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frances_ab's review
4.0
This was a delightful read by Mrs. Oliphant, a new-to-me author. Lucilla Marjoribanks, in her late teens at the outset of this novel set in the small town of Carlingford, comes home to care for her dear papa on the death of her mother, and to bring new life to local society. Her poor dear papa doesn't exactly need looking after, and society has been managing fairly well on its own up until this point, but Lucilla does indeed bring talents that no one realized were lacking, and society is soon transformed.
This gently humorous look at genteel society, of what can be accomplished by a strong-minded and persuasive young woman, and what limitations restrict her sphere of activity was a very enjoyable read, and Mrs Oliphant has a deft touch with a comical turn of phrase.
This gently humorous look at genteel society, of what can be accomplished by a strong-minded and persuasive young woman, and what limitations restrict her sphere of activity was a very enjoyable read, and Mrs Oliphant has a deft touch with a comical turn of phrase.
jacob_longini's review
3.0
Margaret Oliphant's Miss Marjoribanks (pronounced March-banks, this took me a while to figure out) is a great resource for the reader interested in issues of gender, class, religion, and politics in 19th Century England, and a great entertainment for the reader who enjoys an Austen-esque drama about society, scandal, and love (if this isn't up your alley, then don't read this book). By portraying English society through the lens of a clever young woman with great domestic ambitions, Oliphant forces the reader to figure out if the work praises the strengths of middle-class women or satirizes their weaknesses. Are the class distinctions meant to point out the injustice of Oliphant's time, or is the contempt displayed for lower classes the actual view of the author? There are many interpretations of the plot, and the editor's introduction (included in the Penguin Classics edition) explores the ongoing debates surrounding these topics. Originally published to fit the serialized and three-volume novel formats, there are areas that feel superfluous and droning, but there are also other areas that are delightfully compelling. All-in-all, I think it is a so-so read for your average audience, but a gem for scholarly readers or those who are fans of similar works from the 19th Century canon.
june_englit_phd's review
2.0
Normally, I devour books from the 19th century, but I found this one hard-going. The plot was fun, but Oliphant's continual switching between referring to the eponymous heroine as 'Miss Marjoribanks' and 'Lucilla' began to grate on my nerves a little. Perhaps because I read this book during a hot summer spell in COVID lockdown I didn't really gel with it. I will re-visit it in the future and see if I view it differently then.
drbetteridge's review
3.0
I had many thoughts about Miss Marjoriebanks, the book, after finishing. The reoccurring humor reminded me a bit of Monty Python; exaggerated, eye-rolling, can't-help-but-laugh-because-they-dared-to-say-it-again kind of funny. I was caught off guard with a twist. I disliked the main character for her personality and patronizing treatment of people. I really wanted to know what she was going to do to get out of her jam, and then the ending just petered out- ready for a third installment, I believe. Yes, I enjoyed the book, just like I enjoy my grandkids, even knowing I'm going to have a mess to clean.
ange_reads's review
5.0
I loved this. I went through the whole range of emotions reading this - and that absolutely surprised me. Not because the beginning was terrible or anything. No, I enjoyed this from the beginning, laughing aloud frequently. But this began as a gentle satire of the main character, our Miss Marjoribanks, and somewhere along the line, the author ceased the fond but mocking tone she had used to describe her main character, and I found myself feeling deep compassion for Lucilla. And THAT was the surprise.
I began reading the book with much amusement - throughout, I would periodically laugh out loud, as Lucilla handily managed the people around her. About 100 pages in, I got impatient and a little bored - and then Mrs. Oliphant immediately brought in the drama that hooked me in. At 500+ pages, it did drag periodically, and I would wonder, every 100 pages or so, how much more there could possibly be to cover. But the main plot is not about romantic intrigue or social climbing - no, it's the growth of the main character, and for that 500+ pages is just the right amount.
This is also one of the most subtle and forthright pieces of feminist literature I've read from this time period (so of course, I love it even more).
Where Jane Austen had skirted around the issues or kept them palatable and within the realm of what was acceptable (actually, it's been ages since I've read Emma, which some reviewers have compared this to, so I may be off here), Mrs. Oliphant boldly states her premise: this brilliant, very capable, very sensible woman is made to be completely dependent on the fortunes of the men in her life, and when those fortunes are reversed, instead of being able to take care of herself as Lucilla is so inclined, society cripples her and forces her to be useless and inoffensively decorative. And too, those 500+ pages are necessary to serve this purpose: for us to fall in love with Lucilla and her strength of character, so that we can be dismayed when she is crippled, and so that we can wholeheartedly agree when Mrs. Oliphant laments that Lucilla's gender prevents her from taking up her father's medical practice or from running for Parliament or even from taking care of her own needs. "She was a Power in Carlingford, and she knew it: but still there is little good in the existence of a Power unless it can be made use of for some worthy end."
And Tom - that was another surprise! He makes his entrance as the classic buffoon that we must pity and then makes a speedy departure. When Mrs. Oliphant began referencing him again, I was dismayed - Lucilla deserved so much better than him! But the reverse in her fortune - the sorrow and loss and growth she experiences - suddenly make it clear the Tom is the only answer. Because he is the only one who truly, devoutedly, and without any doubt whatsoever obeyed all of her advice. Which is the most passionate declaration of love that can be made to Lucilla. (See what an absurd book this is??)
"Mrs. Oli-who?" I asked myself when I first saw this book, and her skill at leading me to her desired conclusion took me completely by surprise.
I began reading the book with much amusement - throughout, I would periodically laugh out loud, as Lucilla handily managed the people around her. About 100 pages in, I got impatient and a little bored - and then Mrs. Oliphant immediately brought in the drama that hooked me in. At 500+ pages, it did drag periodically, and I would wonder, every 100 pages or so, how much more there could possibly be to cover. But the main plot is not about romantic intrigue or social climbing - no, it's the growth of the main character, and for that 500+ pages is just the right amount.
This is also one of the most subtle and forthright pieces of feminist literature I've read from this time period (so of course, I love it even more).
Where Jane Austen had skirted around the issues or kept them palatable and within the realm of what was acceptable (actually, it's been ages since I've read Emma, which some reviewers have compared this to, so I may be off here), Mrs. Oliphant boldly states her premise: this brilliant, very capable, very sensible woman is made to be completely dependent on the fortunes of the men in her life, and when those fortunes are reversed, instead of being able to take care of herself as Lucilla is so inclined, society cripples her and forces her to be useless and inoffensively decorative. And too, those 500+ pages are necessary to serve this purpose: for us to fall in love with Lucilla and her strength of character, so that we can be dismayed when she is crippled, and so that we can wholeheartedly agree when Mrs. Oliphant laments that Lucilla's gender prevents her from taking up her father's medical practice or from running for Parliament or even from taking care of her own needs. "She was a Power in Carlingford, and she knew it: but still there is little good in the existence of a Power unless it can be made use of for some worthy end."
And Tom - that was another surprise! He makes his entrance as the classic buffoon that we must pity and then makes a speedy departure. When Mrs. Oliphant began referencing him again, I was dismayed - Lucilla deserved so much better than him! But the reverse in her fortune - the sorrow and loss and growth she experiences - suddenly make it clear the Tom is the only answer. Because he is the only one who truly, devoutedly, and without any doubt whatsoever obeyed all of her advice. Which is the most passionate declaration of love that can be made to Lucilla. (See what an absurd book this is??)
"Mrs. Oli-who?" I asked myself when I first saw this book, and her skill at leading me to her desired conclusion took me completely by surprise.
wealhtheow's review
4.0
This is a novel about small-town Victorian society told in the driest, most sarcastic style. Oliphant has few illusions about the strictures and privileges of genteel life, an no illusions at all about her sturdy heroine. Miss Lucille Marjoribanks is a strong-willed, large-bodied young woman with little sense of humor or wit but an incredible talent for social interaction. Within a matter of months, she is the center of her little town of Carlingford's society. Told with a light, yet hilarious narrative style, this is a funny yet insightful look at mid-Victorian society.
aliteraryprincess's review
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.0
genarti's review
4.0
I've only read two books by Mrs Oliphant (the other being A City Besieged, which is fascinating, weird, and extremely different from this), and enjoyed both. But Miss Marjoribanks makes it very clear why she was a bestselling author in her day. It's a power fantasy, but not unalloyed; it's delightfully snarky, but affectionately so, and well leavened with compassion for everyone on the page. (It's also got the unthinking classism, colonialism, and occasional offhand racism one might expect from a Victorian popular novel, so be warned there.)
Miss Lucilla Marjoribanks comes home from school with the earnest and implacable aim of being a comfort to her dear papa (a widower who, while very fond of his only child, doesn't particularly feel he needs comforting). And, just incidentally, of rearranging the society in her hometown -- for everyone's benefit, of course. What makes this a delight instead of insufferable is the narration's wry wit, and the ongoing martial metaphors. Because, make no mistake, this is the tale of a latter-day Tacitus or Alexander the Great. But one who was born a bourgeois woman in Victorian England, and thus one whose weapons are dinner parties, and whose campaign arena is the drawing rooms of Carlingford. Great fun, a fascinating slice of history, and an excellent diversion from an author who really ought to be better known today.
Miss Lucilla Marjoribanks comes home from school with the earnest and implacable aim of being a comfort to her dear papa (a widower who, while very fond of his only child, doesn't particularly feel he needs comforting). And, just incidentally, of rearranging the society in her hometown -- for everyone's benefit, of course. What makes this a delight instead of insufferable is the narration's wry wit, and the ongoing martial metaphors. Because, make no mistake, this is the tale of a latter-day Tacitus or Alexander the Great. But one who was born a bourgeois woman in Victorian England, and thus one whose weapons are dinner parties, and whose campaign arena is the drawing rooms of Carlingford. Great fun, a fascinating slice of history, and an excellent diversion from an author who really ought to be better known today.
blankgarden's review
4.0
4,5 stars. My review: https://theblankgarden.com/2017/11/27/a-woman-with-a-mission/
lnatal's review
3.0
Our heroine's machinations lead to the solving of a mystery - and to a wedding. Margaret Oliphant drama with Teresa Gallagher.
Free download available at Gutenberg Project.
Free download available at Gutenberg Project.
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