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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It took me a while to get into this book, but I am glad that I persevered.
Margaret Finch is employed by an organisation based in Blackpool, undertaking research called mass observation.
Her powers of observation and meticulous note taking make her one of the best researchers.
Each day, she listens into conversations and watches as the general public go about their daily business.
Her research brings her into contact with Harold Davidson, the Rector of Stiffkey, recently defrocked by the Church for his liaisons with young girls.
Margaret wants to help him prove his innocence, but the more she becomes involved, the less sure she is of her convictions.
# Pigeonhole
Margaret Finch is employed by an organisation based in Blackpool, undertaking research called mass observation.
Her powers of observation and meticulous note taking make her one of the best researchers.
Each day, she listens into conversations and watches as the general public go about their daily business.
Her research brings her into contact with Harold Davidson, the Rector of Stiffkey, recently defrocked by the Church for his liaisons with young girls.
Margaret wants to help him prove his innocence, but the more she becomes involved, the less sure she is of her convictions.
# Pigeonhole
There is, I think, a whiff of Barbara Pym about this thoughtful novel, even including a clergyman, albeit a defrocked one. Set in the late 1930's, its backdrop is the Mass Observation report on Lancashire holiday-makers in Blackpool. Margaret is an ace Observer, and as it turns out not only of the people around but also of herself. Her self-confidence as a woman was squeezed out of her by her stepmother (the ominous 'Mother') and all that's left is her cerebral abilities.
Unfortunately that is not enough to sustain her, and she falls prey to morphine (in kaolin and morphine, something that I was prescribed for stomach ills in my youth) and drink.
Through the book she begins to rely on her relationships with the Rector of Stiffkey, a Blackpool sideshow, and James, her immediate boss at Mass Observation, and the results are startling and emotional.
I did enjoy this book, and would recommend it to all and sundry.
Unfortunately that is not enough to sustain her, and she falls prey to morphine (in kaolin and morphine, something that I was prescribed for stomach ills in my youth) and drink.
Through the book she begins to rely on her relationships with the Rector of Stiffkey, a Blackpool sideshow, and James, her immediate boss at Mass Observation, and the results are startling and emotional.
I did enjoy this book, and would recommend it to all and sundry.
2.5 stars
I wanted to love this but it was sadly rather dull. I definitely nodded off at one point and just wasn’t interested in the story. All the characters were listless and there wasn’t really much point to the book.
The concept seemed engaging but as a whole, nothing really happened.
I wanted to love this but it was sadly rather dull. I definitely nodded off at one point and just wasn’t interested in the story. All the characters were listless and there wasn’t really much point to the book.
The concept seemed engaging but as a whole, nothing really happened.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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