The Fountain Overflows

by Rebecca West

Another novel described by Jane Smiley in her book, The Fountain Overflows is the slow, yet comical tale of a family. Three daughters (Rose, Mary, and Cordelia) and a son (Richard Quin) are the victims of their parents in turn-of-the-century England. Their ne'er do well father is a writer with political aspirations and a penchant for gambling. Their mother is a former concert pianist who thinks that all of her children should also be musicians. Rose, as the narrator, takes us into the family and exposes their problems; the posturing by the poverty-stricken family is often funny and sad at the same time.

I have mixed feelings about this novel. It is slow, and I could only read about 60 pages at a time. On the other hand, the pages were full of quirky characters and rich dialogue and absolutely hilarious situations. The parents are frustrating, but the children, as both victims and as beings more rational than their parents, are quite lovable.

1/31/06