Evening Class (by Maeve Binchy)

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I’m gradually re-reading most of my Maeve Binchy collection, although I’ve missed out a few of the earlier ones which I hadn’t liked as much as her later books. I’ve just finished ‘Evening Class’, which I last read in 2006. I had almost entirely forgotten the plot, and had not remembered any of the characters. But I knew that I liked it very much, and hoped I would not have changed my opinion eighteen years later.

I’m pleased to report that, once again, I thought this an excellent book. The overall story concerns a group of 30 diverse people who decide to join an evening class to learn Beginners' Italian.  But whereas this could have led to a rather dull description of each evening, Binchy introduces us, one at a time, to key members of her cast. She shows us a little of each person's viewpoint as the story progresses.  

The number of characters is high, and trying to remember their relationships is a bit daunting, so I made pencil notes at the beginning of the book. I’m pretty sure that some of these folk reappear in later books by Maeve Binchy so I’ll be glad of the reference in future. As with most of her novels, it’s set in Ireland. 

The first family we meet is that of Aidan Dunne. He’s a thoughtful man, approaching fifty, who teaches Latin at the local comprehensive school. He has given a lot to the school, and is generally liked. The Headmaster is soon to retire, and Aidan believes he will be given the role. The only other contender for the post is Tony O’Brien, a much more recent addition to the school staff, who doesn’t seem to care much about the school or even know the names of most of the pupils.

Aidan is married to Nell, and wonders why their marriage seems to have gone stale. She no longer seems to have any interest in his job, or the stories he can tell. And she doesn’t talk about her own work, as a cashier at the local posh restaurant, Quentin’s. They have two young adult daughters still living at home, but they’re out and about and barely spend any time with their parents. Aidan isn’t a pushy guy, and mostly goes with the flow.

What Aidan doesn’t know is that his older daughter Grania has met and become very attracted to someone much older than she is...

In the next chapter, we meet Nora, known as Signora, who has lived in Italy for the past twenty years. She went there in defiance of her family because she was in love with an Italian man, even though she knew he had to marry someone else for the sake of his family. She lived in a small flat, observing his family, giving wise advice, and working as a tour guide, an English teacher, and the provider of beautifully sewn clothes and household furnishings. 

A sudden tragedy forces Nora to use the last of her savings to travel back to the UK and look for inexpensive accommodation. Which she finds after meeting a bright young woman called Suzi who works at a restaurant. Suzi has a younger brother who goes to Aidan’s school. Nora’s closest friend is called Brenda, and she, with her husband Patrick, run Quentins restaurant. 

The next chapter introduces a young man called Bill whose best (platonic) friend is Grania. He works in a bank and is in love with a rather ditzy girl called Lizzie. She is convinced that he’s going to be a wealthy bank manager, and when he mentions Italy she thinks they will go there….

And so, chapter by chapter, different characters are introduced, each one with some connection to those whom we have previously got to know. Writing them down helped me to remember much better who was whom and what their connections were. 

But the overall theme is that of the new Italian evening class, starting at Aidan’s school, under his direction. All the main characters sign up after Signorina is asked to teach it. She is clearly an excellent teacher who encourages them to talk to each other, and to learn useful words and phrases. She also teaches them about the culture, introduces them to Italian food, and generally inspires them all, whatever their level of understanding or education. 

Gradually a strong community spirit develops, but as new characters have their own chapters - with their stories often going back a decade or more - there are more and more connections.  There’s the wealthy Connie, for instance, whose husband’s business has crashed; this affects more than one person and she learns about them almost by accident. There’s a young man caught up in a web of crime who uses the school to store some dodgy boxes. There’s a growing friendship between Aidan and Signora which everyone else is aware of and suspects will lead to something else…

And so much more. I felt totally caught up in this community of diverse and fascinating people, each at the class for different reasons, each with their own past and secrets, some of which come to light over the course of the book.

It’s not a quick read: my paperback edition has over 500 pages, but I found myself picking it up at every available moment to find out more about the many subplots that intertwine so cleverly. The novel takes place over the course of nearly a year, and the final chapters take us to Rome, for an end-of-year class trip that they all manage to take after extensive fund-raising. Misunderstandings arise, decisions have to be made… and the ending, back in Ireland, is nicely done.

All in all, I thought this a wonderful book. I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to pick it up again to reread. Recommended highly to anyone who likes this kind of gentle women’s fiction with a lot going on, and some delightfully realistic and diverse characters.

Review copyright 2024 Sue's Book Reviews