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Max Gate
It’s 1928 and the world’s most famous novelist, Thomas Hardy, is dying in the upstairs room of Max Gate, the house he built in his beloved Dorset. Downstairs, his high-powered literary friends are becoming locked in a bitter fight with local supporters. Who owns Hardy’s remains? Who knew the great man best? What are the secrets of Max Gate? Nellie Titterington, a maid at the house, narrates this earthy and emotionally-charged novel about a world of ambition, duty, belonging and love.
216 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2013
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288 people want to read
About the author
Damien Wilkins
21Ìýbooks19ÌýfollowersDamien Wilkins writes fiction, and he has published short stories, novels, and poetry. His writing has been described as ‘exuberant and evocative, subtle and exact, aware of its own artifice yet relishing the idiosyncrasies and possibilities of languageâ€�. Wilkins has had books published in New Zealand, the USA and the UK, and he has won and been nominated for a range of prizes and awards. He also edited the award-winning anthology, Great Sporting Moments: The best of Sport magazine 1988-2004 published in 2005.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
April 4, 2016
A month or so back I read a book called, Winter, which was also about Thomas Hardy and his death. That one was narrated by his second wife, Florence, this one is narrated by a serving girl in the house. Life in the house is precarious right now, with the great man dying none of the servants know what life will be like under Florence, when she inherits, if they will even be kept on. But, servants see and hear everything and so there are many delightful scenes, some melancholy moments rehashed and memories gone over. What to do with his body, how should his obituary be stated, all these things go on as watchers watch and listen.
Stream of consciousness chattiness, sometimes almost a whimsical tone, memories of times before, some interesting, some not. But a good look at how Harding and his fame affected his wife, his friends, the townspeople and the people who worked for him. He was quite a presence though he was not a very or considerate warm man. I have now read more books on his death, two, than I have read by the author himself, only one.
ARC by Netgalley.
Stream of consciousness chattiness, sometimes almost a whimsical tone, memories of times before, some interesting, some not. But a good look at how Harding and his fame affected his wife, his friends, the townspeople and the people who worked for him. He was quite a presence though he was not a very or considerate warm man. I have now read more books on his death, two, than I have read by the author himself, only one.
ARC by Netgalley.
April 5, 2016
(Nearly 3.5) This is a novel of Thomas Hardy’s last days, but we get an unusual glimpse into his household at Max Gate, Dorchester through the point-of-view of his housemaid, twenty-six-year-old Nellie Titterington. Ultimately I suspect a third-person omniscient voice would have worked better. In fact, some passages � recounting scenes Nellie is not witness to � are in the third person, which felt a bit like cheating. Fans familiar with the excellent Claire Tomalin biography might not learn much about Hardy and his household dynamics from this novel, but it was fun for me to spend some imaginary time at a place I once visited � in the summer of 2004, on a solitary trip around the Hardy sites of Dorset. By chance, I was at Max Gate on the same day as novelist Vikram Seth and got to accompany him for a quick look into Hardy’s study, not part of the usual tour.
I would recommend this book to people who have read one or two Hardy novels and are keen to learn more about him.
See my full review at .
I would recommend this book to people who have read one or two Hardy novels and are keen to learn more about him.
See my full review at .
December 15, 2020
I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.
Overall rating : 3*
Writing skill : 4*
Plot: 3*
Characters: 2*
I must admit that I requested this book knowing absolutely nothing about the story or any of the characters. I haven't read anything by Thomas Hardy, nor do I know anything about his life. So this was a strange one for me. Having read a few of the 'classics' and knowing the typical writing style I thought Wilkins did a great job of making it feel like it was a true historical fiction, rather than one written in 2016. But I got lost along the way and I didn't have a clear understanding of the narrative. It was written in the perspective of one of the maids, Nellie, but she was often narrating situations she wasn't there for, which I found bizarre and hard to follow. The characters were not described in a way that I could picture any of them clearly and they were very forgettable (except Alex and his teeth). If you really love Hardy and/or historical fictions you'll probably favour this much more strongly for me. In hindsight Ill stop requesting books that are not my cup of tea.
Overall rating : 3*
Writing skill : 4*
Plot: 3*
Characters: 2*
I must admit that I requested this book knowing absolutely nothing about the story or any of the characters. I haven't read anything by Thomas Hardy, nor do I know anything about his life. So this was a strange one for me. Having read a few of the 'classics' and knowing the typical writing style I thought Wilkins did a great job of making it feel like it was a true historical fiction, rather than one written in 2016. But I got lost along the way and I didn't have a clear understanding of the narrative. It was written in the perspective of one of the maids, Nellie, but she was often narrating situations she wasn't there for, which I found bizarre and hard to follow. The characters were not described in a way that I could picture any of them clearly and they were very forgettable (except Alex and his teeth). If you really love Hardy and/or historical fictions you'll probably favour this much more strongly for me. In hindsight Ill stop requesting books that are not my cup of tea.
October 24, 2013
Piggy backing a sort of Upstairs/Downstairs story onto the lives of Hardy and his 2nd wife doesn't work here.
There's nothing concrete to make this book come alive.
I'm not convinced that the presence of downtrodden Flo (with regular references to her non-existent sex life) is anything other than a strange sort of literary device that equals our modern day name dropping.
Too dull to finish.
There's nothing concrete to make this book come alive.
I'm not convinced that the presence of downtrodden Flo (with regular references to her non-existent sex life) is anything other than a strange sort of literary device that equals our modern day name dropping.
Too dull to finish.
July 12, 2016
When I read the blurb of Max Gate my interest was piqued by the fact that I’ve visited Thomas Hardy’s birthplace and as this is my home county, I wanted to read about that historical time between the two world wars when everything was changing and nothing felt safe or secure.
Narrated by housemaid Nellie, Part One is how TH’s household is coping with him on his deathbed. I thought the use of short sentences helped to build the gloom and uncertainty of waiting to see if he will recover from flu. Nellie has interesting relationships with in-between maid Alice, ex boyfriend Alex and TH’s second wife Florence. Life carries on with jealousies not only with the staff but also with the friends who are waiting too. Part Two brings us to the conflict on where TH will be buried and Part 3 Nellie in old age.
For me the story was more about Nellie than TH and the tug of war over his legacy. I often find interesting articles in Dorset Ancestors and Damien Wilkins says in his Author’s Note he used this resource (where he came across the real Nellie) and having now read a couple of articles myself, he portrays Nellie very closely to who she really was. Part Three of the story however makes you realise that Nellie isn’t such a reliable narrator as you thought she was �
Reading group questions can be found after the Author’s Note which might prompt a reader to think more deeply about the novel.
Max Gate is an interesting dip into the past. It is slow and whimsical in places and won’t be to everyone’s taste. If you have a specific interest in TH or this time in history I think you will enjoy it.
I would like to thank Ed Pr for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2018
I found this a really compelling and enjoyable read. It’s a fictionalised account of the last days of Thomas Hardy, dying upstairs at his home Max Gate. Downstairs arguments rage about what’s to happen with his body � Westminster Abbey? Beside his first wife in Stinsford churchyard? His own wishes or those of his admirers? Narrated by Nellie Titterington, the maid, in her inimitable voice, we watch the proceedings unfold, gradually piecing together the back story that has led to this last week in the life of one of our most acclaimed novelists. A thoroughly enjoyable and well-researched reimagining that manages to feel both authentic and convincing.
September 7, 2013
I can't think of a single author writing today who could garner the intense media speculation surrounding their imminent demise that Thomas Hardy attracted in January 1928. So famous and popular and revered was this man that there was a very bitter dispute between the locals and the literarti over where he should be buried - at Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey or beside his first wife in parish of Stinsford where he was born in his beloved Dorchester.
The death of Thomas Hardy and the furore surrounding it are the subjects of this latest novel by highly regarded, award winning New Zealand writer Damien Wilkins. Thomas Hardy, who died at the very grand age of 88, was probably England's greatest living author at that time. Author of such classics as Far From the Maddening Crowd, The Mayor of of Casterbridge, Tess of the Dubervilles and Jude the Obscure, he had in the previous twenty years or so returned to writing poetry. Much of his poetry deals with his first wife Emma, who he seemed to have a tortured love-hate relationship with, as well his love of nature, his preoccupation with man's suffering and life's disappointments. And these are the major themes that permeate through this carefully crafted and beautifully written novel.
The story is not so much about Thomas Hardy himself, who is lying in his bed, death imminent, but more about the people directly affected by his passing - those living at Max Gate, his much loved house that he designed and lived in for over 40 years. And let us not forget Wessex, Hardy's devoted terrier. The story is narrated primarily by a maid of the house, Nellie Titterington, but also moves gracefully to and fro between Nellie, second wife Florence Hardy, his executor Mr Cockerell, his elderly brother and sister, the author James Barrie and several other characters who may or may not have been real people.
So what does one do when waiting for a loved one to die? One reflects on life with the loved one, and this is what the main characters do. Particularly Florence who was initially a secretary to Mr Hardy and then married him on the death of his first wife Emma. Florence, considerably younger than Thomas is a fairly tortured soul. Never feeling fully accepted as Thomas' wife due to her youth and what would appear to be Thomas' shortcomings in the sensitive husband department, she is doing her best to walk the fine line between keeping her husband's final wishes - burial locally, and keeping the public happy - privacy vs celebrity. Nellie is her maid, and so is privy to Florence's emotion and distress. She, in turn, has to maintain the fine line between maid and confidante, in view of the uncertainty of her own fate once Mr Hardy dies.
There are a number of other 'fine line' relationships and situations in this novel - Nellie's relationship with a young reporter Alex Peters; Alex himself desperate to be the one to have the first scoop on Hardy's death and yet, as a local, wanting to protect him from the likes of Cockerell and Barrie; Florence's own relationship with Barrie; a conversation between Barrie and the doctor over what is more important, the brain or the heart; being a celebrity vs the need for privacy. Interspersed through the novel are many of Hardy's own writings, in particular his poetry, that Wilkins has referred to in his note at the end of the book.
I don't really know anything at all about Thomas Hardy or his writings, and have only seen a 2008 BBC TV adaptation of Tess of the Dubervilles, which was about as gloomy and awful and sad as you can get. It doesn't compel me to read any of his novels, but his life was certainly interesting and one of deep introspection. There is some very beautiful writing in this book, and I certainly think his poetry is worth a look. There is a lot going on in this novel of just over 200 pages, and really, I have barely scratched the surface. Much like Thomas Hardy really - full of hidden depths.
The death of Thomas Hardy and the furore surrounding it are the subjects of this latest novel by highly regarded, award winning New Zealand writer Damien Wilkins. Thomas Hardy, who died at the very grand age of 88, was probably England's greatest living author at that time. Author of such classics as Far From the Maddening Crowd, The Mayor of of Casterbridge, Tess of the Dubervilles and Jude the Obscure, he had in the previous twenty years or so returned to writing poetry. Much of his poetry deals with his first wife Emma, who he seemed to have a tortured love-hate relationship with, as well his love of nature, his preoccupation with man's suffering and life's disappointments. And these are the major themes that permeate through this carefully crafted and beautifully written novel.
The story is not so much about Thomas Hardy himself, who is lying in his bed, death imminent, but more about the people directly affected by his passing - those living at Max Gate, his much loved house that he designed and lived in for over 40 years. And let us not forget Wessex, Hardy's devoted terrier. The story is narrated primarily by a maid of the house, Nellie Titterington, but also moves gracefully to and fro between Nellie, second wife Florence Hardy, his executor Mr Cockerell, his elderly brother and sister, the author James Barrie and several other characters who may or may not have been real people.
So what does one do when waiting for a loved one to die? One reflects on life with the loved one, and this is what the main characters do. Particularly Florence who was initially a secretary to Mr Hardy and then married him on the death of his first wife Emma. Florence, considerably younger than Thomas is a fairly tortured soul. Never feeling fully accepted as Thomas' wife due to her youth and what would appear to be Thomas' shortcomings in the sensitive husband department, she is doing her best to walk the fine line between keeping her husband's final wishes - burial locally, and keeping the public happy - privacy vs celebrity. Nellie is her maid, and so is privy to Florence's emotion and distress. She, in turn, has to maintain the fine line between maid and confidante, in view of the uncertainty of her own fate once Mr Hardy dies.
There are a number of other 'fine line' relationships and situations in this novel - Nellie's relationship with a young reporter Alex Peters; Alex himself desperate to be the one to have the first scoop on Hardy's death and yet, as a local, wanting to protect him from the likes of Cockerell and Barrie; Florence's own relationship with Barrie; a conversation between Barrie and the doctor over what is more important, the brain or the heart; being a celebrity vs the need for privacy. Interspersed through the novel are many of Hardy's own writings, in particular his poetry, that Wilkins has referred to in his note at the end of the book.
I don't really know anything at all about Thomas Hardy or his writings, and have only seen a 2008 BBC TV adaptation of Tess of the Dubervilles, which was about as gloomy and awful and sad as you can get. It doesn't compel me to read any of his novels, but his life was certainly interesting and one of deep introspection. There is some very beautiful writing in this book, and I certainly think his poetry is worth a look. There is a lot going on in this novel of just over 200 pages, and really, I have barely scratched the surface. Much like Thomas Hardy really - full of hidden depths.
April 25, 2014
Max Gate by Damien Wilkins� is a stunning piece of fiction that looks at the great Victorian poet and novelist Thomas Hardy through the people who surround him on his last days - most especially his second wife Florence (and dog Wessex) and his maid Nellie. The prose slips and slides rather wonderfully between points of view and observations of things glimpsed, remembered and invented. You finish the book feeling like you've just watched the unfolding of the end of an era, and that there's a lot more to discover about Hardy, but nothing else would be quite as much fun.
Makes me want to read Tess of the d'Urbervilles again, or properly... I don't think I ever read it properly. And Jude the Obscure.
Only reservation with this book is that the slips between points of view were hard to grasp initially and perhaps a little clunkily explained with a device whereby Nellie imagines an interaction and inserts it as if it actually happened. Later in the book this device is forgotten and the book swoops between points of view in a free fall kind of way. I guess I'd have liked more of Nellie. Her voice to start with is so true and engaging. Still, a stimulating read by a novelist of real skill. I think of every new Damien Wilkins novel as something of an event and wasn't disappointed by Max Gate.
Makes me want to read Tess of the d'Urbervilles again, or properly... I don't think I ever read it properly. And Jude the Obscure.
Only reservation with this book is that the slips between points of view were hard to grasp initially and perhaps a little clunkily explained with a device whereby Nellie imagines an interaction and inserts it as if it actually happened. Later in the book this device is forgotten and the book swoops between points of view in a free fall kind of way. I guess I'd have liked more of Nellie. Her voice to start with is so true and engaging. Still, a stimulating read by a novelist of real skill. I think of every new Damien Wilkins novel as something of an event and wasn't disappointed by Max Gate.
October 29, 2019
MAX GATE is insufferable.
There is no story being told, it is just thoughts that Nellie, the maid, has on what it was like in the house when Tomas Hardy dies and none of them are enlightening or interesting. The blurb promises a raw tale of torn loyalty, ownership and jealousy. None of this is portrayed with much urgency since MAX GATE is full of very bland and boring characters. None of them have grit.
After Hardy dies, the house is occupied by only women and a male character comments the house has eroded and the men need to take charge. Even if this may have been a typical attitude towards women in 1928, reading it is not pleasant or enjoyable. The context was in relation to differing opinions on where to bury Hardy's body and to invalidate his surviving wife's wishes. This is the highpoint of the conflict, and it is disappointing because the characters are so wishy washy and passive aggressive. Max Gate is a very drab book.
There is no story being told, it is just thoughts that Nellie, the maid, has on what it was like in the house when Tomas Hardy dies and none of them are enlightening or interesting. The blurb promises a raw tale of torn loyalty, ownership and jealousy. None of this is portrayed with much urgency since MAX GATE is full of very bland and boring characters. None of them have grit.
After Hardy dies, the house is occupied by only women and a male character comments the house has eroded and the men need to take charge. Even if this may have been a typical attitude towards women in 1928, reading it is not pleasant or enjoyable. The context was in relation to differing opinions on where to bury Hardy's body and to invalidate his surviving wife's wishes. This is the highpoint of the conflict, and it is disappointing because the characters are so wishy washy and passive aggressive. Max Gate is a very drab book.
October 30, 2019
MAX GATE is insufferable.
There is no story being told, it is just thoughts that Nellie, the maid, has on what it was like in the house when Tomas Hardy dies and none of them are enlightening or interesting. The blurb promises a raw tale of torn loyalty, ownership and jealousy. None of this is portrayed with much urgency since MAX GATE is full of very bland and boring characters. None of them have grit.
After Hardy dies, the house is occupied by only women and a male character comments the house has eroded and the men need to take charge. Even if this may have been a typical attitude towards women in 1928, reading it is not pleasant or enjoyable. The context was in relation to differing opinions on where to bury Hardy's body and to invalidate his surviving wife's wishes. This is the highpoint of the conflict, and it is disappointing because the characters are so wishy washy and passive aggressive. Max Gate is a very drab book.
There is no story being told, it is just thoughts that Nellie, the maid, has on what it was like in the house when Tomas Hardy dies and none of them are enlightening or interesting. The blurb promises a raw tale of torn loyalty, ownership and jealousy. None of this is portrayed with much urgency since MAX GATE is full of very bland and boring characters. None of them have grit.
After Hardy dies, the house is occupied by only women and a male character comments the house has eroded and the men need to take charge. Even if this may have been a typical attitude towards women in 1928, reading it is not pleasant or enjoyable. The context was in relation to differing opinions on where to bury Hardy's body and to invalidate his surviving wife's wishes. This is the highpoint of the conflict, and it is disappointing because the characters are so wishy washy and passive aggressive. Max Gate is a very drab book.
May 1, 2016
Look, I haven't read any Thomas Hardy (would that have helped?) and was charmed into requesting this novel by the interesting cover. I feel a bit duped, to be honest, because this novel weighs heavily in the hand and plods along slowly, slowly until the conclusion. An opportunity wasted? Perhaps, but I found both the writing and the subject matter deeply boring.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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May 13, 2016One of three editor's picks from WLT's Book Review editor Rob Vollmar. Read his thoughts on all three at
October 9, 2016
With Thomas Hardy near to death, the entire household at Max Gate is embroiled in a pivotal moment in literary history.
I found Max Gate a fascinating and sometimes uncomfortable read. I love Hardy’s writing and at times found the brilliantly researched honesty of the narrative troubling to my own memories of having read Hardy’s fiction. There were references to aspects of Hardy’s life and death with which I was fully familiar and new elements that had previously passed me by so that I feel I have a slightly clearer understanding of the man.
However, I’m not sure how much Max Gate is about Hardy, and how much about the history of the time the book is set, the social mores and the way in which we treat and feel ownership of celebrities. Hardy is as much part of the celebrity culture of 1928 as the Kardashians are in today’s society. There’s an interesting exploration of how the public feels it has a right to possess part of a celebrity � whether it is an autograph, a photograph or a quotation to put into a newspaper.
Similarly, I feel I know far more about Florence Hardy as a result of reading Max Gate than Hardy himself. Although the narrative is told by Nellie Titterington, I don’t feel I have a real picture of her. She is presented as an unreliable narrator and at times I felt the language used didn’t sit well with that of a housemaid, even though she is frequently reporting speech from those better educated and more erudite. There are some real contrasts of bawdy language and local dialect too so that I felt the narrative lost its identity at times, but there is a satisfyingly dark wit employed that I really appreciated. The text was also too fragmentary on occasion so that it felt frustrating to read and I couldn’t decide if this was a deliberate structure to convey life at Max Gate house or the nature of the character speaking. I did enjoy thoroughly the descriptions of the natural world and found them very Hardyesque.
I’m not sure what I think about Max Gate. It is thought provoking and interesting but also frustrating and inconsistent. I may need to read it again to form a complete view. Those who like me are fans of Hardy’s writing will find Max Gate a book to ponder.
I found Max Gate a fascinating and sometimes uncomfortable read. I love Hardy’s writing and at times found the brilliantly researched honesty of the narrative troubling to my own memories of having read Hardy’s fiction. There were references to aspects of Hardy’s life and death with which I was fully familiar and new elements that had previously passed me by so that I feel I have a slightly clearer understanding of the man.
However, I’m not sure how much Max Gate is about Hardy, and how much about the history of the time the book is set, the social mores and the way in which we treat and feel ownership of celebrities. Hardy is as much part of the celebrity culture of 1928 as the Kardashians are in today’s society. There’s an interesting exploration of how the public feels it has a right to possess part of a celebrity � whether it is an autograph, a photograph or a quotation to put into a newspaper.
Similarly, I feel I know far more about Florence Hardy as a result of reading Max Gate than Hardy himself. Although the narrative is told by Nellie Titterington, I don’t feel I have a real picture of her. She is presented as an unreliable narrator and at times I felt the language used didn’t sit well with that of a housemaid, even though she is frequently reporting speech from those better educated and more erudite. There are some real contrasts of bawdy language and local dialect too so that I felt the narrative lost its identity at times, but there is a satisfyingly dark wit employed that I really appreciated. The text was also too fragmentary on occasion so that it felt frustrating to read and I couldn’t decide if this was a deliberate structure to convey life at Max Gate house or the nature of the character speaking. I did enjoy thoroughly the descriptions of the natural world and found them very Hardyesque.
I’m not sure what I think about Max Gate. It is thought provoking and interesting but also frustrating and inconsistent. I may need to read it again to form a complete view. Those who like me are fans of Hardy’s writing will find Max Gate a book to ponder.
May 28, 2016
‘Max Gate� is a novel by Damien Wilkins, published by Aardvark Bureau. It is a first-person account of the days before and after author Thomas Hardy’s death, punctuated by various memories of the author and his first wife, Emma.
I really liked the main themes of the novel: practicality versus romanticism, and the idea of the myth of the author versus the author as a living, breathing man. Unlike some of the other reviews I’ve read, I loved the fact that the reader only encounters Hardy through memories � it creates great ambiguity about who exactly he is, and who, in some sense, he belongs to. The family? The nation? No one?
The novel was split into three main parts. Each part has various montages of the animals and scenery surrounding Max Gate which separate the various memories. I thought this was done very well. The novel was also full of lovely little moments, mainly about Hardy and his love for animals and nature. Wilkins has obviously done a great deal of research, and it shows.
I did have some quibbles with the novel, however. I think it would have benefitted from being written in third person. We experience the novel through servant-girl Nell’s eyes, but she has very little to do with the main events, and often is not actually present in the conversations she reports (or, if she is, we have no idea why). An interesting first-person perspective would perhaps have been Florence, Hardy’s current wife, who is portrayed as an extremely slippery and interesting character. There is some hint at Nell as an unreliable narrator in the third part of the novel, but it could have been taken much further than it was. There was also some inconsistency with the use of vernacular � I’m a bit of a nit-pick about that sort of thing, so it did bother me.
The quality of the writing itself also improved as the novel went on � I was particularly impressed with a section in part 2, in which Nell remembers a picnic, which then leads into a story about Hardy and his first wife. I thought that this was possibly the best-written part of the novel, as the flow between between memory and story and poetry is seamless.
Overall, I think this is a charming novel that will appeal to those who are intrigued by literature and authors, and who are in the mood for a gentle and meandering read.
‘Max Gate� will be published in the UK on June 6 2016.
I really liked the main themes of the novel: practicality versus romanticism, and the idea of the myth of the author versus the author as a living, breathing man. Unlike some of the other reviews I’ve read, I loved the fact that the reader only encounters Hardy through memories � it creates great ambiguity about who exactly he is, and who, in some sense, he belongs to. The family? The nation? No one?
The novel was split into three main parts. Each part has various montages of the animals and scenery surrounding Max Gate which separate the various memories. I thought this was done very well. The novel was also full of lovely little moments, mainly about Hardy and his love for animals and nature. Wilkins has obviously done a great deal of research, and it shows.
I did have some quibbles with the novel, however. I think it would have benefitted from being written in third person. We experience the novel through servant-girl Nell’s eyes, but she has very little to do with the main events, and often is not actually present in the conversations she reports (or, if she is, we have no idea why). An interesting first-person perspective would perhaps have been Florence, Hardy’s current wife, who is portrayed as an extremely slippery and interesting character. There is some hint at Nell as an unreliable narrator in the third part of the novel, but it could have been taken much further than it was. There was also some inconsistency with the use of vernacular � I’m a bit of a nit-pick about that sort of thing, so it did bother me.
The quality of the writing itself also improved as the novel went on � I was particularly impressed with a section in part 2, in which Nell remembers a picnic, which then leads into a story about Hardy and his first wife. I thought that this was possibly the best-written part of the novel, as the flow between between memory and story and poetry is seamless.
Overall, I think this is a charming novel that will appeal to those who are intrigued by literature and authors, and who are in the mood for a gentle and meandering read.
‘Max Gate� will be published in the UK on June 6 2016.
May 11, 2023
I love Thomas Hardy's literature and his personal life is quite fascinating. Despite having some positive elements to it, this novel about his death and the people caring for his estate and house (Max Gate) fails in a few areas. In my opinion, it doesn't seem necessary to write the f-bomb into this story, especially when the characters often quote from Hardy's beautiful poetry. It seemed ridiculously out of place. The modern approach to the novel is not too overwhelming, but it does make it difficult to really bond with any of the characters because they are presented throughout as mere voices. While I love the subject matter, I can't really say that I loved this novel.
UPDATE: I'd like to ammend a bit my previous review. I had the opportunity to visit Max Gate last October and I have just reread the novel Max Gate. I enjoyed the novel much more the second time through, mostly because I could visualize the place itself and it brought back fond memories of my visit there. I stand with my initial belief that it seems ridiculous to ruin the narrative with unnecessary sexual references and language, but the second reading provided for me a more profound look into those few days after the death of Thomas Hardy and I could appreciate more the environment and tension between the characters. I realize that I'm probably part of a very small target audience for this novel and that most readers would not be able to connect with it as much as I did. So, I'm bumping my initial 2 stars to 4, mostly because of my personal experience with Max Gate itself. It just had to work better for me the second time because of this.
UPDATE: I'd like to ammend a bit my previous review. I had the opportunity to visit Max Gate last October and I have just reread the novel Max Gate. I enjoyed the novel much more the second time through, mostly because I could visualize the place itself and it brought back fond memories of my visit there. I stand with my initial belief that it seems ridiculous to ruin the narrative with unnecessary sexual references and language, but the second reading provided for me a more profound look into those few days after the death of Thomas Hardy and I could appreciate more the environment and tension between the characters. I realize that I'm probably part of a very small target audience for this novel and that most readers would not be able to connect with it as much as I did. So, I'm bumping my initial 2 stars to 4, mostly because of my personal experience with Max Gate itself. It just had to work better for me the second time because of this.
July 23, 2016
This is a curious book, different in tone and style from the other two books by Wilkins that I've read. It's hard to know where the facts end and the fiction begins; even having read a 'proper' biography of Hardy last year - by Claire Tomalin, , it's hard to work out what is storytelling and what isn't.
The book doesn't endear me to Hardy anymore than Tomalin's did. He seems to have been a self-centred man, emotionally cold, and very much about promoting the Hardy image. Surprisingly he had friends, but his relationships with his two wives were quite twisted, and affected both the women badly.
However, in this book Hardy is on his death bed, and barely 'appears' in person. It's left to the two maids who work in the house, and his second wife, Florence, to tell the story.
Some of the writing is a bit obscure: paragraphs that seem to be slotted in without clear reference to what's gone before or what's to come. But in its best parts, it's typical Wilkins, and the dialogue, in particular, is excellent.
The book doesn't endear me to Hardy anymore than Tomalin's did. He seems to have been a self-centred man, emotionally cold, and very much about promoting the Hardy image. Surprisingly he had friends, but his relationships with his two wives were quite twisted, and affected both the women badly.
However, in this book Hardy is on his death bed, and barely 'appears' in person. It's left to the two maids who work in the house, and his second wife, Florence, to tell the story.
Some of the writing is a bit obscure: paragraphs that seem to be slotted in without clear reference to what's gone before or what's to come. But in its best parts, it's typical Wilkins, and the dialogue, in particular, is excellent.
March 15, 2016
I write this review in advance of the forthcoming British edition. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Aardvark Bureau, for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I believe the book was first published in 2013. I found this book to be interesting in that it provides a fiction view of the final days in the life of Thomas Hardy. Having visited Max Gate and Hardy's birthplace,
I felt that the descriptions had a real sense of place and time. This gave a real sense of reality to the writing.
For me this became a novel about reality and fiction. The fiction deals with aspects of attitudes, opinions and trust. The reality comes through by how close the novel relates to events in Hardy's life. The book seems to be well researched.
I was reminded of another piece of fiction, Winter by Christopher Nicholson which provides a fictional account of Hardy's friendship with a budding young actress called Gertrude Bugler.
If you like Thomas Hardy you may find this an enjoyable quick read.
I believe the book was first published in 2013. I found this book to be interesting in that it provides a fiction view of the final days in the life of Thomas Hardy. Having visited Max Gate and Hardy's birthplace,
I felt that the descriptions had a real sense of place and time. This gave a real sense of reality to the writing.
For me this became a novel about reality and fiction. The fiction deals with aspects of attitudes, opinions and trust. The reality comes through by how close the novel relates to events in Hardy's life. The book seems to be well researched.
I was reminded of another piece of fiction, Winter by Christopher Nicholson which provides a fictional account of Hardy's friendship with a budding young actress called Gertrude Bugler.
If you like Thomas Hardy you may find this an enjoyable quick read.
March 31, 2016
This is a short but memorable novel about the death of great British author Thomas Hardy, in 1928, at his house Max Gate in Dorset. It's quite a clever narrative, from the point of view of housemaid Nellie, as Hardy himself never appears directly, but is described by other characters - Nellie, her fellow servant Alice, Nellie's occasional boyfriend and local journalist Alex, Hardy's second wife Florence, his legal executor Sydney Cockerell, and friend Sir James Barrie. We hear the wranglings over whether Hardy should be buried in Dorset or Westminster Abbey, and we witness several scenes from his life. Nellie also puts in asides about her subsequent life and how that early experience as a servant affected her. As a fan of Hardy's novels, I found it a fascinating story.
March 20, 2015
I heard Damien Wilkins speak about this book, an imagining of Thomas Hardy's dying days in 1928, at Adelaide Writers Week and was immediately intrigued. I enjoyed Wilkins' clear, elegant style, and his wonderful eye for detail, but ultimately found the book disappointing. We never see Hardy in person, he's only described/remembered by the people around him, and there's no real narrative arc. For me the effect was like reading a patchwork of research 'squares,' cleverly sewn together, but without a satisfying overall design. Still, I learned a lot about Thomas Hardy, and it made me curious to read Jude the Obscure.
May 14, 2016
Max Gate by Damien Wilkins is a free NetGalley ebook that I read while on a Spring Break road-trip in mid-March.
Though this book freely admits to be inspired by Thomas Hardy and Jude the Obscure, I saw it as being like 2 parts Downton Abbey (for its upstairs-downstairs dialogues, settings, and relative time period [though it seems to be the 1890s, not the 1910s through the 1920s]), 2 parts A Hard Day's Night (cheeky, near-Lewis-Carroll-like banter), and 3/4 a part of Four Weddings and a Funeral (slightly morose cheeky banter, yet absolute camaraderie and reliance between its characters).
Though this book freely admits to be inspired by Thomas Hardy and Jude the Obscure, I saw it as being like 2 parts Downton Abbey (for its upstairs-downstairs dialogues, settings, and relative time period [though it seems to be the 1890s, not the 1910s through the 1920s]), 2 parts A Hard Day's Night (cheeky, near-Lewis-Carroll-like banter), and 3/4 a part of Four Weddings and a Funeral (slightly morose cheeky banter, yet absolute camaraderie and reliance between its characters).
May 7, 2016
In Max Gate the members of Thomas Hardy’s household reminisce and ruminate about the author during the last days of his life. Soothingly written with smooth rounded edges nothing much happens, but, oddly, I’m glad for it. There was a point in the book where a part of me was crying out for Hardy to just die already, because it is only then that the book and the characters begin to move on. Perhaps if Hardy’s writing had played a larger part of my life I would have gleaned more enjoyment from the book.
August 23, 2016
Historical fiction of the last days of Thomas Hardy as told through Nellie Titterington, a servant at Max Gate (residence of Thomas Hardy). We learn about much of Hardy's life, including his relationships with his first wife (Emma) and his second wife (Florence). More than anything else, we see how he has affected those who are part of his immediate household and how he is perceived in the world. Much is made of his rightful place in history and whether he should be interred at Westminster Abbey or with his family.
August 6, 2015
Odd little book -- historical fiction, recounting the final days in the life of Thomas Hardy as seen by Nell, a servant in his house, which was named Max Gate. Heavily into character development without a lot of plot -- most dramatic section is devoted to the debate about where he would be buried (family plot in Dorset or Westminster Abbey,Loondon) which was resolved in an unorthodox way. Intriguing.
July 21, 2015
I think I was expecting an 'Arthur & George'. This novel is full of patches of brilliance and colour, but the 'stream of consciousness' style was distracting. The experience was like standing too close to an impressionist painting. Strangely unlike Hardy's own lucid prose.
July 11, 2016
VERDICT: Short historical novel focusing on Thomas Hardy’s last days, with the controversy about where to bury him. Lyrical and evocative.
my full review is here:
my full review is here:
October 29, 2016
This book is really just for Thomas Hardy fans. Narrated by Hardy's servant, Nellie Titterington, she tells the story of the last days of Hardy's life. The book has little of Hardy's charm, but is interesting for the little factual details of the Hardy's lives that he presents.
April 8, 2016
Just couldn't get involved at all. I tried 3 attempts and gave up.
November 5, 2016
Beautifully written.
September 29, 2020
Interesting but at the same time boring.
February 15, 2014
Didn't finish. I tried and tried, but just didn't keep
My attention.
My attention.
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