Arti's Reviews > The Mistress of Nothing

** spoiler alert ** The book sounds so promising at the start. I was intensely interested at first, but dissolved into indifference and finally even annoyance. Based on the real historical figure of one Lady Lucie Duff-Gordon (1821-1869), an English woman self-exiled to Egypt due to incurable illness (TB). Staying in England would only hasten her demise. So she took her long-time lady's maid Sally Naldrett with her to hopefully salvage some remaining quality days. She survived seven years in Egypt. From Luxor she had written a series of letters over those years, mailing them back to England to her family. The letters were later published as a book. Her story is based on historical facts. Her maid Sally was also a real-life character. But what happened to her during those years is totally up to the author's own imagination.

Sally falls in love with an Egyptian servant Omar who works as a cook and a butler for the Lady. The lovers lead a secret love life without the detection of anyone. Sally later is pregnant with Omar's child. They later marry and she continues with her pregnancy in Lady Duff-Gordon's home. The fact that Sally carries the child until delivery without anybody noticing, especially not her lady, is a quite beyond comprehension. What more, Lady Duff Gordon's reaction to her is unconvincing as well. Known for her benevolence to the Egyptian people, and a progressive woman resisting any totalitarian powers, Lady Duff-Gordon somehow is so seized with rage that she drives Sally away from her home. And yet she keeps Omar close to her to continue as her trusted and faithful servant.

Lots of potentials to depict in a nuanced and deeper way the power relations (like e.g. Girl with a Pearl Earring) and cultural and personal conflicts remain untapped. Well, maybe not exactly untapped. Rather, the narration is straight forward and lacks depth. All feelings and thoughts are laid out explicitly, leaving the readers with very little room for their own imagination, and too scanty an offering of literary enjoyment. Winner of the GG? I'm truly baffled.