Customer Reviews

Love at All Ages: A Novel (Angela Thirkell Barsetshire Series)

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Judging an author's body of work by only reading one novel, and her last novel written at the very end of her long life, is infantile, the equivalent of watching Steven Spielberg's "1941" and judging him to be a mediocre talent and not worthy of further viewing.

This is Mrs Thirkell's final completed novel and like the majority of her later works, not up to the standards of her finest work of the Thirties and Forties, but it's a must read for fans of the Barsetshire series. For newcomers to her books, I would recommend any of the Barsetshire novels of the Thirties, but particularly "Summer Half", "Wild Strawberries", "Pomfret Towers", "The Brandons" or "High Rising". These early novels can be read as stand alones that introduce the characters featured throughout the series and are witty, dry, well-written comedies of manners.

I agree that this book is one of the most boring ever written. I also read "Coronation Summer", by the same author, and that book was much better. The book did exert a strange fascination; I kept reading, wondering if the author would finally break down and make something happen. At one or two points she almost did, but somehow restrained herself. The book is also partially saved by the author's strong command of the English language. Her words have a vague poetry that makes complete and utter boredom almost enjoyable.

This may be the most boring book I have ever read. I was prepared to make certain allowances, knowing that it was the last book of a long series I have not read. However, that does not excuse the lack of any interest/conflict/plot line, the long digressions on the part of the author, the overwhelming number of in-jokes among the characters, and the sheer tediousness of the entire story. At least 3 characters are famous largely for their inability to carry on a coherent conversation, which is incredibly annoying to the reader. I would recommend that the anglophile reader instead concentrate on Barbara Pym, PG Wodehouse, Nancy Mitford, or Rosamund Pilcher.