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gliebherr's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting, unusual comedy romance set in Italy in early 1900.
Jerry and Constance are fun to read about as Jerry sets about to woo her in an uns
ususual fashion
Jerry and Constance are fun to read about as Jerry sets about to woo her in an uns
ususual fashion
esvee's review against another edition
1.0
Nope, Just nope.
I've been a big fan of Jean Webster (I loved Daddy Long Legs, Dear Enemy and the Patty series, all of which I read as a kid). But this book was horrifying.
So so much of casual misogyny, racism and classicism. Our dear protagonist, Jerry, tries courting fellow American, Constance, in a tiny Italian town. He does this by pretending to be a "donkey man" and then mercilessly and unrelenting flirts with Constance, greatly against her will. Note that this flirting includes kissing her hand while she sleeps. Apparently we are supposed to root for Jerry here because he isn't actually a donkey man but a "gentleman". As if the difference is social status somehow legitimises and gives him permission to assault Constance.
The Italians in this novel are also very crudely portrayed - mainly as a group of not-so-bright people who just roam around idealising the Americans and catering to their every whim. They're also judiciously poked fun of and pastiched.
Overall, a great disappointment and a not-at-all recommended book, thank you.
I've been a big fan of Jean Webster (I loved Daddy Long Legs, Dear Enemy and the Patty series, all of which I read as a kid). But this book was horrifying.
So so much of casual misogyny, racism and classicism. Our dear protagonist, Jerry, tries courting fellow American, Constance, in a tiny Italian town. He does this by pretending to be a "donkey man" and then mercilessly and unrelenting flirts with Constance, greatly against her will. Note that this flirting includes kissing her hand while she sleeps. Apparently we are supposed to root for Jerry here because he isn't actually a donkey man but a "gentleman". As if the difference is social status somehow legitimises and gives him permission to assault Constance.
The Italians in this novel are also very crudely portrayed - mainly as a group of not-so-bright people who just roam around idealising the Americans and catering to their every whim. They're also judiciously poked fun of and pastiched.
Overall, a great disappointment and a not-at-all recommended book, thank you.
glyptodonsneeze's review
1.0
"She's hanging out with Italians."
"Ewww,"
says Malory Ortberg quoting Henry James' crappy novel Daisy Miller, about a young American tourist abroad who socializes with Italians and dies. Fortunately no American in Jerry Junior treats Italians like anything but lazy servants and picturesque scenery, and consequently no one dies of fraternization.
Constance and her father are bored rich summering in a villa in Italy in 1907. Jerry has been powering through Europe ("Jerry says he holds the record for Louvre; he struck a six-mile pace at the entrance, and by looking neither to the right nor the left he did the whole building in forty-three minutes.") and is waiting at the hotel for his aunt and sister to catch up, languishing for want of a tennis partner.
Constance makes her servants dress in fairy tale approximations of Italian peasant costumes. Jerry badgers the hotel waiter and whines and refuses to enjoy anything. The plot here is that Jerry pretends to be an alpine guide in an Italian costume and Constance knows it's really Jerry but the farce lasts for almost the whole book. It's occasionally funny, but at the end of the day you have a sly romance between two selfish, unlikable people. Stick to Just Patty.
"Ewww,"
says Malory Ortberg quoting Henry James' crappy novel Daisy Miller, about a young American tourist abroad who socializes with Italians and dies. Fortunately no American in Jerry Junior treats Italians like anything but lazy servants and picturesque scenery, and consequently no one dies of fraternization.
Constance and her father are bored rich summering in a villa in Italy in 1907. Jerry has been powering through Europe ("Jerry says he holds the record for Louvre; he struck a six-mile pace at the entrance, and by looking neither to the right nor the left he did the whole building in forty-three minutes.") and is waiting at the hotel for his aunt and sister to catch up, languishing for want of a tennis partner.
Constance makes her servants dress in fairy tale approximations of Italian peasant costumes. Jerry badgers the hotel waiter and whines and refuses to enjoy anything. The plot here is that Jerry pretends to be an alpine guide in an Italian costume and Constance knows it's really Jerry but the farce lasts for almost the whole book. It's occasionally funny, but at the end of the day you have a sly romance between two selfish, unlikable people. Stick to Just Patty.
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