R.I.P. Nanny Tobbins by Lucie Stevens
Sydney based children's writer Lucie Stevens has authored and co-authored many books for the education market. R.I.P. Nanny Tobbins is Steven's first novel for children. Stevens has hit the mark, producing a wonderful, spooky story that draws from a wealth of traditional well known and lesser known European fairy tales and other traditional stories and classics to produce a delightful ghostly story. The reader will find echoes of The Brothers Grimm's Jorinde and Joringel and Cinderella. The secret garden (1911) by Frances Hodgson Burnett is brought to mind with the Victorian house in which Albertine is confined. The setting is mainly within the house (the nursery, drawing rooms and kitchen) but Albertine does venture to the church and graveyard, on carriage rides and finally to see The Great Exhibition. Nightly visitations by her deceased Nanny Tobbins through her window is reminiscent of Peter Pan (1911) by J.M. Barrie. R.I.P. Nanny Tobbins is infused with a rich literature heritage and will make its own contribution to the tradition of quality novels for children. One of the things Albertine loves most is when her father reads to her before she goes to bed. One of the worst losses brought about by the arrival of "The Stepmother" is the risk of losing this precious time together. The purple flower is a motif throughout the story- a flower linked to a German fairy tale and worn by Albertine's father as a symbol of his love for her mother.
Nine-year-old Albertine's belief in fairy tales and ghosts is scorned by Nanny Tobbin who later (after breaking her neck falling off a horse)returns as a very annoying ghost causing Albertine a lot of trouble. Albertine has experienced a lot of loss. Her mother has died and then Nanny Tobbin dies. Albertine retreats into a world of ghosts- a world which was very much an interest of the Victorian era. Warm and grounded cook doesn't believe in the paranormal, nor does her father but the new maid Susan does. Susan believes in the Tarot cards which she reads for Albertine. Father thinks that Albertine's talk of visitations by Nanny Tobbins is the product of an overactive imagination and the strain of grief.
Quiver is Albertine's closest companion. He is a little Italian greyhound who seems to be able to understand and communicate on an almost human level. He is always on Albertine's side even when she comes to the most muddle-headed conclusions about situations. Cook is a comforting presence, Albertine's father is loving but distracted and "The Stepmother" ... " Black cloak, black gloves, black hat, she looked neither bright nor sweet. Quiver whimpered...the Stepmother's shadow advanced up the path and into the house...like a thunderstorm had come inside..." The characters are well developed. Through the third person narrator the reader knows all of Albertine's thoughts. She is a resilient, energetic little girl but often as the reader will see, she gets things wrong and though well- meaning, makes rash and silly decisions.
At twelve o'clock every night the ghostly Nanny Tobbins returns causing increasingly dreadful nightly havoc for which Albertine receives the blame. Albertine has to come up with a plan before she is shipped off to live elsewhere with a relative.
Infused through the text is a smattering of German words as Albertine's father is German and he has employed a German cook and nanny. German fairytales likewise influence Albertine's thinking and imagination and the cuckoo- clock figures large.
Funny, quirky and full of adventure, R.I.P. Nanny Tobbins is a delightful story about a little girl coping with loss and change in Victorian England. New possibilities and hope and tenderness emerge.
A thoroughly funny and delightful read.
Themes: Ghosts, nannies, The Great Exhibition, loss, grief, stepmothers, Victorian England, coping with change, adapting.
Wendy Jeffrey