Mary's Reviews > Notes on a Scandal: What Was She Thinking?

Gosh, this book creeped me out. And, it wasn't even the older woman/school boy thing; it was Barbara, the narrator. She was creepy as all hell. Maybe because my copy had Judi Dench's cold eyed stare on the cover, but from first page to last, it was utterly unnerving.

What saved this book from being a daytime made-for-TV movie was that it was told from the perspective of Barbara and not the teacher who has an affair with a pupil. Barbara is this incredibly sinister, bitter, manipulative woman who is also viciously funny and makes for fabulous company. She's a snippy old cow really, but she's so tragically real; from bleeding feet as she awkwardly breaks in new sandals to her ultimate betrayal and possessiveness. Her witty observations, her cold envy, the repressed lesbian vibe...it's a Glenn-Close-Fatal-Attraction kind of brilliant.

It was fascinating to read about the teacher Sheba and what drove her to such behavior. What drives any of us to do the things that we do?

There are certain people in whom you can detect the seeds of madness - seeds that have remained dormant only because the people in question have lived relatively comfortable, middle class lives. They function perfectly well in the world, but you can imagine, given a nasty parent, or a prolonged bout of unemployment, how their potential for craziness might have been realized. p203

The story is beautifully written and delighfully gloomy.