Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller

From the day that Sheba Hart joins the staff at St George’s, history teacher Barbara Covett is convinced that she has found a kindred spirit. When Sheba is discovered having an illicit affair with one of her pupils, Barbara appoints herself Sheba’s chief defender. Yet all is not as it first appears in this dark story and as Sheba will eventually discover, a friend can be as treacherous as any lover.

---

Notes on a Scandal is a book that has been on my wish list forever.  I can’t remember what it was about it that first caught my attention, but spotting it out in the wild recently, I decided that it was finally time.

The scandal in question is a relationship between a forty-something year old teacher and one of their pupils, aged 15 at the time of the affair.  Ick.  What is a little unusual about this scenario is that the teacher is female, the pupil male.  While this doesn’t make the affair any less inappropriate, there is no grooming of the pupil in this novel and it is Steven who pursues Sheba after she takes an interest in his artwork.  I think that having a crush on a teacher is relatively common although few do anything about it, and what I found more puzzling was the attraction for Sheba.  For her, it seems to be about the excitement of something new as well as the feeling of being wanted and desired. 

The novel is narrated by Barbara Covett, a lonely, older woman who teaches at the same school.  Before she has even been introduced to Sheba, she believes that they will be friends and is determined to take her under her wing.  She is genuinely shocked and offended when Sheba bonds with another teacher instead of her – a situation that brings out catty, vindicative behaviour in Barbara which Sheba remains oblivious to.  While they do eventually become friends, it’s difficult to see what they have in common other than teaching.  That said, we know from the beginning of the novel that Barbara is living with Sheba at her brother’s house after the affair becomes public knowledge and I was so intrigued as to how that situation comes about. 

The characterisation is brilliant throughout.  Sheba is presented as being a naïve and emotional individual.  She wants to make a difference to her pupil’s lives, but is overwhelmed on her first day by their unruly behaviour.  Barbara, on the other hand, is the capable older woman with years of experience, able to handle any situation that arises although she seems to loathe the pupils at the school and can’t engage with them on an individual level.  She’s a woman who clearly has a very high opinion of herself, although she is also surprisingly open about her shortcomings. 

Barbara, as the only person Sheba confides in about the affair, gives a blow-by-blow account of the goings-on from Sheba’s arrival at the school, how the affair starts, and how it eventually becomes public knowledge.  Except that she, for obvious reasons, wasn’t present for most of it.  We never hear from Sheba or Steven directly, and so are forced to rely upon Barbara’s account as to how it was conducted.  Sheba may have shared some snippets of what she and Steven got up to, but Barbara seems to know quite a lot of sordid details that leaves the reader questioning exactly how much of her account is valid.

Notes on a Scandal is a compelling novel and Barbara’s friendship with Sheba takes centre stage despite the illicit affair.  I’ve not seen the film adaptation of the novel, but I believe that Barbara’s interest is given a sexual motivation which frankly seems reductive having read the book.  What we have here is a brilliant portrayal of obsession and jealousy from an unreliable narrator who quickly proves herself to be manipulative and with narcissistic qualities as she seeks to cement herself at the centre of the younger woman’s life.  Recommended.