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atg's review against another edition
5.0
Maria Edgeworth was a genius. Incredible to think this was written around two centuries ago. Hilarious and yet an insight into the social history of a very different era.
joelshults's review against another edition
3.0
This was interesting... It seemed like it would've been a really funny book, but I didn't have enough context or understand enough references.
jgkeely's review against another edition
3.0
An unexpectedly delightful book, one of the first I've read that really captures what I've come to think of as quintessentially British humor, the sort later typified by Wilde and Wodehouse. The pointlessly loyal teller of this tale is one of the best examples of the 'Unreliable Narrator' that I've seen in fiction, and seems to be a prototype for a similarly humorous servant in Collins' 'The Moonstone'. Add in the political and social satire concerning Anglo-Irish relations and you've got quite the solid little novella.
renee7995's review against another edition
3.0
I read this book for Jane Austen July. One of the prompts was to read a contemporary of Austen and I found an e-book version of this through my library, so I thought I would try it. There isn't really a plot to this book, but instead it is just a historical telling of the Rackrent family by one of their servants. It was amusing enough, but not something that I would want to read again. I gave this 3/4 stars.
kenziewol's review against another edition
funny
informative
medium-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
summersmess's review against another edition
4.0
A nice change to the "this is how you need to behave young lady" novels I've read from this period of English Literature. Very tongue-in-cheek and not too difficult to read.
gracer's review against another edition
3.0
Rather different from what I expected, but pleasing nonetheless, and quite interesting. A nice angle, the chronicle from the point of view of Thady - lower class, and therefore very educational and insightful with an idea of language, cultural norms, etc.
bucket's review against another edition
5.0
Written in 1800, this is a still-funny satire of a Irish aristocratic family's vices and downfall. The style, with it's tongue in cheek glossary and asides, is fun and unique - and the voice of naive, goody-two-shoes narrator Thady makes him a well-rounded character, even though he's more an observer of the story than an active participant.
I love this description from the author's preface of the characters that bring down the Rackrents: "the drunken Sir Patrick, the litigious Sir Murtagh, the fighting Sir Kit, and the slovenly Sir Condy."
I love this description from the author's preface of the characters that bring down the Rackrents: "the drunken Sir Patrick, the litigious Sir Murtagh, the fighting Sir Kit, and the slovenly Sir Condy."