Good Morning, Midnight

Jean Rhys

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'Good Morning, Midnight' by Jean Rhys is a novel that delves into the struggles of Sasha Jensen, an Englishwoman living in Paris, as she copes with grief, loneliness, and alcohol. The narrative follows Sasha's stream of consciousness as she wanders through Paris, reminiscing about her past and dealing with her present reality. Set against the backdrop of Paris in the interwar period, the story explores themes of lost love, fading beauty, and financial difficulties, painting a dark and intense portrait of Sasha's life.

Rhys' writing style in 'Good Morning, Midnight' is characterized by nuanced observations, devastating clarity, and intense character portrayals. The novel offers a glimpse into Sasha's internal monologue, filled with flashbacks that intertwine with her current struggles. Through a narrative that is both bleak and introspective, Rhys captures the essence of Sasha's existence, marked by loneliness and a sense of resignation, while also hinting at moments of wit and self-awareness amidst the despair.

Characters:

Characters are deeply introspective, particularly Sasha, who embodies themes of depression and societal marginalization, revealing their complexities and vulnerabilities.

Writing/Prose:

The writing employs a stream of consciousness style, combining minimalist prose with an exploration of dark themes, creating a poignant and controlled narrative.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers on Sasha's internal turmoil and her experiences in Paris, grappling with themes of loneliness and despair through limited action.

Setting:

The setting is interwar Paris, characterized by desolate hotels and bustling cafes, emphasizing the isolation and despair of the protagonist.

Pacing:

The story unfolds at a slow pace, reflecting Sasha's indecision and emotional turmoil through non-linear storytelling.

There are two beds, a big one for madame and a smaller one on the opposite side for monsieur. The wash-basin is shut off by a curtain. It is a large room, the smell of cheap hotels faint, almost imper...

Notes:

The novel was published over ten years after Jean Rhys's first novel, Quartet.

It features themes of vulnerability, isolation, and the struggles of a single woman.

The protagonist, Sasha Jansen, is depicted as an older character than Marya from Quartet.

Sasha's life unfolds in dreary hotel rooms and bars in Paris, portraying her as dispossessed and powerless.

The narrative style is predominantly stream of consciousness, reflecting Sasha's fragmented mental state.

Sasha is overwhelmed with feelings of hopelessness and a sense of failure in her personal life and career.

The novel addresses societal expectations and the harsh realities faced by women of that era.

Sasha's alcoholism and self-destructive tendencies are central to her story.

The book captures the struggles of finding a place in society, with Sasha often feeling like an invisible member of it.

Good Morning Midnight employs dark humor, even amid its bleak themes of despair and rejection.

Jean Rhys often drew from her own life experiences, making the novel semi-autobiographical.

Sasha's experiences are marked by encounters with men who exacerbate her loneliness and reflect her troubled past.

The book resonates with themes of lost love, fading beauty, and financial struggles faced by women.

The title draws from an Emily Dickinson poem, linking the text to themes of depression.

Critics have referred to the work as a poignant portrayal of a broken woman that resonates with universal themes of despair.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers include themes of alcoholism, depression, suicidal thoughts, and emotional abuse.

From The Publisher:

Jean Rhys's Good Morning Midnight is an unforgettable portrait of a woman bravely confronting loneliness and despair in her quest for self-determination

In 1930s Paris, where one cheap hotel room is very like another, a young woman is teaching herself indifference. She has escaped personal tragedy and has come to France to find courage and seek independence. She tells herself to expect nothing, especially not kindness, least of all from men. Tomorrow, she resolves, she will dye her hair blonde. Jean Rhys was a talent before her time with an impressive ability to express the anguish of young women. In Good Morning, Midnight Rhys created the powerfully modern portrait of Sophia Jansen, whose emancipation is far more painful and complicated than she could expect, but whose confession is flecked with triumph and elation.

With an introduction by A.L. Kennedy

'Her eloquence in the language of human sexual transactions is chilling, cynical, and surprisingly moving'

A.L. Kennedy

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1 comment(s)

ColorfulLeo92

It Was OK

2 months

3.5 stars. Good morning, midnight is a very gloomy book about a woman downard spiral and how she copes with it. It was a good story but wasn't the happiest of endings, not suddenly unicorns and rainbows but a good book never the less. Not sure what I got out of reading it but don't regret it.

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About the Author:

Jean Rhys was born in Dominica in 1894. After arriving in England aged sixteen, she became a chorus girl and drifted between different jobs before moving to Paris, where she started to write in the late 1920s. She published a story collection and four novels, after which she disappeared from view and lived reclusively for many years. In 1966 she made a sensational comeback with her masterpiece, Wide Sargasso Sea, written in difficult circumstances over a long period. Rhys died in 1979.

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