After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie
After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie (1931) was Jean Rhys's second novel, originally published by Jonathan Cape. Set in interwar Paris and London, the novel is autobiographical fiction and thematically sequential to Rhys's debut novel Quartet (1928). As Quartet explored Marya Zelli's relationship and breakup, this novel tracks Julia Martin's post-breakup months when her ex-lover's allowance cheques stop.
First edition | |
| Author | Jean Rhys |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
Publication date | 1931 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback) |
The Rhys heroine's age and social descent progress here from Quartet, reaching completion in Good Morning, Midnight (1939). The third-person narrative switches between more character viewpoints than in other early Rhys novels. The protagonist is Julia Martin, Rhys's fictional counterpart. Julia's three romantic figures Rhys calls "Mr" (Mr Mackenzie, Mr Horsfield and Mr James).
The title is a reversal of premise: Mr Mackenzie has left Julia Martin rather than vice versa. Themes include the lot of the outsider, the plight of the underdog, rich versus poor, female alienation, loneliness, destitution, death, grief, nostalgia for childhood and the quest for love. The novel is in three parts, each subdivided into numbered, titled chapters.