Broderie Anglaise

I have just skipped through this book again after reading lots about Vita Sackville-West and Violet Trefusis. The legend of Violet and Vita is quite a sad, even tragic one. This is a good authentic antidote written by Violet herself. It is a delicious, gently malicious book and I found it very funny. It made me laugh in several places. There are a few very funny scenes: Lord John Shorne/Vita drunkenly taking Alexa/Virginia Woolf (but it's really Violet)through Otterways (Knole) to seduce her in the Charles II (James II) room "brushing aside the little bags of camphor on the bolster"; the opening conversation between Alexa and Anne/Violet about cars (based on a meeting between Virginia and Violet's mother, Alice Keppel); the portrait of Lady Shorne/Vita's mother Lady Sackville in her flannel dressing gown counting her jewels. There is a serious side too, probably based on truth, but it is brief: "For fifteen years I adored John Shorne and the day after he let me down I tried to kill myself"..." On the other hand Anne says she still loves John even though she is very happy, settled and stable in her adopted France. This is Violet's story, a roman a clef, written in French and published in 1935, it was only published in English in 1986 fourteen years after Violet's death. It is a subtle revenge from Violet's position of confidence and power when she was at her best in the 1930's. After the truth is out, that behind John Shorne's illusionary romantic front, he is a cowardly, womanising cad and terrified of his mother, Violet has Alexa observe " His mouth so ready to heal the wounds it caused, suddenly seemed like some public utility, available to everyone". Very succinct and witty, very cutting. Violet writes with economy, style and wit. She has a perceptive and ironic eye and looks upon herself with it as well as the other characters. She is also very good at comedy. It is difficult to judge the book merely as a novel (maybe 3 stars at best) but as Violet's retrospective story, written in her voice, from a position of relative strength with no self pity it is a little diamond treasure. With Vita's diary published in 'Portrait of a Marriage', Virginia's 'Orlando' (Violet as foxy Sasha through the lenses of Vita and Virginia -Broderie provides a response) and 'Broderie Anglaise' as well as Violet's letters we have a great set of authentic references that should be read alongside the biographies. 'Broderie Anglaise' comes with an informative introduction by Vita's biographer Victoria Glendinning. She says this book "packs no very great charge, but its sophisticated explosion alters the landscape, if only a little." For those like me who are interested in Violet Trefusis, I think it does a little more than that.

images of some models of broderie