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great book I loved it is that enough characters? no, obviously not, two more words needed...oh, that's enough

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perfect

Love Barbara Pym's novels. The narration was absolutely perfect. I will be looking to download some more of these. very enjoyable

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Blessings in a clouded glass

Perhaps more subtle and less overtly humorous than much of Pym’s work, this is a very impressive novel. It may be her best work.

The blessings in the glass may not be apparent at first, but seek your own truth with an open heart and the glass will clear. That is one meaning to be found in this engaging and very enjoyable book.

The reading is exemplary.

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Great Stuff

A comedy of manners..written as only Pym could- filled with the usual "Affectionate Irony". This is nicely read although I do prefer Susan Jameson' performance.

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2 people found this helpful

Evocative of the era

This is my second Barbara Pym book and I cant wait to read the others. It really transports to another era and the narrator really brought the characters to life

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Delightful!

Lovely comedy of manners. Well read overall, but I felt the narrator struggled with some of the male characters who sounded similar & were not clearly defined. A common problem with audio books I find. Very enjoyable nevertheless.

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Respectable and subersive

This is Barbara Pym's early masterwork. The limitations, triviality and superficiality of the lives described may be disconcerting at first. But perhaps we don't notice our own limitations. But every speech reveals people's self deceptions. The social nuances are spot-on. And what I have always found very moving in this book is that here is an eminently respectable, indeed conservative, lady in the 1950s who finds absolutely no difficulty in relating to gay men as completely unproblematic. I find it an endlessly amusing and fascinating book. More for lovers of Jane Austen than lovers of Charlotte Bronte or Ian Fleming.

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9 people found this helpful

Excellent and very well narrated

Another excellent and quietly humorous and clever Barbara Pym - perhaps not quite as witty as Some Gazelle . . but very good nevertheless. Fortunately Patience Tomlinson managed a different lead voice so no confusion despite sight overlap of themes.

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Not my favourite Pym audiobook so far

I didn't find this as funny as Some Tame Gazelle, which I loved. I also found it a lot more dated, for some odd reason.

It wasn't my favourite narration either. Wilmet seemed unnecessarily squeaky - and she didn't have to be, because Mary wasn't - while the male voices sounded a little artificially deep to me.

This could be just me - don't hesitate to give it a try.

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3 people found this helpful

Most enjoyable

I've read most of Barbara Pym's novels and this rivals Excellent Women as the best of them. Her characters are all so believable and Pym describes so humorously their minor flaws, which makes them so human. it is also a wonderful period piece capturing the dullness of the time as Britain was finally beginning to emerge from the aftermath of war.
The narration is also excellent, with a clear distinction of voice for all the many characters. Highly recommended for those who like novels without action and prefer acute observation (a la Ms Austen).

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1 person found this helpful