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A Whistling Woman by A. S. Byatt.

Chapter I (p. 1 - 16)

Setting	Summer 1968 Kennington - somewhere in southern England (a suburb of London?)
Characters	Agatha: successful secretary, never married Saskia: Agatha's 8-year old daughter Frederica Potter: divorced Leo: Frederica's son Daniel Orton: ex-priest John Ottaker: computer programmer Paul Ottaker: John's twin brother, lead singer in a rock band Thano Agyepong: neighbor child Clement Agyepong: neighbor child
Action	Agatha finishes telling a story, which has been a regular Sunday evening ritual for almost 2 years, and which ends very abruptly, upsetting almost everyone.
Comment	I recognize Frederica from earlier Byatt novels and assume she will be the primary focus of the novel. She is a very bright individual who has had a fairly difficult life. Making these notes is already paying dividends. I have a much clearer idea of the main characters and their relationship to one another. I did a quick search of Kennington England. It is a small village just outside of Oxford.

Setting	Summer 1968 Kennington - somewhere in southern England (a suburb of London?) Later that evening
Characters	Frederica Potter: Leo: Frederica's son
Action	Frederica is putting Leo to bed, but is thinking about what makes a good ending.
Comment	Frederica is quickly the focus. The beginning focuses on the idea of a perfect ending, both in fiction as well as in life. A beautiful theme! I think I am going to enjoy this novel. Even Frederica is thinking of how Agatha might be induced to continue the story in some form of sequel. Are there ever endings?

Setting	Summer 1968 Kennington - somewhere in southern England (a suburb of London?) Still later that evening
Characters	Frederica Potter: age 33 John Ottaker
Action	Frederica is waiting for John Ottaker, her lover. She is wondering if their affair will last or if it is approaching an ending. "And what kills it? Often enough ... a failure in oneself, or in the beloved, to conform to an ideal pattern put in the mind long before these particular two have met." "But a month ago, six months ago, I wasn't thinking in language about what (if anything) is love. I was thinking about his mouth, and his arse, and his hands." John arrives and they quickly make love.
Comment	Frederica remains the focus. I like the descriptions of her thoughts, particularly the distinction between thinking about love and being in love.

Setting	Summer 1968 Kennington - somewhere in southern England (a suburb of London?) Still later that evening
Characters	Frederica Potter: age 33 John Ottaker
Action	After making love they talk. John tells Frederica that he has been offered a job (a real promotion) to a university in Yorkshire (northern England). "They had reached the stage (a beginning of an end?) where much of what they said was repetition of what had been said before." "It's a real step forward. An enormous amount more responsibility and space to have ideas of my own..."
Comment	Frederica remains the focus. I loved John's phrase "and space to have ideas of my own". How often are we fortunate to have that? How many really want that? This is a classic dilemma. A couple have different career paths, which may make it impossible to remain closely together.

Setting	Summer 1968 Kennington - somewhere in southern England (a suburb of London?) The next day.
Characters	Frederica Potter:
Action	Frederica is thinking about the implications of John leaving for Yorkshire. She also thinks of her son Leo, and of how much she loves and respects him as an individual.
Comment	Frederica is clearly hurting, but at the same time she can envisage a future without John. The story continues to revolve around the idea of what constitutes an ending. I am pleased with these notes, and with my return to Slow Reading. I am savoring both the story and the creating of these notes.