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Mountjoy #2
Divine Comedy
A group of friends travel north to a cathedral community and unwittingly cause havoc in this novel by the author of "Children of Chance".
- GenresFiction
295 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 22, 2022
Fun re-read. This series is a really funny and enjoyable. Just the thing to lift the mood in January
April 30, 2017
My favourite book of all time...reread it again for about the 100th time!
March 11, 2018
Much better than the first novel in series
Thoroughly disappointed in the first, since it was described as part of the Wodehouse/Downton Abbey world. I’d figured a series set in the early 1900s. Not even close! The first novel was disturbing in the sense of character development and plot points, but I enjoyed Sylvester and Lily so much that I decided to give the second novel a try. These characters were much more likable, and the story more humorous. But don’t expect anything Wodehouse or Downton Abbey!!
Thoroughly disappointed in the first, since it was described as part of the Wodehouse/Downton Abbey world. I’d figured a series set in the early 1900s. Not even close! The first novel was disturbing in the sense of character development and plot points, but I enjoyed Sylvester and Lily so much that I decided to give the second novel a try. These characters were much more likable, and the story more humorous. But don’t expect anything Wodehouse or Downton Abbey!!
March 19, 2017
I don't know why I took so long to read this. I love Elizabeth Aston's Jane Austen sequels, but still, I just initially didn't get into this. What a shame! Her characters are great, and this was a very enjoyable read. Now I'll have to get the rest of her Mountjoy series.
August 27, 2017
Loved it
This is an unusual series but a delightful and humorous one. I am looking forward to reading the next book.
This is an unusual series but a delightful and humorous one. I am looking forward to reading the next book.
January 27, 2022
Loved it!
Loved all the characters and sorry it had to end. Will miss their fun and what happens to them next. Great writing. I felt I was living along side of them all.
Loved all the characters and sorry it had to end. Will miss their fun and what happens to them next. Great writing. I felt I was living along side of them all.
December 15, 2011
Today we are taking a trip to England and exploring the world of Eyot, a small cathedral town invented by author Elizabeth Aston (Elizabeth Pewsey). I first learned of Eyot – and Elizabeth – as a result of a guest post she kindly provided in August about developing one’s own world for a fictional story. A review copy of The World, the Flesh, and the Bishop (the first book in the Mountjoy Series), was generously provided by the author.
As I believe I have mentioned once or twice before, I am a devout Anglophile. I love all things British – words, mannerisms, London, the history, stories, television, movies… So when I was asked to review a story – the first in a series, no less! – set in a fictitious English cathedral town, I jumped at the chance.
The Eyot of the Mountjoy series is a lovely town, exactly the kind that I love to visit. It is a town of small streets, houses, and minds – but large ambitions, scandals, and secrets. In other words, a perfect literary setting. The characters are quirky and unusual, full of foibles and neuroses that make their every move and word unique. There is just the right mix of personalities: a cheerful and beleaguered poverty-riddled single mum complete with an utterly precocious daughter, an “I don’t care a whit about money” wealthy young woman who resents nearly everything about her family’s money except the freedom it buys her, wealthy artistic snobs who can’t imagine why the poor don’t make better choices, a squad of nosy old ladies with their fingers in everyone’s pie, a few debauched rapscallions, a gay best friend or two, and a new bishop with a secret – and wife with a few of her own.
WHEW.
Sound like a lot of characters to keep straight? It is, at times, but they are all delightful in their own way and the author somehow deftly manages to keep them from becoming caricatures of themselves despite often outlandish behavior that should fall squarely into stereotype land.
Well done, she said.
The story has a fairly big reveal, but it doesn’t come until most of the way through the book. Up to that point, there is a lot of insinuation and guesswork, a few random “eek!” moments, and a lot of what I imagine as everyday British life in a small town – provided said small town includes such a range of characters, that is. At times, that “everyday British life in a small town”-ness felt a little overdone and verged on the banal – I found myself wishing something would happen more than once in the vast span of pages between about 25% and 75% into the story (I read this on kindle so can’t give page references). But then when it did, well, wow!
If the point of the slower going part was set-up, well, I guess it was worth it. I still think it could have been a tish tighter though. And since I’m an infamous “loves reading pages and pages about all things British,” well, that possibly suggests that others will get a little antsy for the action even earlier. Still, the characters are charming and eccentric, the setting is fun, and the incorporation of occasional moments of the utterly bizarre make it a worthwhile selection for anyone who enjoys exploring the world of the British… :)
As I believe I have mentioned once or twice before, I am a devout Anglophile. I love all things British – words, mannerisms, London, the history, stories, television, movies… So when I was asked to review a story – the first in a series, no less! – set in a fictitious English cathedral town, I jumped at the chance.
The Eyot of the Mountjoy series is a lovely town, exactly the kind that I love to visit. It is a town of small streets, houses, and minds – but large ambitions, scandals, and secrets. In other words, a perfect literary setting. The characters are quirky and unusual, full of foibles and neuroses that make their every move and word unique. There is just the right mix of personalities: a cheerful and beleaguered poverty-riddled single mum complete with an utterly precocious daughter, an “I don’t care a whit about money” wealthy young woman who resents nearly everything about her family’s money except the freedom it buys her, wealthy artistic snobs who can’t imagine why the poor don’t make better choices, a squad of nosy old ladies with their fingers in everyone’s pie, a few debauched rapscallions, a gay best friend or two, and a new bishop with a secret – and wife with a few of her own.
WHEW.
Sound like a lot of characters to keep straight? It is, at times, but they are all delightful in their own way and the author somehow deftly manages to keep them from becoming caricatures of themselves despite often outlandish behavior that should fall squarely into stereotype land.
Well done, she said.
The story has a fairly big reveal, but it doesn’t come until most of the way through the book. Up to that point, there is a lot of insinuation and guesswork, a few random “eek!” moments, and a lot of what I imagine as everyday British life in a small town – provided said small town includes such a range of characters, that is. At times, that “everyday British life in a small town”-ness felt a little overdone and verged on the banal – I found myself wishing something would happen more than once in the vast span of pages between about 25% and 75% into the story (I read this on kindle so can’t give page references). But then when it did, well, wow!
If the point of the slower going part was set-up, well, I guess it was worth it. I still think it could have been a tish tighter though. And since I’m an infamous “loves reading pages and pages about all things British,” well, that possibly suggests that others will get a little antsy for the action even earlier. Still, the characters are charming and eccentric, the setting is fun, and the incorporation of occasional moments of the utterly bizarre make it a worthwhile selection for anyone who enjoys exploring the world of the British… :)
August 4, 2011
There is a large cast of characters in the town of Eyot, a small town in England which is known for its cathedrals and music. The story centers around Quinta, a young woman who has an eight-year-old daughter that she is raising on her own. She and her daughter, Phoebe, live with a famous composer where she is both his housekeeper and lover. While she is fond of Alban, she is not in love with him. Around them both swirl an entire town of people, including Lydia, an old school friend of Quinta’s whose grandmother is a well-to-do and very important woman in town, Alban’s brother Simon, a married man hopelessly in love with Quinta, and many others.
There is a lot going on in this book, with affairs past and present, relationships developing and ending, and Quinta somehow in the center of it all just trying to manage her increasingly unruly life.
Add to this the impending arrival of the new Bishop and his wife, who both have unexpected connections of their own in town.
The book is well-written, and the story is very engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and look forward to the next in the series. It is rare in a story with this many characters to find that, not only do you know who each of them is without having to refer back, but you like most of them. Except of course for the unlikeable ones.
The only negative thing I can say about the book is something I have mentioned before in regard to other eBooks: sloppy proofing. I need to say in fairness that I may have received an early copy, and more proofing may have been done afterward. I’m not sure, but I certainly hope this is the case. There are more than a few places where names were mis-typed (Quintal instead of Quinta) or the wrong name substituted (talking about “Quinta” to Quinta when they were actually meaning “Phoebe” for example). There are a few typos here and there, but mainly the problems seemed to be in the consistency of names. With a list of characters this long and intricate, consistency is very important in order for the reader to keep everyone straight.
All in all however, I recommend this book to anyone who likes a romantic novel that goes nowhere near the “bodice-ripper” category that so frequently gives romance novels a bad name. It was an enjoyably convoluted story with many ins and outs.
There is a lot going on in this book, with affairs past and present, relationships developing and ending, and Quinta somehow in the center of it all just trying to manage her increasingly unruly life.
Add to this the impending arrival of the new Bishop and his wife, who both have unexpected connections of their own in town.
The book is well-written, and the story is very engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and look forward to the next in the series. It is rare in a story with this many characters to find that, not only do you know who each of them is without having to refer back, but you like most of them. Except of course for the unlikeable ones.
The only negative thing I can say about the book is something I have mentioned before in regard to other eBooks: sloppy proofing. I need to say in fairness that I may have received an early copy, and more proofing may have been done afterward. I’m not sure, but I certainly hope this is the case. There are more than a few places where names were mis-typed (Quintal instead of Quinta) or the wrong name substituted (talking about “Quinta” to Quinta when they were actually meaning “Phoebe” for example). There are a few typos here and there, but mainly the problems seemed to be in the consistency of names. With a list of characters this long and intricate, consistency is very important in order for the reader to keep everyone straight.
All in all however, I recommend this book to anyone who likes a romantic novel that goes nowhere near the “bodice-ripper” category that so frequently gives romance novels a bad name. It was an enjoyably convoluted story with many ins and outs.
October 2, 2011
Elizabeth Aston writes about one of my favorite subjects: Darcy and Elizabeth. I've read a few of her novels before, being that I love that particular genre. So when the opportunity came up to read her contemporary novel The World, The Flesh and the Bishop, I was thrilled.
The World, The Flesh and the Bishop takes place in Eyot. It's a charming little town with a lot of history. Many interesting and diverse people make up this vibrant town. Quinta is a single mother who is bringing up the spirited Phoebe. Quinta has a lot of responsibilities and she tries to make it on her own. Phoebe is fantastic. She very inquisitive and says whatever she is thinking. Quinta has her hands full. Lydia is an old school friend of Quinta's who comes to Eyot to stay with her very proper grandmother, Lady Wray, after she's been crossed in love. This book has a big cast of characters but they all stand out on their own so you don't get confused.
This book is highly entertaining. It's packed with humor, drama, whimsy and is cleverly written. I enjoyed this novel from start to finish. The story line is engaging. It focuses around Lydia and Quinta and the farcical people in their lives. Lydia is trying to figure out what to do with her life and Quinta is just trying to get through life with as little damage as possible. Together they take on a cantankerous composer, a historian with 'interesting' hobbies and manage to keep the gossip mill running at full speed.
The World, The Flesh and the Bishop is the first book in the Mountjoy series. This is a delightful, fun ,brilliantly written book. I really like this book and I definitely want to continue to read this series.
The World, The Flesh and the Bishop takes place in Eyot. It's a charming little town with a lot of history. Many interesting and diverse people make up this vibrant town. Quinta is a single mother who is bringing up the spirited Phoebe. Quinta has a lot of responsibilities and she tries to make it on her own. Phoebe is fantastic. She very inquisitive and says whatever she is thinking. Quinta has her hands full. Lydia is an old school friend of Quinta's who comes to Eyot to stay with her very proper grandmother, Lady Wray, after she's been crossed in love. This book has a big cast of characters but they all stand out on their own so you don't get confused.
This book is highly entertaining. It's packed with humor, drama, whimsy and is cleverly written. I enjoyed this novel from start to finish. The story line is engaging. It focuses around Lydia and Quinta and the farcical people in their lives. Lydia is trying to figure out what to do with her life and Quinta is just trying to get through life with as little damage as possible. Together they take on a cantankerous composer, a historian with 'interesting' hobbies and manage to keep the gossip mill running at full speed.
The World, The Flesh and the Bishop is the first book in the Mountjoy series. This is a delightful, fun ,brilliantly written book. I really like this book and I definitely want to continue to read this series.
July 20, 2011
This is the first of the Mounjoy series and what a read it was, I was pleasantly surprised. I have read all of Elizabeth’s Darcy books and wasn’t sure what the writing style would be for the Mountjoy series.
I have to say I had a hard time putting this book down. I have to say the three Grace’s were a hit. They fix flowers in the Cathedral and are the biggest gossipers. Lydia and Quntia are two good friends, but yet the opposite of each other. They struggle to find their place in life. Things seem to go from bad to worse as the story goes along.
The characters are wonderful and flow with each other. Elizabeth’s style flows amazingly well through out the book. This will be a series worth reading and watching out for.
I have to say I had a hard time putting this book down. I have to say the three Grace’s were a hit. They fix flowers in the Cathedral and are the biggest gossipers. Lydia and Quntia are two good friends, but yet the opposite of each other. They struggle to find their place in life. Things seem to go from bad to worse as the story goes along.
The characters are wonderful and flow with each other. Elizabeth’s style flows amazingly well through out the book. This will be a series worth reading and watching out for.
August 11, 2012
After reading these modern day tales by the author of the 'Darcy' novels, it's easy to see why Aston is so good at the Pride and Prejudice spin-offs. Written earlier, they incorporate the same formula which makes Jane Austen my favorite author--vivid characters, romance, witty dialogue, and the satisfactory resolution of all problems.
May 7, 2025
As delightful as ever. This author writes the most divine prose, scenes evolve with a minimum of fuss and the characters are all eccentric and incredibly likeable. I found myself wondering if there was a 'plot' as such, and I'm not sure there is. Just stories, woven together in such a manner that you don't want them to end.
Five stars as ever. Will I read it again? Of course!
Five stars as ever. Will I read it again? Of course!
November 29, 2015
So very enjoyable
I've recently discovered Elizabeth Aston and so glad I've got so many books to read. This is the second book in the series, but it could stand alone. There are some recurring characters but this book, and the first, had its own characters. The author creates fully realized people, I'm sorry I can't visit England and have lunch with them. Highly recommend.
I've recently discovered Elizabeth Aston and so glad I've got so many books to read. This is the second book in the series, but it could stand alone. There are some recurring characters but this book, and the first, had its own characters. The author creates fully realized people, I'm sorry I can't visit England and have lunch with them. Highly recommend.
September 28, 2011
There are five books. N this series, but can only get these two to show. Amazon has them all as ebooks .
January 11, 2016
Lovely story in the Mountjoy series possibly predictable but still most enjpyable with larger than life characters.
January 11, 2025
Don't read this again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2017
I really loved this book. I am already thoroughly enjoying this interesting series. Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews