Sorrow And Bliss – Meg Mason

READ FOR BOOKCLUB
Chosen by Jo

Martha has an undiagnosed mental health issue, a loving husband who says she is fine and a family who fall outside of the norms. In this book Martha examines her upbringing and her failing marriage through the lens of past and current sorrows. But it’s clear there is also much humour, joy and love injected into her life by her relationships with others and her unique take on the world.

Two things, that when you put them together in a poem, make the reader feel whatever emotion you want them to so you don’t have to expressly name it. As in, if you write slag heap it saves you the job of typing morbid existential despair.

● Reading Sorrow & Bliss made me feel like I felt like a member of this fictional family, such was the extent I felt I knew and loved all of the characters. Since finishing the book I have thought about Martha a lot, wishing I could spend more time with her. Sometimes she was awful and impossible but I couldn’t help but like her anyway – this is when I know a writer is exceptionally talented. The story was engrossing, full of humour and emotion and I’m sorry I can’t read it again for the first time. – Jo

● Sorrow & Bliss is like a modern, funny version of Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar. The study of mental illness from both a sorrowful point of a view and a dark humour angle makes the main character’s journey so compelling. Meg Mason has added to the joy by creating irresistible characters each with their own idiosyncrasies. Reading the book felt like being a part of this unique family. I especially loved the sister Ingrid and Martha’s relationship with her. But also the love story of Martha and her husband Patrick which is indepthly explored and raises many ideas and situations to ponder. – Rachel

● I couldn’t put this book down! I completely fell in love with all the characters who were rich in personality. Martha and her undiagnosed mental illness made for a thrilling protagonist. I never knew quite what to expect as a reader, being tossed between laughing out loud and crying – though I always felt like I was part of Martha’s rollercoaster of a life. The subject matter and Martha’s struggles were very sad but this was balanced with funny one-liners and Martha’s hilarious observations of the world. – Jodie

Martha, why did you label every single box Miscellaneous?

● Meg Mason did such a faultless job at conveying such complex situations and emotions that at times I felt nearly as broken as the character of Martha while reading Sorrow & Bliss. I was desperately grateful for the injections of humour which were somehow done in a way that didn’t belittle or degrade situations. The relief that these moments brought was palpable. I am at a loss to know how this book was deservedly shortlisted for the International Women’s Prize, but only longlisted for the New Zealand Book Awards. – Suzy

Published 2021
4th Estate
352 pages