The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud

Messud's 5th Book

What does it mean to be the Woman Upstairs? Well, for Claire Messud, it means that you are the quiet spinster that no one really knows, and who no one really cares about. It's the woman who is dutiful, and loyal to her responsibilities, but that is devoid of excitement and frivolity. The Woman Upstairs is Messud's novel about Nora Eldridge, a prim and proper school teacher who wants to be needed, and who needs to love someone.

In her vulnerable and raw state, she falls in love with a family: Reza, her young student, Sirena the artist, and her husband Skandar that academic. In Nora's way, she has a one-sided love affair with each of the family members, which ultimately leave her alone, empty and finally enraged.

Diorama: Nora's Chosen Art Form

Nora is a repressed artist of questionable skill. Her art is repressed, and contrived--not unlike the life
she has created for herself. She toils at making detailed dioramas (yes, those shoe box scenes that are very popular in grade 3). She gets little to no satisfaction from making them, and yet, doesn't seem to realize that she needs to find a more liberating form of artistic expression.

Cambridge: Nora's Hometown

This novel is a great character study of a middle aged woman who is trapped in an isolating life, of her own creation. She has every freedom imaginable, and yet she fails to find satisfaction and happiness. Her mother who has recently passed away warned Nora not to let her life pass her by without really savouring it. Before her death, she expressed her frustration at not experiencing more in her life and yet, Nora seems to be floundering through her years.

Claire Messud

This novel is a good character study, even if at times a little frustrating because Nora is really mixed up. I found that there were some really insightful bits too. But the one fatal flaw of The Woman Upstairs is that is has little to no plot. It is truly an encapsulation of 2 years of Nora's uneventful life. Now clearly, I'm no expert in writing, but no plot is a huge problem for a fictional novel. It leaves the reader a bit flat and wanting at the end.