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Elizabeth Harrower
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The Watch Tower: Text Classics Paperback – 26 April 2012

by Elizabeth Harrower (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars 219 ratings
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Introduced by Joan London
Winner, Patrick White Award 1996

Breaking their poses like trees snapping branches, the women urgently regarded each other, cleared away all signs of work in an instant, examined their souls for defects, in a sense crossed themselves, and waited.

After Laura and Clare are abandoned by their mother, Felix is there to help, even to marry Laura if she will have him. Little by little the two sisters grow complicit with his obsessions, his cruelty, his need to control.

Set in the leafy northern suburbs of Sydney during the 1940s, The Watch Tower is a novel of relentless and acute psychological power.
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  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Text Publishing
  4. Publication date
    26 April 2012
  5. Dimensions
    12.7 x 1.91 x 19.69 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    1921922427
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1921922428
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Text Publishing; 1st edition (26 April 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1921922427
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1921922428
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.7 x 1.91 x 19.69 cm
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 out of 5 stars 219 ratings

About the author

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Elizabeth Harrower

Elizabeth Harrower

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Elizabeth Harrower was born in Sydney in 1928. She lived in Newcastle until her family moved back to Sydney when she was eleven.

In 1951 Harrower traveled to London and began to write. Her first novel, "Down in the City," was published there in 1957 and was followed by "The Long Prospect" a year later. In 1959 she returned to Sydney, where she worked in radio and then in publishing. Her third novel, "The Catherine Wheel," appeared in 1960.

Harrower published "The Watch Tower" in 1966. Four years later she finished a new novel, "In Certain Circles," but withdrew it from publication at the last moment, in 1971. It remained unpublished until 2014. "In Certain Circles" is Harrower's final completed novel, though in the 1970s and 1980s she continued to write short fiction. She is one of Australia's most important postwar writers. She was admired by many of her contemporaries, including Patrick White and Christina Stead, who both became lifelong friends. Her novels are now being acclaimed by a new generation of readers.

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3.8 out of 5 stars
219 global ratings

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Top reviews from Australia

  • Swirls
    5.0 out of 5 stars Menacing, psychological read
    Reviewed in Australia on 16 February 2014
    Verified Purchase
    The Watch Tower starts ominously: "now that your father's gone -.......dead" she corrected herself firmly, with a trace of malice."

    And the oppression, the malevolence just does not ease.

    The Watch Tower is set in 1940's Sydney. Schoolgirls Laura and Clare have recently lost their father; shortly thereafter their narcissistic mother abandons them for London. But this is not before she sees Laura married to the much older Felix. And what the mother leaves, the husband continues. So Laura and Clare lurch from being ignored, disregarded and overlooked to being abused, manipulated, coerced, controlled and ruined.

    Harrower vividly describes the stomach churning fear as Felix returns home: "she turned immobile as marble and Clare did, too............Breaking their poses like trees snapping branches, the women urgently regarded each other, cleared away all signs of work in an instant, examined their souls for defects, in a sense crossed themselves, and waited."

    It is innumerable scenes like this, layered, that provide us with a deep psychological insight and understanding of how this has come to be. Laura's overwhelming need to please, to subjugate herself, sees her rationalise Felix's behaviour. Thus, for Laura, hope always remains in the relationship. However Clare is able to "watch" and has more insight and perception- she sees the atrocity for what it is. Detaching when it becomes all too much, but never losing sight that this is wrong. But obligation roots her. How do the girls fare? I urge you to read and find out.

    It should be noted that the violence is not overtly explicit in The Watch Tower; it is this adept handling that provides the permeating, claustrophobic malevolence.

    At times I did find some paragraphs confusing (this may be a generational gap of reading a book written in the 60's) and sometimes overly tedious, but overall so well written and providing us with such insight that this is a book difficult to pass. Read to understand the entrapment and cycle of abuse.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Shelley Altman
    4.0 out of 5 stars Mind games at its best
    Reviewed in Australia on 7 March 2016
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    creepy to the last page, but a book you can't put down. Well written with fabulous character development.
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  • sandra vidot
    3.0 out of 5 stars The Watch Tower is depressing but compelling reading
    Reviewed in Australia on 14 July 2014
    Verified Purchase
    It was difficult to connect and understand the main characters who were very flawed and weak and it seemed unchangeable
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Australia on 11 September 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Amazing book - the issues of the 50's are still the same 60 years later
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  • Rosemary Morgan
    1.0 out of 5 stars Laura and Clare were incredibly unbelievable and frustratingly annoying in their attitudes and behaviours
    Reviewed in Australia on 14 August 2014
    Verified Purchase
    A very disappointing read. The SMH article on Elizabeth Harrower claimed that this novel was the nadir of her life's works. I found the writing lacked stylistic features which create suspense and engage the reader emotionally. The 3 main characters: Felix, Laura and Clare were incredibly unbelievable and frustratingly annoying in their attitudes and behaviours. I only persevered because I was hoping against hope that they would redeem themselves. Don't bother.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Australia on 4 February 2016
    Verified Purchase
    The most exceptional book by one of the great Australian writers. Elizabeth Harrower should be compulsory reading for all.
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  • David S Moore
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loving it
    Reviewed in Australia on 10 December 2015
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    I'm loving it. Great writing, great characters, dark subject.
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  • A M PHILLIPS
    4.0 out of 5 stars I liked the author's style
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 May 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Interesting. Written in the 60s about the 40s. I liked the author's style.
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  • Jennifer Elliott
    4.0 out of 5 stars A grim story but worth reading to reflect on a time gone by
    Reviewed in the United States on 18 July 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This is well written but deals with the subjugation of women by a man and society as a whole and how these women dealt with it: one by capitulating with the aggressor and the other by keeping her personal strength and denying the man his domination over her. The strength and self possession of the younger woman at the end is a sign to all of us that we can overcome great personal hardship and not be wounded and defeated by it.
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  • Mme Annie Laval
    5.0 out of 5 stars Watch Tower
    Reviewed in France on 1 August 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Plus que parfait/ Grand texte littéraire. Histoire passionnante. Thriller psychologique . Reflète bien certains aspects de l'Australie des années 60.
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  • Gerbrand
    5.0 out of 5 stars Die lähmende Kraft des Missbrauchs
    Reviewed in Germany on 18 May 2016
    Verified Purchase
    In den vierziger Jahren werden die jungen Schwestern Laura und Clare Halbwaisen. Die Zukunftsträume der talentierten Laura werden sofort begraben, denn die Mutter, Stella, findet, dass es reicht, wenn sie Sekretärin wird. Clare ist zu diesem Zeitpunkt erst neun, muss aber zusammen mit Laura den Haushalt schmeißen. Die Mutter liebt die Mädchen nicht, empfindet sie eher als Ballast, dessen sie sich entledigen möchte. So greift sie mit mit beiden Händen zu, als Laura von ihrem Chef, Felix, einen Heiratsantrag bekommt und er anbietet, sich auch um Clare und ihre Erziehung kümmern zu wollen. Stella reist von Sydney zurück in ihr geliebtes England.

    Die Mädchen kommen vom Regen in die Traufe, denn Felix, der Glückliche, ist alles andere als glücklich. Sie sitzen im goldenen Käfig, werden eingeschüchtert, unterdrückt und manipuliert und sehen keinen Ausweg. Das hört sich etwas an wie das Szenario eines Thrillers, wo am Ende jemand - vorzugsweise der Peiniger tot ist - und zuvor noch ziemlich viel Blut fließt. Aber so geht Elizabeth Harrower nicht vor. Sie richtet den Fokus nicht auf Felix, sondern auf die beiden Schwestern und wie sie auf ihr Schicksal reagieren. Sie zeigt wunderbar auf, wie schwer es ist, frei zu denken, an die Freiheit zu glauben, ein anders Leben für möglich zu halten, wenn die eigene Welt so klein und erdrückend ist.

    Mir hat das Buch sehr gefallen, vor allem fand ich es wohltuend, einen psychlogischen Roman zu lesen ohne dieses typische Fachvokabular.
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  • G.Bean
    5.0 out of 5 stars Harrowing portrait of a sociopathic personality. Must read for ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 October 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Harrowing portrait of a sociopathic personality. Must read for anyone in a relationship (family or romantic) with a personality disordered person. Not to mention that Harrower is fabulous writer: sharp, fresh, palpably alert to the humid world and able to weave complex emotions and pacy structure. Set in the Sydney suburbs post second world war. Feels modern.
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