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The Paying Guest
Gissing has been judged to be one of the foremost novelists of the late 19th century
80 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1885
11 people are currently reading
177 people want to read
About the author
George Gissing
374 books204 followersPeople best know British writer George Robert Gissing for his novels, such as
New Grub Street
(1891), about poverty and hardship.
This English novelist who published twenty-three novels between 1880 and 1903. From his early naturalistic works, he developed into one of the most accomplished realists of the late-Victorian era.
Born to lower-middle-class parents, Gissing went to win a scholarship to Owens College, the present-day University of Manchester. A brilliant student, he excelled at university, winning many coveted prizes, including the Shakespeare prize in 1875. Between 1891 and 1897 (his so-called middle period) he produced his best works, which include New Grub Street, Born in Exile , The Odd Women , In the Year of Jubilee , and The Whirlpool . The middle years of the decade saw his reputation reach new heights: some critics count him alongside George Meredith and Thomas Hardy, the best novelists of his day. He also enjoyed new friendships with fellow writers such as Henry James, and H.G. Wells, and came into contact with many other up-and-coming writers such as Joseph Conrad and Stephen Crane.
This English novelist who published twenty-three novels between 1880 and 1903. From his early naturalistic works, he developed into one of the most accomplished realists of the late-Victorian era.
Born to lower-middle-class parents, Gissing went to win a scholarship to Owens College, the present-day University of Manchester. A brilliant student, he excelled at university, winning many coveted prizes, including the Shakespeare prize in 1875. Between 1891 and 1897 (his so-called middle period) he produced his best works, which include New Grub Street, Born in Exile , The Odd Women , In the Year of Jubilee , and The Whirlpool . The middle years of the decade saw his reputation reach new heights: some critics count him alongside George Meredith and Thomas Hardy, the best novelists of his day. He also enjoyed new friendships with fellow writers such as Henry James, and H.G. Wells, and came into contact with many other up-and-coming writers such as Joseph Conrad and Stephen Crane.
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July 28, 2025
The Paying Guest
The still underappreciated novelist George Gissing (1857 - 1903) is best known for his books cast in the three-volume Victorian mold, such as "New Grub Street". Gissing's books explore themes of class structure, commercialism, love, and failure. In 1895, Gissing temporarily abandoned the three-volume convention and published three short, highly readable novels: "Eve's Ransom", "Sleeping Fires" and the book under review, "The Paying Guest", each of which offers a distinctive approach to Gissing's characteristic themes. Of the three books, "Eve's Ransom" is one of Gissing's best works. The other two are good but less significant. I have been enjoying revisiting Gissing by rereading these three short works of 1895 and by reviewing them with the hope of interesting other readers in exploring Gissing.
"The Paying Guest" is unusual among Gissing's output in its lightness of touch and in its comedy. The book tells of the encounter of a rising middle-class suburban British family with a young girl, caught between two suitors, of a distinctly different background. Clarence Mumford, age 35, and his wife Emmeline, just under 30, live in rural Sutton in a home they call "Runnymede", about 15 miles from London with their two-year old son and their three domestics. In order to secure supplemental income, they advertise for a boarder, a "paying guest". The guest they receive will soon disrupt their peaceful routines.
Louise Derrick is a young woman of 22 with no education. no skills, a temper, and a taste for frivolity. She is looking for a place to live due to difficulty with her mother, with her stepfather, Higgins, and with her stepsister, Cecily Higgins, age 26. A young man named Bowling is courting Cecily Higgins, but he appears to prefer Louise. Higgins wants Louise to leave home and agrees to pay her expenses to avoid discord between Louise and Cecily and to allow Bowling's courtship of Cecily to proceed forward without a rival for his attentions. Besides Bowling's interest, Louise is also being courted by a man named Cobb, a working-class person with a good income and prospects. Cobb has a rough, possibly violent, disposition and his courtship of Louise is a stormy, on-again, off-again affair. Louise does not seem to know her own mind but wants to marry. With some trepidation, the Mumfords accept Louise as a boarder.
Louise's temper, what the Mumfords perceive as her vulgarity, and her attempts to draw the Mumfords into her relationship with her family and with Cobb lead to discord between the couple. They repent of their paying guest and try to find a tactful way to get her to leave. As the story develops, Louise has a private meeting with Mumford at Mumford's railway commuting station which provokes jealousy in Mrs. Mumford. Louise, thinking that Bowling's relationship with Cecily is at an end, encourages his matrimonial advances. Cobb pays an unannounced visit to Runnymede to pursue Louise and, as a result of a foolish accident, sets the drawing room of the home on fire, resulting in an injury which leaves Louise bed-ridden for several weeks. Mrs. Mumford, in her refinement, and Mrs Higgins, in her vulgarity, exchange pleasantries which ends forever Louise's stay in the house. Ultimately, Cobb winds up with Louise, with an uncertain future in store, and the Mumfords try to piece together their domestic life.
The humor of the book results from the interaction between the Mumfords, with their snobbery and attempted refinement, and their well-meaning but foolish boarder Louise, and with her mother, stepfather and Cobb. In its portrayal of the effects of class and money on human relations, this book offers a short, upbeat introduction to Gissing's themes. Gissing's portrayal of women is among the strongest features of his work, and his novels frequently, as in "The Odd Women" address issues involving feminism. By portraying Louise in her shallowness in "The Paying Guest" Gissing stresses the need for expanding educational expectations for women if men and women are to have full intimate and rewarding lives together. The book can be read in a single sitting. While far from the best of Gissing, this book is enjoyable. With its two companion novels of 1895, especially the outstanding "Eve's Ransom", the book offers a good short introduction to Gissing for the newcomer. Readers who love the Gissing of "New Grub Street", "The Odd Women", or "Born in Exile" will gain a broader understanding of the author from these too-little known books in a shorter, more modern format.
Robin Friedman
The still underappreciated novelist George Gissing (1857 - 1903) is best known for his books cast in the three-volume Victorian mold, such as "New Grub Street". Gissing's books explore themes of class structure, commercialism, love, and failure. In 1895, Gissing temporarily abandoned the three-volume convention and published three short, highly readable novels: "Eve's Ransom", "Sleeping Fires" and the book under review, "The Paying Guest", each of which offers a distinctive approach to Gissing's characteristic themes. Of the three books, "Eve's Ransom" is one of Gissing's best works. The other two are good but less significant. I have been enjoying revisiting Gissing by rereading these three short works of 1895 and by reviewing them with the hope of interesting other readers in exploring Gissing.
"The Paying Guest" is unusual among Gissing's output in its lightness of touch and in its comedy. The book tells of the encounter of a rising middle-class suburban British family with a young girl, caught between two suitors, of a distinctly different background. Clarence Mumford, age 35, and his wife Emmeline, just under 30, live in rural Sutton in a home they call "Runnymede", about 15 miles from London with their two-year old son and their three domestics. In order to secure supplemental income, they advertise for a boarder, a "paying guest". The guest they receive will soon disrupt their peaceful routines.
Louise Derrick is a young woman of 22 with no education. no skills, a temper, and a taste for frivolity. She is looking for a place to live due to difficulty with her mother, with her stepfather, Higgins, and with her stepsister, Cecily Higgins, age 26. A young man named Bowling is courting Cecily Higgins, but he appears to prefer Louise. Higgins wants Louise to leave home and agrees to pay her expenses to avoid discord between Louise and Cecily and to allow Bowling's courtship of Cecily to proceed forward without a rival for his attentions. Besides Bowling's interest, Louise is also being courted by a man named Cobb, a working-class person with a good income and prospects. Cobb has a rough, possibly violent, disposition and his courtship of Louise is a stormy, on-again, off-again affair. Louise does not seem to know her own mind but wants to marry. With some trepidation, the Mumfords accept Louise as a boarder.
Louise's temper, what the Mumfords perceive as her vulgarity, and her attempts to draw the Mumfords into her relationship with her family and with Cobb lead to discord between the couple. They repent of their paying guest and try to find a tactful way to get her to leave. As the story develops, Louise has a private meeting with Mumford at Mumford's railway commuting station which provokes jealousy in Mrs. Mumford. Louise, thinking that Bowling's relationship with Cecily is at an end, encourages his matrimonial advances. Cobb pays an unannounced visit to Runnymede to pursue Louise and, as a result of a foolish accident, sets the drawing room of the home on fire, resulting in an injury which leaves Louise bed-ridden for several weeks. Mrs. Mumford, in her refinement, and Mrs Higgins, in her vulgarity, exchange pleasantries which ends forever Louise's stay in the house. Ultimately, Cobb winds up with Louise, with an uncertain future in store, and the Mumfords try to piece together their domestic life.
The humor of the book results from the interaction between the Mumfords, with their snobbery and attempted refinement, and their well-meaning but foolish boarder Louise, and with her mother, stepfather and Cobb. In its portrayal of the effects of class and money on human relations, this book offers a short, upbeat introduction to Gissing's themes. Gissing's portrayal of women is among the strongest features of his work, and his novels frequently, as in "The Odd Women" address issues involving feminism. By portraying Louise in her shallowness in "The Paying Guest" Gissing stresses the need for expanding educational expectations for women if men and women are to have full intimate and rewarding lives together. The book can be read in a single sitting. While far from the best of Gissing, this book is enjoyable. With its two companion novels of 1895, especially the outstanding "Eve's Ransom", the book offers a good short introduction to Gissing for the newcomer. Readers who love the Gissing of "New Grub Street", "The Odd Women", or "Born in Exile" will gain a broader understanding of the author from these too-little known books in a shorter, more modern format.
Robin Friedman
March 1, 2025
2024/71
Victober Read No. 2
My next pick for Victober had to be the shortest one, as I had already chosen the third and last read of the month, and I knew it would take me some time (a week or so). So, I went to LibriVox and spent some time looking for a short Victorian story until I came across this novella by one of my favorite authors, George Gissing. I read Gissing for the first time in 2023, and it was his novel, The Odd Women, a complex depiction of women taking more powerful roles in an era where breaking the status quo was unthinkable and women barely had a saying, the one that made me fall in love with his narrative. Thus, Gissing's The Paying Guest came not as a surprise but as an opportunity for me to keep reading his works.
To tell the truth, this tale reminded me of my friend Sergio. Sergio was my flatmate during my first year in college. A very charismatic, cheerful guy he was (he didn't die, don't worry, but we are no longer in touch). Let's say that we all, my other flatmates and I, were fond of Sergio until we weren't. It was not because Sergio was not friendly or talkative anymore; actually, he was probably the only one I could rely on in that flat and sincerely talk with. The problem was only one: Sergio's unconscious actions in the apartment. He started to do things that he didn't use to do before, some changes that somehow shocked us...in a way. Loud music on a Wednesday night, spoiled food in the fridge that someone else had to get rid of, his stuff scattered in the common area, and bringing some people in when that was not even allowed. Surely, I didn't want to be the one complaining; I never did, actually, not because I wasn't concerned about the situation at all, but because I liked Sergio. When he left the room a few months later I did miss him as he was the one I used to get along with the most, but I also saw things come back to normal, which somehow made me feel at peace. Sorry for saying this so coldly.
In The Paying Guest, a husband and a wife let a young woman in their house for a certain amount of money, a lodger basically (I just found out that 'paying guest' and 'lodger' are synonyms). The lodger seems to be a nice person, but no sooner do the owners notice some unusual behavior in her than things start to get complicated, a nightmare in the house, in a nutshell. It amazes me to see how commonplace this situation is, regardless of where you are or the period in which the event takes place. Again, Gissing shows his talent by naturally describing a situation that could happen to anyone, by not being unfair to any of his characters, and by letting the reader know what's going on without being biased. The lodger is not all 'evil,' nor are the owners the kindest people in the world. In short, this is a read that anyone who loves Victorian literature can enjoy, that can be done in just a couple of hours and that will make you reflect on how misunderstandings can turn a small problem into a chaotic series of events. My suggestion: go for it.
My rating on a scale of 1 to 5:
Quality of writing [3.5/5]
Pace [5/5]
Plot development [4/5]
Characters [3.5/5]
Enjoyability [4.5/5]
Insightfulness [4/5]
Easy of reading [5/5]
Photos/Illustrations [N/A]
Total [29.5/7] = 4.21
Victober Read No. 2
My next pick for Victober had to be the shortest one, as I had already chosen the third and last read of the month, and I knew it would take me some time (a week or so). So, I went to LibriVox and spent some time looking for a short Victorian story until I came across this novella by one of my favorite authors, George Gissing. I read Gissing for the first time in 2023, and it was his novel, The Odd Women, a complex depiction of women taking more powerful roles in an era where breaking the status quo was unthinkable and women barely had a saying, the one that made me fall in love with his narrative. Thus, Gissing's The Paying Guest came not as a surprise but as an opportunity for me to keep reading his works.
To tell the truth, this tale reminded me of my friend Sergio. Sergio was my flatmate during my first year in college. A very charismatic, cheerful guy he was (he didn't die, don't worry, but we are no longer in touch). Let's say that we all, my other flatmates and I, were fond of Sergio until we weren't. It was not because Sergio was not friendly or talkative anymore; actually, he was probably the only one I could rely on in that flat and sincerely talk with. The problem was only one: Sergio's unconscious actions in the apartment. He started to do things that he didn't use to do before, some changes that somehow shocked us...in a way. Loud music on a Wednesday night, spoiled food in the fridge that someone else had to get rid of, his stuff scattered in the common area, and bringing some people in when that was not even allowed. Surely, I didn't want to be the one complaining; I never did, actually, not because I wasn't concerned about the situation at all, but because I liked Sergio. When he left the room a few months later I did miss him as he was the one I used to get along with the most, but I also saw things come back to normal, which somehow made me feel at peace. Sorry for saying this so coldly.
In The Paying Guest, a husband and a wife let a young woman in their house for a certain amount of money, a lodger basically (I just found out that 'paying guest' and 'lodger' are synonyms). The lodger seems to be a nice person, but no sooner do the owners notice some unusual behavior in her than things start to get complicated, a nightmare in the house, in a nutshell. It amazes me to see how commonplace this situation is, regardless of where you are or the period in which the event takes place. Again, Gissing shows his talent by naturally describing a situation that could happen to anyone, by not being unfair to any of his characters, and by letting the reader know what's going on without being biased. The lodger is not all 'evil,' nor are the owners the kindest people in the world. In short, this is a read that anyone who loves Victorian literature can enjoy, that can be done in just a couple of hours and that will make you reflect on how misunderstandings can turn a small problem into a chaotic series of events. My suggestion: go for it.
My rating on a scale of 1 to 5:
Quality of writing [3.5/5]
Pace [5/5]
Plot development [4/5]
Characters [3.5/5]
Enjoyability [4.5/5]
Insightfulness [4/5]
Easy of reading [5/5]
Photos/Illustrations [N/A]
Total [29.5/7] = 4.21
January 30, 2023
With minimal alterations this could've been a horror novella. Just think about it: the respectable married couple wants to rent a room to compliment their income. A young girl moves in, chaos ensues, doesn't want to move out and everything ends in a blaze (literally). There's smart writing and interesting characters in here. And then it does't go anywhere. Like the first draft, the wasted potential. Apparently Gissing himself was unsatisfied with it.
The notable thing about it is how light this feels, Gissing went for satire with a light hand here. Sad it was undercooked.
The notable thing about it is how light this feels, Gissing went for satire with a light hand here. Sad it was undercooked.
November 17, 2015
A short novella which deals with class distinction.
The paying guest is not quite what was expected but once there difficult to get rid off.
Clarence and Emmeline Mumford live in Sutton.
Coming on hard times they take in Louise Derrick to help with the finances.
From a lower class so all is not well in the antics of the young lady.
Gissing writes so well and about time and place and wonderful characters.
A good place to start, thankfully there are lots more to read.
The paying guest is not quite what was expected but once there difficult to get rid off.
Clarence and Emmeline Mumford live in Sutton.
Coming on hard times they take in Louise Derrick to help with the finances.
From a lower class so all is not well in the antics of the young lady.
Gissing writes so well and about time and place and wonderful characters.
A good place to start, thankfully there are lots more to read.
April 12, 2023
Much lighter in tone than his longer and better known works.
July 30, 2024
A short and entertaining story about the toxic effect that one manipulative person can have in a happy household. No surprises, but a good tale.
By the same author
The Paying Guest (26/11/15) 3 stars
Thyrza (28/04/16) 3 stars
A Life's Morning (30/04/16) 3 stars
The Odd Women (20/08/20) 4 stars
Sleeping Fires (19/11/20) 4 stars
Our Friend the Charlatan (19/01/21) 4 stars
The Crown of Life (02/03/21) 4 stars
Eve's Ransom (02/95/21) 4 stars
Human Odds and Ends: Stories and Sketches (30/06/21) 3 stars
The House of Cobwebs and Other Stories (07/09/21) 4 stars
The Emancipated, Volume 1 (28/02/22) 3 stars
The Emancipated, Volume 2 (14/03/22) 4 stars
The Emancipated, Volume 3 (04/04/22) 5 stars
Sins of the father,: And other tales, (16/11/23) 4 stars
By the same author
The Paying Guest (26/11/15) 3 stars
Thyrza (28/04/16) 3 stars
A Life's Morning (30/04/16) 3 stars
The Odd Women (20/08/20) 4 stars
Sleeping Fires (19/11/20) 4 stars
Our Friend the Charlatan (19/01/21) 4 stars
The Crown of Life (02/03/21) 4 stars
Eve's Ransom (02/95/21) 4 stars
Human Odds and Ends: Stories and Sketches (30/06/21) 3 stars
The House of Cobwebs and Other Stories (07/09/21) 4 stars
The Emancipated, Volume 1 (28/02/22) 3 stars
The Emancipated, Volume 2 (14/03/22) 4 stars
The Emancipated, Volume 3 (04/04/22) 5 stars
Sins of the father,: And other tales, (16/11/23) 4 stars
June 21, 2023
I had never read anything by George Gissing, but had heard good things. Now I know why!
I really enjoyed this story of a young married couple trying to come up with a little extra income, deciding to rent one of their rooms to a "paying guest." And therein lies the crux of the story, and what a story it is!
It made me a little uncomfortable. I was glad I was not in the position of these homeowners. But I did enjoy reading and couldn't wait to see "What will happen next?!"
It's a good one :)
I really enjoyed this story of a young married couple trying to come up with a little extra income, deciding to rent one of their rooms to a "paying guest." And therein lies the crux of the story, and what a story it is!
It made me a little uncomfortable. I was glad I was not in the position of these homeowners. But I did enjoy reading and couldn't wait to see "What will happen next?!"
It's a good one :)
October 25, 2014
This is one of Gissing's shorter books. Not quite a short story and not quite a novelette. It's interesting and I became involved with the characters and the story but it is not one of his best. I like his longer novels such as Demos and New Grub Street and, definitely, Thyrza.
In this one Clarence and Emmeline Mumford live a quiet life in Sutton, England, when they decide to rent a room for a little extra income. They advertise and the young woman who applies is Louise Derrick who claims to have trouble living at home with her mother and new step-father.
The quiet at the Mumford's is about to end.
How Louise affects their lives and her own is the center of the book as the personalities come together. Clarence and Emmeline are timid, quiet people and unused to the drama Louise brings with her.
In this one Clarence and Emmeline Mumford live a quiet life in Sutton, England, when they decide to rent a room for a little extra income. They advertise and the young woman who applies is Louise Derrick who claims to have trouble living at home with her mother and new step-father.
The quiet at the Mumford's is about to end.
How Louise affects their lives and her own is the center of the book as the personalities come together. Clarence and Emmeline are timid, quiet people and unused to the drama Louise brings with her.
February 23, 2017
Strange to notice that Gissing seems still read and appreciated in English-speaking countries (10 reviews as I write this one, good ratings), while he is largely unknown in France, although he lived and finally died in France, the country I live in.
"The Paying Guest" is Victorian at heart, but rather modern formally : a short novella, a "social thriller" if I may coin such expressions. While action is scarce, the reader waits anxiously for what will happen next, how all this shall end, the author explores social relationships, class differences, using satirical relief from time to time.
Of course, the book was never translated into French. It should have been.
"The Paying Guest" is Victorian at heart, but rather modern formally : a short novella, a "social thriller" if I may coin such expressions. While action is scarce, the reader waits anxiously for what will happen next, how all this shall end, the author explores social relationships, class differences, using satirical relief from time to time.
Of course, the book was never translated into French. It should have been.
June 1, 2015
A rising middle class suburban British family takes in a young woman of a distinctly different background in order to secure a supplemental income.
The effects of class and money on human relations brings chaos to the household. The humor of the book results from the awkwardness of snobbery and attempted refinement of their "guest" and her relationships with her family and suitors.
The homeowners regret taking her in and try to find a tactful way to get her to leave.
Only to be drawn into the drama of her life.
The effects of class and money on human relations brings chaos to the household. The humor of the book results from the awkwardness of snobbery and attempted refinement of their "guest" and her relationships with her family and suitors.
The homeowners regret taking her in and try to find a tactful way to get her to leave.
Only to be drawn into the drama of her life.
May 15, 2016
George Gissing is one of my all time favorite authors. I think it's unfortunate that he's relatively obscure today.
I got this novella when I read that it was a more comedic work of Gissing. It details a series of mishaps when an upper middle class couple take a lower class girl into their home as the titular "paying guest."
While fairly short, it was quite humorous and I enjoyed it. It's a comedy of errors about the differences in class.
I got this novella when I read that it was a more comedic work of Gissing. It details a series of mishaps when an upper middle class couple take a lower class girl into their home as the titular "paying guest."
While fairly short, it was quite humorous and I enjoyed it. It's a comedy of errors about the differences in class.
November 29, 2020
This is wild! (LOL) I love it. I don't know if anyone else noticed but the Mumford's child in Chapter II is a little girl, then for some reason there's a sex change, and in Chapter VIII the child is now a little boy. It just adds to the craziness of this book.
July 21, 2016
Excellent!
February 9, 2017
Manipulation and Class snobbery nicely demonstrated. Good entertainment. Quick read.
March 10, 2022
See my review at Reading World
June 21, 2024
Very much a light satire, Gissing’s “Paying Guest” is a novella that is a social commentary on class distinctions, especially the lower middle classes. Our couple, the Mumfords, have just pulled themselves up to a better financial position, if not a better social status, when they come up with the idea of supplementing their income by taking in a lodger. A lodger? Dear me, no. So declassé. A paying guest.
The twisted path down which a manipulative paying guest - a young, pretty girl - leads her hosts, her parents, her stepsister, and the young men who are courting her - ends in a situation as bizarre as anything devised by PG Wodehouse. And yet, this being a Gissing novel, there are serious issues behind the humour. In the first place, why advertise for a place as a paying guest, and in the second, why answer it? What is the discomfort felt by the Mumfords, and the expectations of the guest and her slightly common (in Mrs Mumford’s eyes) mother?
The fact is, Louise, the guest, with her lies and her tantrums and her playing off one against another, leads a wildly colourful life against the rather stodgy, respectable and refined but boring lives of the Mumfords. In the end, the tables are turned on the Mumfords: their marriage, idyllic at the start, seems seriously distressed at the end; their house, crammed with gewgaws of small value, is nearly burnt down. And the most unkindest cut of all, they are looked down upon even by their neighbours as taking in boarders and keeping bad company - Louise's mother and her friends.
Gissing is sympathetic to all four women in this short book - Emmeline Mumford and Louisa Derrick, landlady and paying guest, respectively, Louise's mother Mrs Higgins, and the absent Cissy Higgins, Louise's stepsister - all of whom play major roles in the drama, even by their non-appearance, but he is also critical of their values and aspirations, which do not go beyond marriage and a middle class home. This feminist view in late Victorian/early Edwardian times was little short of revolutionary, given the treatment meted out by the government to the suffragettes.
Rich in humour, brilliant in character portrayal, with an effective plot movement and tense suspense, there is not a moment of drag or dullness, not a moment of boredom in this liveliest of Gissing novellas.
The twisted path down which a manipulative paying guest - a young, pretty girl - leads her hosts, her parents, her stepsister, and the young men who are courting her - ends in a situation as bizarre as anything devised by PG Wodehouse. And yet, this being a Gissing novel, there are serious issues behind the humour. In the first place, why advertise for a place as a paying guest, and in the second, why answer it? What is the discomfort felt by the Mumfords, and the expectations of the guest and her slightly common (in Mrs Mumford’s eyes) mother?
The fact is, Louise, the guest, with her lies and her tantrums and her playing off one against another, leads a wildly colourful life against the rather stodgy, respectable and refined but boring lives of the Mumfords. In the end, the tables are turned on the Mumfords: their marriage, idyllic at the start, seems seriously distressed at the end; their house, crammed with gewgaws of small value, is nearly burnt down. And the most unkindest cut of all, they are looked down upon even by their neighbours as taking in boarders and keeping bad company - Louise's mother and her friends.
Gissing is sympathetic to all four women in this short book - Emmeline Mumford and Louisa Derrick, landlady and paying guest, respectively, Louise's mother Mrs Higgins, and the absent Cissy Higgins, Louise's stepsister - all of whom play major roles in the drama, even by their non-appearance, but he is also critical of their values and aspirations, which do not go beyond marriage and a middle class home. This feminist view in late Victorian/early Edwardian times was little short of revolutionary, given the treatment meted out by the government to the suffragettes.
Rich in humour, brilliant in character portrayal, with an effective plot movement and tense suspense, there is not a moment of drag or dullness, not a moment of boredom in this liveliest of Gissing novellas.
March 25, 2023
At merely 70 Kindle pages, The Paying Guest is an enjoyable novella and makes a great introduction to George Gissing’s writing.
In a suburb in London, the Mumfords, a modest middle-class couple, take in a boarder to supplement their family income. They seek a paying guest who is respectable and refined. The theme of money and class consciousness is apparent right from the start. Louise Derrick (age 22) passes the couple’s scrutiny. In their estimation, ‘And her speech, though not strictly speaking refined, was free from the faults that betray low origin.’ The drama begins when Louise finally arrives. She is a bundle of both sweetness and exasperation with two suitors on her heels. Louise spells trouble. Louise is staying put.
Gissing allows the reader to share the couple’s anxiety and desperation to reclaim the peace they once had. Unlike The Nether World, issues of class distinction are handled with a comic touch. I am thankful for a light-hearted read.
In a suburb in London, the Mumfords, a modest middle-class couple, take in a boarder to supplement their family income. They seek a paying guest who is respectable and refined. The theme of money and class consciousness is apparent right from the start. Louise Derrick (age 22) passes the couple’s scrutiny. In their estimation, ‘And her speech, though not strictly speaking refined, was free from the faults that betray low origin.’ The drama begins when Louise finally arrives. She is a bundle of both sweetness and exasperation with two suitors on her heels. Louise spells trouble. Louise is staying put.
Gissing allows the reader to share the couple’s anxiety and desperation to reclaim the peace they once had. Unlike The Nether World, issues of class distinction are handled with a comic touch. I am thankful for a light-hearted read.
March 23, 2018
Not entirely bad writing, just really annoying characters. Glad this read is over
March 22, 2023
What a delightful little story. An attempt to augment the income a bit by having a border backfires on the Mumfords when Miss Louise Derrick moves in and brings her less refined lifestyle calling with her. George Gissing has a marvelous sense of humor as he describes how difficult it is to maintain one's sense of decorum while at the same time getting rid of an unwelcome guest.
My first Gissing, not my last.
My first Gissing, not my last.
September 23, 2013
Pure entertainment, Victorian style. It's worthwhile to read about Gissing's very eventful life on Wikipedia. Got through it very quickly listening to the Librivox audio reading of this book.
December 17, 2014
I don't like this book. Not logically flowed.
January 9, 2015
Quaint.
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