A delightful historical fantasy romance, in Freya Marske's trademark elegant prose.A delightful historical fantasy romance, in Freya Marske's trademark elegant prose....more
This is so much my kind of thing I am kind of wishing I hadn't gobbled it up in one weekend, and had instead saved it for my summer holiday next week.This is so much my kind of thing I am kind of wishing I hadn't gobbled it up in one weekend, and had instead saved it for my summer holiday next week. Lesbian poet with issues and an invalid ma hangs out with Bloomsbury types and is biographied (there must be a better word than this, but it escapes me ...) by Penelope Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald is a little weird on the subj. of Mew's sexuality (do we really say people are or aren't "homoerotic"?) but otherwise a pleasure to read, as always. I even liked Mew's poetry....more
I sort of didn't expect Mansfield to be this ... twee. I'd read her diary and found it very interesting and sharp, but while her stories are sharp, thI sort of didn't expect Mansfield to be this ... twee. I'd read her diary and found it very interesting and sharp, but while her stories are sharp, the way people talk and think is so twee! I can't blame her, though. I guess that's how they actually talked and thought??...more
From the first paragraph I knew this was my kind of book. I wish I could write like Stella Benson, though without the casual anti-Semitism. There is sFrom the first paragraph I knew this was my kind of book. I wish I could write like Stella Benson, though without the casual anti-Semitism. There is some extraordinary writing in this book -- it skates on the edge of tweeness without falling unforgivably over, I think, but many might and probably would differ. But it's the kind of style a lot of writers try for but fail to achieve, with dismal results.
I liked the desolateness of the House of Living Alone, and the idea of witches and wizards being witches and wizards because they have been born for the first time. The story kind of fell apart towards the end -- I mean, it wasn't the kind of book that necessarily needed a plot or for things to be tied up tidily, but it failed to live up to its potential. I think it failed to retain the emotional significance it could've had if she'd managed it more neatly....more
This book is full of an awful brutality even though the things the domineering mother does don't seem that bad, relatively speakinEVERYBODY IS RELATED
This book is full of an awful brutality even though the things the domineering mother does don't seem that bad, relatively speaking. I mean obviously she makes her children's lives a misery but she doesn't seem to have perpetrated any actual crimes (besides the will thing). What struck me as odd was Austen would have made something funny of many of Sophia's lines, but in this book the lines are so menacing. Maybe this says more about Austen's mercilessness in the pursuit of comedy than about Sophia's lack of menace.
As ever Compton-Burnett is a challenging read, but an absorbing one. I don't know how she makes everyday things so inexplicable. (Though "everyday" is a bit of a misnomer; the plot and setting are not really everyday.)
Description of a character as being "an almost startling example of failure to rise above a lack of advantages" -- ouch!...more
The back cover said this was about late Victorians, but in the book the characters actually talk about the Victorians, which suggests that they aren'tThe back cover said this was about late Victorians, but in the book the characters actually talk about the Victorians, which suggests that they aren't.
This book was hardcore! I found it interesting and maybe even impressive, but it doesn't really incline me to read more of her books. It was kind of hardgoing and, more importantly, supah depressing....more
I can't remember if this is interwar or Edwardian, so I've tagged it as both. It wasn't very interesting. I thought it might be sort of a satire, the I can't remember if this is interwar or Edwardian, so I've tagged it as both. It wasn't very interesting. I thought it might be sort of a satire, the kind where they don't say what they mean but you know what they mean and it is a delicate critique or whatever, but it's actually half Bridget Jones (only old-school and married with kids) and half boring bitching about other people. Meh....more
Read on Gutenberg.net, with the vague idea that it would function as comfort reading. The first half did this fairly well, but the second half, holy rRead on Gutenberg.net, with the vague idea that it would function as comfort reading. The first half did this fairly well, but the second half, holy racism, Batman!
I don't even know why I finished this. I think partly I persisted in the desperate hope that everyone's racism would be shown to be totally unfair and the Indian servant would NOT kill anyone and their suspicions of her would be shown to be wrong, but I don't even know why I was so stupid as to hope for that....more
1) The headmistress's speech to the girls, that old staple of school stories, runs as follows.
"Some of that severiMy two favourite things in this book
1) The headmistress's speech to the girls, that old staple of school stories, runs as follows.
"Some of that severity which to the world seems harshness is bound up in the school rule which you are privileged to follow .... We work today to turn out, not accomplished young women, nor agreeable wives, but soldiers of Christ, accustomed to hardship and ridicule and ingratitude."
AWESOME.
2) Leonie de Wesseldorf. omg omg what an awesome character....more
See all the problematic aspects of this book, including pernicious ideas about homosexuality, biological determinism, sexism, melodrama, doomed lesbiaSee all the problematic aspects of this book, including pernicious ideas about homosexuality, biological determinism, sexism, melodrama, doomed lesbians trope, heavy-handed prose, etc. etc. But all the same. I cried buckets.
Found it absorbing, though I don't know if it's actually any good. But will read more if I can find it anyway. Father ghastly. Was relieved to see theFound it absorbing, though I don't know if it's actually any good. But will read more if I can find it anyway. Father ghastly. Was relieved to see the mother become more sympathetic as book progressed. All the stuff about Catholicism very interesting, particularly from my puzzled heathen standpoint....more
Not one of the best Wodehouses ever (though of course as felicitously written as ever), but it did what it was supposed to do, i.e. comfort me after tNot one of the best Wodehouses ever (though of course as felicitously written as ever), but it did what it was supposed to do, i.e. comfort me after three days of torturing myself with Thomas Hardy. Ugh. References to Bertie's Scripture Knowledge Prize unusually frequent....more
Quick, fun read; pretty much what I expected from the description on the back. You can see at the same time why Auden was a fan and why it isn't that Quick, fun read; pretty much what I expected from the description on the back. You can see at the same time why Auden was a fan and why it isn't that famous any more. It's sharp and clever and occasionally kind, but the characters aren't really vivid or lovable enough, or the prose quite brilliant enough, for it to be a really lasting classic. (Compare Saki, whose every sentence is a perfectly-constructed delight; Wodehouse ditto. Wodehouse's characters aren't any more well-rounded, but his writing is a lot more, mm, deathlessly characteristic.)
Was touched by the part where Lucia rings Georgie and he weeps, but not because he has thus been deprived of his inheritance. Awww. I would prolly love this book passionately if there had been more moments like that, but there's a sort of basic lack of seriousness about the characters -- I mean, it's a decent book. I'd read other Lucia books if I could find them. But it needs something more....more
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