Helen Paris

The Invisible Women’s Club by Helen Paris is an uplifting novel by Helen Paris.

At 72 years of age, Janet Pimm feels both invisible and useless, her only respite
the sense of purpose she feels while tending her beloved allotment. But when the alleged discovery of an invasive weed by the local council threatens the existence of the garden community, Janet finally insists on being seen.

Janet presents initially as quite an abrasive character, but as the story develops, so too does sympathy and understanding for the elderly woman who is burdened by regret, loss, and loneliness. Her garden, where she grows mainly medicinal and herbal plants of which she has an encyclopaedic knowledge, serves as a refuge, and it’s imminent destruction is the motivation she needs to face her past, and change her future.

To prove the connection between the threat to Seaview Allotments, an unscrupulous new councillor and a property developer Janet calls on an old friend, and finds herself making new ones, including her neighbour Bev. I adored Bev, Janet’s vocal, menopausal neighbour, from the outset. I empathised with her experience, and I admired her enthusiasm for her cause. Bev proves to be a good influence on Janet, and I really enjoyed the friendship the two formed as they shared adventure, and confidences.

As well as addressing the all too often dismissive attitudes to older women, Paris explores themes of connection, community spirit, and redemption. Though there are many poignant moments in the story, there is also plenty of humour. I particularly enjoyed Janet’s blunt assessments, and Bev’s proclamations.

With its thoughtful character portrayal and empowering messages, The Invisible Women’s Club is an engaging novel.… (más)

My experience of reading this impressive debut novel provided a salutary reminder of how unwise it is to make assumptions! Looking at the cover of this book and reading the brief synopsis, when I started reading I was anticipating that it would probably be a quite moving but relatively light-hearted read, I certainly had no expectation that not only would it incorporate such a wide range of themes, but that it would explore them with such sensitivity and psychological integrity. In this thought-provoking story Helen Paris used her well-portrayed characters to explore many different aspects of loss – of loved ones, of relationships, of hopes and dreams, of treasured possessions, of our memories, of sense of self – and how their lives had been affected, and often emotionally constrained, by their defensive attempts to avoid any further hurt. She then used them equally effectively to show that they could learn from those experiences, could learn to forgive themselves, and others, to let go of guilt and to expand their horizons. As Mr Appleby reflected, “Life gives us so much, chance, excitement and hope. But woven through it all is loss. If you try to pull out that thread, the whole thing unravels. Loss is the price we pay for love.”
I loved how the author explored how just seeing, touching, or even smelling, certain objects, no matter how insignificant they may appear to others, can trigger a tsunami of memories for us, immediately conjuring up people, places, and experiences (positive or negative) from the past. As Dot (and other characters) discovered, the immediacy of our powerful reactions can provide enjoyment and comfort. However, even when they’re distressing and disturbing, if we don’t shy away from them they can allow us to re-examine past experiences and relationships, enabling us to begin to shift our perceptions of them so that they no longer hold us in their thrall. I admired how effectively the author captured this in her portrayal of Dot’s gradual emergence from the shadows of the past as she was forced to question the veracity of her memories of her childhood and the dynamic interactions between each member of her family. Although there were moments when this was excruciatingly painful, her willingness to face up to these new insights allowed her to open herself up to new experiences and to forge closer relationships with the people she loved.
Although this story contains some dark, disturbing, and distressing themes, without in any way making light of the seriousness of them, the author introduced many humorous scenarios and observations throughout the narrative to offer a counterbalance. This meant that there were moments when I felt as though I was on an emotional roller-coaster, one moment feeling close to tears and the next laughing out loud but, from start to finish, always feeling engaged with Dot’s emotional journey.
The inspiration for Helen Paris’s engaging and enjoyable debut novel was sparked by her experience of working in the Baker Street Lost Property Office for a week some years ago whilst doing some research for a theatre performance. At the time she was impressed by the level of care and attention, irrespective of the value of what was handed in, employees gave to trying to ensure that lost items were reunited with their owners and wanted this to be reflected in her storytelling ... I think she’s succeeded admirably!… (más)

“Lost Property itself has something of the past about it, like a museum, a depository of memories, a library of loss. I think that is why I have always felt at home here.”

Dot Watson has worked at the London Transport Lost Property office for twelve years where she finds satisfaction in taking care of lost items and reuniting them with their owners. Though once she planned to have a busy globe-trotting career, now she only travels vicariously via guidebooks saved from the Pit.

“You see, I know about loss. I know its shape, its weak spots, its corners and sharp edges. I have felt its coordinates. I have sewn its name into the back of its collar.”

A story of love, grief and guilt, we slowly learn how it is that Dot lost the future she dreamed of, instead finding herself living alone, never venturing further than the few miles it takes her to commute to work, or visit her bossy sister when summoned, or her mother’s care home. Dot is a sympathetic character, it’s clear she suffers from some anxiety and carries a heavy burden. She sees herself as abandoned and unwanted like many of the items in the lost property that remain unclaimed.

‘They . . . objects are time machines, in a way; they can recall . . . the people we have lost.’

Something is triggered in Dot when a Mr. John Appelby comes searching for his late wife’s holdall, accidentally left behind on the number 73 bus. In combination with her sister’s insistence that they sell their mother’s maisonette where Dot is living, her mother’s worsening dementia, and changes at work, Dot begins to lose her grip on herself. Paris handles Dot’s increasing emotional distress with sensitivity, and the major events she confronts with genuine compassion.

"There's a difference though, between being lost and being left".

Paris makes astute observations about memory, family dynamics, and of course the emotional value of objects. There is more tragedy in Lost Property than I expected, though ultimately there is also forgiveness, acceptance, and hope. There’s some humour, and even a little romance.

“Found: Holdall Details: Leather (golden syrup) Woman’s purse (bluey-lilac) Bulbs (tulip) Trowel Place: 73 bus”

Told with warmth and tenderness, each chapter is headed with a tag, like those Dot attaches to the lost objects in her care, bearing the details of something lost, or found, not just objects like Appleby’s holdall, but also people, and intangibles. I found it a little slow and seemingly directionless to start with, but was soon drawn in by Dot.

“...ordinary objects, extraordinary objects, objects that contain in their bodies a memory, a moment, a trace of a life lived, a person loved.”

An accomplished debut from Helen Paris, Lost Property is a touching and poignant novel.… (más)

Lost Property was a book with a setting that immediately appealed to me. Dot Watson works at the London Transport Lost Property office and I had a feeling that a story in which lost items were reunited with their owners was going to be my kind of quirky yet heart-wrenching sort of read.

Of course, that is not all the book consists of. Dot herself is lost, but finding her true self again is going to be rather harder than filling in a form and attaching a Dijon mustard coloured label to her wrist. As the story unfolds more is revealed about Dot's past and why she's working in lost property and not travelling the world or working as an interpreter as she had planned. The arrival of Mr Appleby, looking for a holdall containing a purse that belonged to his late wife, is the catalyst for change that Dot needs, even if she doesn't yet know it.

This is such a beautifully written book, really thoughtful, digging right down into the human psyche and the human soul. Everything Dot thought she knew is challenged and she goes on quite a journey of discovery throughout the course of the story. I thought it was so clever how the author used the metaphor of lost property and applied it to Dot and her family. The characterisations are so strong they bounced off the page and came alive for me. I lived through Dot's heartbreak as she gradually lost her mother to dementia and her frustration at her sister's busybody behaviour. I rejoiced on the odd occasion she let herself go, cried when she couldn't cope any longer and giggled at some of the little gems she came out with.

Reading Lost Property is a bit like looking out to sea. On the surface it is an easy to read story of a woman losing her direction and trying to find her way back to herself. Underneath the surface, however, is a roiling and nuanced mass of emotion, a multi-faceted and multi-layered story. I think the author has done an amazing job with this evocative book. Life for Dot has its very dark moments but it's ultimately a truly uplifting read and I loved it.… (más)