A review by hilareeads
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark

dark funny reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

<spoilers> I gotta say, Muriel did a great job of making us forget that Miss Brodie was a fan of Mussolini and fascism way up front. I read it and was like wait, Mussolini Mussolini?? And then it kept going and didn’t really bring it back up. So I kind of forgot about it, and intermittently thought maybe Brodie just didn’t know exactly what he represents! Because it then focused on these wonderful girls she took under her wing, girls who turned into accomplished, not fascist women. And we’re getting kind of upset that this head mistress is trying to force her into retirement. And then we’re hit with Brodie  saying Nazis are great and will save the world. WHAT. Yeah, get her the fuck outta here. It goes to show that these bigoted and awful people with these dangerous ideals will often parade around as good folks who are just trying to make the world a better place. When in reality they’re trying to corrupt and mold those surrounding them into having the same small minded and prejudiced ideas. The prime of Miss Brodie, my ass.

(I’m putting the content warnings as graphic bc while it isn’t at the forefront, considering who she supports and what she’s trying to “teach”, we  know what goes along with that, and it’s graphic and not just moderate or mild)
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