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A review by bhnmt61
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers
4.0
I read this years ago when I was an undergraduate and loved it, mainly for Sayers' blatant love of literature (I was a very snotty english major at the time), the strong female lead character, Harriet Vane, and the interesting romance between her and Lord Peter Wimsey. This time I found it fascinating, but for different reasons-- it's fascinating to see Sayers try to work out a relationship between equals in the 1930s when it was written, when the idea of women getting university degrees and holding professional-level jobs was still controversial. It's beautifully done.
The other thing that interested me is that it's one of the very few mystery novels I've ever read that doesn't have a murder in it. In fact, at the moment, I can't think of another one, although I confess I don't read many so maybe there are plenty out there. If it were written now, it would be edited into a much tighter, less literary conventional mystery, which would both make it a better read and also lose a great deal of its charm. Save it for a moment when you want a book that will transport you back to another time and place.
The other thing that interested me is that it's one of the very few mystery novels I've ever read that doesn't have a murder in it. In fact, at the moment, I can't think of another one, although I confess I don't read many so maybe there are plenty out there. If it were written now, it would be edited into a much tighter, less literary conventional mystery, which would both make it a better read and also lose a great deal of its charm. Save it for a moment when you want a book that will transport you back to another time and place.