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‘The Book of Guilt': What if Hitler were assassinated and World War II ended in compromise?
Catherine Chidgey's ninth novel, The Book of Guilt, has been hotly anticipated. Following the critical and commercial success of her last two novels, it was the subject of a bidding war between UK publishers. The Book of Guilt is also now the first of her books to be released in Australia at launch: a depressingly rare feat for a New Zealand author. Chidgey's career has been defined by a willingness to experiment and innovate with new genres, subjects and forms. Shifting from the New Zealand focus of her recent novels, The Book of Guilt is set in a version of 1979 Britain. It operates as a disturbing thriller that unfolds from three different perspectives. While its setting is something of a departure for Chidgey, the novel continues her interest in the legacy of Nazi Germany, which some of her previous works have examined. It also explores the questions of guilt, awareness and moral responsibility which have preoccupied Chidgey in her earlier novels, particularly with regard to characters who are trapped within, or even victimised by, exploitative systems. A government program for orphans Vincent and his triplet brothers William and Lawrence, at 13, are the last children living in Captain Scott House, an isolated countryside home in the Sycamore Scheme (a government program for the care of orphans). Their days are strictly regimented by their three guardians – Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon and Mother Night – who record both their dreams and transgressions, and administer medication to help them overcome a mysterious 'Bug'. The promise is that once they are deemed well enough, they will be relocated to the seaside resort town of Margate, where all the children before them have gone, to enjoy its rides and attractions. Until then, their contact with the outside world is limited. Elsewhere, 13-year-old Nancy is living in similarly constrained and isolated circumstances. She has been raised by doting parents within the walls of their suburban home, never permitted to step outside. As she starts to chafe at her confinement, she grows increasingly suspicious of her mother and father, and their strange obsession with the Sycamore children. Finally, the newly appointed Minister of Loneliness has been charged with dismantling the Sycamore Scheme. Its dwindling (unstated) benefits are no longer sufficient to justify the expense of running the houses, and she is left to determine what to do with the remaining children. She is desperately seeking a positive outcome – something that will mitigate the scandals from the program's past – while also strangely fearful at the prospect of having to visit Vincent and his brothers at Captain Scott House. An eerie alternative history In many ways, the world and period that Chidgey establishes seem familiar. A prime minister resembling Margaret Thatcher has just won the general election. The IRA is still active. Jim'll Fix It, a show with the premise of children writing to Jimmy Saville asking him to make a dream come true, is on TV. But there are also differences. In this world, the moon landing occurred in 1957, not 1969. The polio vaccine and mass-produced penicillin have been available for far longer than they have in our history. And, crucially, the Sycamore Scheme was established in 1944, following the successful assassination of Adolf Hitler. The Book of Guilt, then, can be understood as an alternative history novel. This genre typically explores the timelines and scenarios that might result from a historical event having a different outcome. Within this tradition, World War Two is a frequent subject of speculation. Chidgey's alternative history hinges on a more subtle difference. What if Major Axel von dem Bussche 's 1943 attempted suicide bombing of Hitler had succeeded? As a result, the Nazi leadership are unseated and an interim government negotiates a surrender to the Allied powers. Rather than Germany's total defeat and capitulation, the European war ends in compromise and 'difficult decisions'. We are not told exactly what Nazi crimes went unpunished because of this determination to secure 'peace at any price'. But one of the terms of the 'Gothenburg Treaty' that ended the war was that the results of the inhumane, often deadly medical research performed in the concentration camps by SS physician Josef Mengele and others should be shared with the Allies. It is clear from early in the novel that the Sycamore Scheme operates as a sinister continuation of these practices, though its exact nature – and the origins of Vincent and his brothers – are a slowly unravelling mystery. Literary thrillers and Nazi legacy As New Zealand literary critic Philip Matthews observes, the The Book of Guilt can be read as a meeting point between two strands in Chidgey's writing. It follows The Axeman's Carnival (2022) and Pet (2023) as the third in a string of tightly plotted literary thrillers.e It is also her third novel to consider the legacy of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. Like The Wish Child (2016) and Remote Sympathy (2020), The Book of Guilt is preoccupied with the subject of complicity: how characters live within, accept and deflect their full awareness of systems that exploit, violently dehumanise and murder others. What subtle, internal trades and compromises are they prepared to make for their own comforts and security? Or even just to preserve their own self-image? These are always pertinent themes, and Chidgey's alternative history provides her with a new lens for exploring them. Her vision of slightly altered late-70s Britain, one that has become rapidly tawdry, bleak and cruel for the sake of a few limited advancements, is powerful. The novel also offers an intriguing commentary on 1979 itself as a tipping point in British history. The cold pragmatism of the new conservative government justified sacrificing the welfare of a considerable portion of the population for greater prosperity. Chidgey's scenario recalls Thatcher's positioning of herself as the ruthless, unflinching doctor capable of curing the ' British Disease '. In this regard, The Book of Guilt joins a small tradition of literary alternative histories, which use a skewed perspective on the period they examine to reflect contemporary anxieties and preoccupations. It brings to mind Philip Roth's The Plot Against America, which explores how a populist leader – elected at exactly the wrong time – can light a powder keg of racist resentment. And also Ian McEwan's Machines Like Me, where the continued work of mathematician and code-breaker Alan Turing on artificial intelligence gives rise to an alternative 1980s Britain. There, new forms of robotic consciousness are the subject of both fascination and uneasy suspicion. But, of course, the novel The Book of Guilt most closely recalls is Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me G o, which also features a remote country home for mysteriously parentless children, in an alternative Britain where medical history has taken a different, sinister path. Reading The Book of Guilt with an awareness of Never Let Me Go makes it almost impossible to not anticipate key revelations quite early on. However, Chidgey's approach to this scenario serves as an interesting counterpoint to Ishiguro's in some ways. In Never Let Me Go, the adolescent protagonists are prompted by their guardians to attempt to demonstrate their humanity to a largely indifferent world. It ends with their melancholic, fatalistic acceptance of their lot. The Book of Guilt, by contrast, follows Vincent's attempts to comprehend his place in a setting gradually revealed to be inexplicably hostile. As his suspicions of his 'mothers' mount, he slowly realises he and his brothers are being constantly tested for signs of 'brutish' behaviour, ethical lapses and hidden, subliminal urges. The reasons for this scrutiny speak to broader themes around nature and nurture explored in the novel, and the temptation and dangers of arbitrary, 'scientific' classifications and definitions of human life and value. The Book of Guilt is not derivative of Never Let Me Go, but a rewarding variation on a similar theme. Adolescence as liminal space The Book of Guilt is also the third of Chidgey's novels to focus on characters entering early adolescence, and interrogate their developing knowledge and moral responsibility – even within systems and circumstances arguably beyond their control. The Wish Child examines the perspective of children who come of age while indoctrinated in the poisonous ideologies of Nazi Germany. Pet follows the narrative of 12-year-old Justine, who falls under the thrall of a charismatic yet strangely malicious teacher, Ms Price, who both woos and exploits her. Like Chidgey's other adolescent protagonists, Vincent is not positioned as a perfect victim. While thoughtful and sympathetic, he is also complicit in various acts of cruelty. He ultimately makes a fraught, highly compromised 'ethical' choice at the novel's denouement, which will haunt him, and likely the reader as well. In The Book of Guilt, Chidgey continues to explore early adolescence as a liminal stage of life, where levels of awareness and accountability are often frustratingly (and fascinatingly) unclear. Though Chidgey's handling of her younger characters remains astute, I was most taken with the Minister of Loneliness in this novel (though it did take me a moment to remember this is now an actual position in the UK government). Her narrative delivers some much-needed humour at various points, particularly in her interactions with the implacable, Thatcher-like prime minister. Tangled and morally complex While The Minister of Loneliness occupies a more remote and peripheral role in the novel than Vincent and Nancy, her weary adult perspective provides a necessary point of contrast. Her initial attempts to deny the horrors that have landed at her door are immediately, damningly, relatable. As the novel develops, her reluctance and inertia give way to rushed, desperate decisions and ruinous consequences. She feels very familiar. Very human. But what at first seems like a simple satire of an ineffectual bureaucrat proves surprising. The Minister is not ultimately overwhelmed by either the history she is forced to confront, nor by her own failings. She recognises, in the end, the weight of her responsibilities, even when she is given leeway to ignore or deflect them. In The Minister of Loneliness, Chidgey delivers an acutely realised portrait of a faintly good person who resolves, miraculously, to do a little better. Hers is arguably not the most heroic trajectory in this dark, tangled and compelling novel – but it feels like the closest it comes to a moment of moral triumph. Julian Novitz, Senior Lecturer, Writing, Department of Media and Communication, Swinburne University of Technology.
Irish Independent
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Bridget Jones writer Helen Fielding claims she was ‘routinely groped' while working at BBC
The 67-year-old claimed it was commonplace at the time for men at the broadcaster to touch women's breasts during conversations. The author found fame in the noughties with her bestselling Bridget Jones novels, which were later adapted into a series of films starring Renee Zellweger Describing an alleged culture of harassment, she said: 'I worked at the BBC when I was in my 20s, and you just got used to the fact that people would actually put their hand on your boob while they were talking to you about work.' The author's comments, first reported by The Mail on Sunday, were made at the annual Soho Summit in Oxfordshire, last week. Ms Fielding claimed women at the BBC had grown resigned to the behaviour. 'It just seemed to be what you put up with,' she said. 'I first wrote Bridget pre-MeToo, and when I look at that film now, I can't believe that that stuff was going on,' she added. In scenes in the novels echoing her own experiences, Jones regularly fends off inappropriate advances − including from her boss Daniel Cleaver, played by Hugh Grant in the films, who gropes her in the office. She is also sexually harassed by Mr Cleaver's manager Mr Fitzherbert, who openly stares at her breasts. Ms Fielding claimed sexism remained deeply entrenched in the film world. 'I honestly think it's still there in the movie business, it's just under the parapet,' she said. 'I think there has to be a constant awareness of not being unequal in the way women are treated. 'You still have to fight much harder as a woman, even a successful woman, and you get treated in ways that men would not be treated.' Her first BBC role after graduating from the University of Oxford was working behind the scenes on Jim'll Fix It, the children's show later at the centre of a scandal when its host Jimmy Savile was unmasked as a paedophile. Ms Fielding has previously said she had concerns about Savile. She said in 2019: 'We always said, 'Don't leave Jimmy alone with the children'.' A BBC spokesman told The Mail on Sunday: 'We're sorry to hear of these experiences. 'Attitudes and behaviours have changed significantly in the last 40 years and the BBC − like the rest of society − is [a] very different place now from what it was then.' (Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd)
Telegraph
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Bridget Jones author was ‘routinely groped' while working at BBC
Helen Fielding, the Bridget Jones author, has alleged she was routinely groped while working at the BBC in the 1980s. The 67-year-old claimed it was commonplace at the time for men at the broadcaster to touch women's breasts during conversations. Describing an alleged culture of harassment, she said: 'I worked at the BBC when I was in my 20s, and you just got used to the fact that people would actually put their hand on your boob while they were talking to you about work.' The author's comments, first reported by The Mail on Sunday, were made at the annual Soho Summit at Soho Farmhouse, Oxfordshire, last week. Speaking at the rural retreat, Ms Fielding claimed women at the BBC had grown resigned to the behaviour. 'It just seemed to be what you put up with,' she said. The author found fame in the noughties with her bestselling Bridget Jones novels, which were later adapted into a series of popular films starring Renee Zellweger. Reflecting on the era, she added: 'I first wrote Bridget pre- MeToo, and when I look at that film now, I can't believe that that stuff was going on.' In scenes in the novels echoing her own experiences, Ms Jones regularly fends off inappropriate advances – including from her boss Daniel Cleaver, played by Hugh Grant in the films, who gropes her in the office. She is also sexually harassed by Mr Cleaver's manager 'Mr Fitzherbert' – nicknamed 'T--spervert' – who openly stares at her breasts. Sexism 'still a problem in movie business' Ms Fielding claimed sexism remained deeply entrenched in the film world. 'I honestly think it's still there in the movie business, it's just under the parapet,' she said. 'I think there has to be a constant awareness of not being unequal in the way women are treated. 'You still have to fight much harder as a woman, even a successful woman, and you get treated in ways that men would not be treated.' Her first BBC role after graduating from the University of Oxford was working behind the scenes on Jim'll Fix It, the children's show later at the centre of a scandal when its host Jimmy Savile was unmasked as a paedophile. Ms Fielding has previously said she had concerns about Savile. She said in 2019: 'We always said, 'Don't leave Jimmy alone with the children'. 'But we were sort of 23, and you know ... I am sure the producers must have known. We didn't think he would do anything. But he was so creepy. We always stayed with the kids.'
Daily Mirror
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Bridget Jones author claims she was 'groped all the time' when she worked for the BBC
Bridget Jones author Helen Fielding has claimed that while she worked at the BBC she was groped by male colleagues during the 1980's and females just 'got used' to it Bridget Jones author Helen Fielding has hit out at the BBC after she claimed she was "groped" by male colleagues while working at the broadcaster during the eighties. The 67 year old star, who was propelled to the dizzy heights of fame after her novel became a Hollywood blockbuster in 2001, candidly revealed in a recent interview that women would constantly have their breasts touched by men. Helen admitted: "I worked at the BBC when I was in my 20s, and you just got used to the fact that people would actually put their hand on your boob while they were talking to you about work." Speaking at the Soho summit at the Soho Farmhouse, she continued: "'It just seemed to be what you put up with. I first wrote Bridget pre #MeToo, and when I look at that film now, I can't believe that that stuff was going on." In the film, which reflected Helen's experiences at the BBC, Bridget Jones played by Renee Zellweger, is persistently batting off unwanted sexual advances by men including her boss Daniel Cleaver, played by Hugh Grant. The annual summit included Hollywood stars including Rebel Wilson and Gillian Anderson, who added that sexism was still rife in the film industry. Helen continued: "I honestly think it's still there in the movie business, it's just under the parapet. I think there has to be a constant awareness of not being unequal in the way women are treated." She added: "You still have to fight much harder as a woman, even a successful woman, and you get treated in ways that men would not be treated. And there's no denying that it is still going on and it needs to change." Following her departure from Oxford University, Helen was working backstage at the popular children's TV show Jim'll Fix It, hosted by the shamed late star Jimmy Savile. Years on from Helen working at the show, Jimmy Saville was exposed as a serial paedophile. At the time, his antics were whispered among staff, although it had not publicly come to light. Speaking about her suspicions, she said: "Well, we always said, 'Don't leave Jimmy alone with the children'. But we were sort of 23, and you know.... I am sure the producers must have known." She went on to say: "We didn't think he would do anything. But he was so creepy. We always stayed with the kids." Helen became a regional researcher for the BBC in 1979 as part of the Nationwide magazine. In response to Helen's claims, a spokesman for the BBC said: "We're sorry to hear of these experiences. " The statement added: "Attitudes and behaviours have changed significantly in the last 40 years and the BBC – like the rest of society - is very different place now to what it was then."
Daily Mail
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Bridget Jones author Helen Fielding: I was groped all the time by my colleagues when I worked for the BBC
Bridget Jones author Helen Fielding has spoken out about being persistently groped while working at the BBC as a young woman, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The 67-year-old said it was common practice for men to touch women's breasts during conversations at the corporation in the 1980s. Exposing the shocking behaviour, she said: 'I worked at the BBC when I was in my 20s, and you just got used to the fact that people would actually put their hand on your boob while they were talking to you about work.' She told the annual Soho Summit at trendy Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire that women at the BBC were resigned to the everyday occurrence. 'It just seemed to be what you put up with,' says Ms Fielding, who rose to fame in the Noughties after her widely successful Bridget Jones books were turned into Hollywood films, starring Renee Zellweger as Bridget. 'I first wrote Bridget pre #MeToo, and when I look at that film now, I can't believe that that stuff was going on.' In scenes close to her own experiences, Ms Fielding's heroine is perennially fielding unwanted sexual advances from men, including her fictional boss Daniel Cleaver, played by Hugh Grant, who surreptitiously gropes Bridget in the office. The single, cigarette-puffing Bridget also fends off her lascivious boss Mr Fitzherbert – nicknamed 'T**spervert' – who blatantly stares at her breasts. The 67-year-old said it was common practice for men to touch women's breasts during conversations at the corporation in the 1980s. Exposing the shocking behaviour, she said: 'I worked at the BBC when I was in my 20s, and you just got used to the fact that people would actually put their hand on your boob while they were talking to you about work' Ms Fielding, who was interviewed by author Dolly Alderton at the annual festival, where other attendees included Hollywood actresses Rebel Wilson and Gillian Anderson, also said that sexism was still apparent in the film industry. 'I honestly think it's still there in the movie business, it's just under the parapet,' she added. 'I think there has to be a constant awareness of not being unequal in the way women are treated. 'You still have to fight much harder as a woman, even a successful woman, and you get treated in ways that men would not be treated. 'And there's no denying that it is still going on and it needs to change.' Ms Fielding's first experience of the BBC after leaving Oxford University was working behind the scenes of Jim'll Fix It, the children's TV show hosted by Jimmy Savile, whose unmasking as a serial paedophile caused a huge scandal at the corporation, which was accused of enabling his behaviour. She has previously said she had suspicions about the late presenter: 'Well, we always said, 'Don't leave Jimmy alone with the children'. Ms Fielding's first experience of the BBC after leaving Oxford University was working behind the scenes of Jim'll Fix It, the children's TV show hosted by Jimmy Savile, whose unmasking as a serial paedophile caused a huge scandal at the corporation, which was accused of enabling his behaviour. Pictured: Helen Fielding 1997 'But we were sort of 23, and you know.... I am sure the producers must have known. We didn't think he would do anything. But he was so creepy. We always stayed with the kids.' The author became a regional researcher for the BBC in 1979, as part of the news magazine Nationwide. In the 1980s, she produced and wrote documentaries in Africa for the first two Comic Relief broadcasts. After working as a columnist and journalist for several national newspapers, Ms Fielding began writing an unattributed column about her single life for The Independent entitled Bridget Jones Diaries in 1999. Her columns struck a chord with many single women and led to four novels and film adaptations. A BBC spokesman said: 'We're sorry to hear of these experiences. Attitudes and behaviours have changed significantly in the last 40 years and the BBC – like the rest of society – is very different place now from what it was then.'
