Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller has been such a wonderful book to read. Fuller excelled in creating a world I loved spending time in. I am not the only one who has enjoyed it as it was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize For Fiction 2021 and has recently won the Costa Novel Award 2021.
Twins Jeanie and Julius are in their fifties but have never moved out of their parental home and still live with their ageing mother. They are described as ‘different’ or ‘odd’ by other people, but I personally thought it was very sweet that they still lived with their mother. When their mother dies they are quickly confronted with the financial ramifications of this loss. After their mother’s death, debts and complicated relationships come to the surface and their living space is under threat. Throughout their lives they had lived fairly off the grid, growing their own vegetables in their garden and living frugally with however little they had.
Their mother had always been in charge of the finances, so they are not aware how much money there is, and if they can cover the basics. They have lived a secluded live with no computers, and as their mother was wary of anything government related, with no financial aid.
“Jeanie isn’t surprised that her mother hadn’t claimed her free prescription, neither is she too shocked that there’s so little money in the tin, but still she can’t help calculating expenses in her head: the funeral or cremation, a coffin, funeral directors, a hears and flowers. What are you supposed to do if you can’t afford any of it- bury your mother in the garden? ”
— Unsettled Ground: 37
Jeanie and Julius have to arrange a funeral with very limited means. The rise of funeral costs and funeral poverty is a growing issue . The average cost of a funeral in the UK is £4184 pounds, making it unaffordable for a large group of the population. The dilemmas, tensions and embarrassment experienced by Julius and Jeanie are thus very real issues.
Fuller evocatively describes the challenges of organising a funeral without economic means or the literacy skills to understand the forms and bureaucracy that underpins the funeral industry.
To try and safe money they actually bury their mother in the garden, as suggested in the quote above. To try and safe face, they lie to their local community and claim they held a funeral without any attendees.
“‘How was it?’ she says. ‘I wished you’d let me come.’ She flaps her hand at herself, wipes her cheeks and gives half a laugh.
‘It was fine he says,’ he says, and when she seems to want more, he adds, ‘Nice’.
‘ A cremation?’
‘No,’ he says, and then thinking she’ll ask where Dot is buried, immediately says, ‘Yes’.
”
— Unsettled Ground Page: 80
Whilst against social convention, there are no laws that prevent burial in your own garden. You’d be surprised to learn how unregulated dead bodies actually are, as technically no-one owns them. Garden burials are just not the conventional thing to do, yet again, Julius and Jeanie are not conventional people so I thought this move was completely in character.
This book is a wonderful account of sibling relationships, unconventional means of disposal, and societal expectations. While there is hardship in the lives of Jeanie and Julius, I found the imagery of their way of living utterly charming and, as someone who has never had their own garden, I was envious of them growing their own fruit and vegetables. Fuller shows the diversity of lives that are lived, and how modern live tries to squash those who live life at a more tranquil and slow pace. Importantly, she shows that not everyone has money to bury their dead.
Unsettled Ground was recently released in paperback and available at most places you get your books from!
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