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lucyblack's review
2.0
Sorry Mizzo I got a third of the way through and I wasn't hooked. I liked Midge and the teacher and Lydia but the male characters bored me. I liked some of the descriptions of events but the longwinded back stories and conversations were overwhelming. Maybe would have been better if I could have read bigger chunks at a time. I will try again one day.
juxtabook's review
emotional
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
mamasquirrel's review against another edition
4.0
Tragic; honest; realistic: how I like my historical fiction. I've read other accounts of Britain in the inter-war period, both fiction and non, and this book is spot on.
rachelgertrude's review
5.0
I can't help but think of this line by GK Chesterton after reading this book:
“The man who lives in a small community lives in a much larger world. He knows much more of the fierce variety and uncompromising divergences of men…In a large community, we can choose our companions. In a small community, our companions are chosen for us. Thus in all extensive and highly civilized society groups come into existence founded upon sympathy, and shut out the real world more sharply than the gates of a monastery. There is nothing really narrow about the clan; the thing which is really narrow is the clique.” - Heretics
What I love so much about South Riding is that it is a story about a community. It is about people as individuals, but more, it is a story about the effect all of these individuals have on each other. There are socialists, conservatives, gentleman farmers, slum dwellers, hypocrites, long-sufferers, misers, and seekers. These people hurt each other, love each other, argue with each other, change their minds because of each other, ask deeper questions because of each other.
The characters felt real - their dislikes or likes of each other felt real as well. What I received in reading this book was a deeper sympathy with the human condition and our collective struggles. It helped me to see that, however passionately we might view things politically, there is always something to learn from the person holding the opposing flag. There is a good reason for us to be jumbled together to round each other out, to polish each other's rough edges. I learned that community (but particularly small communities, the ones we don't choose) give us the ability to grow, the ability to know ourselves better, the capacity for change.
“The man who lives in a small community lives in a much larger world. He knows much more of the fierce variety and uncompromising divergences of men…In a large community, we can choose our companions. In a small community, our companions are chosen for us. Thus in all extensive and highly civilized society groups come into existence founded upon sympathy, and shut out the real world more sharply than the gates of a monastery. There is nothing really narrow about the clan; the thing which is really narrow is the clique.” - Heretics
What I love so much about South Riding is that it is a story about a community. It is about people as individuals, but more, it is a story about the effect all of these individuals have on each other. There are socialists, conservatives, gentleman farmers, slum dwellers, hypocrites, long-sufferers, misers, and seekers. These people hurt each other, love each other, argue with each other, change their minds because of each other, ask deeper questions because of each other.
The characters felt real - their dislikes or likes of each other felt real as well. What I received in reading this book was a deeper sympathy with the human condition and our collective struggles. It helped me to see that, however passionately we might view things politically, there is always something to learn from the person holding the opposing flag. There is a good reason for us to be jumbled together to round each other out, to polish each other's rough edges. I learned that community (but particularly small communities, the ones we don't choose) give us the ability to grow, the ability to know ourselves better, the capacity for change.
daisyq's review
4.0
3.5 really, I have quite mixed opinions. Sarah Burton is an interesting and very strong character, especially given when this is set and was written. I enjoyed reading about her a lot.
There were some stunning bits of writing with great character insight, into Sarah and some of the vignettes featuring more minor characters. I'm thinking about the episode with poor Miss Sigglesthwaite as an example.
On the other hand, I always struggle with the view of mental illness in some books from this timeframe. Carne's wife follows the typical pattern: high strung, risky behaviour, promiscuous sex (or maybe just any sex), breakdown ... then is suddenly unable to recognise people, flies into rages, or just stares at the wall. It never seems real - what would cause this? - or more than a convenient plot contrivance and forced parallel to Jane Eyre.
I also find it hard to remain in sympathy with Carne, whom I believe I'm supposed to find noble and good, when at one point he admits to.
As a result, I was never entirely convinced some storylines eg.
Similarly, I liked the Hollys a lot, but there was only a half-hearted attempt to explain why.
Very well-written, an interesting look at the tensions in pre-WWII small town England, some great characters, but not without flaws.
There were some stunning bits of writing with great character insight, into Sarah and some of the vignettes featuring more minor characters. I'm thinking about the episode with poor Miss Sigglesthwaite as an example.
On the other hand, I always struggle with the view of mental illness in some books from this timeframe. Carne's wife follows the typical pattern: high strung, risky behaviour, promiscuous sex (or maybe just any sex), breakdown ... then is suddenly unable to recognise people, flies into rages, or just stares at the wall. It never seems real - what would cause this? - or more than a convenient plot contrivance and forced parallel to Jane Eyre.
I also find it hard to remain in sympathy with Carne, whom I believe I'm supposed to find noble and good, when at one point he admits to
Spoiler
raping his mentally unstable wifeAs a result, I was never entirely convinced some storylines eg
Spoiler
Sarah's sudden descent into mad and seemingly unrequited love for himSimilarly, I liked the Hollys a lot, but there was only a half-hearted attempt to explain why
Spoiler
Mrs Brimsley would decide to marry and support Mr Holly and his too many kidsVery well-written, an interesting look at the tensions in pre-WWII small town England, some great characters, but not without flaws.
bronwynmb's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This was really good. It’s more a book about a place than any specific characters, but we do see characters grow and change. Some people have happy endings, others don’t.
In a lot of ways this is really bleak. There’s poverty or near-poverty, sickness, potential scandals… There’s a lot going on, but Holtby’s writing is really beautiful and still hopeful. It’s a long book, and I did struggle with the length at points, but I really enjoyed it all in the end. I’ll have to read more by Holtby in the future.
I wanted to finish this by months end and I did! Thank you to the group, Reading the Twentieth Century, to get me to finally give this another shot. (My previous attempt began in June 2012 and was cut off when we moved and I just didn’t have it in me to continue at that point.)
In a lot of ways this is really bleak. There’s poverty or near-poverty, sickness, potential scandals… There’s a lot going on, but Holtby’s writing is really beautiful and still hopeful. It’s a long book, and I did struggle with the length at points, but I really enjoyed it all in the end. I’ll have to read more by Holtby in the future.
I wanted to finish this by months end and I did! Thank you to the group, Reading the Twentieth Century, to get me to finally give this another shot. (My previous attempt began in June 2012 and was cut off when we moved and I just didn’t have it in me to continue at that point.)
towardinfinitybooks's review
3.0
3.5 stars.
From the way many reviewers (book bloggers and otherwise) describe this book - e.g. "a fiery, red-headed young woman arrives in Great Depression-era Yorkshire to revolutionize a girls' school" - I had imagined something along the lines of the film Mona Lisa Smile (meh) or the film adaptation of Anne of Avonlea. While there are many differences between these films and [b:South Riding|1016243|South Riding (Virago Modern Classics)|Winifred Holtby|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51OF6Zs6KCL._SL75_.jpg|1002367], the biggest difference is that Miss Sarah Burton is only one of many protagonists. (She's also not exceedingly young - she's 40, which I personally think of as closer to middle-aged, but maybe that reflects my young outlook?) In fact, describing this as Sarah's story, while perhaps effective in attracting new readers to Holtby's work, does a disservice to the actual content of the book.
It is, in essence, a snapshot of Yorkshire life in the 1930s. South Riding is composed of a number of towns - Maythorpe, Cold Harbour, Kiplington, the Shacks, etc. - and there is one council that oversees them all. The book is divided into sections named for various subcommittees of the council (e.g. Education, Highways and Bridges, Public Health, Housing and Town Planning, etc.) and an excerpt from a decision of these committees precedes the start of the sections. Holtby uses this framework to reflect how decisions of council aldermen and powerbrokers affect South Riding residents. They also represent the time period, with conflicting ideologies of socialism and capitalism, and the creep of modern technologies and modes of business, which will irrevocably change Yorkshire life.
There are a number of characters. In my library copy, a "cast of characters" list is included and I worried I wouldn't be able to keep track of everyone. But I managed it without difficulty. Each character is distinct but the stories intersect in sometimes surprising ways. There's Carne, a struggling gentleman farmer who bears the burden of his insane wife (shades of [b:Jane Eyre|10210|Jane Eyre|Charlotte Brontë|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266450134s/10210.jpg|2977639]) and his high-strung daughter; Mr. Huggins, a traveling preacher who tries to use business deals to remedy his sexual indiscretions; and Mrs. Beddows, South Riding's first alderwoman, based on Holtby's mother.
The book is long, sometimes it felt neverending, and there are a few dry/boring parts. Nevertheless, it is an interesting look at 1930s Yorkshire, and holds many lessons that remain relevant to communities everywhere today. Sarah concludes,
From the way many reviewers (book bloggers and otherwise) describe this book - e.g. "a fiery, red-headed young woman arrives in Great Depression-era Yorkshire to revolutionize a girls' school" - I had imagined something along the lines of the film Mona Lisa Smile (meh) or the film adaptation of Anne of Avonlea. While there are many differences between these films and [b:South Riding|1016243|South Riding (Virago Modern Classics)|Winifred Holtby|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51OF6Zs6KCL._SL75_.jpg|1002367], the biggest difference is that Miss Sarah Burton is only one of many protagonists. (She's also not exceedingly young - she's 40, which I personally think of as closer to middle-aged, but maybe that reflects my young outlook?) In fact, describing this as Sarah's story, while perhaps effective in attracting new readers to Holtby's work, does a disservice to the actual content of the book.
It is, in essence, a snapshot of Yorkshire life in the 1930s. South Riding is composed of a number of towns - Maythorpe, Cold Harbour, Kiplington, the Shacks, etc. - and there is one council that oversees them all. The book is divided into sections named for various subcommittees of the council (e.g. Education, Highways and Bridges, Public Health, Housing and Town Planning, etc.) and an excerpt from a decision of these committees precedes the start of the sections. Holtby uses this framework to reflect how decisions of council aldermen and powerbrokers affect South Riding residents. They also represent the time period, with conflicting ideologies of socialism and capitalism, and the creep of modern technologies and modes of business, which will irrevocably change Yorkshire life.
There are a number of characters. In my library copy, a "cast of characters" list is included and I worried I wouldn't be able to keep track of everyone. But I managed it without difficulty. Each character is distinct but the stories intersect in sometimes surprising ways. There's Carne, a struggling gentleman farmer who bears the burden of his insane wife (shades of [b:Jane Eyre|10210|Jane Eyre|Charlotte Brontë|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266450134s/10210.jpg|2977639]) and his high-strung daughter; Mr. Huggins, a traveling preacher who tries to use business deals to remedy his sexual indiscretions; and Mrs. Beddows, South Riding's first alderwoman, based on Holtby's mother.
The book is long, sometimes it felt neverending, and there are a few dry/boring parts. Nevertheless, it is an interesting look at 1930s Yorkshire, and holds many lessons that remain relevant to communities everywhere today. Sarah concludes,
"We all pay, she thought; we all take; we are members of one another. We cannot escape this partnership. This is what it means - to belong to a community. This is what it means to be a people."