Clare Chambers’s latest novel, Shy Creatures, pays homage to literary greats such as Larkin, Betjeman, Virginia Woolf, DH Lawrence, and Graham Greene. Drawing comparisons to Larkin and Barbara Pym, Chambers artfully integrates these influences into the tale of Helen Hansford, whose life is intertwined with that of her older lover, Gil, a senior colleague at a psychiatric hospital. Set predominantly in 1964, the novel delves into their complex relationship and Gil’s innovative psychiatric concepts, which come to fruition upon their encounter with a new patient, William Tapping.
The narrative bears resemblance to a Barbara Pym novel, where seemingly trivial occurrences lead to profound events observed by a protagonist who balances irony with an acute understanding of life’s ability to inflict pain. Helen, an art therapist, and Tapping, a talented draughtsman, play pivotal roles in Gil’s pursuit of a non-stigmatizing therapeutic approach. However, as the story progresses, Tapping’s tale gradually eclipses the focus on Helen and Gil’s relationship. Tapping’s character draws inspiration from a real-life 1952 case involving a Bristol man found living in squalor with his elderly aunt, shedding light on the novel’s theme of English restraints and their confining influence. Tapping, a former public schoolboy scarred by his boarding school experience, remains emotionally entrenched in his childhood, fixated on animals and adventure stories.
Chambers’s prose is vivid and perceptive, vividly portraying Tapping’s idiosyncratic life and Helen’s endeavors to unearth his past. Yet, a whimsical air reminiscent of Enid Blyton subtly permeates the narrative, with Helen adopting the role of an amateur sleuth. At times, the plot assumes an instructional tone, with each scenario imparting a valuable life lesson. Despite broaching weighty themes like adultery, mental illness, and abuse, the novel tempers these elements, reflecting the struggle of Chambers’s realism to fully embrace the darker narrative it undertakes.
