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A review by amandazzz
Merry Hall by Beverley Nichols, William McLaren
4.0
I was expecting to like this, and I'm glad to say I did. Beverley Nichols has that kind of British, slightly acidic, and moderately hysterical voice that captures both a time and a place for me: I can see him wandering his estate, cursing his neighbors but being oh-so-polite to their faces, and impulsively opting to build a water garden rather than pay bills. I love his rhapsodizing about flowers and plants. He really captures how one can feel about his passion - it's all-consuming and peace-making, and anyone who doesn't agree is a moron.
There were some touches of misogyny throughout - I'm not sure he liked women very much, if at all. That's easy to pass over and write off to his own temperament, and instead move on to his descriptions of his gardener Oldfield and his servant Gaskin.
This puts me a bit in mind of Miss Read, although with a slightly more grumpy air.
There were some touches of misogyny throughout - I'm not sure he liked women very much, if at all. That's easy to pass over and write off to his own temperament, and instead move on to his descriptions of his gardener Oldfield and his servant Gaskin.
This puts me a bit in mind of Miss Read, although with a slightly more grumpy air.