Paula Xiberras
Author Fiona McFarlane has never been to Tasmania, although she would love to visit as she says its ‘incredible’ and ‘beautiful’. I spoke to Fiona recently about her debut novel ‘The Night Guest’.
The title of the book may have a certain irony. In a book about ageing and encouraging us to listen to older people’s pleas. The night is a time when the mind can play tricks, just as, as we age our minds can sometimes play tricks with us. The guest referred to in the title is a tiger, so more of an intruder than a guest. In a book with many layers the night guest may also refer on another level to the sinister intruder of dementia.
The book, about ageing and how to know when to trust at a time when we may be more fragile and need to trust more is played out in the relationship between a senior lady Ruth, her carer Frida and a nocturnal tiger that seemingly inhabits the house unnoticed for the most part. The book was inspired by Fiona’s own two grandmothers who both had dementia, although the story itself is not based at all in reality.
The ending and the fate of the characters may not be predictable but Fiona says it is believable and although she knew Ruth’s fate early on, Frida’s only became obvious at a later stage.
The name Frida means ‘beautiful beloved and even peace’ which may in itself be another irony. It also means’ elf strength’ and this latter meaning suits the novel’s Frida very well, she is elfish in being a little otherworldly and has a certain stubborn strength as she positions herself as beloved to Ruth.
Ruth means ‘companion’ and it suits her characters desire for companionship and her relationship to Frida.
Next for Fiona after this impressive debut is a collection of short stories. Fiona found the process of short story writing different in that it required compression compared to the length of a novel and in a short story each word carries extra weight and no word is superfluous.
‘The Night Guest’ is out now published by Penguin Books.
