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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
I came across Barbara Pym via the wonderful Backlisted podcast (https://www.backlisted.fm/episodes/109-barbara-pym-excellent-women). They were so incredibly enthusiastic about her, that I thought I just had to try a one of her books. Unfortunately, that probably meant that my expectations had been built up rather too high. The book was nice, amusing in places and generally an enjoyable read, but epithets like 'brilliant' are too much. The book pokes fun at scientists, anthropologists in this case, with their otherworldly attitudes and obsession with the details of their possibly pointless studies, which was quite fun. It was also nice to see how the book makes a point of the fact the rituals of everyday life in suburban England are so comparable to the 'exotic' rituals in Africa studied by the anthropologists, and it to modern readers it is comes across as being even rather anti-racist in a contemporary sort of way. It is very literary, with countless allusions, but I'm not sure that really is a very positive thing. All in all, a pleasant read, and if the author hadn't been hyped up quite so much in the podcast, I might have enjoyed it more.
Very typically Pym, centered on a group of anthropologists. More of an ensemble than some of her other pieces, but rather wonderful and terrific characterizations.
funny
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Anthropologists keep cropping up in Pym's novels, and this is the main one about them. Tom Mallow, a grad student back from fieldwork in Africa, abruptly throws over his long-term live-in girlfriend for a 19-year-old student.
The social commentary is more subtle than you'd think given the premise of anthropologists engaging in affairs of the heart; and the characters are treated with sensitivity. Pym's precision for capturing the big moments of life in small, heartbreaking details is at full force here. Tom and Catherine's very cold, almost clinical break-up is heartbreakingly realistic for two highly cerebral, emotionally restrained people.
I enjoyed the background characters, especially the Mark and Digby, two of Tom and Dierdre's classmates who are the Rosencrantz and Gildenstern of this novel. There are, of course, also clergypeople and unmarried middle-aged women hovering around, because this is a Pym novel.
Stray Observations
One of my favorite scenes: an eccentric professor invites four of the grad students, candidates for a fellowship, to his country home for the weekend. The power imbalance of the professor trying to make them have a good time and use his position for the feeling of having friends, and the students always conscious that they're on sort of an extended interview for a professional opportunity, felt very The Office like as well as sadly true to life. At one point the professor grumbles, "It seems to me that young people aren't as lighthearted as they used to be, I wonder why that is?" and Mark says, "Two wars, motorcars, and newer and more frightful bombs being invented all the time." Oof, this is too real and extremely reminiscent of Millennials' interactions with Boomers.
Spoiler
While the women in his life pick up the pieces, Tom returns to Africa and is senselessly killed in political unrest. It's sort of unclear to me what this is trying to say, except that men are fickle idiots.The social commentary is more subtle than you'd think given the premise of anthropologists engaging in affairs of the heart; and the characters are treated with sensitivity. Pym's precision for capturing the big moments of life in small, heartbreaking details is at full force here. Tom and Catherine's very cold, almost clinical break-up is heartbreakingly realistic for two highly cerebral, emotionally restrained people.
I enjoyed the background characters, especially the Mark and Digby, two of Tom and Dierdre's classmates who are the Rosencrantz and Gildenstern of this novel. There are, of course, also clergypeople and unmarried middle-aged women hovering around, because this is a Pym novel.
Stray Observations
One of my favorite scenes: an eccentric professor invites four of the grad students, candidates for a fellowship, to his country home for the weekend. The power imbalance of the professor trying to make them have a good time and use his position for the feeling of having friends, and the students always conscious that they're on sort of an extended interview for a professional opportunity, felt very The Office like as well as sadly true to life. At one point the professor grumbles, "It seems to me that young people aren't as lighthearted as they used to be, I wonder why that is?" and Mark says, "Two wars, motorcars, and newer and more frightful bombs being invented all the time." Oof, this is too real and extremely reminiscent of Millennials' interactions with Boomers.
funny
reflective
slow-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
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
medium-paced
I didn't like this as much as I liked Excellent Women, but it was still an ok read. I thought the characters were very well observed, but I didn't really warm to many of the characters.
funny
slow-paced