Reviews - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

1.82k reviews for:

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Muriel Spark

3.54 AVERAGE

lara44's review against another edition

3.25

reflective 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

corgifeet's review against another edition

4.0

This is a classic and a quick read. Something we all should think about - the prime of our life.

lmsw96's review against another edition

4.0

dark funny mysterious tense fast-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

badger_badger's review against another edition

5.0

dark funny 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

Very short enticing, humorous book with lots to say!

Feels like everything written is done so intentionally, ‘efficiently’, which is wonderful to see how much you can get from such a short book. Layers and layers of meaning and things to consider in the text: sex and sexuality, womanhood, power, devotion, religion, social games, charismatic leaders (the thread to the way fascism is explored here being clear).

I loved how hyper local it felt to Edinburgh, just dripping with a a really particular social character, and then still universal it is in the exploration of how people can be.

I also enjoyed the skipping of time frame and how it was viewed through Sandys tiny insightful eyes. I think this helps with the character development and sense of intensity. I think Spark writes it well that you are also somewhat taken in by Brodie while also finding her ridiculous, suspect, comic, tragic.

The whole relationship between Jean Brodie and the Brodie Set is obviously one of grooming, and the way this all plays out with the other teachers is at times horrifying. I’ve added some minor content warnings not because they are minor issues but because they are not explicitly described, this book is read by children in Scottish high schools, and I think it comes across quite clearly that the author is not endorsing the more sordid parts of the story.

Content Warnings

samanthalilyk's review against another edition

3.0

the horny tween girls were endearing. the fascist teacher in her prime that groomed them was disturbing. still can’t help but be charmed by muriel spark once again. very curious to see the movie adaptation with a young maggie smith.