Review of 'The Scent of Oranges' by Kathy George

Review of 'The Scent of Oranges' by Kathy George

Release date: Dec 4th, 2024

Publisher: HQ Fiction

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5 STARS! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

REVIEW

Another riveting and masterful retelling of a Dickens classic by Kathy George! And look at that gorgeous cover (based on the designs of famous British wallpaper designer William Morris)! It is as mesmerising as the content inside and contains many key elements from the story. The senses are in full swing in The Scent of Oranges. It is as enthralling as I have come to expect from this talented author.

I was quickly pulled in by the authenticity of the characters, atmospheric setting and the new era of Queen Victoria who ascended the throne in 1837. It is a time of great social, intellectual, religious and economic troubles. When orphans in London were treated badly. Child Oliver, is a classic example. He is subject to poverty and misfortune, living in one of the dreaded workhouses. We all remember the famous scene where he asks for more gruel but is met with harshness. This simple request for more food (for himself and the other children) lands him in an even worse situation. He is sent to work for the mean undertaker, Mr Sowerberry (a bit of play on words?) who delivers some eerie treatment. Then there is trouble with a jealous apprentice who insults Oliver’s mother that leads to a fight. Oliver is punished for his reaction and runs away to London hoping for a better life. He encounters a fellow named Dodger who offers food and shelter and takes him to meet the notorious criminal Fagin. Oliver eventually runs into Nancy who takes him under her wing. She vows to nurture and protect him. Even at the risk of her own safety and happiness.

Nancy is the protagonist who gets to tell her story of how everything came to be. Through her, we learn about her challenging life plus her involvement with the colourful street criminals led by Fagin. Bill, professional burglar is the man Nancy lives with. Charley and Dodger, among others, were recruited as children. Fagin teaches them to make a living by pickpocketing and participating in other criminal activities. He says, ‘my dear’ a lot to everyone and Ms George uses it well in his dialogue. Oliver gets caught up in his evil plans and when a plot goes bad, they worry he will tell on them so they make it their mission to find him. (But there is so much more to the story of Oliver’s importance and Monks is a key figure.) Oliver is often referred to by Nancy as being angelic, innocent and truly does not want to be part of a crime ring. She makes it her mission to keep him safe. But she must also be seen as doing what is asked of her, to prevent horrible things from happening. This part of the plot has plenty of tension, mystery and twists which Ms George delivers marvellously.

Nancy has one prayer: ‘Lord, show(s) me a path to a better life. Help(s) me the right way to live….I don’ aspire to greatness, or to riches. All I aspire to is to be treated with decency and kindness, and to have food on me plate…I live in hope.’ Nancy is only seeking the simpler things of life that many take for granted. This prayer really touched my heart as it is obvious she is a victim of her circumstances. But despite her difficulties, over and over, we witness her kind heart; how sympathetic she is to others. She understands their pain. But this virtue is also a vice as she seems to end up caring for men who are emotionally damaged or lacking maturity. Bill is one such man who had a terrible childhood, witnessed his father kill his mother and watched his siblings die one by one. He has terrible fits of emotional outbursts, some that raise up in the night. He is dangerous really yet Nancy feels obliged to stay and help him.

It is easy to feel great sympathy for Nancy for she has never been treated well— or not until she meets Mr Rufus. He provides her with some temporary luxuries, (a warm bath, nice clothing), introduces her to his aunt and wants and cares about her. But he also needs her help to complete a mission: one that could change his life. The course of their journey is filled with highs and lows and my heart ached quite a few times for the both of them!

I was quite overwhelmed with emotion for Nancy. Her dreamy moments with Rufus, her loving nature, her compassion for Oliver and her bravery during risky adventures. But it is her feeling of not deserving a better life that broke me the most as this leads to her tragedy. She truly wants more and often goes to church to pray and asks for a sign of direction. The hopelessness of her situation, though, does not stop her from caring for and nurturing others. It is easy for me to see that Kathy George felt great compassion, warmth and understanding for her character. The truth of Nancy: her desire to be loved and treated as an individual, came through with great clarity. Nancy talks about how ‘everybody wants to be wanted’ and they don’t want to talk about the fact ‘they were not wanted, were seen as a nuisance, hindrance and an annoyance’. And as she stated: ‘You don’t want to admit your mother abandoned you.’

I also enjoyed the orange experiences (read it and see!) and their association with the one man who truly cared about Nancy. There are some very touching scenes toward the end that made me weep.

I loved the wonderful allusions to Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream throughout. There are many brush strokes of literary genius in the novel. This is such a brilliant and captivating retelling that I could not put it down. My heart was constantly challenged by the feelings and thoughts it evoked in me. The ending is both agonising and triumphant. I loved the care and imagination Ms George demonstrated in her retelling of Oliver Twist. The Scent of Oranges is a bitter-sweet tale, that adheres to Dickins’ tragic depiction of the polar opposites of society, the gulf between the rich and poor at that time but shines with Kathy George’s hopeful possibilities and positive romantic vision. Which makes it as warm and illuminating as sunshine and as evocative as the scent of freshly peeled oranges! 5 Glorious Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to HQ Fiction for my paperback review copy and a digital version from Netgalley.