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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
This is a funny, entertaining, light portrait of an aspiring 'taitai' (what refers to a lady/wife of leisure in Singapore)-wannabe in England in the 20s/30s. The Provincial Lady tries (unsuccessfully) not to overspend, and to hide her expenditure on frivolous articles of clothing from her uncommunicative husband; she also tries to juggle her housemaid/cook-woes together with the demands of rearing children who have been conveniently placed in the care of a boarding school and a French governess respectively.
The intelligence and essential likeability of the Provincial Lady shine through in her diary entries but she is in the end a type destined to trudge through several time periods in different dresses, doing charity work (with mixed feelings) that varies in type depending on the era.
The intelligence and essential likeability of the Provincial Lady shine through in her diary entries but she is in the end a type destined to trudge through several time periods in different dresses, doing charity work (with mixed feelings) that varies in type depending on the era.
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A witty, delightful novel in the epistolary style. Truly enjoyed.
I normally love this style of writing, but I just couldn't get into this book for some reason.
Both the introduction of this edition and another review I stumbled across marvelled at the way a variety of readers seem to identify with the Provincial Lady, though era, class and financial well-being mean her life is quite vastly different from most of ours. I found that although her life is very different to anything I've experienced, her attitude to it is not. The sense that life is getting ahead of her, and that the only option left to her is to poke gentle fun at herself and the world around her is one I can certainly relate to. The entries are witty, observant and generally an enjoyable read.
funny
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Proto-Fleabag. Phoebe Waller-Bridge, but 90+ years ago.
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I have finished! & I have decided the authentic diary style of quickly jotting things down isn't for me! (I do enjoy the diary style still, which is like no diary ever written, for example [b:Désirée|84049|Désirée|Annemarie Selinko|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1171048586l/84049._SX50_.jpg|845141] or [b:I Capture the Castle|31122|I Capture the Castle|Dodie Smith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1385316083l/31122._SX50_.jpg|950769]) I read this one as part of a group read with the Women's Classic Literature Enthusiasts group. Like others in the group, I had to space the read out (over three weeks - & this is a very short book!) or the tedium of the narrator's life just drove me mad! I like other readers in this group idea here that this was intentional. The narrator is dizzy, but her literary taste (frequently mentioned in the book) are that of an intelligent woman.
This book came very close to a DNF for me (& a similar book [b:Mrs Tim Of The Regiment|6620855|Mrs Tim Of The Regiment|D.E. Stevenson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348003195l/6620855._SY75_.jpg|1394941] was a DNF!) but I had some laugh out loud chuckles around the time ofI've just realised I probably enjoyed this part the most because her husband, Robert, wasn't on the page! I couldn't stand him. How would it be to look forward all day to some adult, non servant company & have this grump come home.
Ms Delafield wrote a further two books in this series. I won't be reading them, but I don't rule out trying some of her other works.
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshessonovel.wordpress.com
This book came very close to a DNF for me (& a similar book [b:Mrs Tim Of The Regiment|6620855|Mrs Tim Of The Regiment|D.E. Stevenson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348003195l/6620855._SY75_.jpg|1394941] was a DNF!) but I had some laugh out loud chuckles around the time of
Spoiler
the trip to France.Ms Delafield wrote a further two books in this series. I won't be reading them, but I don't rule out trying some of her other works.
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshessonovel.wordpress.com
Very enjoyable satirical diary, set in the 1930s, featuring the thoughts of an upper-class wife and mother living in a Devon village with only just enough income to manage her expected lifestyle / servants / children / husband etc. I found myself laughing out loud frequently!