I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.
I was interested in this novel when I read that it was about Sylvia Plath. It wasn’t because I am a particular Plath fan, but more that I like stories about writers in general. My knowledge of Plath (what I thought I knew) was that she was a poet and novelist, with a husband, Ted Hughes, who was also a poet, who was possibly a philanderer, but who was definitely jealous of her talent and was not supportive of her work. And I knew she took her own life while still quite young.
The Daffodil Days by Helen Bain takes the reader to the English countryside, to the small rural village of North Tawton, where Sylvia and Ted bought a farmhouse and a couple of acres to escape the hustle and bustle of London. (This is true.) They renovated the house and, with help, raised bees and played at being countryfolk.
What makes this story interesting is that it is not told from either Sylvia’s or Ted’s viewpoint. Instead, it is a stitched-together quilt introducing the reader to the residents of North Tawton, as well as to a few of Sylvia’s and Ted’s London friends who come to visit. These characters all share their impressions of Sylvia with the reader and with each other. It’s a gossipy book. But the portrayal of Sylvia, her charm, her brittleness, her scattered interests, her determination to have people see her as a writer equal in talent to her husband (who at that time was the more famous) is all the more intense and realistic because of the way very different people see her. There is wonder and a sympathy for her, but the reader does get the sense that there is something a little bit off about her. (And knowing her future makes this all the more poignant.) It also shows Ted as supportive, caring, but maybe a bit out of his depth in trying to help Sylvia as she pulls people in, then pushes them away.
I was a few chapters in before I realized something else. The story is told in reverse. It starts in December, 1962, after Sylvia and Ted have left the farmhouse. Then the chapters unfold in reverse chronological order to their purchase of the house in July, 1961. And so, we see the gossip about events before seeing the actual events.
This structure works exquisitely. This is a beautiful novel, highly recommended whether you are a Sylvia Plath fan or not.