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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
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
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
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
Miss Jean Brodie trusts her girls explicitly, but that trust is misplaced. And while she will have a profound effect on their futures, one of those girls will betray her.
In 1930s Edinburgh, Miss Jean Brodie has chosen her six favourite girls in her class, the Brodie Set, and she chooses to give them what she believes is a more valuable education, in matters such as her personal love life, travels, art history and classical studies. Miss Brodie informs the girls regularly that she is in her prime, and tells them of her love triangle with Gordon Lowther, the singing teacher, and Teddy Lloyd who teaches art. As the girls grow older, Miss Brodie tries to live vicariously through them.
This novel is short and easy to read. There are several jumps in time but this doesn't make the narrative confusing at all. It keeps the mystery in the story as we are told very early on that one of Brodie Set betrays Miss Brodie, but the culprit isn't revealed until the end.
I enjoyed this novel very much, and liked the writing and the cleverly structured narrative.
This novel is short and easy to read. There are several jumps in time but this doesn't make the narrative confusing at all. It keeps the mystery in the story as we are told very early on that one of Brodie Set betrays Miss Brodie, but the culprit isn't revealed until the end.
I enjoyed this novel very much, and liked the writing and the cleverly structured narrative.
After Dame Maggie Smith’s passing clips of the movie version of The Prime of Miss Jean Brody proliferated on YouTube and as I hardly recall it from my last reading I thought I’d revisit it. I don’t know if Miriam Margolye’s narration made a difference but I enjoyed it more this time. The timing is not straight forward. There are flashbacks and flashforwards which can make challenging to follow if you are expecting a linear narrative as in the movie. Well, the story of the corruption of youth at the hands of irresponsible adults reminds of An Education, the film that made Carrie Mulligan a star, as well as the memoir it was based on; and also the Catch Me If You Can film. I suppose you could say this story is those stories’ grandparent. The premise TPOMJB is bizarre. It happened over years. I won’t spoil it but how did parents not have knowledge and get involved in the situation boggles the mind. I suppose it’s a metaphor or an allegory, really. Nevertheless, however damaging Ms Brody might have been to her charges she’s certainly one of the most compelling characters in literature. She was, after all, in her prime.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
reflective
fast-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