Review of ‘The Tea Ladies of St Jude's Hospital’ by Joanna Nell
Joanna Nell’s exciting new novel will be due out September 29th, 2021!
Pre-order your copy from the link below.
Publisher Hachette Australia
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Review of The Tea Ladies of St Jude’s Hospital
When I read a Joanna Nell book, I take my time for every page is filled with wit, humour, wisdom and creative phrases that make me stop and think. From the moment I opened the first page of The Tea Ladies of St Jude’s Hospital, I knew I was going to love it. And I did. It overflows with clever humour and unique insights that left me constantly chuckling, laughing and crying. For Joanna is a genius at humour. I’d say professional comedian level, really. Her unique use of character body and facial expressions, dialogue and thoughts are priceless.
Joanna’s gift, of creating character-driven stories with real life plots, excels once again in The Tea Ladies of St Jude’s Hospital. Filled with passion and soul, every emotion imaginable is experienced as we take an intriguing journey through the eyes, hearts and viewpoints of Hilary, Joy and Chloe. Like real people, her characters are flawed yet determined, fallible but resilient. They may stumble over obstacles but threads of hope always pull them back into position, once they focus on a purpose and goal. Isn’t this the recipe for a good life? There are no guarantees that everything will go our way but the will to fight and stand against opposition is very strong. Call it survival instinct, call it faith, but we have it and some of us more than others. Sometimes this drive gets buried and others need to resurrect it in us. This story is a perfect example of how an unlikely trio of ladies come together in friendship and love to save what some might call a lost cause: The Marjorie Marshall Memorial Cafeteria.
Our first point of view character (POV), Manageress Hilary of the Cafeteria, is a tough, energetic, take-charge lady with rigid health and safety protocols. Our second POV character, Joy, has applied for a position at the threatened facility. Once hired she realises the job is a lot harder than expected, especially under the high expectations of Hilary. But Joy, with her strong people skills, is intent on winning over the ‘tyrannical’ manageress. This proves tougher than hoped. And since we get each of their personal accounts—their secrets, worries, concerns and desires become known to the reader. We then understand the challenges they each face.
This novel not only provides the senior perspective with Hilary and Joy but it also includes a third viewpoint: that of the seventeen-year-old character Chloe, a school holiday volunteer. Her voice adds another layer of interaction, challenges and a youthful perspective that provides a colourful balanced palette. She is the daughter of two successful surgeons but ‘sees medicine through the eye of a camera lens.’ Over the course of the novel, we see her perspective on Hilary and Joy’s relationship and how it changes as she grows.
This novel not only delves into generational differences but explores the possibility that the gap between young and old may not be as wide as it appears. Ultimately, there is a greater battle between the young and middle aged as seen in Chloe and her highly educated surgeon parents. Her mother has fought her way to the top in a strong male field. Chloe has felt this pressure. And she learns even more about this when taken on medical rounds with the Professor. This knowledge, plus what she has seen in her home, has affected her. Does she have the courage to follow her dreams? Is she expected to be a clone of her parents? This seeming expectation puts stress on her and becomes visible in unexpected ways.
The book’s title carries a significant meaning. Why is the hospital named after St Jude: the Patron Saint of lost causes? This gives the reader much food for thought and all is revealed in the course of the plot.
One theme that runs through the book is that people aren’t always what they seem. Even situations, circumstances, actions and reactions offer different truths than once believed. How one person sees another is not always accurate. People can often hide behind facades for one reason or another. Sometimes for protection, pride or to fulfil a purpose.
Another topic explored is the value and view of the creative arts. We see through the conversations and thoughts of the characters, that some believe ‘the healing power of art is as important as band-aids’ while others believe it is valueless and to pay for it is ridiculous!
Teamwork is paramount in this trio’s aim to save the Cafeteria. This common motive, and a desire to hold on to an important piece of the hospital’s history and service, brings these unlikely heroes together as an effective team where their differences become an asset. Think of a car. It has a motor, wheels, frame and so on and although each plays a different part, they are all essential to make a working whole.
Each chapter is headed up with a catchy phrase filled with alliteration and rhyme (and even beatitudes) that hint at the content and is often laced with sarcasm. Such as ‘A patroniser of the arts’, ‘Blessed are the tongue-biters’.
Joanna’s stories are often filled with the challenges experienced by seniors. Here we see the topics of dying, denial in grief, lack of security, looming loneliness, wane of purpose, a failing frame, a weakening voice and loss of presence or importance in the world. All these issues of ageing are handled by Joanna with respect, compassion, warmth, love and beauty.
I highly recommend this powerful 5 Star brilliant novel. It is pure joy to watch each character discover that obstacles can create stronger ties and unlikely friendships. That everything is not as it seems and everyone is not as they appear. There’s always another side of the story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My favourite poetic line in this novel? ‘The pencil of power looping and scratching across the pad like a figure skater.’
Many thanks to Joanna, publisher Hachette Australia (and Rebecca Saunders) for an ARC to review.