Reviews

A Few Green Leaves by Barbara Pym

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laila4343's review

3.0

Charming! If you've not read Pym yet, don't start with this one - it's not her best. But it's still wryly funny and entertaining. A good gentle comfort read.

littletaiko's review

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4.0

My favorite Pym novel so far full of her usual great character studies.

flajol's review against another edition

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1.0

More tea, Vicar?

Yawn.

amylouelliott's review

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No

2.0

hannicogood's review

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funny reflective relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

I did not really enjoy the book, hardly anything happens and to me it was rather boring. However, the way the people in the village are described in a few sentences here and there is brilliant. If I ever run into one of her earlier books, I'll definitely try it.

bunnieslikediamonds's review

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4.0

Pym's last novel before her death (there have been some posthumously published novels since) contains the usual mix of gentle satire, delightful humor and clear-eyed observations about the human condition. This one comes across a tad more modern, written and taking place in the late 70's, but you still have your gossiping parishioners, jumble sales and social anxieties. It's set in a sleepy little village where anthropologist Emma settles to get some work done, but is distracted by the eccentric villagers who make for an even more fascinating anthropological study. The cast consists of not only one vicar but two (although the second one left the C of E for Rome and is now a pompous food critic), a fair number of spinsters, two doctors (of different generations but equally sexist), a dull old lover of Emma's and his hippie ex-wife. All of them struggle with social obligations and the changing times, but nevertheless manage to be unfailingly polite to one another, buying disgusting marmalades at the Bring & Buy and treating uninvited guests to ham mousse (yes, I'm sure ham mousse is supposed to be a treat rather than an act of aggression). Sad to say I'm nearing the end of my Pym binge. She is quite inimitable.