The Love Department - William Trevor

William Trevor (1928-2016) is an much awarded, celebrated Irish writer with many novels, short stories, plays to his name. I had not had the fortune of reading his work before this but when Vinod gave this book, I read it and discovered a wonderful writer who could make me laugh and create a world full of people with flaws and who are accepting of it (just like the real world) to the extent that it all seems make believe.

'The Love Department' is a department run by one Lady Dolores who has taken it upon herself to bring love back into marriages. According to her estimate  there were ten millions lonely women in England and most of them, married and unhappy. She runs a full department with typists and writers who receive letters from all over and who advise, encourage and empathise with these troubled women. She is a celebrated person with her own show on TV!

In walks Edward, fresh off a seminary where he was on the way to become a Brother, but for some reason, mostly the reason of wanting to grow up and be like an adult, he applies for and gets a job with the Love Department. Lady Dolores identifies him as the man who would find the biggest blackguard she has known. Septimus Tuam, who has a habit of seducing vulnerable married women by the way of running their stockings accidentally with his umbrella and then showing up at their house to do their dishes. They love him, plan to leave their husbands because he is a 'beautiful man'. Septimus is happy as long as they give him money and keeps them happy. He is not happy when they talk of leaving their husbands and their wealth and want to marry him.

One Mrs Fitzpatrick is on the verge of divorce and is away in the USA trying to figure between her husband or Septimus. One Mrs Bolsover is his latest conquest and she is willing to leave her husband and move in with him. In all this we have a supporting cast of a charwoman of Mrs Bolsover who is trying to get old Beach to sign his will in her favour because he is besotted with her, one Lake who is another blackguard seeking to topple his boss Mr Bolsover and take his place. Only he has used his Secretary Mrs Brown and she doe snot like it and knocks his teeth out! I loved that part when he runs all over for dentists in the middle of the night because he has to face the Board the next day.

Edward is hopeless at his job and messes up everything in his naive way, even disclosing to one ex-Septimus victim, Mrs Poache that he is on a mission to see the end of Mr Tuam. It all falls delightfully into place with Lake being caught by the police. Septimus run over and Edward going back to his seminary.

Loved it. It began a bit like how my first Wodehouse began, many characters coming in and nothing much happening until it slowly fell in place and then, I could not put it down. The characters are so delightfully loveable including Septimus and the bungling Edward, the scenes and situations impossibly funny and the way they all come together so organic. He's a master! Thanks is owed to Vinod bhai for expanding my lit horizons!