Reviews - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark

1.84k reviews for:

Being from Edinburgh, I have long meant to read this quintessentially Edinburgh book. I did enjoy this easy-to-read book and having the leisure to explore Jean Brodie's character more than is possible from the television adaptations. Having read the book, I am no closer to a decision about whether Miss Brodie is ahead of her time or completely irresponsible and damaging to the young people she chooses to be her "set".

jnepal's review against another edition

4.0

emotional medium-paced

pforrester's review against another edition

4.0

dark funny reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: N/A

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

jooliahoolia's review against another edition

3.5

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

michaelawoods's review against another edition

3.75

funny lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

gscull's review against another edition

4.0

What a peculiar and delightful little book! In the "about the book" afterward of my copy, James Wood puts it perfectly: "All of Muriel Spark's novels are fiercely composed and devoutly starved [...] we feel compelled to turn the mere crescents of her characters into round discs." There is so little interiority, just Sandy's projections of her thoughts on Miss Brodie's interior life, yet as a reader we can't help but fill in the blanks. And isn't that much of our relationships? We are all fiction makers.

Also, I will be introducing "there must be a leaven in the lump" and "forsooth" into my vocabulary.

literarytranquillity's review against another edition

3.5

dark funny mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: N/A

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Az írásmódot különösen kedveltem. Volt benne valamilyen megfoghatatlan sötétség, ez nagyon kellemetlen volt, de egyébként tetszett. Helyenként untam. Brodie taszított egy idő után már nagyon. A leírások, a szerkezet és a nyelvezet fantasztikus. A filmet is meg fogom nézni.