Scan barcode
greybeard49's review
3.0
3.5 stars. Jane Gardam is a good writer. Crisp to the point prose, engaging well delivered plots and interesting well developed characters. This book has all of these attributes. Unfortunately I had an aversion to the subject matter and to some of the main characters.
Pity!
Pity!
kathrinpassig's review against another edition
4.0
Es fing an wie eines von diesen britischen Büchern, in denen es um Strickjacken, Tee und Vikare geht und von denen ich eigentlich keines mehr lesen wollte. Aber ich mochte den Stil und die Erzähltechnik, und es passiert dann auch von Anfang an ungewöhnlich viel. Also natürlich nur so viel, wie in einem Strickjacken-Tee-Vikare-Buch eben passieren kann, aber die Möglichkeiten dieses Genres werden ausgereizt. Einziges kleines Ärgernis: Die achtjährige Protagonistin spricht und denkt wegen ihres ultrareligiösen Vaters viel in Bibelzitaten, und zwar komplett mit Angabe der Stelle. Das ist doofer Romanwunderkindquatsch, selbst wenn man mit acht die Bibel auswendig kann, wird man doch wenigstens ab und zu denken "Johannes neunzehn, fünfunddreißig ... oder war es vierunddreißig?"
lizwisniewski's review against another edition
3.0
Another enjoyable read from Jane. Not Old Filth, but certainly a worthy Gardam fix.
pattydsf's review against another edition
3.0
It has been four years since I read a book by Jane Gardam. When I read The Queen of the Tambourine, I wrote in my review, “I don't think I will fully appreciate and understand this novel until I have read some other books by Gardam.” Well, I have now read another book by Gardam and I am still not sure what she is trying to say.
This book seemed especially British. By that I mean that much of the story could only take place in Great Britain. The language, the expectations of the characters, the setting all seem to be particular to the British world. My viewpoint is probably skewed by the fact that I am American, but I have read a lot of British works.
For whatever reason, I am as confused by this novel as I was by the first book I read by Gardam. Apparently, her work, Old Filth is her most acclaimed story. I can’t decide if I will try to find this book or just let Ms Gardam rest in piece. Her writing is wonderful, her people intriguing and weird, but is she worth reading again?
This book seemed especially British. By that I mean that much of the story could only take place in Great Britain. The language, the expectations of the characters, the setting all seem to be particular to the British world. My viewpoint is probably skewed by the fact that I am American, but I have read a lot of British works.
For whatever reason, I am as confused by this novel as I was by the first book I read by Gardam. Apparently, her work, Old Filth is her most acclaimed story. I can’t decide if I will try to find this book or just let Ms Gardam rest in piece. Her writing is wonderful, her people intriguing and weird, but is she worth reading again?
moirastone's review against another edition
4.0
Again with the slow, masterly reveal. I found this a far simpler book than either Old Filth or The Man in the Wooden Hat (as befits an 8-year-old protagonist, perhaps). But it gave me nearly the deep satisfaction that those previous two did nonetheless.
amyw2's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
caroparr's review against another edition
4.0
To call this a small treasure is accurate, but makes it sound sweet, which it is not. Eight-year-old Margaret resents the new baby, enjoys her weekly outings with Lydia, the cheerfully vulgar maid, and stands in awe of her Bible-thumping father. In a mood reminiscent of The Go-Between, she discovers but does not quite understand the world of the adults around her. We readers can piece together things together through interior monologues and conversations, but Gardam teases out the plot obliquely. Hard to do this justice, but it's wonderful.
My copy, the American edition from 1978, is inscribed to me by the author, whom I must have met at a children's literature event. Lucky me, if only I remembered it!
My copy, the American edition from 1978, is inscribed to me by the author, whom I must have met at a children's literature event. Lucky me, if only I remembered it!
melaniies's review against another edition
challenging
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia and Death
kjboldon's review against another edition
4.0
Loved the complex characters as I did w/ Gardam's Old Filth.