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idesofmarch's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Antisemitism and Animal death
wordsofclover's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
ada_elisabeth's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Upon complaining to my mother that I had nothing "boring enough" to read, I was lent this book by my grandmother, who confidently stated that I would have no trouble finishing it in "two or three hours." Six days later, here I am, writing a review.
Was it boring? Yes. Was that what I wanted? Yes. However, that did not stop certain parts from being incredibly slow. When I said that I wanted to read something very dull, I didn't necessarily mean something very dull from the 1930's. (My fault. I didn't specify a time period.) It was still good, but it felt more like a classic than I hoped. It was also written like a diary, which led to interesting musings and quips about daily life for unemployed high-society English women in the 1930's. (The shorthand/ grammar thing made it much quicker to read.)
That being said, it was quite funny. While the entire thing was rather comedic, my favorite quotes include:
"Financial instability very trying." (Coming from a woman with an assortment of house-parlourmaids/parlourmen, cooks, governesses, and assorted other servants, who lives in a nice house with a nice garden, sends her child to a prep school, and takes frequent travels to the south of France and London. Not to mention the amount of times in this book alone she purchases a new dress. Financial instability is very trying indeed.)
"He [Robert, protagonist's husband] goes as far as to say that he hopes yesterday's rain puts an end to him [Jahsper, an acquaintance] altogether- but whether this means to his presence in the neighborhood, or to his existence on this planet, am by no means certain, and prefer not to enquire."
"Choice taken out of my hands by discovery that Ladies' Saloon is entirely filled, within five minutes of going on board, by other people who have all taken off their hats and are lying down Perfectly Flat."
And by far my favorite: "Feel that life is wholly unendurable, and decide madly to get a new hat."
In short, reading this book was decently enjoyable. I found it to be funny, although not laugh-out-loud-hilarious. It was a bit too long for my liking, detailing almost an entire year in the protagonist's life, but other than that, my only issue while reading this was that I desperately wanted to be reading something sad, which this was decidedly not. Oh well. 3.5/5 stars.
Was it boring? Yes. Was that what I wanted? Yes. However, that did not stop certain parts from being incredibly slow. When I said that I wanted to read something very dull, I didn't necessarily mean something very dull from the 1930's. (My fault. I didn't specify a time period.) It was still good, but it felt more like a classic than I hoped. It was also written like a diary, which led to interesting musings and quips about daily life for unemployed high-society English women in the 1930's. (The shorthand/ grammar thing made it much quicker to read.)
That being said, it was quite funny. While the entire thing was rather comedic, my favorite quotes include:
"Financial instability very trying." (Coming from a woman with an assortment of house-parlourmaids/parlourmen, cooks, governesses, and assorted other servants, who lives in a nice house with a nice garden, sends her child to a prep school, and takes frequent travels to the south of France and London. Not to mention the amount of times in this book alone she purchases a new dress. Financial instability is very trying indeed.)
"He [Robert, protagonist's husband] goes as far as to say that he hopes yesterday's rain puts an end to him [Jahsper, an acquaintance] altogether- but whether this means to his presence in the neighborhood, or to his existence on this planet, am by no means certain, and prefer not to enquire."
"Choice taken out of my hands by discovery that Ladies' Saloon is entirely filled, within five minutes of going on board, by other people who have all taken off their hats and are lying down Perfectly Flat."
And by far my favorite: "Feel that life is wholly unendurable, and decide madly to get a new hat."
In short, reading this book was decently enjoyable. I found it to be funny, although not laugh-out-loud-hilarious. It was a bit too long for my liking, detailing almost an entire year in the protagonist's life, but other than that, my only issue while reading this was that I desperately wanted to be reading something sad, which this was decidedly not. Oh well. 3.5/5 stars.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
moonlighthepburn's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death and Animal cruelty
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