At its heart, Crampton Hodnet is a novel of "unsuitable romantic entanglements" written in that perceptively witty and uniquely satirical Barbara Pym way. It's charming. And humorous. And I liked it a lot.
Happy Reading!
Saturday, August 4, 2018
Crampton Hodnet
While Barbara Pym wrote this novel in 1939, it wasn't published until after her death in 1985. But it's not because this novel is lacking in anyway. It's as funny and delightful as all her others. Even the title, Crampton Hodnet, is an inside joke between two of her main characters.
This novel takes place in North Oxford and revolves around Miss Doggett, "a formidable woman of seventy (whose) chief work in life was interfering in other people's business", her meek yet sensible companion, Jessie Morrow, and Mr. Latimer, the young and handsome curate who comes to board with them. (Because all of Pym's novels need a curate!) Then there's the Clevelands: Francis, an established professor who's writing a book he'll never finish and who is also Miss Doggett's nephew, his placid wife, Margaret, and their daughter, Anthea, "a tall, slender girl with golden hair curling onto her shoulders and a gentle, pretty face, not too intelligent but just right for one whose only occupation in life so far had been to fall in love and be fallen in love with." And then there's Barbara Bird, one of Francis Cleveland's students at Oxford who happens to be falling in love with him.
At its heart, Crampton Hodnet is a novel of "unsuitable romantic entanglements" written in that perceptively witty and uniquely satirical Barbara Pym way. It's charming. And humorous. And I liked it a lot.
At its heart, Crampton Hodnet is a novel of "unsuitable romantic entanglements" written in that perceptively witty and uniquely satirical Barbara Pym way. It's charming. And humorous. And I liked it a lot.
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This is one of the few Pym novels I still have left to read. I've been a little leery of the posthumous novels, but you make this sound delightful!
ReplyDeleteI thought it was a fun read. And apparently it was the interruption of WWII that kept her from publishing it herself, but she did think it was one of her funnier novels. At least that's what they said in the notes at the front of the book. :)
DeleteI need more charming and humorous! We all need to smile more often. Adding this one to my list. :)
ReplyDeletePym's novels always seem to make me smile. :)
DeleteThis book sounds a delight, I like Barbara Pym, and will look for this one with its "unsuitable romantic entanglements".
ReplyDeleteIt's just a light-hearted book that doesn't take itself too seriously but that still manages to entertain. :)
DeleteI like the sound of this one.
ReplyDeleteI liked it. :)
DeleteI have this one on my shelf, just waiting for the right opportunity to dive in! Love Barbara Pym.
ReplyDeleteI love her, too. :)
DeleteSounds like a fun read! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's that quiet and witty comedy of manners that the British do so well. :)
DeleteThis does sound charming. Sounds like I need to give Pym a try!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Pym is Excellent Women, with Jane and Prudence a close second. :)
DeleteThis sounds like so much fun! Miss Doggett sounds like quite the interesting character!
ReplyDeleteShe is. She also shows up in Pym's novel Jane and Prudence, which I liked even more than this one. :)
DeleteThis sounds like a fun novel. I love that you describe it as charming and humorous. This sounds like a book I would really enjoy.
ReplyDeleteNot a lot happens in a Barbara Pym novel, but her books always make me smile. :)
DeleteOh, I need to read some Barbara Pym!
ReplyDeleteShe's worth checking out! :)
Delete