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showell's review
4.0
Occasionally quite funny, although never laugh out loud so. Lucilla did remind me very much of Austen's Emma, although Lucilla's matchmaking was generally more successful. The business of marrying everyone else off was just as serious in this little society, although Lucilla herself appears determined to avoid it until her ten years of being a comfort to her father are complete and she herself has started to go off a bit.
krobart's review
5.0
See my review here:
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2015/02/26/day-664-miss-marjoribanks/
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2015/02/26/day-664-miss-marjoribanks/
heathssm's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-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
4.0
momsterlee's review against another edition
emotional
funny
relaxing
slow-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
3.75
melindamoor's review against another edition
5.0
This book is GENIUS! :)))))) (and you can download the free kindle version from https://www.gutenberg.org )
“As she stepped into the steamboat at Dover which was to convey her to scenes so new, Lucilla felt more and more that she who held the reorganisation of society in Carlingford in her hands was a woman with a mission.”
Admirers (Critics) of Emma Woodhouse, do come and meet Miss Lucilla Marjoribanks, heroine of this brilliantly written, classic novel, described by some critics as the "spiritual grand-daughter" or Victorian counterpart of Austen's notorious matchmaker! She deserves to be mentioned in line with the best comic heroines.
Literary critic Q.D. Leavis calls the author, Mrs Oliphant, the "missing link" between Jane Austen and George Elliot and also points out some late parallels between her and [a:Edith Wharton|16|Edith Wharton|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1484512230p2/16.jpg] and especially her novel [b:The Custom of the Country|26950|The Custom of the Country|Edith Wharton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386922530l/26950._SY75_.jpg|2536975].
Lucilla, armed with a natural-born good sense and the useful knowledge of political economy acquired in the school Mount Pleasant, sets forth for her very provincial hometown, Carlingford.
Her aims are:
#1 "to be a comfort to poor papa", the widowed doctor, who does not seem to relish his good fortune to be pampered and cared for by his daughter, but allows her nevertheless to take charge.
#2 to conquer and reform society (with perfect goodwill, good intentions and with much talent, with well-wishers and antagonists, expected or unexpected suitors along her way).
Lucilla, self-destined mover and shaker, matchmaker and organiser, though deciding that at this point in life she is not interested in suitors, is very well able to discern who might be eligible for her candidates as well for herself. Though unlike Emma or Dorothea Brooke, she is no self-deceiver, but has both insight, tactical skills and social influence. Her rule as undisputed "queen of Carlingford" lasts a decade with only minor interruptions, like a series of failed marriage proposals.
The first two volumes of the novel are concerned with Lucilla's organization of society, by the third volume she desires a greater scope for her powers and so turns to politics, campaigning for the future M.P. of Carlingford.
She brilliantly manages to turn the tides even of her apparent "downfall" & seemingly reduced circumstances. Her final marriage & moving to a different parish close to Carlingford provides her with even more possibilities and an even larger scope of authority.
“Then there rose up before her a vision of a parish saved, a village reformed, a county reorganised, and a triumphant election at the end, the recompense and crown of all, which should put the government of the country itself, to a certain extent, into competent hands.”
Lucilla's story is told with a most delightful irony & and an austenesque anti-sentimentalism capturing Victorian provincial society and its different characters with subtle, but critical insight. The irony is also twofold, or it seems so. On one hand it seems to be aimed at Lucilla herself, but as we go on we realise that it is society itself that becomes the main object of irony.
First the readers themselves -along with other members of Lucilla's circle of family and friends-are led to treat her with some mild condescension maybe even exasperation, but gradually we are to realise that this is far from being the case and slowly but surely she is winning our appreciation and sympathy.
Lucilla is a true, but also magnanimous and beneficiary mastermind who, as a woman, must hide herself behind the Victorian conventionalism & norms to achieve her goals. She is perfectly aware of her limitations as a woman, but manages to turn this to her advantage brilliantly.
“At first, I always make it a point to give in to the prejudices of society. That is how I have always been so successful. I never went in the face of anybody's prejudices. Afterwards, you know, when one is known ....”
“As she stepped into the steamboat at Dover which was to convey her to scenes so new, Lucilla felt more and more that she who held the reorganisation of society in Carlingford in her hands was a woman with a mission.”
Admirers (Critics) of Emma Woodhouse, do come and meet Miss Lucilla Marjoribanks, heroine of this brilliantly written, classic novel, described by some critics as the "spiritual grand-daughter" or Victorian counterpart of Austen's notorious matchmaker! She deserves to be mentioned in line with the best comic heroines.
Literary critic Q.D. Leavis calls the author, Mrs Oliphant, the "missing link" between Jane Austen and George Elliot and also points out some late parallels between her and [a:Edith Wharton|16|Edith Wharton|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1484512230p2/16.jpg] and especially her novel [b:The Custom of the Country|26950|The Custom of the Country|Edith Wharton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386922530l/26950._SY75_.jpg|2536975].
Lucilla, armed with a natural-born good sense and the useful knowledge of political economy acquired in the school Mount Pleasant, sets forth for her very provincial hometown, Carlingford.
Her aims are:
#1 "to be a comfort to poor papa", the widowed doctor, who does not seem to relish his good fortune to be pampered and cared for by his daughter, but allows her nevertheless to take charge.
#2 to conquer and reform society (with perfect goodwill, good intentions and with much talent, with well-wishers and antagonists, expected or unexpected suitors along her way).
Lucilla, self-destined mover and shaker, matchmaker and organiser, though deciding that at this point in life she is not interested in suitors, is very well able to discern who might be eligible for her candidates as well for herself. Though unlike Emma or Dorothea Brooke, she is no self-deceiver, but has both insight, tactical skills and social influence. Her rule as undisputed "queen of Carlingford" lasts a decade with only minor interruptions, like a series of failed marriage proposals.
The first two volumes of the novel are concerned with Lucilla's organization of society, by the third volume she desires a greater scope for her powers and so turns to politics, campaigning for the future M.P. of Carlingford.
She brilliantly manages to turn the tides even of her apparent "downfall" & seemingly reduced circumstances.
Spoiler
Her father's death leaving her relatively poor, she marries her cousin Tom, whose proposal she rejected at the very beginning of the novel.“Then there rose up before her a vision of a parish saved, a village reformed, a county reorganised, and a triumphant election at the end, the recompense and crown of all, which should put the government of the country itself, to a certain extent, into competent hands.”
Lucilla's story is told with a most delightful irony & and an austenesque anti-sentimentalism capturing Victorian provincial society and its different characters with subtle, but critical insight. The irony is also twofold, or it seems so. On one hand it seems to be aimed at Lucilla herself, but as we go on we realise that it is society itself that becomes the main object of irony.
First the readers themselves -along with other members of Lucilla's circle of family and friends-are led to treat her with some mild condescension maybe even exasperation, but gradually we are to realise that this is far from being the case and slowly but surely she is winning our appreciation and sympathy.
Lucilla is a true, but also magnanimous and beneficiary mastermind who, as a woman, must hide herself behind the Victorian conventionalism & norms to achieve her goals. She is perfectly aware of her limitations as a woman, but manages to turn this to her advantage brilliantly.
“At first, I always make it a point to give in to the prejudices of society. That is how I have always been so successful. I never went in the face of anybody's prejudices. Afterwards, you know, when one is known ....”
patrisias's review against another edition
4.0
I read a review where someone said that Lucilla Marjoribanks is a combination of Austen's Emma and EF Benson's Lucia - and that description is just perfect.
Mrs. Oliphant perhaps doesn't know when to stop writing. I felt that the book was a tad too long and would probably have done better as two books. That's the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars. However it was very enjoyable and would recommend it.
Mrs. Oliphant perhaps doesn't know when to stop writing. I felt that the book was a tad too long and would probably have done better as two books. That's the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars. However it was very enjoyable and would recommend it.
egelantier's review
4.0
this was a trip and a half. i didn't know, before that book, how much i'm apparently into this genre of... drawing room competence porn? i guess? it's a long, merciless, gently hilarious book about one victorian young woman's mission to rule her town's society with a benevolent yet iron fist. lucilla marjoribanks comes home to just be a comfort for her dear papa, and then beautifully and gracefully navigates the snark waters of her hometown, bringing people together and organizing perfect parties and meddling in a matchmaking way where matchmaking is required for the good of the humanity. there are difficulties and drawbacks and romantic tangles, and a lot of victorian class nastiness, and little and big complications, and lucilla floats through all of them in a serene, beautiful, authorially endorsed surety of her self.
the main draw, for me, is less the setup itself and more how surely oliphant is on lucilla's side. there's some comedy and some gentle humor, but lucilla is neither humbled nor mocked; she's not a particularly nice person, but she's an efficiently good one; she leaves the book unbowed and victorious.
the main draw, for me, is less the setup itself and more how surely oliphant is on lucilla's side. there's some comedy and some gentle humor, but lucilla is neither humbled nor mocked; she's not a particularly nice person, but she's an efficiently good one; she leaves the book unbowed and victorious.
mary_juleyre's review
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
vesper1931's review against another edition
5.0
At the age of 19 Lucilla Marjoribanks has returned home to run her father's home and deciding to start Thursday Evening at home to raise the social activities of the town . This is her story of her trials and tribulations, mixed in with her triumphs.
An enjoyable re-read.
Chronological the first in the series
Originally written in 1866
An enjoyable re-read.
Chronological the first in the series
Originally written in 1866