Beyond the Glass

I just finished reading Antonia White's book, Beyond the Glass, and I have to say it's incredible. I recently read Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar and I loved it. I was surprised to find that I enjoyed White's book as much as Ms. Plath's book. If you liked The Bell Jar I'm fairly confident that you will quite enjoy White's Beyond the Glass. As far as I know there aren't many books of autobiographical fiction about the experience of manic-depression. I found White's description of hypomania breathtaking, particularly the scene where she and Richard are on a drive on a "[...] brilliant November day". I found the images chilling: `the leaves and bare stems, stubble and dying grass, glowed with soft fires of crimson, amber and rosy brown'. White shows her genius as a writer in this scene: she successfully conveys Clara's intense hypomania and shows that the enthusiasm that accompanies such an abnormal mood state can make even the dullest of November days "brilliant" and beautiful... painfully beautiful almost. I have experienced such vast moods swings myself and I must say that White captures the experience perfectly. She was truly an incredible writer. Even if you haven't experienced the mood swings of manic-depression you will enjoy the book; the language is simply stunning. Clara is a survivor as White must have been; if you have ever felt that all the odds were against you this book will inspire you. It's the kind of book that makes you feel less lonely; it's the kind of book you know you will re-read more than once.

This is one of the best books I have ever read. I recently re-read it after a gap of around 15 years and enjoyed it as much as ever. It is an elegantly written story of first love, relationships with parents in the 1920s in England, and of Clara's experiences in the lunatic asylum. Based on Antonia White's real experience, Clara completely loses touch with reality and thinks she is a salmon, a horse, and her father the devil. Completely fascinating and beautifully written. Fourth in the series of 4 autobiographical novels.