A Review of Gramma by Leanne Ellul

 

According to WHO “A mental disorder is characterized by a clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotional regulation, or behaviour.” From the point of view of a writer this presents a challenge: how do you use language to convey the inner rhythm of a person experiencing mental health challenges whilst keeping an interesting narrative flow? How do you go around the problem that a truthful exposition of mental disorder needs disorder and a functioning plot needs order?

I think Ms Ellul tackled this problem admirably and Gramma is a fantastic work of Maltese literature. Consider this segment:

Il-bidu ta’ kollox kien meta kelli 10 snin. 10 grammi ħafna. L-2010. Minn 20 tnaqqas 10 jifdal 10, u għedtlek  10 grammi ħafna. Mela ma tismax? It-13 ta’ Lulju. Anke 13 ħafna. Niftakar għax fit-13. Niftakar għax kont sejra ma’ sħabi l-baħar u ntbaħt li għax sirt mara ma nistax immur.

This small segment from Gramma shows how the novel has to function simultaneously on at least three seperate levels:

1) It has to simulate the toil of coexisting with the distructive inner voice of mental illness (above in bold);

2) It has to reproduce the voice of a young teenager experiencing drastic change in her life;

3) It has to carry the plot forward and keep it interesting.

Ms Ellul uses short, punchy sentences and an obsessive use of numbers - in all their permutations and linkages with food, dates, people, idioms, traditions and life experiences - to recreate the blended feeling of obsession and reality. Scenes don’t feel as if they are set for us like in traditional novels (descriptions of setting and character interplay are rarely in detail) and this forces us to remain entrapped within the guilt-ridden labyrinth that is Analiża’s mind.

The book is also effective in isolating Analiża, and hence the reader, from any meaningful relationship. This next segment efficiently portrays the grip the illness has on Analiża and how much painful it has become for her to even enjoy an outing with her family.

Sakemm il-ma toħroġ il-kejk u ngħidilha li jien m’iniex tifla żgħira, ġejja bil-kejk. Żgħira fl-eta u kbira fid-daqs. U nibki, u nibki u ma nistax nieqaf nibki. Mill-Miżieb għall-miżien, naħseb. U naħrab niġri u kollox qisu ġebel u kollox qisu trab u kollox qisu niexef u iebes.

This splendid segment shows not only how intensely claustrophobic and lonely it keeps getting in Analiża’s mind but also the author’s ability in using a dab of poetry to keep the going interesting despite the heavy themes; in the hands of a less-talented writer this important novel could have deteriorated quickly into a borefest.

I have used the word “Important” to refer to this novel not only because the themes are important but also because of the clever approach to language chosen by Ms Ellul that will set a benchmark.  I will not be surprised if this novel remains a reference not just for the YA category but also for Maltese Literature in general.