The Party by Tessa Hadley

Vintage

9781787335554

128pp

From the mammoth task of Great Circle, to the lovely little palate-cleanser of The Party by Tessa Hadley. This novella tells the story of two sisters, Moira and Evelyn, in post-War Bristol, and one night that changes everything.

Moira and Evelyn meet Sinden and Paul at a party, and are invited up to Paul’s estate for an evening. There, they discover things about themselves and each other that they didn’t think were possible. Now, their lives are changed irrevocably, and they have grown from children to adults in the space of a night.

Tessa Hadley is the master at writing quick-witted, beautifully crafted characters, and this is no different. This coming-of-age story builds the picture perfectly; of a post-War Bristol, of a humdrum life versus the glamour of a party and its inevitable disappointments. Moira and Evelyn are excellently cast as the slightly sheltered, but eager for adventure, sisters, and Sinden and Paul are the perfectly intriguing, if slightly creepy, foils.

I don’t want to say too much about the book, as it’s so short. But suffice to say, it’s sweet without being saccharine, funny without being cruel, and quick-witted without leaving you baffled. I read it in a day, which at 128 pages, is easy enough to do with enough time on your hands, and it was whip-sharp and zingy in its writing. I’m a big fan of Tessa Hadley’s writing, and this was no different to her others (try Free Love or After the Funeral if you enjoy this). Nobody quite gets to the heart of the matter like Hadley.

Although I liked it, it did have some moments that felt contrived; how did Sinden get their number? Why would you agree to go to a house of strangers? But perhaps that’s the high-alert part of me sending warning bells. All in all, a very satisfying read.