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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
reflective
Reread this for my Scottish Literature summer school and I still think it's a funny, playful and weird novel, where the problematic parts are supposed to be problematic. If you've never read anything by Muriel Spark and would liked to be confused by the narrative situation in a book, to pick it up and then watch the movie with Maggie Smith as Miss Jean Brodie. Hilarious! 4 stars
If this is Spark at her best I'm afraid I'm just not inclined to read any more of her. Didn't feel compelled at all, neither by the characters nor the plot. Was very ready to enjoy this as well. A very strange read.
funny
tense
slow-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
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is a renowned classic of English literature which I had never even heard of, and only read because a BuzzFeed quiz said that she was the literary character most like myself. I think the quiz was pretty spot on but, sadly, to do with many of my worst traits. Miss Jean Brodie, in the prime of her life, is dynamic and magnetic. But she is also needy, manipulative, self centered, short sighted, and foolish. To use Jean's own words she has instinct but lacks insight.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is like a chicks' version of Dead Poets Society but with less suicide (not less death just less suicide) more fascism and the John Keating character is kind of a twat.
For all that though, Dame Muriel Spark's writing is wonderful. The story weaves its way through love, betrayal, trust, religion, reputation, and personal growth. Themes which are as complex as they are common. The narration is non sequential and sometimes non linear which adds the omniscient weight of inevitability but also seems true to the flighty mind of a teenage girl. Plus, well, it's set in Scotland which is always good.
I disliked the characters personally and will likely never reread The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. But the work itself is, to use a Brodie-ism, the crème de la crème.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is like a chicks' version of Dead Poets Society but with less suicide (not less death just less suicide) more fascism and the John Keating character is kind of a twat.
For all that though, Dame Muriel Spark's writing is wonderful. The story weaves its way through love, betrayal, trust, religion, reputation, and personal growth. Themes which are as complex as they are common. The narration is non sequential and sometimes non linear which adds the omniscient weight of inevitability but also seems true to the flighty mind of a teenage girl. Plus, well, it's set in Scotland which is always good.
I disliked the characters personally and will likely never reread The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. But the work itself is, to use a Brodie-ism, the crème de la crème.
funny
lighthearted
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
had to read this for my scottish literature course and since it's been the first one so far to have more than one woman in it i definitely preferred it to the other books i've read. the jumps over time and back again were kind of confusing but it wasn't too distracting. it was good. miss jean brodie is really something.
Didn't really care for this one. The book didn't seem to have a plot and the story meandered around randomly. Miss Brodie didn't seem fit to teach children and the Brodie set seemed a little too wise for their years.
mysterious
reflective
medium-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