The Patrick Melrose Novels: At Last
It is a challenging task to write about something society considers a taboo. British author Edward St Aubyn did just that with his semi-autobiographical book series commonly known as “The Patrick Melrose Novels” (published between 1992 and 2011). Threatened with death, lucid, sweat soaked and restless at night; sometimes he lost consciousness from the effort it took to save his own life. More than two decades passed until Patrick’s story, soon to be televised, found its witty, eloquent and carefully chosen words on printed paper – it is no bedtime story. Hence this five part book review includes numerous trigger warnings [addiction, adultery, depression, domestic violence, incest, suicide, severe substance abuse, sexual assault] when needed, concluding with “At Last”.
The fifth and final volume is set on Prince Charles’ wedding day in April 2005. The Melroses, instead of being invited to Windsor Castle, find themselves gathered in London to attend the funeral of Eleanor Melrose.
“Now that he was an orphan everything was perfect. He seemed to have been waiting all his life for this sense of completeness. It was all very well for the Oliver Twists of this world, who started out in the enviable state it had taken him forty-five years to achieve, but the relative luxury of being brought up by Bumble and Fagin, rather than David and Eleanor Melrose, was bound to have a weakening effect on the personality. Patient endurance of potentially lethal influences had made Patrick the man he was today, living alone in a bedsit, only a year away from his latest visit to the Suicide Observation Room in the Depression Wing of the Priory Hospital.”(p. 9)
Trigger warning [addiction, depression, death, domestic violence, rape, suicide] – “At Last” (Picador) concludes the book series with a third person narrative across roughly 270 pages. Funerals are an occasion of remembrance and “At Last” is no exception when Patrick reflects on days long past. Now in his 40s, the truth about his parents’ sadistic relationship and the unfortunate role he played in it is revealed – explicitly. Author St Aubyn introduces few new characters next to his thinly veiled alter-ego and allows already established ones to reflect on what kind of impression Mrs. Melrose has made in her lifetime. Unlike the mostly negative impression she has made on her only son, some are genuinely convinced of her capacity for goodness while Patrick continues his journey towards liberty. At last another significant and challenging day, though not as disastrous as David Melrose’s passing described in “Bad News”, comes to an insightful end. Readers of this novel should be adults, see trigger warnings above.
“At Last” is the fifth 60 minutes episode from the “Patrick Melrose” TV series (ShowTime/Sky Atlantic), which will air on Saturdays from May 12/13 starring Anna Madeley, Blythe Danner, Jessica Raine, Pip Torrens, Prasanna Puwanarajah, Dainton Anderson, Marcus Smith and Benedict Cumberbatch. The TV series includes “Adult Content, Adult Language, Strong Language, Suggestive Dialogue and Sexual Situations”, according to ShowTime.
“The Patrick Melrose Novels” (Picador) can be bought here. Buy Volume I and Volume II with actor Benedict Cumberbatch on the covers.
Book review: Never Mind | Bad News | Some Hope | Mother’s Milk | At Last
If you have read this far and identify with any of the subjects (marked in the trigger warnings) addressed in this five-part book review, please open up to someone of your trust or call a helpline. It is okay to seek help. You are not alone. Take care.
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