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ergative's review against another edition
2.5
To be honest, the foreword was the funniest part of this book. I say that not to be snarky--it was a charming, delightful foreword--but as a way to indicate my disappointment that the book did not live up to its preface. It's a sort of country gothic book, or rather a book that engages with the tropes of the country gothic brooding mystery--an unhappy house, full of odd, strange folk, all languishing under the thumb of a half-mad, hidden, uncommunicative matriarch who holds the secrets of our young heroine being closed lips. But the young heroine has no patience with gothic broodiness, and sets about bundling off the various strange people into settings where they'd be happier than they are in the gloomy farm, and everything ends with weddings and flowers. The whole book felt as if it was engaging with a humor and literary Discourse that I am either entirely unfamiliar with (although I did recognize the tropes easily enough), or else am just not interested in. But I'll probably watch the adaptation of it, because it has a superb cast.
gitli57's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
I enjoyed the film adaptation of this with Kate Beckinsale in the lead and decided to check out the source. It took a little time to settle into Gibbon's style and voice, but it's a good read. I wish the "mood" list on this app included a button for "Quirky", which seems a good word for the characters, the English farm setting and the writing. I like quirky.
Cold Comfort Farm is an early effort and I understand that Stella Gibbons' other novels are very different in nature, so I would like to explore more of her work. But from this comic novel, I suspect she possibly should sit next to Waugh and Wodehouse as an observer of Brit foibles between the world wars, providing a much needed female perspective.
Cold Comfort Farm is an early effort and I understand that Stella Gibbons' other novels are very different in nature, so I would like to explore more of her work. But from this comic novel, I suspect she possibly should sit next to Waugh and Wodehouse as an observer of Brit foibles between the world wars, providing a much needed female perspective.
katzmetz's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
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