Literary retellings of classic novels have seen a surge in popularity in recent years. Readers seem to love them because they take an old familiar story and reimagine it in a different, sometimes more relatable context. The Scent of Oranges is a retelling of Charles Dickens’ 1837 novel Oliver Twist from the point of view of Nancy, the abused and wretched prostitute with a noble heart.

Dickens himself is quoted as saying that his purpose for Nancy was to show ‘the utter misery to which evil propensities lead’. In her depictions of Nancy and the time and place in which she lives, George has achieved this. She’s also succeeded in capturing the contradictions inherent in Nancy’s character, which are most noticeable in her interactions with Oliver, Bill Sikes and a non-Dickens inspired fictional lover, Mr Rufus. However, in this story Nancy’s fate differs to the one Dickens ordanied for her.

This retelling is very close to the original, apart from the fact that Nancy is the protagonist and the inclusion of Mr Rufus. However, I found the constant use of dialect, unnecessary and distracting.

Because of the close resemblance in style, characterisation, era, and environment to the Dickens original, I didn’t find anything particularly innovative or insightful in this retelling. A more radical and original version might have been achieved if it had been set in contemporary times.

Using Nancy as the protagonist has the advantage of making her character empathetic rather than just pathetic. It also highlights her compassion and innate humanity, particularly as compared to her low-life associates.

Reviewed by Anne Green

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I have written since I was a child, but I never dreamed that one day I might be an author. I didn’t excel at English at school, and flunked first year university. I returned to uni very late in life to get a creative writing degree, but it was one of the best things I’ve ever done.

The best thing I ever did was to fall in love at first sight, not across a crowded room but a train carriage. Some of my favourite books include Rebecca, Wuthering Heights, and Great Expectations. I have always been drawn to tortured, complex and intense characters, my all-time favourite being Heathcliff. I write in the mornings, and try to treat my writing like a business.

My favourite place to be is at the sea, preferably in it. It is food for my soul. I love travelling. I love animals. Red wine or white? Bubbles, actually. I was born in South Africa, have lived in Namibia and New Zealand, but have called Australia home for what seems like forever. I live in Brisbane with my husband, and we have three grown up children.

Visit Kathy George’s website