The Demon in the House: A Novel (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In her second Barsetshire novel, Thirkell continues the saga of the irrepressible Tony Morland. An actual boy must be lurking somewhere in the background as it would be impossible to make up such a monumental Pest. Grown ups and children alike are ground into submission by his everlasting chatter and overweening 'self-esteem'. Only Dr Ford, whose conversation with Tony is confined to the phrase 'Shut up' and Sylvia Gould, the swimming instructor, who exposes Tony's vaunted diving ability as phoney, come anywhere near even temporarily quashing him. Tony and his silent friend Donk (but how could he be otherwise around Tony?) are referred to as the 'little boys' at age thirteen and Rose, age fourteen, is comforted by Mrs Morland while holding her on her lap; how times have changed! Perhaps brought together by a common exasperation towards Tony, Dr Ford and Sylvia appear headed for the altar. It would now be PC to describe Tony as inherently loveable; but I won't.

About the Author

Angela Thirkell, grand-daughter of pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones, was born in London in 1890. She began writing novels in 1930 to support herself and her sons. She produced a new book almost every year for the rest of her life. Her stylish prose and deft portrayal of human comedy in the imaginary county of Barsetshire have delighted readers for decades. She died in 1961 aged 70.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Moyer Bell (April 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559211598
• ISBN-13: 978-1559211598
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #738,840 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This little demon will make you laugh out loud, July 13, 1996

By A Customer

Tony Morland, the 12 year old demon of Angela Thirkell's novel, is the most enchanting of evil spirits. He will exasperate you and even annoy you but he surely will make you laugh out loud. His exhausted mother, Laura, copes with a series of near-fatal disasters all of which leave Tony triumphant and Laura defeated. His imaginary world, his bicycling accidents,his silent but loyal sidekick, Donk, all drive the adults around him to distraction. Thirkell has caught the world of a mischievous braggart and revealed him, in the end, as an endearing child. One of her best!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Delightfully Vexing Book, September 28, 2001

By A Customer

This book follows characters introduced in High Rising. Both focus on Mrs. Laura Morland, author extraordinaire, and her family, friends and neighbors between the wars. Where High Rising focused more on Mrs. Morland and her doings, Demon in the House focuses on Tony Morland, her youngest son, who is devilishly annoying. Although the book is social humor in the best Angela Thirkell style, you may find yourself frequently vexed with Tony, thinking "Will he ever shut up?!" Nonetheless, an amusing book.

If you are a first time visitor of Barsetshire, I would recommend Pomfret Towers, High Rising, Wild Strawberries, or even other, later Thirkell publications, like Growing Up or Private Enterprise.

An aside - These Moyer Bell editions are better than the Caroll & Graf editions, with their terrible, light typeface. But be prepared to encounter some spelling and typographical errors.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Thirkell's Best, March 16, 2006

By	Christmas in March - See all my reviews

"The Demon in the House" is one of Angela Thirkell's first novels. It chronicles Tony Morland and his mother during his holidays. It is one of the funniest and most charming books by Thirkell. While one of the other reviewers has noted that Thirkell is not adept at characterizing children, I thought her descriptions of Tony and the other children were spot-on: the need for kids to one-up each other, the constant war of boys v. masters, etc. The end of the book is particularly poignant as Tony transitions from a boy in lower school to upper school. Thirkell's writing is wonderful and evokes the slow and close-knit atmosphere of an English village beautifully.