A Village Affair

by joanna-trollope

Black Swan 1994 trade edition paperback, fine In stock shipped from our UK warehouse

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Novels, LGBT, British Literature

270 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Margitte · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rich cultural experience of English village life in the 1980s. A plot centered around gossip, eccentric characters and a controversial love-affair which rocks the boat.

An insecure, tired married person with problems adapting to high society or the new village community; an overbearing mother-in-law with good intentions; a unlikable wanderer back from the States who needs to take happiness away from other people and claims it for herself; an embittered competing brother-in-law who cannot get his own way this time with what is legally his brother's, a father who loves his daughter too much to stop enabling her; and a gossiping village throwing in a basket full of mixed morals. That's the background.

I was rooting for the innocent children involved and nothing in the story changed my mind enough to feel sorry for a predatory beau - a lonely person who was selfish enough to choose a vulnerable married partner and change the lives of the three innocent victims as well as the parents forever.

Love affairs happen. And if a married person was not involved, it would obviously not have shattered so many lives as it did. Hence the high drama and ultimately the catch in the story.

There are excellent plot elements to love, character building to admire and social issues to face. However, the ending did not make sense, to me at least. I experienced it as a 'safe' bail out to an impossible plot dilemma.

In retrospect though, and considering the possibilities more, there might be more to it. The author is highly experienced and a master in her art. I just did not get it.

The moral of the story, in the end, was something totally else than expected. As long as you don't expect a happy ending. It was not meant as a love story after all.

In fact, my final conclusion is that some people create happiness, other people are unable to do so themselves and prefer to grab it away from easy targets. In the end fairness rules and new beginnings are defined on different principles. And that's the surprise!

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Joanna Trollope's writing style ... the feel of the small English town, the dry humour. At first I found this book a bit sad, but by about a third or so of the way through I no longer felt this way. Big plot surprise that I didn't expect ... and a story that gives the reader a quite enjoyable visit to small English town life, and an interesting study on marriage and family life.

As an aside ... I LOVED the format of my edition of the book -- a compact little hard-cover edition about 4 x 5" in size. I actually researched what other books were available in this format, as it's just a perfect size (and sturdier than a paperback) for my public transit commute to work. Alas, not too many books are available in this compact edition. Just an aside, but it's a great format!

I'm really enjoying Joanna Trollope's books, and bought 2 more titles on a used-book shopping trip earlier this week.

[Thorn MotherIssues · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're going to make a whole book about people who seem to cause immediate crushes from everyone who meets them, they should really have more character depth than just interesting hair. I realize this book is of its time, but I was a bit surprised by the ending, though it seemed to be one of the more realistic parts of the story.

[Lisa - OwlBeSatReading 🦉📚 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Today’s THE day I am free of this blasted book!

The Village Affair was a trundle through toffee in ill-fitting wellies.

I’ve never felt so relieved to finish a book. Something kept me reading, but I’ve no idea what! (Hence the two stars, it didn’t deserve one).

It was written in the late 80’s, and it really showed. I felt quite repulsed by the attitude of the villagers. Characters that were a pompous bunch of homophobes is something I NEVER want to read about again.

I know in 1989 attitudes were different to today, but these people just lacked any feeling or understanding about everything.

This book has put me off reading anything else by Trollope, but perhaps I just picked the wrong book.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you're in one of those places, between books, the limbo that follows a great book or even a dull book, when you need a solid novel and you find yourself surrounding by indecision and uncertaintly, pick up a Joanna Trollope book. This one is a fine example. She runs with likes of Barbara Pym and Jane Austen in her ability to portray everyday life with such subtle skill and aplomb.

I liked it.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful. Rich engrossing story with Trollope's usual well-developed characters and detail of the small things of life and family.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The front cover shown on Good Reads is very misleading on the type of book it is. My copy of the book had a different cover which was more suiting for the style of book it was.

More of a 2.5 rating - 2 is too low and 3 is too high.

[Rachael Lloyd]

Generally speaking, Trollope is a master storyteller and breathes excitement into the mundane domestic detail of Middle England life. That said, I like other books of hers better than this. I couldn't finish it and had to skip to the end. Firstly the language 'I say/ heavens/old boy'...it's pure 1950s yet the book was written in 1989. The characters are caricatures too, and belong to a nostalgic view of Britain that probably never quite existed. And, as usual, Trollope is vicious about jilted wives/ mothers who refuse to accept treachery and cheating with a pioneering spirit. Alice's mother is one such woman, who - apparently unforgivably - finds it hard to tolerate her husband's affairs. (Boring woman - how dare she!?) I wonder, why does the author despite traditional wives so much? Was she a mistress?

[Catrin Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow I did not expect such beautiful writing and emotional story telling

[Gayle Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe a bit dated to be honest but I still really enjoyed this book. She is a great novelist who seems to be able to make her characters so very human in all of their failings.

[Clare · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh…

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is vintage Joanna Trollope. The picturesque village, the finely illustrated characters, and the social problem and how it is handled. The problem is a lesbian relationship between a married woman and a single woman. I think this was a brave topic at the time it was written in the 1980's. Nicely handled as usual by the author.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice Jordan is a young wife and mother who ostensibly has everything she has ever wanted in her life: a beautiful house in the quiet little English village of Pitcombe, a dull but well-meaning barrister husband and three adorable young children. Instead of being overjoyed, however, Alice - once an extremely talented artist - is depressed and, since the birth of her children, unable to paint. When she meets Clodagh Unwin - the imperiously wayward daughter of local nobility - Alice's life changes immeasurably.

Clodagh has recently returned from America, supposedly nursing her wounds from a broken love affair. The firm and fast friendship that forms between both women soon turns into something more when Clodagh falls in love with Alice and seduces her. Their burgeoning love affair releases Alice from her depression: she becomes more loving towards her husband and children, is more outgoing toward members of the community, and has found her artistic 'joie de vivre' once again.

However, once the women's clandestine affair is discovered, the villagers become standoffish towards them, Alice's husband is shaken to his core, and Alice will have to make the biggest decision of her life.

This is the third of Joanna Trollope's books that I've read, and I have to say that A Village Affair was one book that I didn't want to end. I really haven't read any of Joanna Trollope's books in quite a while, but have just recently got back into reading her work again. I give this book an A+! and am looking forward to reading more of her books very soon.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice has everything she could possibly want in life: a steady husband, three delightful children, loving in-laws, and now a new and gorgeous house ... and yet something is missing.

This is the story of how she 'wakes up' and finds, most unexpectedly, what she needed. Yet she finds that what she wants most leads to great difficulties and stresses.

A controversial subject, movingly explored. Recommended.

I first read this in 1998 and didn't like it as much as I do ten years later.

[Louise Ebenhöh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this years ago and had a great urge to read it again. I love the characters, especially the baby (!) and found it a rattling good read all over again. It's so interesting reading a book again after so many years, and seeing which bits you remember and which bits you would swear you'd never read.

[Jennifer Warnock · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was just "okay" for me, which really means I wasted time reading it when I could have been reading something that was woohoo!!

I have read several of her books now and they always seem to revolve around an unhappy woman who has an affair, she makes everyone else unhappy , and she remains unhappy.

Just singing the same tune, really.

[Sharon Dorival · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanna Trollope, a master of the contemporary rural novel, once again delves into the intricate web of relationships and simmering tensions that lie beneath the seemingly idyllic surface of village life in "A Village Affair." First published in 1989, this novel, while perhaps not as overtly dramatic as some of her later works, offers a beautifully nuanced and acutely observed dissection of love, longing, and the quiet earthquakes that can shatter the foundations of seemingly stable lives.

The story centers around Alice Jordan, a contented (or so she believes) wife and mother in a picturesque English village. Her life revolves around school runs, village fetes, and the comfortable routine she shares with her dependable but somewhat emotionally distant husband, Hugh. However, the arrival of a charismatic and bohemian landscape gardener, Tom, ignites a spark within Alice that she thought long extinguished.

Trollope expertly portrays Alice's awakening desires and the slow burn of her emotional entanglement with Tom. The affair itself is not depicted with sensationalism but rather with a delicate understanding of Alice's yearning for something more, a feeling of being truly seen and appreciated. The novel excels in its subtle exploration of the complexities of marriage, the unspoken disappointments that can accumulate over time, and the allure of the unfamiliar.

Beyond Alice's central narrative, Trollope paints a vivid and believable portrait of the village community. We encounter a cast of well-drawn supporting characters – the gossipy neighbours, the well-meaning but sometimes interfering friends, and the various personalities that contribute to the rich tapestry of rural existence. Their reactions to Alice's affair, ranging from shock and disapproval to a quiet understanding, highlight the close-knit yet often judgmental nature of village life.

What makes "A Village Affair" so compelling is Trollope's insightful prose and her keen eye for the small details that reveal so much about her characters' inner lives. She avoids melodrama, instead focusing on the quiet internal struggles and the subtle shifts in relationships that ripple through the community. The novel is imbued with a gentle realism, making the characters and their dilemmas feel genuinely relatable.

While the pace might be considered leisurely by some, it allows for a deep immersion into the emotional landscape of the characters and the atmosphere of the village. "A Village Affair" is not a story of high drama and shocking twists, but rather a thoughtful and poignant exploration of human desires, the complexities of love and commitment, and the enduring power of community, for better or for worse.

In conclusion, "A Village Affair" is a beautifully written and deeply perceptive novel that offers a timeless exploration of the human heart within the familiar yet ever-evolving context of village life. It is a testament to Joanna Trollope's skill in crafting nuanced characters and illuminating the quiet dramas that unfold behind closed doors and amidst the manicured lawns of rural England.

Rating: 4/5 stars.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title of this Joanna Trollope novel is so clever. Yes, ‘A Village Affair’ is about a love affair that takes place in a village. It’s also about a woman’s love for that village, a comfortable middle-class lifestyle and a house, and the reverberations of her subsequent love affair on such a small claustrophobic community.
When Alice Jordan moves to The Grey House in Pitcombe she knows at last she is living a beautiful life. The house is old and stylish, her husband successful, her three children adorable. She wishes for nothing more and fits comfortably into village routines. So why does it feel as if something is missing. When she falls in love with Clodagh Unwin, daughter of their richest neighbours, the whole village apple cart is upset and Alice’s life is suddenly the opposite of idyllic. ‘Once you had stopped letting things happen and started to make them happen, you couldn’t go back.’
Trollope charts the changes in Alice’s life through the descriptions of her homes. The stifling suburban home where she grew up, her first married home with Martin to the glorious Grey House. It is clear as she bounces from one home and one relationship to another – from smothering mother and silent father, to boring husband Martin, and Cecily, Martin’s cool garden designer mother – that Alice doesn’t know who she is or what she wants. She has fallen in love with a picture postcard image of marriage, but has married the wrong person. When she realises this and becomes open to change, making choices she has never considered before, she then must face the consequences good and bad. Her choices now affect more than just her.
First published in 1990, the story about a gay love affair has dated somewhat awkwardly. The neighbours all have a judgement about the Jordan’s marriage but that is what villages are like, everyone knows everyone else even if they don’t know them well or particularly like them. One village character feels so strongly about what’s happened that she weeps over and over again but ‘couldn’t quite describe what it was that she felts so strongly about.’ Another believes he understands more about poetry than life because, ‘life was often just too peculiar to take in.’
I first read this book thirty years ago and enjoyed again Trollope’s skill at characterization, the small details. Clodagh, in distress, becomes ‘an exotic broken bird with tattered, gorgeous plumage and splintered frail bones showing through.’ Toddler Charlie ‘who had fitted a raspberry on his finger like a thimble and was regarding it with wonder.’
It is possible to feel affronted at the now old-fashioned portrayal of a relationship between two women but this story is really about love full stop. Alice loves Clodagh but also loves her children, her parents and in some way still loves her husband. Love is never simple.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-revie...

[Pippa Catterall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This seems to me to be a deceptively clever work. The plot itself is simple enough. Unfulfilled wife has an affair, with a lesbian twist. This novel deals sympathetically with LGBTQ lives despite the chilling effects of Thatcher’s S.28, enacted the year before it was published. There are plenty of homophobic characters, but even the most unsympathetic ones are portrayed with understanding. Indeed, one of the strengths of the book is the way the characters are depicted from a range of different perspectives. What is, in the context of a Wiltshire village, an unusual situation is used to explore how character traits shape their responses to circumstances. Some of them certainly judge, but the author doesn’t judge them. Their strengths, weaknesses, foibles and self-knowledge or self-delusion are all scrutinised. The microcosmic setting thus facilitates a compassionate exploration of human relationships. It also, in the process, queers notions of the naturalness of any particular form of sexuality or the superiority of particular expressions of family life.

[Keith Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting look back.

I first read this book twenty years ago. While Trollope's prose and characterisation are as flawless as ever, I was surprised to realise how much society and social mores have changed since my first reading.
While I am sure that the visceral responses of the villagers would remain the same in the 21st century, I am also convinced that they would be buried slightly deeper ( a passing thought; Trollope could have great fun with the veiled conversations of a present day interpretation of this theme!)
Despite that, what shines through is the author's unerring ability to create a very real, completely believable slice of life in a certain place at a certain time. Her ability to get completely inside her characters -and take us with her- is Trollope's greatest strength. Her books should be used, in years to come, as a resource for social history. Nobody does it better.

[Klara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit spoiler-y, but I can’t explain it well without, so read with caution!
I really didn’t expect an LGBTQ book from JOANNA TROLLOPE… We first interact with the mysterious woman our main character will inevitably end up and I was like… okay then. Not what I expected. Their romance is subtle, yet it blows up the whole village. While, for me it was not quite developped, I loved seeing our array of other characters react and process this event - this was the most interesting aspect of the book.
I found the novel, and the setting interesting, but have no feeling towards any of the characters, or the romance, to be honest. Everyone just goes and does something, and will probably cry in the book at least once. When the 5th character broke down, I said to myself: no way everyone’s personality is crying…
So, it was an okay read, but it literally did nothing for me, only upset me by the absurd flatness pf the characters.

[David Kilner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is really about the English village not about the characters. The stultifying, unchanging, self-focused, hypocritical, intolerant and smug village. The old manorial system and the dominance of the aristocracy (or aristocracy substitutes now) have never ended. The characters rub up against all this. Trollope’s abilities as a writer and creator of strong characters actually takes the focus off the village however and entwine us in the characters’ stories. I thought Alice was a weak personality who never takes control of her life and when faced with a difficult choice retreats from the world and hides away from both of the relationships she might have had. There is a danger of stereotypes and Trollope steers dangerously close to this at times eg the cad; the possessive parent; the boring but reliable husband; the dynamic young person heedless of their impact on others. Everyone is ground down by the relentless dynamic of the village and either succumb or escape.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't a bad book, and I did capture a few quotes from it (that I don't feel like typing out) but, it was depressing. I should have guessed, honestly, given when it was written, the setting, that I'd never heard of it, from the first 25-50-100 pages... that it was going to be one of those sadly realistic depictions of lesbians from Long Ago where of course, there's no happily ever after - and worse that because it was "literary" (as much as, say, Valley of the Dolls is literary) there would be no spice or titillation (aka sex scenes) at all.

This was recommended in a reddit sub I'm in for lesbian romance books when someone put out a call for "the whole town is in on it" or lesbian folk horror and whoever suggested this was either a real troll or just a miserable person from like 75 years ago. :( Recommending a watered-down pop-lit 70's version of The Well of Loneliness as an answer to that request was a dirty trick.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The newlyweds Alice and Martin Jordan are moving to the village of Pitcombe into one of the villages manor homes. Alice has realized her dream and thinks she will get involved in the community and be quite happy there. Ten years and three children later she still has a feeling of discontent with Martin and village life. Then one day Clodagh Unwin returns to the village turning Alice and the rest of the Jordans life upside down. A well written , short read, not my cup of tea though. It made me so angry with Clodagh for destroying a young family.

[Emilie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not vapid although I expected it to be pure trash. I can't focus much in the evenings these days, so I opted for a fluffy read with this. It did not disappoint in that aspect. It was inevitable that the story would end the way it did, and I appreciated Trollope's understanding of the three main characters and their various motivations and inner lives. What I did not like what the village reaction because it felt like a caricature and excessive.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The affair took place in the 1980s or before, in the village of Pitcombe. It was a traditional village, where everyone knows everyone else and everyone supposedly supports everyone else. Alice moved there with her three children, very excited to live where she had always wanted to live.

She did have an affair. It wasn't the sort of affair that these villagers were used to, however, and Alice suffered the consequences.

The story is told with wit and kindness, and intelligence.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, Joanna Trollope does character development and family drama so well. Delivered in concise snippets that gradually reveal truths about families and society. This one was interesting because it was published in 2002 and the lesbian characters deal with prejudices and limited choices which seem less insurmountable now.

[Cindy DavisClark · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is by a favorite author but not my favorite of her books. The reactions were dated as this was written in 1989. I wonder how people would have reacted to the main character in 2022. Another book from my "too be read" shelf. My new year resolution to read mostly from books I already own.

[Elizabeth Joyce Van-May · Rating 5 out of 5]

For its day it was very taboo but beautifully written. You cannot fault the deeper meaning of A Village Affair. I was just sad at the outcome of this story. I would have liked a happier ending.

I also remember watching the TV series adaptation Alice was well played by Sophie and Kerry Fox gave a marvellous performance. Not easy back in those times.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this novel, everyone’s emotions are in upheaval...a rollercoaster. I admired Alice, and simultaneously felt sorry for her. Trollope has a certain voice for describing and making the children in her books come to life. I did not like it as well as some of her others.