THE CHOICE by Michael Arditti, reviewed by Adèle Geras

"A work which skilfully combines many of Arditti’s strengths as a writer in one engrossing story."

Adèle Geras has written many books for children and young adults and seven novels for adults, the latest of which (under the pseudonym Hope Adams) is Dangerous Women, published by Michael Joseph. She lives in Cambridge.

Michael Arditti is a difficult writer to pin down. His religiously-themed epics (The Anointed, Of Men and Angels) stand alongside traditional novels such as Widows and Orphans, which are about real people, usually in testing and desperate situations. I reviewed his short historical novel The Young Pretender on this blog last year.

Now we have a work which skilfully combines many of Arditti’s strengths as a writer in one engrossing story. He has a deep understanding both of religion and the way faith operates in the human heart and also of the bureaucracy of the Anglican Church. He knows an enormous amount about art and he’s informed and compassionate about current debates, many of which appear in this book.

He addresses one of these above all: can you separate a morally dubious artist from his work? As reviews of The Choice appeared in the papers, in the real world a man was arrested for damaging Eric Gill's statue, Ariel, on Broadcasting House in London.

Gill’s story shadows this book and one of the main strands of the plot concerns a work of art in a village church. Should it be preserved and lauded if its creator has behaved appallingly
throughout his life? Surrounding this central moral dilemma (whose roots lie in the past) is the story of Clarissa, a woman priest, who has to deal with shocking and distressing problems both personal and professional from the very first pages. The novel unfolds in several time frames and Clarissa appears both as young girl and as she grows older. Her struggle to be accepted into the Church as a priest is another important strand in the novel. She’s a brilliant creation and we’re rooting for her from beginning to end.

As for the “you can only write from a woman’s point of view if you’re a woman “ argument, Arditti demonstrates exactly what nonsense that is.

While I was reading it, I couldn’t help thinking what a wonderful drama it would make, over several episodes. If only producers both on television and on the streaming services would turn away from adapting classics for a while and eschew superheroes who’d be more at home in a computer game, they could put something like The Choice on our screens instead. Nicola Walker was in my mind as I read, but there are many other actors who'd be excellent in the part.

Meanwhile in the immortal words of Fay Weldon, “the book abides." l loved it and urge you to read it.

The Choice is published by Arcadia Books.

See Adèle's review of The Young Pretender

Michael Arditti was our sixth birthday guest last year and chose The Rector's Daughter by F M Mayor.

Who will be our seventh birthday guest this year, on 24th July? Watch this space!