The Dreams of Bethany Mellmoth by William Boyd: book review

The Dreams of Bethany Mellmoth (2017) is a collection of 9 short stories in three untitled sections, set predominantly in England in contemporary times.

The stories begin with The Man Who Liked Kissing Women, one of my favourites in the collection. Ludo Aberthany is an art dealer, whose third wife is pregnant, and so he vows to end his philandering affairs, by only kissing women passionately and not taking the situation to any sexual conclusion.

Another of my favourites is the titled long short story, The Dreams of Bethany Mellmoth, in 10 chapters of nearly 100 pages. Bethany, over a period of two years, when she is 22-24 years old, experiences complications in relationships – from her boyfriends to her divorced parents, to the lovers of her parents. But for her, it is a time of self identity and self discovery. I liked her, and reading of her random encounters, and the development of her relationships.

Bethany’s and her parents’ relationships are spontaneous, developing rapidly, ending rapidly, but with passion and intensity in between. When Aldous gives Bethany’s the spare keys to his apartment, and tells her to be capricious, she returns home to pick up a few clothes. ‘A rucksack’s worth of commitments,’ she thinks to herself as she stands in front of Aldous’s apartment. ‘She’s about to ring the bell but instead decides to use her new keys and lets herself in …’

Once again, Boyd’s style is engaging and written with style, intelligence, and finesse. There are twists and turns and surprises; there are comedic episodes and serious sections, but there are always moments when readers wonder whether they would take the same course. I enjoyed this collection, which is on par with his other well-known works, such as A Good Man in Africa (1982), Stars and Bars (1984), and Any Human Heart (2002).

MARTINA NICOLLSis an international aid and development consultant, and the authorof:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom(2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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