaps I’ll reread it again in another ten years or so, but at present I’m not sure I will want to.

Review by Sue F copyright 2019 Sue's Book Reviews