Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason review – a tale of literary obsession, with cameos from real-life authors

<p>A heartbroken woman becomes fixated on a famous writer in this witty, touching follow-up to Sorrow and Bliss</p><p>The protagonist of Meg Mason’s new book, the follow-up to the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jun/05/sorrow-and-bliss-by-meg-mason-review-tender-huge-hearted-comedy">2020 tragicomedy Sorrow and Bliss</a>, is an invisible woman. She might well be standing there but you won’t notice her. She’s a techie at literary festivals – the person who shuffles up to a famous writer a few minutes before their event and apologetically slides a microphone cable down their shirt while they’re making small talk with the chair or accepting a bottle of room-temperature mineral water from an anxious publicist.</p><p>No man is a hero to his valet, and no writer is a hero to the technical staff lurking in the wings of a venue. Mason’s opening pages present a teasing but not quite libellous series of cameos from real writers: George Saunders deciding at an inconsiderately late stage to insist on swapping his headset for a lapel mic; Ann Patchett being frosty with a fan; Mick Herron accidentally stepping on someone’s foot and not apologising.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jul/28/sophie-standing-there-book-review-novel-author-meg-mason">Continue reading...</a>