Customer Reviews

The Lemon Jelly Cake (Prairie State Books)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Lemon Jelly Cake is a delightful story of small town life in the fictional town of Tory, in central Illinois. The story is told through little Helene, the young and only daughter of the town doctor. Between Helene & her best friend Gracie, the minister's daughter, many funny antics of town scandal & gossip are experienced. Madeline Babcock Smith does an excellent job of painting an adorable recount of life in a small town, where everyone knows everyone's business and the latest scandal consists of who will win the next canned pickle contest. Living life in Tory is compared to the layers of a lemon jelly cake & as the novel unfolds so will some meaningful lessons in life.

The Lemon Jelly Cake was Madeline Babcock Smith's first novel, published when she was 65. When the novel was first released, it was received with high acclaim and excerpts were printed in severel popular magazines & newspapers. Popularity of the novel rose, until sadly, the author unexpectedly died of cancer, just four short months after the books publication. However, Madeline Babcock Smith has left behind a shimmering treasure, letting us into the layers of the lemon jelly cake and sharing the jewels that small town life brings. This is a fun, entertaining read & a great book of comfort.

Helene and her best friend, Gracie, enjoy the delights of growing up in a small town in Illinois in the early 1900s. Helene's Mother is known throughout the community for her Lemon Jelly Cake, which she regularly makes for church socials and whenever special company comes. When a certain lawyer from another town begins to come to dinner fairly often and the Lemon Jelly Cake becomes his favorite, Helene observes events through the innocent eyes of a carefree child.

This is an enchanting -- and sometimes hilarious -- story of small town life in a quieter, gentler age. At the same time the reader is reminded of the ever-so-human urge for excitement and passion in each person's life.

Skillfully written, sympathetically observed, the story progresses with an almost fearful inevitability.

It's a terrible shame that Madeline Babcock Smith didn't live long enough to write more books like this. Her skills at portraying delightful, enchanting and realistic characters and at executing one story while writing another are awesome.

THE LEMON JELLY CAKE is reminiscent of Jan Karon's Mitford series or Clarence Day's LIFE WITH FATHER/MOTHER books.

Sunnye Tiedemann (aka Ruth F. Tiedemann)

There is something special about The Lemon Jelly Cake! Reminiscient of Jan Karon's fictional town of Mitford, Babcock Smith's story takes place in sleepy Tory, Illinois at the turn of the century. Tory is the kind of town where your neighbors know your business and the only crime is getting beat by your rival at the pickle competition.

Told through the eyes of 11-year-old Helene Bradford, The Lemon Jelly Cake chronicles the first summer of the new century and all the happenings it brings. The cake itself plays a double role in this story: Helene's mother, Kate's, own specialty dessert that is eaten at all funerals, weddings or social functions, as well as representing life and it's many layers. When a rich lawyer from Chicago comes to town, Kate interprets his level of sophistication and adventure as what life would be like outside the Tory layer.

This novel, written in 1952, has a wonderful appeal to it -- it brings readers back to a simpler time. There isn't any dramatic action in this book, but for those looking for an old-fashioned story, quirky characters, and small-town charm, this book is for you.

Situated in Tory, a small town in Central Illinois, Smith's whimsical tales resemble the recently popular Jan Karon. Seen through the eyes of Helene, the young daughter of the village doctor, Tory is a gentle and naiive, though not completely innocent turn of the century small town. Smith was about 65 when she wrote this, her first novel, and died shortly after it was published. If you enjoy the delightful and endearing novels of Jan Karon's Mitford series, you will love Madeline Babcock Smith's "The Lemon Jelly Cake."

The book is such a fresh faced look on life - it makes one feel they are eleven years old and living the simple (and sometimes, not so simple) life of summer in a small town. Reading this book just calms one down, and makes one appreciate the simple things in life. It's a real gem of a story, with lots of humor associated with an eleven year olds interpretation of some very adult situations. I heartily recommend this book to anyone, and its a Christmas gift to a lot of people I know.

Turn of last century, small town in Illinois tale told through the eyes of one of two of the most well known eleven year old girls in town. ( One is the Doctor's daughter, the other is the ministers daughter.) They know the dirt in town, yet are humorously innocent as well.

It is like stepping back in time, via a Disney production, and only being delighted and entertained.

Light fare for traveling back to a gentler time.

I adored this book it takes you back in time to a place from your grandmothers stories. A simpler place to escape to! You can envision the characters in your mind and they will remind you of someone you know! It reads like the endless summer of your childhood days, where freedom ruled and most anything was possible.

This book I could read over and over again. I made me long for the simpler days. Ms Smith painted such a vivid, brilliant picture of small town life way back when horses were considered the mode of transportation and those new horseless contraptions were just a fad that is sure to fade away!

This book has plenty of delightful town antics and I couldn't have been more pleased with my purchase! Too bad that she had to pass so soon and couldn't have written more!

I bought this book recently at a charity book sale. I kept putting it back and picking it up again. I am so glad I purchased it. This book is delightful and a reminder of what childhood and life used to be like.I cannot get thru a chapter without smiling or laughing out loud at Helene's adventures.The author is vivid in her character descriptions. I am so happy to see it is still in print. I consider this a American classic, right up there with Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. You will not be disppointed, this is a worthwhile and enjoyable read.

This seemingly innocent reminiscense of the last millennium (1900) is really a droll and cleverly-crafted look at the foibles and follies of small-town America. Madeline Babcock Smith had a lot to say between the lines, although her charming tale can probably stand being taken at face value.