Scan barcode
marthajmh's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
eheslosz's review against another edition
4.0
4.5/5
Once I got into this, it was delicious and so juicy and emotional and vivid but not in a cheap trashy way but genuinely good! Much more readable than 'The Weather in the Streets', where I could tell Lehmann was trying to be more "literary". But this still does have some interesting and experimental "literary" elements, like the fragmented timeline and the shifting intimacy of the narrative voice, with the occasional and disarming second person narration.
Could have done with less of the hetero romance; did she really have to go through every single one of the Fyfe brothers?? In fact I didn't really care about the Fyfe family even though they're supposed to be the most important part of the book. I think it should have just stuck to the thing with Roddy.
I first heard about 'Dusty Answer' as an early (1927?) subtextually lesbian book. It is quite explicit (though not physically) but I can see why it was so shocking (and popular!) at the time. Overall the relationship between Judith and Jennifer is shown to be deep and emotionally impactful and traumatic and definitely not just a friendship. Interestingly the plot treats Jennifer similarly to how it treats Judith's other failed lovers who are men. Throughout the novel many little and big things are poignantly left unfinished and yet coldly closed off at the same time.
Cambridge in this book (specifically Girton, the first women's college) is hilarious to me! It's a sort of boarding school of gossiping girls completely cut off from the men (in whose case the homoeroticism is even more explicit) and academia doesn't dominate. I'm pretty sure Lehmann actually went to Girton at this time, and Oxford is similar in Evelyn Waugh's novels, so this portrait could be quite accurate.
I can't wait to read more Lehmann books. I have my eye on Invitation to the Waltz and The Echoing Grove...
Once I got into this, it was delicious and so juicy and emotional and vivid but not in a cheap trashy way but genuinely good! Much more readable than 'The Weather in the Streets', where I could tell Lehmann was trying to be more "literary". But this still does have some interesting and experimental "literary" elements, like the fragmented timeline and the shifting intimacy of the narrative voice, with the occasional and disarming second person narration.
Could have done with less of the hetero romance; did she really have to go through every single one of the Fyfe brothers?? In fact I didn't really care about the Fyfe family even though they're supposed to be the most important part of the book. I think it should have just stuck to the thing with Roddy.
I first heard about 'Dusty Answer' as an early (1927?) subtextually lesbian book. It is quite explicit (though not physically) but I can see why it was so shocking (and popular!) at the time. Overall the relationship between Judith and Jennifer is shown to be deep and emotionally impactful and traumatic and definitely not just a friendship. Interestingly the plot treats Jennifer similarly to how it treats Judith's other failed lovers who are men. Throughout the novel many little and big things are poignantly left unfinished and yet coldly closed off at the same time.
Cambridge in this book (specifically Girton, the first women's college) is hilarious to me! It's a sort of boarding school of gossiping girls completely cut off from the men (in whose case the homoeroticism is even more explicit) and academia doesn't dominate. I'm pretty sure Lehmann actually went to Girton at this time, and Oxford is similar in Evelyn Waugh's novels, so this portrait could be quite accurate.
I can't wait to read more Lehmann books. I have my eye on Invitation to the Waltz and The Echoing Grove...
lakshmibabu's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
alice28010's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
maryoliverdisciple's review against another edition
4.0
I could stare it this cover for hours, I really could.
...Oh, and the book itself was good too. ;) I'm glad I took a chance on it and bought it before reading, which was my only option since Rosamond Lehmann's books are so hard to come by now. I absolutely must get my hands on more of her work!
...Oh, and the book itself was good too. ;) I'm glad I took a chance on it and bought it before reading, which was my only option since Rosamond Lehmann's books are so hard to come by now. I absolutely must get my hands on more of her work!
mimsen's review against another edition
The writing is beautiful and I loved the first about 100 pages. But somehow after that it got me in the biggest reading slump ever and I can't get myself to finish it. Mayby at another time
mariebrunelm's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
In the quiet English countryside, the children of two families grow side by side. On one side of the hedge is Judith, an only child longing for connection, and on the other are the Fyfe children, four boys and a girl who are often happy to invite Judith to play with them. As they grow older, the dynamics of the group keep shifting, and when feelings come into play, things are bound to get complicated.
I had this book on my radar for the longest time, as I was drawn to its supposedly elegant prose and English-countryside setting. It lived up to this part of the bargain, and added the even better perks of a Cambridge section when the main character goes to university, and queer vibes. It is indeed quite clear that the heroin is bisexual. Even with the flowery 1920s prose, there is little doubt, which made things a lot more interesting than I'd anticipated. That being said, I didn’t find the book thrilling. It is quite elegant and contemplative, yes, but it deals heavily with the main character's inner turmoils and psychology. Though I praise the book for it, it’s not a type of literature I'm particularly fond of. I loved the setting and the queerness, but of course the book remained a product of its time and there were a couple of uncomfortable paragraphs (just a couple, fortunately. But oh boy you’d better not be anything other than pretty or you’ll be the scum of society). All in all, it was a very slow book, with exquisite descriptions of atmosphere but little plot.
Bonus point for a vintage copy that smells just like the books at my grandparents’ house.
I had this book on my radar for the longest time, as I was drawn to its supposedly elegant prose and English-countryside setting. It lived up to this part of the bargain, and added the even better perks of a Cambridge section when the main character goes to university, and queer vibes. It is indeed quite clear that the heroin is bisexual. Even with the flowery 1920s prose, there is little doubt, which made things a lot more interesting than I'd anticipated. That being said, I didn’t find the book thrilling. It is quite elegant and contemplative, yes, but it deals heavily with the main character's inner turmoils and psychology. Though I praise the book for it, it’s not a type of literature I'm particularly fond of. I loved the setting and the queerness, but of course the book remained a product of its time and there were a couple of uncomfortable paragraphs (just a couple, fortunately. But oh boy you’d better not be anything other than pretty or you’ll be the scum of society). All in all, it was a very slow book, with exquisite descriptions of atmosphere but little plot.
Bonus point for a vintage copy that smells just like the books at my grandparents’ house.
ishbelalice's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
cimorene1558's review against another edition
5.0
Lovely book, a beautifully written growing up story (I'm on my third Rosamond Lehmann, and I'm thinking that's her specialty).