The Dean's Watch: The Cathedral Trilogy

St Just Thursday Evening Reading Group 4th February 2021.

The Dean’s watch. Elizabeth Goudge.

On the whole, this emerged as a very popular book with the majority of the reading group, and several of the comments made were very enthusiastic: ‘What a lovely read’, and ‘I loved everything about it (apart from the knowledge that Adam regularly punished his school children with beatings)’. Comparisons were made with Trollope, and one reader mentioned that she was surprised to find the novel was first published as late as 1960. The ‘old-fashioned’ nature of the book was noted, as well as its sentimentality, and the Christian bias, but readers found it ‘consoling to read in a pandemic’, and ‘found the storyline quite comforting’. The sense of place was much admired: ‘ The description of the Cathedral building itself and its dominance over the town and Fens was very visual and absorbing’; and comparisons were made with Ely and Lincoln. The depiction of the characters in the story was also appreciated, the author’s descriptions of their interior lives adding depth to them. The Dean was seen as a ‘god-like’ figure, and his relationship with Isaac was followed with interest. Emma and Elaine were suitably despised as unsympathetic characters. Polly was respected as being calm and so faithful to Job. Miss Montague ‘didn’t miss a thing’, and Job aroused great sympathy. The themes of the book were considered to be redemption and the importance of love and friendship; faith, and the lack of it; mental fragility (with the Dean, Isaac and Emma all suffering from ‘dark times’ and depression); and poverty, inequality, and the position of women in society. Also, the beauty of craftsmanship is well conveyed.

Negative criticisms were that the book was ‘over long’, and also very dense with information, and a lack of dialogue; and also that it was predictable, sentimental and overly religious, and the ending was ‘sappy’, with everything tied up in too neat a bow. The naivete of the religious element, and the lack of anxiety and suspense were also mentioned. However, the majority of those who made these comments also said that they enjoyed the book just the same.

In general the group saw this book as a refreshingly old-fashioned one, a pleasant read in difficult times, maybe a little sentimental but ‘perfect reading for an hour in the Churchyard in St Just on a sunny, summer afternoon’.

This book was read during January 2021 and the continuing restrictions due to the Covid-19 virus, and so the discussion was not 'live' as usual, but took place via a Facebook group, email and telephone conversations.