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The Lark by [E. Nesbit, Charlotte Moore]

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E. Nesbit

The Lark Kindle Edition

by E. Nesbit (Author), Charlotte Moore (Introduction) Format: Kindle Edition

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“Everything that's happening to us—yes, everything—is to be regarded as a lark. See? This is my last word. This. Is. Going. To. Be. A. Lark.”

It’s 1919, and Jane Quested and her cousin Lucilla are pulled suddenly from school by their guardian, who sets them up in a cottage on the fringes of London and informs them (by letter, since he’s already fled) that he’s gambled away their inheritance but is leaving them the house and £500 to carry on with. Lucilla is disheartened, but Jane is certain it will be a lark.

With the help of a handsome man, a classic example of a “capable woman”, and a war veteran with a green thumb, the two unflappable young women set up a market garden, which develops into a guest house, which develops into—well, you’ll have to read and see. It’s true they have some difficulties as businesswomen, not to mention with housekeeping, but this is ultimately a tale fully living up to its title.

Forgotten for decades, despite Nesbit’s fame as a children’s author, her final novel for adults, first published in 1922, is a delight that’s ripe for rediscovery. This new edition includes an introduction by Charlotte Moore.

“An economy of phrase, and an unparalleled talent for evoking hot summer days in the English countryside.”--Noel Coward

Print length

269 pages
Language

English
Sticky notes

On Kindle Scribe
Publication date

March 21, 2017
File size

1334 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

She, of all the writers I have ever read, has given me over the years the most complete satisfaction - Noel Coward -

She had an economy of phrase, and an unparalleled talent for evoking hot summer days in the English countryside - Noel Streatfield -

A charming and brilliantly entertaining novel... shot through with the light-hearted Nesbit touch - Penelope Lively, from the introduction -

To come upon any Nesbit today, hitherto unread, ...is like receiving a letter from a friend whom you have believed dead - - New York Times

A wry, charming delight of a book - - The Pool --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

About the Author

E. Nesbit was a world-famous children's author, whose works include The Railway Children and Five Children and It. She also wrote several works of fiction for adults. Penelope Lively is a Booker Prize-winning novelist whose work includes The Photograph, How It All Began, and Moon Tiger. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B06XS5HK96
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dean Street Press (March 21, 2017)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 21, 2017
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1334 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 269 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #255,828 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1,249 in Women's Literary Fiction
- #2,009 in Contemporary Literary Fiction
- #6,527 in Contemporary Women's Fiction

Customer Reviews:
155 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5

155 global ratings

5 star		46%
4 star		32%
3 star		17%
2 star		3%
1 star		2%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Karen T.

A very enjoyable old book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 25, 2021

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If you are a fan of Downton Abbey you will be a fan of this book, written and published in the early 1920s. Two independent young women learn to make their way in the world while navigating (and sometimes upsetting) social conventions. I liked the characters very much. They are not perfect paragons, but they are well-meaning and really do learn from their mistakes. The story has quite a bit of humor with just a dash of romance and a few surprises all the way to the end.

3 people found this helpful

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Betsy Devine

A lark means a lively, happy, optimistic adventure: this book is a lark

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 27, 2017

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What a delight, what a surprise, when Amazon suggests a book I never knew existed... and it is so full of charm in every way. E Nesbit is a noted author of children's books (Railway Children, Treasure Seekers, Phoenix and the Carpet, etc.) whose real grownup life was extraordinarily adult. She was a socialist, married to a socialist, who raised up a brood of children including not only her own children with her own husband but also several of her husband's children with other women. In this way and many others, she was a really unconventional free-thinking woman, ahead of her time. (Noel Coward and HG Wells were among her admirers.)

The Lark has been called a book for grown-up children, and I agree with that claim. It is full of adventures, good luck and bad luck, mysterious puzzles, all set in a series of lovely English cottages, gardens, mystery houses, etc. etc. For the adult (a quite small part of the book) there is some romance but really not very much romance. One of the best bits of the book shows a young lady who turns aside from romance to do something much better. Another of the best bits shows a "romantic hero" who puts a great effort into NOT romancing the young woman he is in love with. Another of the best bits is a very funny and lusty young woman enjoying life with great success. But I don't want to spoil anything for anyone... just read this very enjoyable book!

17 people found this helpful

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Ginny

Four and 9/10ths stars, one tenth off for the editing problems.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 15, 2017

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I thoroughly agree with the other reviewer but have one reservation, and that is that someone needs to copy edit (if this is the right term) rigorously before this book is republished, or before the publisher publishes more titles in the series. Further the editing is a bit erratic. There will be numerous errors in four or 5 pages, and then not so many. We know that it would have been edited when first published so presumably the publisher only had to use the same manuscript or book or however you go about reprint a book that has already been published.

The two young ladies: Jane and Lucilla are wonderful characters and I really enjoyed them (also the occasional cleverly inserted "editorial" comment). I loved their optimism and cheerfulness, their resourcefulness and their "innocence." I even liked their ability to make their own clothing although I cringed at some of what they cut up. I loved Gladys, and all the male characters are interesting. I can even like the villains. The dialog, descriptions and details are all fascinating. It is a lovely book and I read it with great pleasure, except for the editing issues.

14 people found this helpful

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20th century woman authors

Edith Nesbit for adults - but not for very serious adults

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 16, 2017

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If you loved Edith Nesbit when you were small, you may be delighted to find that she wrote some books for adults. This is one of the best. It has the same light-hearted nature as "The Would-Be-Goods," and is written about the same strata of society, although our heroines are older than the Bastables, and ready for romance. The setting is charming, the plot is improbable but enjoyable, and the whole thing is just what you wish for when you wish that someone - anyone - had written something for adults that was as much fun as "The Treasure-Seekers."

10 people found this helpful

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kitz

Period piece, two women have to make it on their own, but get a LOT of help.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 5, 2017

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so, very very dated. But once you get over that, it's a good read. There is a sense of it being unfinished, as the characters and their romances are sorted out... but no definite happily ever after. I liked that, as this was truly a book of "Two women going to make it on their own." Yet much like the Horatio Alger stories, they get a lot of help. A lot. So don't expect they trained and got a real job. Oddly they have a lot of time despite their "work". But, taken as a period piece, it's very good.

One person found this helpful

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NJY

A beautiful story

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 6, 2021

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This has turned into a favorite book of mine for a fun easy read about old times. The two sisters making a new start and meeting up with new folks it was sweet.

One person found this helpful

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enjoyer of good mystery

A great lark

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 23, 2020

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Loving all of E Nesbitt's books for children I thought to try her books for adults. This was the only one I could find. Not exactly a book for adults but great fun!!

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Molly Hopkins

A story full of British whimsy in need of an Proofreader

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 2, 2018

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It reminded me of P.L. Traverse meets Jane Austin, which is wonderfully fun. But it sorely needs editing. There were many typos unfortunately.

8 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

M. Dowden

Jane and Lucilla

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 17, 2021

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Edith Nesbit is of course best remembered for her children’s stories these days, but she wrote much more than just those, and also included novels for mature readers, which this is one of. It does have to be admitted though that this 1922 novel does still feel rather childish. When this first opens so we see three girls staying away from school due to an outbreak of mumps, and Jane, one of them, going through a magical act to see if she can see the man whom she will marry. Due to this, and what she sees so we already know what the finale of the tale will be, which of course you would expect from a story for younger persons.

We then go onto follow two of the three girls from the beginning, Jane and Lucilla, who are related and have been left a house and some money, although not as much as it should have been, as their guardian makes a swift exit from the country. Thus, following these two young ladies so we see them through thick and thin, as it were, as they try and make their way in life, doing things which they call a lark.

There is gentle humour here and this is okay as an entertaining read, but it has just not dated well, leaving us as adults thinking that this would perhaps be okay for a young adult, but not for us more mature readers. With the exploits that go on here, so we already know that ultimately both our main characters are going to come off relatively okay, as there always seems to be someone who helps them out. This becomes a very undemanding read and one that you just sit back and go through, but do not feel fully satisfied at the end of, because it does not have a bite as such, and to be honest her more famous children’s stories are far more entertaining and have more to them than this.

One person found this helpful

Kathy Whalen

Real treat

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 22, 2017

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This book is a delight from start to finish. The two girls have a real lark, and so does the reader. As soon as something threatens to pall we drop it and rush to the next topic. If one is expecting depth of character or an exploration of post war mores, one might be disappointed, but as a lovely Nesbitean celebration of the joys of life when one is young and carefree, The Lark hits the spot. I loved it.

12 people found this helpful

L O'Connor

Delightful story with two charming heroines

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 24, 2021

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Delightful story of two young girls who on leaving school expect to have independent means, but discover that their guardian has lost most of their money and absconded, leaving them with a small house and £500, enough for them to start a small business to support themselves. Undaunted, they discover a way to make money which leads them into adventures and making new friends. A very funny book with two charming heroines and some hilarious situations. Pure joy.

G. McCullough

A Great Book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 4, 2017

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I really loved this book. I read all her children's books when I was a child myself, and had no idea she had also written adult books. I shall certainly be reading all the others now. Just as in her children's books, she is witty and light hearted, and her plots are fascinating and page turning. I warmly recommend this.

9 people found this helpful

Kindle Customer

Loved it!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 15, 2018

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I chose 5 star because it was an innocent foray into of determination, pluck and love. More than a few non innocents to be contended with by two lovely girls thrust from sheltered existence to post ww1 rural London. And a suddenly unexpected delightful ending! I recommend this novel to anyone that has a heart. Oh...and no violence, sex or swearing. Yet a dynamic read. Enjoy!

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