“Death and the Seaside” by Alison Moore is a haunting and multilayered novel that defies easy categorization. In this review, I’ll delve into the book’s ominous atmosphere, its exploration of mortality, and the strikingly ambitious narrative.

Bonnie Falls, nearing 30 and with an abandoned English literature degree, moves into a shabby ground-floor conversion. Her new home is filled with evocative remnants of former inhabitants—a locked door leading to the other half of the house, an understairs cupboard with dusty baby blankets, and LPs without a player. As Bonnie works two cleaning jobs to cover her rent, she grapples with loneliness, existential questions, and the mundane realities of life.

In Alison Moore’s “Death and the Seaside,” character development is masterfully executed to enhance the novel’s haunting and multilayered quality. Bonnie Falls, the protagonist nearing 30 with an abandoned English literature degree and few friends, is portrayed with complexity, evoking feelings of loneliness and vulnerability. Moore gradually reveals Bonnie’s inner struggles and existential questions, allowing readers to empathize with her journey of self-discovery. The relationship with Sylvia Slythe,  Bonnie’s landlady who encourages her writing and offers insights while subtly manipulating her, serves as a catalyst for Bonnie’s growth, mirroring the novel’s thematic depth.

Moore masterfully sets the tone. The seaside resort, with its mid-20th-century connotations of promenades and ice creams, becomes an effective antidote to high art. The novel’s bleak, unheimlich atmosphere mirrors Bonnie’s inner turmoil. Moore anchors her novel on complex themes: consciousness, narrative, and reality. The seaside setting juxtaposes mundane descriptions with profound questions about existence.

Bonnie, the maiden in question, grapples with her own mortality. The novel’s title alludes to Franz Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden,” but Moore grounds it in everyday life. Moore never gives herself airs. Her novel is ambitious, yet it remains accessible. The author’s talent lies in banalizing high art, making it relatable and unsettling.

Death and the Seaside reaches deep into the reader’s psyche. It’s more than a thriller; it’s a meditation on existence. Moore’s prose is precise, her observations keen. The novel repays careful rereading.

Bonnie embodies the maiden archetype, symbolizing change and exploration as she moves to the seaside and unlocks evocative remnants, reflecting her personal journey. Moore intertwines Bonnie’s life with the narrative of her story about another aimless woman, creating a parallel that allows for self-reflection and subtle character mirroring, all within a backdrop of unsettling familiarity conveyed through mundane details of Bonnie’s rented flat and its cast-offs.

In summary, Death and the Seaside is a psychologically astute exploration of power, control, and influence. Moore’s deft narrative invites readers to confront mortality within the context of the modern world. Clever and disturbing, this novel lingers long after the last page

By Swapna Peri