I finished reading The Hollow Land by Jane Gardam yesterday and it was perfect, as I have come to expect from her. It was fluently, imaginatively written, full of haunting images and details I will not soon forget. But there is one thing it is not: a children’s book. And yet that is how it is marketed.
At its heart, there are two children (but child characters alone do not make a children’s book). Bell Teesdale is eight when the book begins, a sensible country boy who, like the rest of his family, is pitching in with the haymaking on their Cumbrian farm. Rain is expected so the family works through the day and into the moonlit night, to the despair of the London family renting the farmhouse next to the field. A tractor circling outside their windows at midnight is not their idea of a relaxing summer holiday. Tempers flare, words are exchanged, and both fathers are fuming by the time they go to bed. But Harry, the London family’s very young son, and Bell subtly intervene and peace is made the next morning.
So begins the story of twenty years of friendship between the Teesdales and the Batemans, and most especially between Bell and Harry. The entire Bateman family comes to love their country getaway, where Harry’s writer father comes to work during the school holidays, but Harry feels a particular bond with the place and is never happier than when exploring the fields, dales, and fells or communing with locals, like the egg-witch (whose story is one of my favourites) or the local chimney sweep.
Gardam is a master of the short story and while I always enjoy reading her stories, I sometimes feel frustrated by their brevity. I want more! Here, we have the perfect compromise: a collection of exquisitely composed stories all focused on the same people. It’s not quite a novel – the stories jump about through the years and Gardam has no interest in explaining things the way she would do in a novel – but the satisfaction of getting to see lives progress and learn how things turn out for everyone as they age is absolutely here.
So why is it considered a children’s book? A number of her early books are (this was published in 1981, relatively early in her career), but then again that classification seems to vary by publisher. Some consider Bilgewater, A Long Way From Verona, and The Summer After the Funeral to be for younger readers, which I can somewhat understand. Europa, who have been reissuing Gardam’s books over the past few years, consider those novels to be for adults and yet this collection they consider among her works for children. I think that is stretching it. It’s not inappropriate in anyway for a younger reader, it’s just written in a way I would think appeals to more mature readers. A twelve-year old would be absolutely fine with it, but then twelve-year olds should be reading adult books and not children’s ones anyway. The language, the sedate pacing, the frequent focus on adult concerns and thoughts, all seem to me to gear more towards an adult reader. And Bell and Harry’s boyish activities seem perfectly tailored to the nostalgic adult reader who would like nothing more than to spend a summer day exploring abandoned mines or a winter’s one admiring extraordinarily icicles formed by a fierce, fast frost.
Regardless of your age, it’s a wonderful collection and, like Harry, I didn’t want my time there to end.
NOTE: Europa, despite their interesting classification of adult/children’s novels, having been doing great work reissuing Gardam’s older titles over the past few years. The Hollow Land, Bilgewater, A Long Way From Verona, and a number of her other books are all currently available in excellent editions and all are well-worth reading. She is a truly extraordinary writer. And if you need more encouragement to get excited about Gardam, the Backlisted podcast did a wonderful episode on A Long Way From Verona that is well-worth a listen.
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The Captive Reader 
I’ve had Old Filth on my TBR shelves for too long, but I have a feeling that once I fall under Jane Gardam’s spell, I’ll be collecting so many books. In fact, I’m tempted to add this one, just from your post!
Old Filth is fantastic and still probably my favourite of her books. I’ve been holding off reading the rest of the trilogy just because I want to save the best for last once I’m done working through the rest of her books.
I love Gardam’s books.
She’s brilliant, isn’t she?
Oooh, this looks lovely! I adored the other three Gardam books you mentioned (particularly Bilgewater), but haven’t yet come across this one. Adding it to the list!
Bilgewater is probably my favourite of the four too, but they are all so good.
I heartily agree that this is a wonderful book that should be enjoyed by adults, and that it’s ridiculous to assume that a book about children can only be meant for younger readers. However, I must object to the use of “children’s books” as a derogatory term or stating that such books should not be read after a certain age…I’ve read them all my life, and hope that my twelve year old son will continue to do so as well.
That quibble aside, I’m also glad Europa is reissuing Jane Gardam’s books, and they all deserve the highest praise.
My intention really wasn’t to use “children’s books” as a derogatory term. I love them and do think they bring pleasure to readers of all ages. However, I think that given the sophisticated level of writing in this book the audience best able to appreciate it is an adult one and that would seem to be the more obvious (and larger) market to target.
I agree – but was taken aback by the statement that twelve year olds shouldn’t be reading children’s books! That seemed awfully limiting. Thanks for clarifying.
Thank you for this wonderful review and now on my list. The Hollow Land keeps entering my sphere and now, with you so lovingly recommending it I will search it out.
I think you would love it, Penny. It’s just a beautiful, wonderful book.
This does sound great – and it is fascinating to consider why books are or aren’t marketed for children, particularly older books.
I’ve only read one Gardam – God on the Rocks – which I loved but which didn’t click QUITE as much as I think it should have done. But it was also a Europa, and a really delightful edition.
The marketing history of certain books makes a fascinating story in and of itself! In the end, I really am happy if publishers figure out any way to make money and that’s part of what frustrates me here. I don’t think a ten year old is going to buy this book for their friends, or even finish reading it; I do think a forty year old would, if he/she could easily find it in the adult section of their bookstore.
God on the Rocks didn’t do much for me (alongside Faith Fox and The Flight of the Maidens) but everything else I’ve read by her has been great.
“… twelve-year olds should be reading adult books and not children’s ones anyway.”
Why?
Perhaps I should have said “mainly reading adult books.” At twelve you are ripe for adult fiction and it’s just the time to challenge most readers to improve their reading and attention skills. Also, what twelve year old isn’t more interested in adult things than childish ones?
It’s an introduction to a new author and one I will be looking out for.
Do! I think you would really enjoy her and she has LOTS of books to choose from.
I’m a bit late to the party on this one. I loved the Old Filth trilogy and have A Long Way from Verona to read (and didn’t realize it was considered Young Adult) for ACOB. I think I would like The Hollow Land, too.