Sophie, Standing There (Meg Mason, 4th Estate)
Sophie, Standing There is the long-awaited new novel from Meg Mason (Sorrow and Bliss).
Newly single 37-year-old sound technician Sophie Pattison is adjusting to life as an “unregarded” divorcee. Just 4 months after the breakdown of her intense 8-year marriage, Sophie is lonely, financially unstable and clinging to one imbalanced friendship. Mason captures her isolation sensitively – Sophie even itemises the few times she has been touched since becoming single.
Seeking comfort, Sophie becomes fixated on celebrated author Lilac Dunne, developing an obsessive parasocial relationship fuelled by endless scrolling, rereading and podcast binges. The obsession quickly turns sexual and increasingly unhinged. In Mason’s hands, these scenes could have been funny, but instead, they feel deeply sad. And yet, the sadness is also beautifully human and a bittersweet insight into Sophie’s extreme need to be seen.
The novel gains momentum when Sophie works at a major literary festival. While these scenes bring startling personal and professional surprises, the plot later feels strained, with themes of sects and infertility awkwardly introduced alongside a thin romantic subplot.
Despite Mason’s voice feeling more muted here than in previous works, there are flashes of her trademark wit alongside moving insights into loneliness and fragility. Booklovers will enjoy the behind-the-scenes literary festival setting and the frequent literary references. Fans of Alison Espach’s Wedding People and Belle Burden’s Strangers will likely appreciate Sophie, Standing There’s exploration of the messy human condition of endlessly seeking connection to avoid being alone in the world.
Books+Publishing reviewer: Michelle Atkins is a communications professional and published educational author. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.
Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.
Category: Friday Unlocked reviews Reviews
