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katzreads's review against another edition
5.0
Really entertaining. Dragged a bit in the middle, but surprising and fascinating. Remarkable use of old slang!
littletaiko's review against another edition
4.0
I can't remember why I picked up The Observations a couple of years ago, but it must have been based on a recommendation I read somewhere. I'm glad that I finally decided to read it. This book, set in Scotland in 1863, tells the story of Bessy - a young girl who finds work as a housekeeper for a couple in a small village. Bessy's story is an entertaining, sometimes heartbreaking one as she recounts the strange requests from her mistress, her past life, and her thoughts on life in general. It took a couple of chapters to adapt to Bessy's voice, but definitely worth it. She is a very likeable, spitrited character who I miss now that the book is over.
meghan111's review against another edition
4.0
If you enjoy the historical fiction of Emma Donoghue and Sarah Waters, I suggest checking out Jane Harris. This novel of Victorian era Scotland is told from the point of view of a young Irish maid who takes a job working for a mysterious and isolated woman. She's lied in order to take the position, and it soon becomes clear she's not at all a good maid. But she can read and write, which seems very important to her employer. She's directed to keep a diary of her activities and thoughts. But why? And what will happen when she discovers the secrets that are hidden in the house? Betrayal, suspicions, undercurrents of attraction, and insanity combine.
amibunk's review against another edition
3.0
"The Observations" is a dark, suspenseful novel filled with ghosts, mysteries, treachery, and sex. Not for the sensitive reader. The writing in the first quarter of the book is very dense, almost inpenetrable owing to the narrator's overuse of slang and bad grammar. If, however, the reader perseveres and conquers this challenging beginning to thenovel, the actual story gets a firm grip upon the mind, and one must finish it to satisfy the overwhelming curiosity of what is going to happen next. "The Observations" reminds me slightly of "The Mysteries of Udolpho" and the short story "The Yellow Wallpaper."
jobeecebrero's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the writing style but I thought that the story was too shallow. I was kind of disappointed but I enjoyed nonetheless.
basilbasil's review against another edition
3.0
Without spoiling too much, I'll say that Bessy's story felt fresh and new without feeling too "out-there". She was also one of the funniest narrator's I've encountered before. (My favourite was the moment when she sang the song about the man with horrid flatulence at the fancy dinner party). I was kept guessing throughout the story about her reliability in narrating her and Arabella's story, as well as her own history. I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending, although that had more to do with my own wishes for the characters than any bad storytelling or loose ends.
bookgirl4ever's review against another edition
2.0
15-year old Bessy leaves behind her scandalous past to become a maid at a manor. The lady of the house is pleased to have Bessy work for her despite the fact that Bessy has no experience as a housemaid. It is Bessy's ability to read and write that impressed the lady, who requires Bessy to write in a diary daily, detailing her actions with feeling. Bessy soon finds out that the lady is writing a book on maidservants. That is it in a nutshell. Halfway through the book, I flipped through the second half and saw something about the lady going crazy and seeing the ghost of her past favorite servant. There may be more here, but I wasn't interested to find out the details.
Adult
Adult
susannavs's review against another edition
3.0
After reading the first few pages of this novel, I thought I might give up unless the grammar improved. I'm glad I didn't, because it was an unexpected find that I really enjoyed.
The main character, and narrator, Bessy/Daisy, is an ill-educated "housekeeper" (I don't want to give away too many plot details) who is asked to keep a journal by her new employer, Arabella Reid. Bessy, initially, writes (although not initially in the novel, because she's had some punctuation lessons by now) with no punctuation whatsoever. She does improve, but I found the missing apostrophes and irregular spelling to be a bit irritating at first. I had to let go of my inner grammar stickler and see it as the journal/private writings that it was.
Anyone who likes a good, historical mystery should read this book.
The main character, and narrator, Bessy/Daisy, is an ill-educated "housekeeper" (I don't want to give away too many plot details) who is asked to keep a journal by her new employer, Arabella Reid. Bessy, initially, writes (although not initially in the novel, because she's had some punctuation lessons by now) with no punctuation whatsoever. She does improve, but I found the missing apostrophes and irregular spelling to be a bit irritating at first. I had to let go of my inner grammar stickler and see it as the journal/private writings that it was.
Anyone who likes a good, historical mystery should read this book.
rcstewa's review against another edition
3.0
I'd give it 3.5 stars. It would have been four, if not for the stupidity of the ending.
jkkb332's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 rounded up. When I reflect back on it, this is actually a fairly bleak book. Lots of unfortunate things happen or had happened to the characters in the past. But Bessy is a great narrator with a darkly funny sense of humor, and her pluck and positivity prevent the story from getting bogged down in the mud.