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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another Great Thirkell,
By Mimbelina (Texas) - See all my reviews
This review is from: County Chronicle (Paperback)
A wedding between two of the sweetest, if not most elegant or genteel, characters is the perfect introduction to this Barsetshire novel. Lucy Marling, the tomboyish daughter of one of Barsetshire's older families, and Sam Adams, the now polished newcomer to the county, are an unlikely but utterly lovable pair and their union sets the tone for the entire book. It is followed by a moody descent as other characters search for their own happiness. Isabel Dale, a secret author of thrillers who still struggles with the loss of her fiance during the war, befriends Oliver Marling, Lucy's brother, and helps him to grow out of his selfishness and his fruitless love for the beautiful Jessica Dean. Isabel, too, grows out of her own fruitless love and learns to finally open her heart again to a local impoverished nobleman. Mrs. Brandon, that innocent ingenue that charms every man she meets, is hurt by her own son's selfishness and must finally learn to become an independent woman and stand up for herself, while possibly finding love in the process. All of these events, and many other smaller ones, slowly unfold throughout the novel in a nicely arranged set of county gatherings and events. As with all of her books, Thirkell relies heavily on witty, perceptive dialogue that is rich with references to great literature and current events but is written in a down-to-earth way that rings realistic and true, just like her characters. Like the description given of Isabel's novels, the people of Barsetshire are so life-like that one wouldn't be surprised to meet them in the street! There is a continued sense of nostalgia throughout the book as characters mourn the loss of the pre-war way of life and complain about "Them" of the current government. Although some of the political and social references are lost on the modern reader, the overall tone is clearly conveyed. And, yet, a sense of hope and promise about the future remains, underscored by the lifting mood at the end of the book, which culminates in a few very satisfactory pairings. As Verlyn Klinkenborg noted, "That is one reason to love Thirkell -- the simple reassurances these books offer."My favorite quotes from the book: The opening dialogue between Lucy and Mr. Adams as they plan their wedding and Lucy's reaction to Mr. Adams' declaration of love: "...even greater was his surprise when his bluff, highly reliable farm manager looked at him through eyes brimming with tears, held out her hands in a helpless gesture and coming up to him laid her head on his shoulder..." The book is full of funny little tidbits, but this one was probably my favorite. famous actress Jessica Dean, now pregnant with her partner Aubrey Clover's baby, expresses a sense of fear about the future. When her adoring husband asks her why, she responds: "What worries me and [our baby] ... is how on earth you can get anyone as good as us to act with you."
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