Tag: england

Review: Miss Hargreaves

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Miss HargreavesFrank Baker, Miss Hargreaves

When Norman Huntley and his friend Henry are on holiday in Ireland, they decide on a whim to visit the exceedingly ugly church of the village of Lusk. As their tour guide rhapsodizes about the church’s history, he mentions one of its former clerics. Intending to make a joke at the tour guide’s expense, Norman pretends to have heard of this cleric from a (fictional) common acquaintance, Miss Constance Hargreaves. He immediately — with assistance from Henry, who plays along — invents an entire personality and history for Miss Hargreaves, and after a while, the two young men almost believe she is real. But nothing can prepare Norman for the shock of discovering that a woman calling herself Miss Hargreaves is coming to visit him, and she is completely identical to the made-up description he and Henry had concocted! Miss Hargreaves soon embarrasses Norman with her eccentricities, and he begins to wish he could get rid of her — but how can he do so? And if he is really responsible for her existence, should he?

When I first picked up this book, I expected it to be a light, fluffy comedic tale, similar to most of the other early-20th-century British fiction I’ve read. I mean, the synopsis almost sounds like something out of P.G. Wodehouse! But while this book does have its comic moments — like everything that comes out of Norman’s father’s mouth! — it’s actually much more serious than it sounds. Norman’s reaction to learning that he has (presumably) created another human being runs the gamut from shock to amusement to horror. He’s often quite cruel to Miss Hargreaves when she doesn’t show him the love and respect he feels are his due. In this sense, I think Baker was making a point about the dangers of playing God: Norman created Miss Hargreaves and is therefore in some sense responsible for her, but he is too proud and impatient and flawed to fulfill his responsbilities. Overall, this is an odd little book that raises some fairly serious philosophical questions. Recommended if the premise sounds interesting to you!

Review: The Complaint of the Dove

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Complaint of the Dove, TheHannah March, The Complaint of the Dove

In 1760s England, private tutor Robert Fairfax is charged with escorting his pupil, Matthew Hemsley, to London for a bit of town polish. But Fairfax is apprehensive: how can he introduce Matthew to the worldly, sophisticated atmosphere of London while at the same time protecting him from bad influences? Unfortunately, during their very first trip to the theater, Matthew instantly falls in love with the beautiful and popular actress Lucy Dove. Though she is a sweet and talented girl, her profession is most unsuitable, so Fairfax hopes that Matthew’s infatuation is only temporary. But Matthew gets into even bigger trouble when Lucy is murdered shortly afterwards, and he is found at the crime scene under very suspicious circumstances. When Matthew is actually arrested for the murder, Fairfax knows it is his duty to clear his pupil’s name — which means launching an investigation to discover the real killer.

I discovered this series by accident at a library book sale where the second and third books were available for 25 cents each, so of course I had to track down the first book as well! I was intrigued by the concept of a Georgian mystery, since I haven’t seen many novels set in that era (especially compared to the much more popular 19th century!). Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately, given the magnitude of my TBR list already), I’ve discovered a new mystery series to enjoy! I loved the period detail: the crush of theatergoers more interested in each other than in what’s happening onstage; the elaborate wigs, patches, and high heels worn by aristocratic men and women alike; the rudimentary knowledge of medicine, including the ingestion of mercury as a cure for venereal disease. It’s a fascinating time period, and March really brings the era to life. I also liked Robert Fairfax as a sleuth, and I look forward to seeing how his complex character will develop in subsequent books. Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book to fans of historical mysteries!

Review: The Raven in the Foregate

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Raven in the Foregate, TheEllis Peters, The Raven in the Foregate

In December of A.D. 1141, the Benedictine Abbey of Sts. Peter and Paul in Shrewsbury welcomes a new parish priest to Holy Cross Church in the Abbey Foregate. The former priest was a kindly old man much beloved by his parishioners, so everyone is nervous about what to expect from the newcomer. Father Ainoth soon confirms the monks’ worst fears: although he is a scholar and a scrupulously holy man, he is extremely harsh with his congregation and soon stirs up bad feeling in Shrewsbury. When his drowned corpse is found in the river near the mill, it’s up to Brother Cadfael, herbalist and amateur detective, to solve the mystery. Cadfael also acquires a new assistant, supposedly the nephew of Father Ainoth’s houskeeper, but it soon becomes obvious that the boy is more than he seems. Meanwhile, both the abbey and the town continue to be affected by the ongoing civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud.

This book is the 12th installment of the Cadfael series, and anyone who likes the series will enjoy this book as well. Once again Cadfael finds himself in the position of having to solve a murder, aid a pair of young lovers, uncover a political secret, and hide that secret from the local authorities in the interest of a higher justice. As a longtime fan of the series, I can’t help but love every Cadfael book, but I must admit that the prose does occasionally veer toward the purple end of the spectrum. Also, because Peters sticks to almost the same formula in every book, I found the plot pretty predictable. I was a bit disappointed that the murder and the political intrigue weren’t more closely connected; I thought more could have been done with certain aspects of the story to make the plot more exciting. Still, I love the series and definitely plan to read the remaining eight books. They’re wonderfully relaxing reads if you enjoy a medieval setting!

Review: The World of Jeeves

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World of Jeeves, TheP.G. Wodehouse, The World of Jeeves

This book is an omnibus of short stories describing the adventures of Bertie Wooster, an amiable but dim aristocrat in early 20th-century England, and Jeeves, the consummate gentleman’s gentleman. Bertie is a friendly soul who just wants to be left alone to enjoy himself. Unfortunately, he has plenty of friends and relatives who are continually making demands on him, both financially and emotionally. His terrifying Aunt Agatha holds him in contempt, yet she is constantly trying to “improve” him and set him up with equally terrifying young females. His friend Bingo Little is always falling desperately in love with some girl or other, and for some reason he always approaches Bertie for help. Though Bertie is not overburdened with brains, he has a generous heart and usually wants to help. Good thing he has Jeeves, whose gravity and intelligence always manage to get Bertie and his friends out of whatever scrapes they’re in.

What can I say about Jeeves and Wooster that the entire world hasn’t said already? Wodehouse has a very specific style and brand of humor, and literally nobody does it better than he does. Bertie’s narrative voice is an utter joy to read, showcasing his own lack of intelligence but also satirizing the pretentious language of some popular fiction at the time. Strangely enough, his friends and family all think of him as the village idiot, but he’s probably smarter than most of his friends — definitely wiser than poor Bingo, for example! And the interplay between Bertie and Jeeves is wonderful; Jeeves always appears completely respectful and subservient, yet he dominates Bertie mercilessly (for his own good, of course!). I definitely recommend the story “Bertie Changes His Mind,” which is narrated by Jeeves and demonstrates how skillfully he is able to manipulate his employer. My one caveat is that you should pace yourself while reading this book, because the stories are all very similar and could become tedious after a while. But I loved it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys British humor and wants a good belly laugh!

Review: The Spanish Bride

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Spanish Bride, TheGeorgette Heyer, The Spanish Bride

Brigade-Major Harry Smith is a Rifleman in Wellington’s army, fighting Napoleon’s forces in Spain and Portugal. He participates in the Siege of Badajos, a long and drawn-out battle that results in plunder, rape, and violence when the allied British and Portuguese soldiers finally conquer the town. As Harry tries to maintain order and discipline, he is approached by two Spanish women who are seeking protection from the carnage within the city. As soon as he lays eyes on the younger of the women, Juana, he falls instantly in love with her, and she with him. Against the advice of Harry’s comrades, they marry immediately, and Juana accompanies her husband throughout the rest of the Peninsular campaign. As she “follows the drum” and experiences life as a soldier, she demonstrates the courage and fiery temperament that make her a perfect match for Harry. Together, the Smiths witness history as they eventually see Napoleon’s final defeat at Waterloo.

I am a huge fan of Georgette Heyer’s Regency romances, but I found that I had to approach this book with entirely different expectations. Although the novel features two young, passionate lovers, it is much more about military history than it is about romance. Harry and Juana Smith were actual historical figures, and Heyer got most of her information from Harry’s journals, as well as from other comtemporary accounts including Wellington’s own dispatches. As a result, there is a lot of great historical detail in the book, but not a lot of plot or character development. While Harry and Juana are very vivid characters, their journey is not the focus of the book. I think the trick to enjoying The Spanish Bride is viewing it as a work of military history with a few romantic touches. If you approach it that way, you’ll find it very readable and entertaining. But if you go into it expecting a tale of romance and suspense with the Napoleonic Wars as a backdrop, you’ll find it extremely dull! So overall, I’d recommend this book if you’re interested in the time period, but you have to adjust your expectations.

Review: The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches

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Dead in Their Vaulted Arches, TheAlan Bradley, The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches

***Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS for previous books in this series!***

At the end of Speaking from Among the Bones, Flavia and her family received the shocking news that her mother, who disappeared many years ago somewhere in Tibet, had been found. This book begins with the de Luce family waiting at the train station for Harriet’s body to come home. Though Flavia is shocked and grieving, she can’t help wondering why Winston Churchill himself has come to pay his respects. Then there’s the man on the platform who whispers a mysterious message into Flavia’s ear and falls to his death on the tracks minutes later. Or was he pushed? As Flavia tries to sort out her feelings about her mother’s death, she can’t help but dig into the secrets of her family’s past — which, of course, turn out to be much bigger and more important than she ever imagined. Not only does she eventually solve the case of the man who died at the train station, but she discovers shocking information about Harriet’s death — and about her own future destiny.

I’ve enjoyed the Flavia de Luce series from the start, but this book is definitely my new favorite. The mystery plot is only so-so; the backstory of Flavia’s mother is rather predictable, and the villain of the book doesn’t have a terribly coherent motivation for some of the events that take place. Still, there is definitely more to be learned about the de Luce family’s past, and I’m sure additional solutions will be revealed in future books! I also think some of the secondary characters got short shrift in this installment; I wanted more of the vicar, the inspector, Adam Sowerby, and the other denizens of Bishop’s Lacey. But despite these nitpicks, I think this book got the most important thing exactly right: the reactions of Flavia and her father and sisters to Harriet’s death. This novel is a story of bereavement and grief much more than a mystery story, and in that light I think it’s fantastic. If you’re a fan of this series, you definitely won’t want to miss this installment! I can’t wait to see what’s next for Flavia and the rest of the de Luces.

Review: The Letters of Nancy Mitford and Evelyn Waugh

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Letters of Nancy Mitford and Evelyn Waugh, TheCharlotte Mosley, ed., The Letters of Nancy Mitford and Evelyn Waugh

“I want to write a sad story of a man who gave up drink and hated all his chums. It is me.” — Evelyn Waugh, 12 November 1944.

Nancy Mitford and Evelyn Waugh were two of the most popular and respected authors of the early and mid-20th century; they were also lifelong friends who kept up a correspondence lasting more than two decades. This book is a collection of their letters to each other, which are full of jokes, literary allusions, and most of all gossip. They each had a very pointed, satirical sense of humor that was frequently directed at members of their own social set — and quite often at each other. In many ways they couldn’t be more different: Waugh was very conservative, old-fashioned, and staunchly Roman Catholic, while Mitford was a spiritually indifferent socialist living as an expatriate in Paris. But their correspondence reveals that they understood one another and shared a deep, affectionate friendship. Through their discussions of current events, important people, and of course books (both their own and other people’s), Mitford and Waugh’s letters provide a unique window into their age.

It’s taken me a long time to write this review, because how can one “review” a collection of letters that weren’t (necessarily) meant to be public? All I can say is that I enjoyed reading them. I’ve read a few books by each of these authors — Mitford’s The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate, Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited and A Handful of Dust — but otherwise I didn’t know much about either of them. I do think some level of familiarity with their work is helpful, but you definitely don’t have to be an expert in order to enjoy these letters. They’re often hilarious (how I shrieked, as Nancy would say) and also have some interesting discussions about literature. I want to read more of their books now! Of course, their chatter about mutual friends and acquaintances was hard to follow, although the editor did a fairly good job of identifying people in footnotes; but I still enjoyed this collection overall. If you’re interested in early- and mid-20th-century literature, this might be a good book to seek out.

Review: Between Two Thorns

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Between Two ThornsEmma Newman, Between Two Thorns

This novel follows three different characters as their stories intertwine in a fantastical world. First there’s Sam, a middle-aged drunkard with marital problems who find himself running afoul of powerful creatures that he never knew existed. Then there’s Cathy, the daughter of a noble family in the Nether, a world that mirrors our own world (known to those in the Nether as Mundanus). Folk in the Nether are patronized by various Fae overlords, so they have access to magic — but they are also beholden to the dangerous, capricious Fae. Cathy desperately wants to escape her life in the Nether and has been studying at Cambridge in Mundanus, but eventually her family and her Fae patron catch up with her. And finally, there is Max, an Arbiter whose job is to protect mundanes from Fae interference. But something is wrong with the Arbiters in Bath and London, and it just might be connected to a Fae-based power struggle in the Nether.

I think my summary of the plot is pretty confusing; but to be fair, the book itself is pretty confusing too! If you like a lot of world-building, though, you’ll probably find a lot to enjoy. The Nether is essentially a world that is connected to the Fae (although its inhabitants are all humans), and it has the general atmosphere of 18th- or 19th-century England. Cathy is desperate to escape to Mundanus because she doesn’t want to be forced into an arranged marriage and become some man’s property. I found her story easiest to follow, and therefore I enjoyed it the most, although I think Cathy is a bit of a Mary Sue. Max is a more interesting character — I liked the idea that Arbiters’ souls are disconnected from their bodies so that they can remain emotionless and therefore uncorruptible. Nonetheless, I’m still not entirely clear on what Arbiters do, and obviously there is much more to be revealed in the sequels. In fact, my biggest complaint with the book is that it’s really just a setup for the subsequent books; none of the storylines are really resolved. Still, I liked the world-building enough that I will probably give the next book a chance.

Review: The Two Mrs. Abbotts

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Two Mrs. Abbotts, TheD.E. Stevenson, The Two Mrs. Abbotts

Warning: SPOILERS for Miss Buncle’s Book and Miss Buncle Married.

This third book in the “Miss Buncle” series jumps forward in time to explore life in an English village during World War II. Barbara Abbott, née Buncle, now lives in Wandlebury with her husband and two adorable children. The war apparently has little effect on her life, except that there is less food available at the market. But Barbara’s niece by marriage, Jerry Abbott, is dealing with the fact that her husband Sam is fighting somewhere in Africa; in the meantime, she has opened her home to soldiers and evacuees. But despite the privations and worries of wartime, there are still plenty of opportunities for gossip and romance! Sullen Lancreste Marvell has fallen in love with an unsuitable woman; famous authoress Janetta Walters is coming to Wandlebury to speak at the village bazaar; and Jerry’s brother Archie finally seems to be ready for marriage. Finding herself in the midst of these entanglements, will Barbara be able to engineer a happy ending?

I’m so happy that Sourcebooks is re-releasing D.E. Stevenson’s books! I really loved the first two “Miss Buncle” books, and this one is also quite fun and charming, though it definitely suffers by comparison. The problem with this book is that it lacks cohesion; there are several little plots going on, but they are largely independent of one another. Some plots also seem to peter out with no resolution; for example, in the beginning of the book, an old friend of Barbara’s comes to visit, and it seems as though she is going to be a big part of the story, but then she vanishes about halfway through the book. Ultimately the biggest story is about Archie’s courtship, which is quite sweet, but it’s not really developed in much depth. I did like reading a World War II novel that isn’t really about the war, but nevertheless the war affects many aspects of the characters’ lives. The happy, wholesome picture of village life in this book was most likely vanishing at the time Stevenson wrote the novel. Overall, I’d recommend this book to people who liked the other “Miss Buncle” books and are looking for a nice comfort read.

Review: Just Like Heaven

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Just Like HeavenJulia Quinn, Just Like Heaven

Lady Honoria Smythe-Smith is desperate to be married. Though she is part of a large, affectionate family, things have been very quiet in her parents’ house ever since her brother Daniel fled England after seriously wounding a man in a duel. Honoria longs to start her own family and once again feel surrounded by love; and as an added bonus, once she is married, she’ll no longer have to perform at the Smythe-Smiths’ infamous musicales. Meanwhile, Marcus Holroyd, the Earl of Chatteris, is Daniel’s best friend and has always felt more at home with the Smythe-Smiths than with his own distant family. Marcus and Honoria have always been friendly, but when a sprained ankle and a dangerous illness throw them together, they both begin to suspect that their relationship is deepening into something more.

I basically picked up this book for two reasons: 1) It shares a title with a really great Cure song, and 2) I’m a sucker for ridiculous British surnames. Fortunately, I ended up enjoying it quite a bit! Marcus is a delightful hero; he comes across as proud and brooding, but only because he feels shy and socially awkward (shades of Mr. Darcy!). And Honoria is a sweet girl with just enough humor to keep her from being insipid. Somewhat unusually for a Regency romance, most of this book doesn’t take place during the London Season; rather, Honoria spends a good portion of it nursing Marcus back to health from a life-threatening fever. Some might find the sickroom scenes tedious, but to me they underscored why Marcus and Honoria make such a great pair. All in all, I’d definitely recommend this light, quick read to fans of Regency romances, and I’ll probably pick up something else by Julia Quinn in the future.