The Elected Member by Bernice Rubens

Happy new year dear readers!  Can you believe that I have been winding my way through the literary world of the Bookers for two years now?!  Therefore, one of my new year’s resolutions is to finally finish and it should be pretty achievable as the end is definitely in sight.  Especially, as thanks to an amazing Oxfam bookshop, I have only three outstanding titles to obtain – imagine my joy as I discovered four of the last few elusive titles – I couldn’t quite believe my eyes as not only author but titles matched up – I perhaps rather sadly could barely contain a whoop of excitement…I guess two years of trawling bookshelves for the same few books will do that to you!

That’s enough of looking ahead though and I must focus on the here and now – although I really should have written this review sooner after finishing the book but I blame the festive season for happily distracting me.  Especially as this book was not one to exude joy and happiness, though, thankfully, this was due to the subject matter and not the writing.  I thought this book was an excellent insight into mental illness – from the family and patient’s perspectives.  Admittedly I’ve not experienced mental illness myself or in my family, but I have spent time working in Psychiatry as a medical student and doctor and I found this novel to explore the complexities adeptly.  It was also interesting to read about how practices have changed in the management of mental illness as this book was written and won contemporaneously in 1970.  Although, in contrast, I fear progress in attitudes towards mental illness have changed less dramatically with stigma and lack of understanding still existing. 

The story is centred on a Jewish family, whose prodigal son has sadly become unwell with psychosis as a result of substance abuse.  The narrative switches between the various characters in the novel giving a great depth to the story-telling and highlighting the varying perspectives of each of the family members. They describe current events as the protagonist is sectioned and admitted to hospital for treatment and reflect on past relations amongst the family.   Perhaps the most striking emotions were those of guilt and regret weighing heavily within the family and impacting on each of the characters in different ways. 

Reubens’ winning novel was atmospheric and haunting while exploring mental illness with an extremely sensitive and engaging approach, but in a way that means this book is about a family and their interactions and reactions and not purely about sensationalizing or gawping at mental illness.