Until Aber Falls Into The Sea

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Until Aber Falls Into the Sea is a novel by Frances Myers and Zi Weate. It was first published in the United Kingdom by Y Lolfa, a Welsh company that publishes books in both the Welsh and English languages.

The novel tracks the progress of Lois, a girl of eighteen when we first meet her, through her time at university and her life after graduation. It is set in the early to mid 1980s.

[edit] Plot Summary

[edit] The first term

The novel begins in the autumn of 1981, partway through Lois Bartlett's first term at Aberystwyth University. She has had a disappointing time there up to the time that we meet her; she has not found anybody who shares her tastes and interests, and is missing her home town of Chester, and her old friends, dearly. Her luck changes when she accepts an invitation to a night at the Students' Union from the other girls in her halls of residence. She still doesn't bond with them, but instead gets talking to a boy she meets called Luke; they discuss music and their courses, and Luke introduces her to two of his friends, Malc and Fenn.

Her social circle widens through the three boys, and when she accompanies them to a performance by Drama students, she meets a Welsh boy called Sly Davies, to whom she is instantly attracted. The pair begin an affair that night; Sly declares his love for Lois, and she is understandably shocked at being told this on the first night they have met, but he convinces her he is not being foolish or attempting to be manipulative, and they sleep together.

This causes a great deal of friction with Luke, who has very strong feelings for Lois and doesn't disguise his annoyance well, though he doesn't explain to her the jealousy that has caused the change in his behaviour. Nobody tells Lois of Luke's feelings for her, and she remains oblivious.

Sly and Lois become closer as the term progresses, getting to know each other, spending a great deal of time together and enjoying socialising with their circle of friends. When David, a very close friend of Lois and her family, visits, there is tension between him and Sly, with Sly being jealous of David's classical good looks and his closeness to Lois, and David instantly feeling protective towards her.

After David has gone home, Sly feels very insecure, and probles Lois for information about her previous boyfriend, Sid, who had been a close friend of David's, feeling that Sid must have been fiercer competition even than David to have been involved with Lois. He requires a great deal of persuasion and reassurance to forget his insecurities regarding David and Sid, and for his mood and behaviour to return to normal.

At the end of term, the extended group of friends holds an outrageous party, in which all the guests inadvertently take magic mushrooms that have been added secretly to the punch. After this last celebration, it is the Christmas holidays, and Lois and Sly make arrangements for him to visit her at her home in Chester the day after Boxing Day. Although they will only be separated for a week, both are in tears; they feel devastated and find it extremely difficult to leave each other, deciding to write to each other every day. Lois spends Christmas with David and her mother, her sister having married earlier that year. The first hint that David has feelings beyond friendship for Lois is made when he asks for a Christmas kiss, but is rebuffed; it is suggested that they had previously shared a passionate kiss at this time, the previous year.

Sly and Lois tell their respective families about their relationship. Lois' mother is pleased and lets Sly and Lois share a bed when he visits, so long as Lois thinks he is "the one", and he makes a good impression on the Bartlett family, whereas Sly's father disapproves of the idea of Lois, who dislikes the fact she is English rather than Welsh, and is annoyed with his son for wishing to speak to his girlfriend on the telephone rather than attending church.

The couple go to a New Year's party with Luke, at an unspecified location in the country, and then return to Aberystwyth. Lois is introduced to Sly's friend Mickie, who already knows of her because she has bought some of his prints; he is an Art student. Not many students have returned to Aber as the term has not yet started, so Lois and Sly meet up with Mickie and his girlfriend, Pauline, who seems to be very uncomfortable and sulky in the company and eventually leaves to go back to her house. Mickie explains that Pauline is beginning to annoy him and that the relationship is in trouble, and then leaves to follow his girlfriend.

The next day, Mickie visits Sly: he has a proposition for him. He wants Lois to be a model for his latest art project. He also explains how he thinks he has become obsessed with Lois, and was captivated with he when he saw her one evening at the Union. Pauline noticed that he was staring at Lois, and later found a pile of sketches of her, which accounts for the trouble in her relationship with Mickie, and her discomfort and annoyance when in Lois' company. Sly is furious, but Mickie reassures him that he has no desire to steal his girlfriend; all he wants to do is try to capture her essence in his artwork. Sly then agrees to the idea if Lois is willing to be the model; he is good friends with Mickie and decides that he can trusts him.

The three meet together for a meal; Pauline and Mickie's relationship is over, though Lois doesn't know why. The friends then smoke weed. Mickie, under the influence of the drug, loses his inhibitions and kisses Lois, when she approaches him to say goodnight - her own reaction to the drug has been to become very sedate, so although she doesn't respond by kissing him back, she also does nothing to stop the kiss. Sly, unnoticed, has been watching from the doorway of the room and he is furious. He doesn't direct his anger towards Mickie but instead takes it out on Lois, to whom he is violent. He instantly regrets his behaviour and she forgives him.

Despite the events of that evening, and Mickie's feelings of guilt, his photo session with Lois still goes ahead, and although it is protracted and arduous project, the pictures are very beautiful.

[edit] The second term

The other students return for the spring term, and parties are arranged. One involves going to a country cottage owned by one of the students' families; it is in a remote location so the guests stay over. Lois and Sly are given a bedroom to stay in, but it has little privacy; the stairs lead directly into it, which causes a problem when a very intoxicated Luke enters the room accidentally, whilst trying to find himself a bedroom to sleep in, and catches Sly and Lois together. Because he is very drunk, and still in love with Lois, he doesn't immediately leave but instead is transfixed, horrified. His observation of the couple shocks them, too. Sly is very angry, and bad-tempered with Lois when she decides she should pursue Luke to make sure he is all right.

Luke, meanwhile, has driven back to Aber, still under the influence of drink. The others decide it would lead to further danger to follow him straight away, considering they are also drunk, so they wait until the early morning before setting off. Sly is furious that Lois is showing such an interest in Luke's wellbeing.

When the friends get back to Aber, Luke has locked himself in his room. Lois fears for his safety and demands that the door is broken down. They find him unconscious, having overdosed on paracetamol, and consumed a large amount of whiskey. He is taken to hospital, and regains consciousness, but it becomes apparent that he has been suffering from anorexia nervosa, partly due to his enduring unrequited love for Lois.

David travels to Aber to go to the party scheduled for the next night, though none of the friends are really in the mood. Lois has not heard from Sly; when she meets him at the party, he blanks her, and then berates her for choosing Luke over him - this is how he interpreted her actions. He splits up with her and shouts at her, pushing her against the wall as he does so. This ordeal sends Lois into shock and she is not able to stay at the party, begging David to take her back to her halls of residence. She then goes back to Chester for a week, but realises she will have to return to Aber if she wants to complete her degree.

Gerry and other friends are very happy to see her again, and Lois spends the rest of the term socialising intensely and working hard, to keep her mind off Sly. They manage to avoid contact with each other, whilst seeing mutual friends, but parties at the end of term mean that they do encounter each other. Sly regrets losing Lois intensely, and the two begin talking again. David is still on the scene, hoping that he can win Lois over.

One morning in the Easter holidays, Lois sleeps with David. David then takes Lois and her mother for a surprise Easter trip to Paris. Lois does not want a relationship with David, and he is devastated, but suppresses his feelings so as not to disrupt the close friendship between the pair.

[edit] The third term, and the summer holidays

Back at University, Gerry and Luke get together. Malc meets with Lois for lunch and passes on a message from Sly: he would like to take her to see a play. At the agreed time, Lois waits for him at the bar in the university Arts Centre, but he does not appear. Lois is furious until a boy Sly has sent as a messenger appears with the tickets, explaining that Sly can't make the date because he's had to go to an audition. Mickie is also at the bar and offers to accompany her instead. They enjoy the play, and then kiss; they then go back to Lois' room, and Mickie and Sly see each other through Lois' window. Mickie and Lois then spend the night together. As he is in his final year, he is busy with work, and so the two don't have time to see a lot of each other. Mickie is still living with Pauline, although they have not been together since December. Pauline is still in love with Mickie, and she doesn't know that Lois and Mickie are together.

Mickie receives some bad news straight after his final exam. His father is gravely ill, and he must return to Liverpool immediately to be with his family. He sends Lois a message to this effect, because she is expecting him. Pauline is his messenger; although it kills her to deliver a message from her beloved ex to his new lover, she completes the task, out of loyalty to Mickie.

Pauline travels to Liverpool to console Mickie. The end of term approaches, and the students leave Aberystwyth. Sly asks to speak with Lois. He confesses how much he regrets losing her. Lois assures him that she still loves him, but that she is with Mickie now and is happy. In reality, though, she is confused, and no longer sure what she wants. Lois does very well in her first year of study, even winning the Zoology prize.

She goes on holiday with David over the summer; they stay in France. Lois and David sleep together but she still is not happy to enter into relationship with him, much to his chagrin. David accuses her of being self-centred. The pair agree to have a holiday romance, but to terminate it when they return home, to avoid any complications. David accepts this offer, as it is the best he can hope for, and he suppresses his feelings upon their return to Chester.

Lois and Gerry then travel to Aber to see Mickie's art exhibition. It transpires that Gerry and Luke have split up, but Gerry will not discuss the issue, despite seeming to be extremely unhappy about the break up, in contrast to her usual laid-back attitude to relationships. They then see a play in which Sly plays a sea slug.

After this, there is a party in Aber; guests include Gerry, Sly, Lois, Pauline and Mickie, amongst many others. Pauline torments herself for the whole evening by staring at Mickie and Lois. Sly and Gerry are both upset over their failed relationships and distract themselves by getting very drunk. Gerry reveals to Sly the reason for Luke finishing with her: he was only with her to try to make Lois jealous, and win her for himself. When she got together with Mickie he realised it wasn't working, so he ended the relationship.

Meanwhile, Mickie tells Lois that he is going to study for his MA, in Birmingham; he will not stay in Aber, because he is worried he will get tied to Aber and never leave, because he feels Birmingham will be a bigger, better place to familiarise himself with the art scene, and because he feels there is still something unresolved between Lois and Sly that he is not a part of.

Before they go back to their home towns, Gerry confides in Lois the reasons for Luke splitting up with her, and Lois consoles her, criticising Luke. Sly is cheerful and full of energy, trying to impress Lois. Back in Chester, Lois decides to go out with her sister one night, but due to a domestic argument, Ronnie cancels. Lois is on her own in a pub, where she meets acquaintances who offer to take her out instead. She goes along with them and has a good time, but one of the group is Owen, a longstanding enemy of David's. When David finds them out together, he is furious, and assaults Owen, breaking his nose. He also slaps Lois and knocks her over, before taking her on a terrifyingly speedy journey home. The next morning, Lois' mother has no sympathy for her - she says that Lois should have known they were enemies and that Owen was trying to make a fool of David. She is angry, because she is very close to David herself; seemingly as close as to her own children. It transpires that ever since Owen has had girlfriends, David has waited for them to be together for a couple of weeks and then seduced the girl; Owen would find someone new and the process would start all over again. This was revenge for David's father's constant comparison of Owen and David - Owen being a family friend, and David's relationship with his father being very fractured.

Owen calls Lois and tells him that he loves her; Lois is incensed and asks him not to call again. She goes to David's house to apologise, and eventually wins David round - the pair begin another affair. When it is time for Lois to start her second year at University, David says that he will not contact her for the duration of the term if she is at all likely to get back together with Sly. Lois cannot promise that nothing will happen between Sly and her, and David explains that he must cut contact to save his own sanity, and that he will see her at Christmas.

[edit] The first term of the second year

Luke, Malc, Gerry and Lois are now living together, and Luke is very kind to both the girls; all differences are set aside. Gerry and Lois keep the information that David and Lois were together again a secret; otherwise they know it will get straight to Sly.

Lois and Sly do get back together, in due course, and enjoy a relationship much the same as they previously shared. However, Lois is peturbed when she finds out that a girl called Emily, to whom Sly has become close, knows nothing of their relationship. It seems that Sly is keeping their reunion a secret. Lois, Gerry and some others arrange to see Japan in Birmingham and stay at Mickie's. Sly is very angry at this; he doesn't want Lois to see Mickie. Sly punishes her upon her return by staying every night with her but refusing to spend any time socialising with her. Emily reassures him that this is the right way for him to behave, and that he is justified.

Lois feels unable to leave him despite his strange and disrespectful behaviour, much to the exasperation of her friends. When Lois and friends see Japan, Mickie consoles Lois and tells her that he'll always be there for her. Lois tries to reason with Sly. They bicker over David, and Mickie, and Lois questions Sly about Emily, but eventually this leads to a deep conversation in which Sly convinces Lois of his love for her. Sly's speech is largely sincere, but slightly manipulative. The two weep again upon saying goodbye for the Christmas holidays. Sly invites her to stay with him in Monmouthshire for the holidays, but Lois tells him that she cannot leave her mother for Christmas.

At the local pub on Christmas Eve, David tells Lois he wants her to kiss him in front of Owen. David then seduces Lois and they sleep together several times in the weeks that she's home, although Lois still writes to and phones Sly regularly. Lois cleans herself obsessively before leaving Chester, concerned that Sly will discover what she's been doing.

[edit] The second term of the second year

When she returns to Aber, Sly tells Lois that he can smell David on her, though this is of course an impossibility. He is convinced that Lois and David have been sleeping together, and he 'punishes' Lois again. He is forceful with her, and she is trapped in her room with him. He drinks vodka but forbids her to drink any wine; he won't let her socialise, much to the dismay of her friends. If she disobeys him, he will leave her, and Lois cannot see a way out of the situation. Sly rarely speaks except to ask if she slept with David over Christmas, and Lois always denies it.

Lois finally has the freedom to go to a party, and whilst in the company of Gerry and Finlay, she gets extremely drunk; more intoxicated than she has ever been. Sly takes her home. When she wakes up with a horrible hangover, and throws up repeatedly, Sly asks her once more if she slept with David. Lois, in her weakened state, admits that she did. Sly is then kinder to Lois, assuring her that his behaviour would return to how it was before she went to Birmingham. He tells Gerry that her will has been broken and that he will take care of her.

Lois enjoys being 'allowed' out again. All is fine until Malc's birthday meal, when Sly will not talk to Lois, or indeed anyone. He assaults her before leaving. Feeling unable to confide in the innocent Luke, Lois tells Finlay what has happened. A few days later, Finlay tells her he's broken up with his girlfriend, Lynne, and that he's in love with Lois. Lois is furious at his cheek, but Finlay tells her that Lynne is coming to Aber and wants to meet Lois. Lois very reluctantly agrees, and goes on an evening out with them and some others.

When she sees Sly approaching, she leaves, sick of the situation of which she's inadvertently become the centre. Lynne then threatens to kill herself, and Finlay begs her to come round to his house to help him. This merely leads to Lynne threatening Lois with a knife. Finlay's friends persuade him to stay with Lynne, who forbids him to speak to Lois. Sly continues to torment Lois whenever he sees her; he deliberately comes to the bar where she works and taunts her, causing her to leave her job there. When Lois and Gerry go to the Union, Sly's friend Gina comes over to tell them to leave so that Sly can enjoy his night.

Gerry is shocked to see how ill Lois is beginning to look; she has lost a lot of weight and has a persistent cough, and no longer shows an interest in dressing fashionably. Gerry tracks down Mickie and asks him to visit Lois - Gerry feels he is the only person who will be able to help her. Lois is very relieved to see Mickie, who listens to her and then visits Lynne, now working in Aber, to request that she and others stop persecuting Lois. Mickie reassures Lois and tells her that he will always love her, without pressurising her at all. When he leaves, Lois becomes withdrawn for the rest of the term; even Gerry cannot reach her.

David meets her at the train station when she goes to Chester for the Easter holidays. He is delighted to see her but horrified to see the state she's in.

[edit] The last term of the second year, and the 'year out'

When Lois returns for the summer term, she is in a better mood. She celebrates her 20th birthday. However, she is still more reserved than she once was; she works hard, but doesn't socialise much. She spends most weekends away from Aber. Gerry misses her hugely, and weeps and begs her to spend more time with the old group. Apparently a rumour has been circulating that she is bulimic, but Lois assures Gerry that she is just slightly unwell with stress, and the doctor has told her it will pass in time.

Lois tells Gerry that she is going to spend the next academic year in an industry placement, and that Gerry could join her. The main purpose of this is to avoid Sly, of whom Lois is now quite afraid. He will now finish his final year before Lois returns. After the last exam of the summer, Lois leaves immediately. Sly tries to find her, saying he has found something important he needs to tell her, but all methods of contacting Lois have been closed to him. When Gerry sees him, she flies into a rage and ends up hitting and kicking him. Gerry and Lois spend the summer in France, with David, and then the next year in Birmingham, with visits from David and someone called Ben, who has not been mentioned before.

[edit] The final year, and beyond

Returning for the final year of university, Lois and Gerry live in new halls, and work hard. Gerry has met a man on her course, Charlie. Lois still returns home a great deal. One weekend, she goes to Swansea University, to take a short psychology course. She encounters Sly there, which shocks her. He says he is visiting someone there. They talk, and there is no animosity there, but when Sly asks to explain his behaviour, Lois doesn't feel ready for a serious conversation with him, and asks him to write to her after her last term of university is over. Sly agrees.

Lois achieves a two-one in her Zoology degree. Sly feels guilty when he sees she missed a first class degree, believing he is to blame. Lois is then collected and taken to Chester, returning only for her graduation ceremony. She then goes straight to France on holiday with David, and telephones Malc to let him know that Sly is ready to be told about Ben.

Malc meets with Sly and tells him that Lois has a son by Sly, and that his name is Ben, and he is now twenty one months old. Sly is astounded at this news, and wants to be a part of Ben's life. Lois' mother oversees initial visits Sly makes, and Lois has no contact with him. Then, Lois makes arrangements to visit Sly in Aber, to discuss their son and the past; she finally feels ready to face him.

David is angry and feels that Lois is putting herself in a vulnerable position, but she insists upon going. David is like a father to Ben, and he makes it clear to Lois that he wants to marry her.

When Lois visits Aber, Sly tells her that he visited a doctor about his violent mood swings and was diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder, which could have accounted for his behaviour, although he lets her know that he realises it could not possibly excuse it. Ben was born early, and it was not known exactly when he was conceived; the two are happier thinking it could have been in an instance of love rather than violence, though they can never be sure. The two discuss the breakdown of their relationship, and realise a lot of it was to do with misunderstandings, and meddlers, such as Emily. It is an emotional evening for both Lois and Sly.

They visit the Student's Union briefly, and Lois feels very much older than the students there.

Lois returns to Chester, and she decides that this time she will accept David's proposal of marriage. She is waiting for him to return from a business trip one Friday, and Sly comes round to visit Ben. David returns early, finds Sly in the kitchen, and thinks Lois has gone back to him, so he attacks Sly. Lois hears the commotion and tries to reason with David, but he won't listen, and he goes for Sly with a knife. In defending himself, Sly uses his martial art skills, but he accidentally renders David unconscious. He isn't breathing.

An ambulance arrives, but David is already dead.

David's family, Lois and her mother are inconsolable. It transpires that David has left his money to Lois, and also that he kept an occasional diary explaining his feelings for Lois. Gerry arrives at Lois' house to try to look after her. The funeral takes place, and Lois is distraught.

However, things get worse for her when Sly's father appears at her house. Initially, she refuses to speak to him - although the families have come to terms with David's death as a tragic accident, the police are still investigating it, and so she is not permitted to speak to Sly's family. Mr. Davies tells her that Sly has committed suicide, and so there would no longer be a trial. Sly's suicide note explains how much he still loves Lois, and how he cannot live with himself knowing he has killed her David. The funeral reunites many of the Aber friends, but obviously in extremely sad circumstances.

Lois suffers extensively from all she has endured; Gerry is a good friend to her, and gives her as much support as she can.

A couple of years later, as a way of thanking the friends that supported her, Lois holds a party to mark what would have been David's 28th birthday. We see that Luke and Gina are together; Gerry has remained with Charlie. When Mickie shows up, Lois is angry with him for being absent in her hours of need, but Mickie tells her he went travelling to try to forget her, and didn't know all she had suffered. Lois concedes that she has learned to be independent through all she has suffered, and no longer relies on a man. The two rekindle their love and we leave them when they're embarking upon the rest of their lives together.

[edit] Main Characters

• Lois is the protagonist. She is portrayed as a captivatingly beautiful girl, whom many men come to love. She is a conscientious student of Zoology, and enjoys music such as Echo and the Bunnymen and Japan, dressing with style, socialising, and dancing. She becomes a victim of circumstances partway through the book, but her strong character and network of friends help her through difficult times.

• David is a family friend of the Bartletts; he does not get along with his own family and spends most of his time at Lois’ family’s home. He is very close to Mrs. Bartlett, and hopelessly in love with Lois throughout the whole novel, and evidently the time preceding. Working as a model for a time, he is described as an Adonis; he has no trouble whatsoever attracting girls, but Lois is the only girl he wants.

• Gerry is a girl Lois meets partway through their first year at Aber; they become best friends. Gerry is often shown as adding a comic relief element to the grittier aspects of the novel; she can often be found making flippant, witty remarks, mocking characters who take themselves too seriously, e.g. mocking Sly’s dancing, or avoiding work by dancing to Ghost Town in her bedroom.

• Luke is Lois’ first friend at university; he falls in love with her almost immediately, and his feelings for her persist for a long time; it is never clear when he finally gets over her. He uses Gerry, trying to inspire jealousy and love in Lois, but this fails. After this uncharacteristic manipulation, he is once again a good friend to both the girls.

• Sly is Lois’ first love at University; they have an on/off relationship during their time in Aber, which at times is very destructive. Sly is sometimes violent towards Lois in his darker moments, and many of their fellow students come to dislike him. He fathers a child with Lois, though this is carefully concealed from him for two years. He is an arts student, and is often involved with theatre productions at the university.

• Mickie is an Art student from Liverpool. He becomes preoccupied with Lois when he sees her, though he has a girlfriend, Pauline, who is described as being as beautiful as Lois, in her own way. Pauline is devoted to Mickie until the end, even after he has begun a relationship with Lois. Mickie is equally devoted to Lois, and ensures he is there for her when she is suffering, except for a period of time at the end of the novel, in which he travels the world to try to forget her.

[edit] The origin of the title

The novel's title is derived from a comment Mickie makes to Lois about his feelings for her; he says that he will love her "until Aber falls into the sea". This references a previous conversation regarding the fragility of the architecture of Aberystwyth's seaside area. Apparently, many buildings have been constructed too close to the seaside area, and one day, in many years time, those buildings are likely to collapse. When she is first told this, Lois experiences a short period of slight existential angst, when she reflects upon the future in which she and her friends are dead, and the Aberystwyth she knows has gone.

[edit] Cultural references within the novel

Until Aber Falls Into The Sea is a novel with a clear zeitgeist; many references are made to popular music of the 1980s. Particular songs mentioned, with the idea of scene-setting, include:

• "Quiet Life" by Japan is used to illustrate the boring, quiet life Lois feels she is experiencing when she begins university.

• "Party Fears Two" and "Club Country" by the Associates: two songs that Gerry and Lois dance to at a house party. The Associates have a rather hysterical tone to their music which matches the anxiety Lois feels at attending the same party as Sly, after their acrimonious break-up.

• "Will You" by Hazel O'Connor: this song refers to coffee, tea, and uncertainty. Lois sees Sly drinking coffee at the Union after their first break-up, and this song comes to mind, and it could be the case that she is wondering if they will ever be together again.

• "I Could Be Happy" by Altered Images is played at the gathering Lois attends after she is 'allowed out' by Sly again. It appears, upon reading the lyrics, to be an explicit reference to Lois' need to escape the oppression of Sly. It could have been the author's way of inputting this message, but it seems to be a deliberate choice of song by Lois' friends at the time.

• "Don't You Want Me" by the Human League is a song that residents of the boys' hall shout at Lois as she walks past their building on her way into uni.

Other bands are mentioned; Echo and the Bunnymen are a band beloved of Lois and Sly, though during his pessimistic stage, Sly decides they've sold out, as they've 'put trumpets on'. Haircut 100 are mentioned as playing in Aber, as are Shakatak. Luke is described as being a Joy Division fan.

Few external events are mentioned within the book, but the marriage of Ian McCulloch (of the Bunnymen) and Lorraine Fox, on 16 April, 1983, is described as being on a day in which Lois' life changes forever. From later events, it appears that this is likely to be the date on which Lois discovers she is pregnant.

[edit] External links

• Until Aber Falls Into The Sea available at www.ylolfa.com (English)
• Until Aber Falls Into The Sea available at www.ylolfa.com (Welsh)
• Until Aber Falls Into The Sea available at www.gwales.com (English)
• Until Aber Falls Into The Sea available at www.gwales.com (Welsh)