What do you think?
Rate this book
Odd Girl Out
Anne and Edmund Cornhill have a happy marriage, a lovely home and are content, until Arabella comes to stay one summer. She is rich, rootless and amoral, and as the web of desire and love entangles all three, they realise someone will lose out. From the author of THE LONG VIEW and AFTER JULIUS. Originally published in 1972.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1972
65 people are currently reading
712 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Jane Howard
54 books663 followersElizabeth Jane Howard, CBE, was an English novelist. She was an actress and a model before becoming a novelist. In 1951, she won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for her first novel, The Beautiful Visit. Six further novels followed, before she embarked on her best known work, a four novel family saga (i.e., The Cazalet Chronicles) set in wartime Britain. The Light Years, Marking Time, Confusion, and Casting Off were serialised by Cinema Verity for BBC television as The Cazalets (The Light Years, Marking Time, Confusion and Casting Off). She has also written a book of short stories, Mr Wrong, and edited two anthologies.
Her last novel in The Cazalet Chronicles series, "ALL CHANGE", was published in November 2013.
Her last novel in The Cazalet Chronicles series, "ALL CHANGE", was published in November 2013.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
June 13, 2018
The funny thing is that I read this book when I was maybe 20 (more than 30 years ago). I remembered it being a lot about breasts - a pair of small ones and a pair of large ones. I can vividly remember wishing for the size I didn't have (I'm not going to tell you which they were) after reading Odd Girl Out, but I didn't recall anything else about it, aside from enjoying it then.
It's mostly about posh and pretty rich, or very rich people, not doing much except gardening, driving to London, and making eggs in aspic. But still I absolutely loved it. The detail, the tragedy (of Janet especially), the weather, the clothes, loving to HATE Edmund (I absolutely loathed him by the end of the book), the cat, oh, just all of it. Elizabeth Jane Howard is a master of characterisation.
It's mostly about posh and pretty rich, or very rich people, not doing much except gardening, driving to London, and making eggs in aspic. But still I absolutely loved it. The detail, the tragedy (of Janet especially), the weather, the clothes, loving to HATE Edmund (I absolutely loathed him by the end of the book), the cat, oh, just all of it. Elizabeth Jane Howard is a master of characterisation.
January 19, 2015
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2023
Arabella, la ragazza che dà il titolo a questo romanzo, è una donna bellissima e giovanissima, ricchissima e viziata a cui la madre non ha mai riservato un grammo di affetto, impegnata com'è a cambiare mariti come se fossero cappotti. Non avendo ricevuto affetto praticamente da nessuno in tutta la sua vita, Arabella non è neanche capace di darlo, o meglio, lo dà in modo sbagliato, ovvero attraverso il sesso o i regali costosi, senza curarsi di passare spesso come un trattore sui sentimenti e sulle vite degli altri.
Quando si trasferisce per un periodo a casa di uno pseudo-fratellastro, ovvero del figlio di uno dei tanti ex mariti di sua madre, Edmund, che è sposato da dieci anni con Anne in quello che sembra un matrimonio indistruttibile (almeno, agli occhi di Arabella, che è abituata ai matrimoni lampo della madre), la ragazza è tanto affascinata da quell'idillio da volerne entrare a far parte, non rendendosi conto che anche i matrimoni più solidi diventano fragili quando si entra a gamba tesa in un menage collaudato e fatto di routine.
Tutto il romanzo, poi, sembra essere ossessionato dal tema della maternità. Innanzitutto si apre con Arabella che va in una clinica ad abortire subito prima di trasferirsi da Anne ed Edmund. La madre, Clara, è una stata una madre assente che non vede l'ora di sbolognare la figlia da qualche parte e che si sente in competizione con Arabella (del resto, molti dei suoi mariti l'hanno molestata). Sono rimasta sconvolta da questa considerazione: Il guaio era che qualunque partito Arabella potesse giudicare allettante e che Clara trovasse adeguato era di certo un partito che avrebbe voluto anche lei e che molto probabilmente si sarebbe presa. Infatti, a un certo punto, sceglie per lei un marito più anziano del suo stesso marito, impotente, repellente e un po' tocco, a cui Arabella dovrebbe comunque dare un erede...
Anne ha invece deciso di non avere figli perché Edmund non ne voleva. Edmund è però il secondo marito di Anne. Il primo l'aveva infatti sposata proprio a causa di un ritardo per cui Anne credeva di essere incinta. Non è sicura di volere figli e, all'inizio, vorrebbe accogliere Arabella proprio come una figlia adottiva o, quanto meno, una sorellina minore.
Intanto la gatta di Anne, Ariadne partorisce cinque gattini, anche se uno muore e la gatta ne sembra sconvolta.
Di tanto in tanto, poi, vediamo la vita difficile di Janet, una ex attrice che ha dovuto rinunciare alla carriera perché è rimasta incinta due volte e che deve contare sul marito Henry - anche lui attorucolo senza ingaggio - per sopravvivere con i suoi bambini. Suo marito, però, ha perso la testa per Arabella ha lasciato Janet, tornando poi con la coda tra le gambe e senza un centesimo quando Arabella si stufa di lui (è lui il padre del bambino che la ragazza abortisce all'inizio del romanzo).
Anche il collega giovane di Edmund all'agenzia immobiliare per cui lavora è in procinto di diventare padre. Il suo attaccamento alla moglie e alla famiglia si contrappone alla trascuratezza degli altri legami sfilacciati del romanzo.
Lui è uno dei pochi uomini di Howard che si salvano, ma proprio per questo, di cui non vale la pena parlare, perché - come ho già detto in un'altra recensione - i suoi personaggi maschili principali sono sempre delle creature egoiste, meschine, superficiali. E sia Henry che Edmund sono perfettamente adeguati al loro ruolo.
Quando si trasferisce per un periodo a casa di uno pseudo-fratellastro, ovvero del figlio di uno dei tanti ex mariti di sua madre, Edmund, che è sposato da dieci anni con Anne in quello che sembra un matrimonio indistruttibile (almeno, agli occhi di Arabella, che è abituata ai matrimoni lampo della madre), la ragazza è tanto affascinata da quell'idillio da volerne entrare a far parte, non rendendosi conto che anche i matrimoni più solidi diventano fragili quando si entra a gamba tesa in un menage collaudato e fatto di routine.
Tutto il romanzo, poi, sembra essere ossessionato dal tema della maternità. Innanzitutto si apre con Arabella che va in una clinica ad abortire subito prima di trasferirsi da Anne ed Edmund. La madre, Clara, è una stata una madre assente che non vede l'ora di sbolognare la figlia da qualche parte e che si sente in competizione con Arabella (del resto, molti dei suoi mariti l'hanno molestata). Sono rimasta sconvolta da questa considerazione: Il guaio era che qualunque partito Arabella potesse giudicare allettante e che Clara trovasse adeguato era di certo un partito che avrebbe voluto anche lei e che molto probabilmente si sarebbe presa. Infatti, a un certo punto, sceglie per lei un marito più anziano del suo stesso marito, impotente, repellente e un po' tocco, a cui Arabella dovrebbe comunque dare un erede...
Anne ha invece deciso di non avere figli perché Edmund non ne voleva. Edmund è però il secondo marito di Anne. Il primo l'aveva infatti sposata proprio a causa di un ritardo per cui Anne credeva di essere incinta. Non è sicura di volere figli e, all'inizio, vorrebbe accogliere Arabella proprio come una figlia adottiva o, quanto meno, una sorellina minore.
Intanto la gatta di Anne, Ariadne partorisce cinque gattini, anche se uno muore e la gatta ne sembra sconvolta.
Di tanto in tanto, poi, vediamo la vita difficile di Janet, una ex attrice che ha dovuto rinunciare alla carriera perché è rimasta incinta due volte e che deve contare sul marito Henry - anche lui attorucolo senza ingaggio - per sopravvivere con i suoi bambini. Suo marito, però, ha perso la testa per Arabella ha lasciato Janet, tornando poi con la coda tra le gambe e senza un centesimo quando Arabella si stufa di lui (è lui il padre del bambino che la ragazza abortisce all'inizio del romanzo).
Anche il collega giovane di Edmund all'agenzia immobiliare per cui lavora è in procinto di diventare padre. Il suo attaccamento alla moglie e alla famiglia si contrappone alla trascuratezza degli altri legami sfilacciati del romanzo.
Lui è uno dei pochi uomini di Howard che si salvano, ma proprio per questo, di cui non vale la pena parlare, perché - come ho già detto in un'altra recensione - i suoi personaggi maschili principali sono sempre delle creature egoiste, meschine, superficiali. E sia Henry che Edmund sono perfettamente adeguati al loro ruolo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2019
3.5 Stars
I’m a bit hit-or-miss when it comes to Elizabeth Jane Howard, After Julius being the hit and The Long View the miss. (Getting It Right, which I read earlier this year and never got around to writing up at the time, fell somewhere between the two.) Odd Girl Out (1972) broadly fits into the ‘hit’ category for me, albeit with a few caveats here and there. It’s a novel about sexual attraction and secret relationships, largely played out against the comfortable background of the privileged middle classes in 1970s Berkshire.
Edmund and Anne Cornhill, both in their late thirties/early forties, have been happily married for ten years, content with themselves and one another in their own secluded world. Edmund travels to London each day where he works as an estate agent, a role that often involves the assessment of grand country houses. Meanwhile, Anne amuses herself by pottering in the garden, shopping for treats, and cooking delicious meals for Edmund to enjoy on his return.
As with any longstanding relationship, there are occasional niggles to be smoothed out. Anne wishes Edmund wouldn’t insist in bringing her breakfast in bed every morning (in truth she considers it a waste of valuable time), while Edmund promptly ignores Anne’s suggestions on which shirt-and-tie combination he should wear that day, preferring to select his own clothes instead. Nevertheless, the marriage is a comfortable one, both parties feeling fulfilled and contented.
To read the rest of my review, please click here:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2019...
I’m a bit hit-or-miss when it comes to Elizabeth Jane Howard, After Julius being the hit and The Long View the miss. (Getting It Right, which I read earlier this year and never got around to writing up at the time, fell somewhere between the two.) Odd Girl Out (1972) broadly fits into the ‘hit’ category for me, albeit with a few caveats here and there. It’s a novel about sexual attraction and secret relationships, largely played out against the comfortable background of the privileged middle classes in 1970s Berkshire.
Edmund and Anne Cornhill, both in their late thirties/early forties, have been happily married for ten years, content with themselves and one another in their own secluded world. Edmund travels to London each day where he works as an estate agent, a role that often involves the assessment of grand country houses. Meanwhile, Anne amuses herself by pottering in the garden, shopping for treats, and cooking delicious meals for Edmund to enjoy on his return.
As with any longstanding relationship, there are occasional niggles to be smoothed out. Anne wishes Edmund wouldn’t insist in bringing her breakfast in bed every morning (in truth she considers it a waste of valuable time), while Edmund promptly ignores Anne’s suggestions on which shirt-and-tie combination he should wear that day, preferring to select his own clothes instead. Nevertheless, the marriage is a comfortable one, both parties feeling fulfilled and contented.
To read the rest of my review, please click here:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2019...
January 13, 2017
As is usually the case with EJH novels, the writing is absolutely exquisite, and this novel has a very 1970s atmosphere: well, it was first published in 1972. Largely a contemplation of sexual morality and forbidden relationships, Howard describes in great detail the thoughts and emotions of a menage à trois and the lies they tell themselves. I wasn't expecting the way it all ended.
On the down side, the subject matter is not at all uplifting and therefore not recommended for any reader suffering from depression. Furthermore, the pace is very slow, with a surprising amount of everyday minutiae (lots about food and drink, for instance).
The secondary thread about Janet and Henry is very sparse and we only find out why it was inserted at the very end; a faint echo of the main story and a kick at the way women sometimes fall prey of abuse by men as they search for someone to love them. I enjoyed the feminist arguments put forth by Arabella, although it's rather disheartening to observe that much remains unchanged after over 40 years.
In conclusion, "Odd Girl Out" is a literary gem, but certainly not my favourite EJH novel!
On the down side, the subject matter is not at all uplifting and therefore not recommended for any reader suffering from depression. Furthermore, the pace is very slow, with a surprising amount of everyday minutiae (lots about food and drink, for instance).
The secondary thread about Janet and Henry is very sparse and we only find out why it was inserted at the very end; a faint echo of the main story and a kick at the way women sometimes fall prey of abuse by men as they search for someone to love them. I enjoyed the feminist arguments put forth by Arabella, although it's rather disheartening to observe that much remains unchanged after over 40 years.
In conclusion, "Odd Girl Out" is a literary gem, but certainly not my favourite EJH novel!
May 3, 2017
Oh what a beautiful, terrible world. Who is the odd girl out? These are the themes of this perfectly made 5th novel by the inestimable EJH. Not to be missed. Exquisite.
December 6, 2023
Un’analisi precisa, toccante e incredibilmente attuale dei rapporti di coppia, dei legami che stringiamo nel corso della vita, dell’amore e della solitudine in quanto tali.
Ho una passione per questa autrice inglese dai tempi della pubblicazione della saga dei Cazalet, e ogni sua opera che leggo non fa che confermare la mia idea. Vi basti solo pensare che non avevo mai usato le note del Kindle prima, ma che leggendo “Quel tipo di ragazza” ho dovuto iniziare, tanti erano i pensieri e gli spunti di riflessione che mi venivamo in mente pagina dopo pagina!
Anne e Edmund Cornhill, entrambi sulla quarantina, sono una coppia felice, appagata e ben assortita. Vivono in un’idilliaca dimora di campagna non lontana da Londra, dove lui si reca ogni giorno per lavoro, mentre lei si dedica alla casa, al giardino, alla gatta incinta e alla cucina, preparando deliziose cene per il marito.
Edmund ha una matrigna illustre, la ricchissima Clara, che conduce una vita mondana ed errante e un giorno chiede ai due di ospitare la figlia Arabella, ventenne bellissima e smarrita, che si presenta così sulla loro soglia con un ingombrante carico di abiti splendidi e di carenze affettive.
La comparsa della ragazza nella vita della coppia è fin da subito destabilizzante: Anne e Edmund, che non hanno figli, si sentono inizialmente chiamati a farle da genitori. Ma Arabella è una seduttrice nata e anche dietro le relazioni più solide si celano delle crepe. Ben presto, infatti, gli equilibri iniziano a traballare e la situazione degenera completamente.
Personalmente non sono d’accordo nella descrizione di Arabella come “seduttrice nata”. Sicuramente la giovane sa come ottenere quello che vuole e come conquistare le persone, ma in queste pagine quello che è emerge è che lo fa soprattutto per ottenere sicurezza e stabilità, non per il piacere di sedurre o simili – “Io volevo solo che tu mi volessi più bene […]. Ha funzionato?” chiede ad Edmund a un certo punto, e penso che dica molto sulla sua psicologia.
Arabella ha paura di essere abbandonata (di nuovo); non ha conosciuto mai alcuna stabilità né vero affetto nel corso della sua vita. Per questo cerca di piacere a ogni costo, si confa ai desideri altrui e praticamente si fa fare di tutto dagli altri, pensando tra l’altro che sia giustificato. Il modo in cui è stata cresciuta – o lasciata crescere – l’ha segnata in profondità.
Però è un personaggio che non risulta antipatico, e che non si impone come la rovina famiglie. Anzi! Arabella è una ragazzina, ma sincera e trasparente. Si lascia trasportare, non sa cosa fare della sua vita, è preda di facili entusiasmi. Ma ha vent’anni, e chissà che in futuro non maturi…
Edmund, invece, è il classico quarantenne in preda a una crisi di mezza età – e quanto poco sono cambiate le cose, oggi, rispetto agli anni ’50? Dopo un giorno che conosce Arabella perde la testa e fa pensieri esagerati – come quello di non aver mai provato niente di simile o l’importanza data a certi momenti – ma poi è anche veloce a tornare sui suoi passi, voltarle le spalle e tornare alla normale routine con la moglie. Lui sì che risulta odioso! Un cliché vivente del maschio infedele, tronfio e convinto di essere sempre nel giusto di ieri e di oggi.
Se il triangolo centrale dà da pensare, le parti che mi hanno commosso di più sono quelle di una storyline secondaria – quella di Janet, moglie e madre abbandonata dal compagno che decide di togliersi la vita – che occupa solo pochissime pagine. Il fatto che riesce a essere tanto dolorosa e potente e centrata la dice lunga sull’abilità di Elizabeth Jane Howard, che sa parlare dei sentimenti delle persone e delle difficoltà della vita di tutti i giorni in modo sublime. E poco importa che queste storie siano ambientate quasi cento anni fa: non perdono un grammo della loro forza, e sono vere ancora oggi. Chapeau!
Ho una passione per questa autrice inglese dai tempi della pubblicazione della saga dei Cazalet, e ogni sua opera che leggo non fa che confermare la mia idea. Vi basti solo pensare che non avevo mai usato le note del Kindle prima, ma che leggendo “Quel tipo di ragazza” ho dovuto iniziare, tanti erano i pensieri e gli spunti di riflessione che mi venivamo in mente pagina dopo pagina!
Anne e Edmund Cornhill, entrambi sulla quarantina, sono una coppia felice, appagata e ben assortita. Vivono in un’idilliaca dimora di campagna non lontana da Londra, dove lui si reca ogni giorno per lavoro, mentre lei si dedica alla casa, al giardino, alla gatta incinta e alla cucina, preparando deliziose cene per il marito.
Edmund ha una matrigna illustre, la ricchissima Clara, che conduce una vita mondana ed errante e un giorno chiede ai due di ospitare la figlia Arabella, ventenne bellissima e smarrita, che si presenta così sulla loro soglia con un ingombrante carico di abiti splendidi e di carenze affettive.
La comparsa della ragazza nella vita della coppia è fin da subito destabilizzante: Anne e Edmund, che non hanno figli, si sentono inizialmente chiamati a farle da genitori. Ma Arabella è una seduttrice nata e anche dietro le relazioni più solide si celano delle crepe. Ben presto, infatti, gli equilibri iniziano a traballare e la situazione degenera completamente.
Personalmente non sono d’accordo nella descrizione di Arabella come “seduttrice nata”. Sicuramente la giovane sa come ottenere quello che vuole e come conquistare le persone, ma in queste pagine quello che è emerge è che lo fa soprattutto per ottenere sicurezza e stabilità, non per il piacere di sedurre o simili – “Io volevo solo che tu mi volessi più bene […]. Ha funzionato?” chiede ad Edmund a un certo punto, e penso che dica molto sulla sua psicologia.
Arabella ha paura di essere abbandonata (di nuovo); non ha conosciuto mai alcuna stabilità né vero affetto nel corso della sua vita. Per questo cerca di piacere a ogni costo, si confa ai desideri altrui e praticamente si fa fare di tutto dagli altri, pensando tra l’altro che sia giustificato. Il modo in cui è stata cresciuta – o lasciata crescere – l’ha segnata in profondità.
Però è un personaggio che non risulta antipatico, e che non si impone come la rovina famiglie. Anzi! Arabella è una ragazzina, ma sincera e trasparente. Si lascia trasportare, non sa cosa fare della sua vita, è preda di facili entusiasmi. Ma ha vent’anni, e chissà che in futuro non maturi…
Edmund, invece, è il classico quarantenne in preda a una crisi di mezza età – e quanto poco sono cambiate le cose, oggi, rispetto agli anni ’50? Dopo un giorno che conosce Arabella perde la testa e fa pensieri esagerati – come quello di non aver mai provato niente di simile o l’importanza data a certi momenti – ma poi è anche veloce a tornare sui suoi passi, voltarle le spalle e tornare alla normale routine con la moglie. Lui sì che risulta odioso! Un cliché vivente del maschio infedele, tronfio e convinto di essere sempre nel giusto di ieri e di oggi.
Se il triangolo centrale dà da pensare, le parti che mi hanno commosso di più sono quelle di una storyline secondaria – quella di Janet, moglie e madre abbandonata dal compagno che decide di togliersi la vita – che occupa solo pochissime pagine. Il fatto che riesce a essere tanto dolorosa e potente e centrata la dice lunga sull’abilità di Elizabeth Jane Howard, che sa parlare dei sentimenti delle persone e delle difficoltà della vita di tutti i giorni in modo sublime. E poco importa che queste storie siano ambientate quasi cento anni fa: non perdono un grammo della loro forza, e sono vere ancora oggi. Chapeau!
July 5, 2014
This was a really interesting and marvelously written book which I really enjoyed. The time setting was unclear but having been published in 1972, I assumed it was from around that era. It did not state but references to monetary values clarified this somewhat. It is certainly not one of her best novels and not as good as the Cazalet books in which although semi-autobiographical EJH really came into her own. EJH has an enviable skill of making everyday life scenes very entertaining and compelling. She was an extremely gifted author.
This book without putting too many spoilers in it is a really compelling read with very interesting characters and EJH draws the reader very effectively into the story of life at Mulberry Lodge where most of the action takes place. The other scenes are in London. I found Arabella a really interesting character who was very compelling as she sounded initially cheeky and insolent but further into the story I also found her charming and vulnerable at the same time. She clearly had a lot of problems and I could understand her making that break in the end. I did question slightly whether someone of that age (she was 22) would be so sophisticated and highly informed about life as she was. Edmund was interesting too although more could have been done to describe how he looked as I struggled to picture him visually and not much description was given on how he looked and his appearance other than he was thirty eight. I imagined Edmund to be good looking?
Anne the faithful wife was clearly caring about Arabella. I did not quite understand the storyline with Henry and Janet and wondered if that storyline was necessary though it did provide breaks between scenes. I found the ending of that storyline quite upsetting which involved resentment of having children, possible undercurrents of domestic abuse and a suicide.
I felt that the story about Clara was entertaining and I could picture her clearly as in a film with her wealth and outlandish behaviour. I was kind of expecting there to be some sort of happy ending or twist and was half expecting Edmund to go after her, however I feel the most affectionate storyline oddly was between both women and I think Anne would have missed Arabella and I could sense that part of her did not want her to go in the end. Definitely worth reading.
This book without putting too many spoilers in it is a really compelling read with very interesting characters and EJH draws the reader very effectively into the story of life at Mulberry Lodge where most of the action takes place. The other scenes are in London. I found Arabella a really interesting character who was very compelling as she sounded initially cheeky and insolent but further into the story I also found her charming and vulnerable at the same time. She clearly had a lot of problems and I could understand her making that break in the end. I did question slightly whether someone of that age (she was 22) would be so sophisticated and highly informed about life as she was. Edmund was interesting too although more could have been done to describe how he looked as I struggled to picture him visually and not much description was given on how he looked and his appearance other than he was thirty eight. I imagined Edmund to be good looking?
Anne the faithful wife was clearly caring about Arabella. I did not quite understand the storyline with Henry and Janet and wondered if that storyline was necessary though it did provide breaks between scenes. I found the ending of that storyline quite upsetting which involved resentment of having children, possible undercurrents of domestic abuse and a suicide.
I felt that the story about Clara was entertaining and I could picture her clearly as in a film with her wealth and outlandish behaviour. I was kind of expecting there to be some sort of happy ending or twist and was half expecting Edmund to go after her, however I feel the most affectionate storyline oddly was between both women and I think Anne would have missed Arabella and I could sense that part of her did not want her to go in the end. Definitely worth reading.
December 2, 2011
Interesting story about what transpires when a beautiful, young woman comes to stay with a couple who thought they had an idyllic marriage. Not as good as The Cazelet Chronicle, by this author, which is a favorite and was done by Masterpiece Theatre.
February 2, 2022
I love the characters!
English: https://elifthereader.com/books/odd-g...
Türkçe: https://kitaplikkedisi.com/kitaplar/o...
English: https://elifthereader.com/books/odd-g...
Türkçe: https://kitaplikkedisi.com/kitaplar/o...
July 21, 2024
Me ha gustado mucho mucho, desde los CAZALET la autora me tiene enganchada, así q quise leer alguno más de ella. En este caso nos encontramos con un matrimonio con una vida tranquila y sin grandes sobresaltos, son felices sin grandes ilusiones o expectativas simplemente dejándose llevar. Todo cambia cuando una pariente viene a pasar unos días en su casa, pondrá todo patas arriba. Se trata de una novela de personajes que me ha encantado, simplemente es para dejarse llevar
January 27, 2025
Como siempre está muy bien escrito, con esa prosa tan elegante de Elizabeth Jane Howard, que me tiene enamorada.
Y, aunque me parece una novela muy buena novela, tal vez su tono decididamente desesperanzado y algo pesimista, así como la trama (que me ha interesado menos que en otras ocasiones), no es de mis preferidas de esta magnífica autora.
Y, aunque me parece una novela muy buena novela, tal vez su tono decididamente desesperanzado y algo pesimista, así como la trama (que me ha interesado menos que en otras ocasiones), no es de mis preferidas de esta magnífica autora.
September 8, 2016
A Very Good Read
Elizabeth Jane Howard is like a 20th century Jane Austen, with household dramas, comedies of manners and satisfying truths about human nature. She starts with a seemingly perfect marriage, then disrupts it with uncharacteristically bad behavior on all counts, leaving you wondering how things will ever be right again. Miracle of miracles, she puts the pieces back together again. Her writing is fluid, wise, and entertaining. I recommend any of her many books.
Elizabeth Jane Howard is like a 20th century Jane Austen, with household dramas, comedies of manners and satisfying truths about human nature. She starts with a seemingly perfect marriage, then disrupts it with uncharacteristically bad behavior on all counts, leaving you wondering how things will ever be right again. Miracle of miracles, she puts the pieces back together again. Her writing is fluid, wise, and entertaining. I recommend any of her many books.
July 26, 2018
What finer thing can there be to discover an author with an extensive back catalogue who you fall in love with on your first acquaintance?
I LOVED this languid tale and cannot wait to jump into some more of Ms Howard.
I LOVED this languid tale and cannot wait to jump into some more of Ms Howard.
October 16, 2019
Set in the early 1970s, we meet Anne & Edmund who live in their own little bubble. Edmund goes off to work in London each day whilst Anne stays at home supervising the cleaner, doing some gardening and making sure she, dinner & a drink are ready for Edmund when he comes home from work. A seemingly idyllic life that few of us can comprehend. Throw into this Edmund's sort of step-sister Arabella. She is a young 20 something who swans around the world asking for money from her Mother & dodging the old men that her Mother wants her to marry. It doesn't take much for Edmund and Anne to be thrown off balance by the arrival of Arabella.
This is a book about people and relationships. Although set in an entitled world, the havoc that people can create in each other's lives can be seen in all sorts of relationships. Edmund, Anne & Arabella all have different pasts which affect how they respond to each other. Arabella has her own moral code in which she won't lie but is quite happy to wreck relationships and then just move on.
I very much enjoyed this book. It wasn't what I was anticipating, having very much enjoyed the Cazalet series by the same author. This is about individuals and not a family saga. I found the relationships between the characters interesting. There is a second thread to the story which shows a much more brutal side to Arabella's behaviour - a world where the consequences of her actions & other people's reactions are much more significant.
This is not a gentle read although it may appear so on the surface. However, I found it easy to listen to (I was listening to this on audio as opposed to reading it) and did want to keep coming back to it. The book has stayed with me for the few days since I completed it - how complex people are & how one decision can set off a chain of destruction.
This is a book about people and relationships. Although set in an entitled world, the havoc that people can create in each other's lives can be seen in all sorts of relationships. Edmund, Anne & Arabella all have different pasts which affect how they respond to each other. Arabella has her own moral code in which she won't lie but is quite happy to wreck relationships and then just move on.
I very much enjoyed this book. It wasn't what I was anticipating, having very much enjoyed the Cazalet series by the same author. This is about individuals and not a family saga. I found the relationships between the characters interesting. There is a second thread to the story which shows a much more brutal side to Arabella's behaviour - a world where the consequences of her actions & other people's reactions are much more significant.
This is not a gentle read although it may appear so on the surface. However, I found it easy to listen to (I was listening to this on audio as opposed to reading it) and did want to keep coming back to it. The book has stayed with me for the few days since I completed it - how complex people are & how one decision can set off a chain of destruction.
June 29, 2021
I wish they’d have a half 🌟I’d like to give this wonderful little book 4 1/2 not quite a 5 . 2 reasons 1.) the ending which is rather sudden , 2.) can’t give too much away & spoil the twists but I’m pretty sure that no woman with a heart in modern society would do what she did to Arba Bella at the end . but hey apart from that it’s a treat. In true EJH style - why isn’t she more widely read ! Her characterisation is superb & how each one develops and changes , you go through a range of thoughts 💭 about her characters , so you start by having no option of a character then you like them then you think oh not so sure and then you truly despise them towards the end. She has been compared to jane Austen and it’s true I haven’t read many authors who can pull characters off with so many human traits as these two ladies. In a recent podcast I listened to on bbc sounds she describes herself as a slow writer , and the world is poorer for not having more of her legacy left , but apparently she was an avid gardener and that was her passion in rural Suffolk before she past away in her 90s in 2014. Anyway I do wish the publishers would re launch 🚀 these wonderful novels with updated covers as they’re so old fashioned and have nothing in common at all with the actual story ! Probably puts a lot of people off , my copy was an original 70s penguin paperback I picked up in the book barn - largest second hand bookshop in the midlands in the UK in Bedworth near Nuneaton in case you fancy a visit it’s in the middle of nowhere with an amazing cafe to boot . Back to the book - I was gripped I loved it would have read it sooner if not so busy and just as good as an early cazalet chronicles - which btw have been re published with updated covers ! About time ! Collecting those now too ! Happy 😃 reading
February 6, 2017
Kept thinking Edmund was the worst, and the EJH would remind me of Henry. Love how all three women were the "odd girl out" at some point. Although I feel sorriest for Arabella, she almost certainly has the happiest ending (I'm choosing to believe she gets what she wants, here. Maybe you're not meant to, but I want to.) Anne will probably be happy enough, I guess. Poor Janet. I loved this book way more than I expected to.
January 17, 2015
From BBC Radio 4 Extra:
Claire Skinner reads from Elizabeth Jane Howard's classic story of a contented marriage disrupted by the arrival of a rich and beautiful third party. Abridged by Doreen Estall.
Claire Skinner reads from Elizabeth Jane Howard's classic story of a contented marriage disrupted by the arrival of a rich and beautiful third party. Abridged by Doreen Estall.
January 21, 2015
I really enjoyed this book (the narrator also helped as she had a soothing voice.
Although it was written about 40 years ago it still felt like a contemporary novel and had a twist in it that I wasn't expecting. I will have to check out some more from the author
Although it was written about 40 years ago it still felt like a contemporary novel and had a twist in it that I wasn't expecting. I will have to check out some more from the author
March 7, 2018
She is as always sheer class. Her characterisation is superb, no one handles mulitple characters so convincingly and so effortlessly as Howard. Add wit and intelligence and she is unbeatable.
Still she is ridiculously under-rated like so many brilliant female novelists.
Still she is ridiculously under-rated like so many brilliant female novelists.
February 17, 2025
First 1972 Jonathan Cape ISBN 0-224-00661-4
September 29, 2023
Edmund e Anne conducono un’esistenza tranquilla e il loro appare dall’esterno e dall’interno un matrimonio felice. Eppure l’arrivo di Arabella, la figlia della matrigna di Edmund, rimischierà le carte in tavola e farà vacillare la loro unione. Ecco che in questo modo Elizabeth Jane Howard in “Quel tipo di ragazza”, tradotto da Manuela Francescon per Fazi, insinua il dubbio nei lettori inducendoli a riflettere se la realtà delle cose è davvero quella che si vede. Infatti, basta poco per incrinare il “solido” rapporto di Edmund e Anne, un rapporto che non ha nulla di travolgente e che non è guidato da una dirompente passione, ma che piuttosto si tiene in piedi per quel senso di sicurezza e serenità che s’instaura in una lunga relazione a due.
Recensione completa su: https://cocktaildilibri.globewanderin...
Recensione completa su: https://cocktaildilibri.globewanderin...
May 13, 2020
I first read it years ago when I was a teenager and loved its sophistication, descriptions of lovely rooms, flowers, elegant lifestyles and of course the food.
It has aged well actually, even with the dated clothes and amount of smoking. Brilliant characterization with the three main ones all likable and horrible in turns. The poor little rich girl started to get on my nerves as she did years ago, and the husband is increasingly awful. The wife is very believable summing up the whole thing beautifully at the end.
It has aged well actually, even with the dated clothes and amount of smoking. Brilliant characterization with the three main ones all likable and horrible in turns. The poor little rich girl started to get on my nerves as she did years ago, and the husband is increasingly awful. The wife is very believable summing up the whole thing beautifully at the end.
May 25, 2024
Soporifer. Lent.
July 19, 2024
Esta escritora me encanta como escribe y sus historias, en las cuales los personajes lo son todo.
May 16, 2020
Liked it, the visual descriptions are lovely. Marital relationship is intriguing.
May 11, 2020
audio book
July 7, 2023
An elegantly written classic novel from EJH. Tense, insightful and understated, this excellent novel builds towards an exciting ending and never disappoints. It's slightly outdated as "normal" relationships aren't quite what they were then, but actually it's amazing how much they have stayed the same, as have the people and the attitudes within them.
April 26, 2020
Odd Girl Out is the story of Anne and Edmund Cornhill, blissfully contented, whose marriage is upended when amoral, unhappy Arabella comes to stay. Compellingly written; so sharp, perceptive and honest about the characters' relationships, how their feelings do a complete U-turn in a drastically short time, what they're hiding from each other and from themselves. I devoured it in a couple of days.
Occasionally we detour into minor sub-plots. One involves Arabella's mother, a rich, heartless playgirl who's jealous of Arabella and trying to marry her off to some of her cast-off lovers. Also, Janet, whose husband Henry was Arabella's previous lover. These create the sense of a story world where love is precarious and unreliable, even when it looks completely solid. It creates a warning note at the end for Arabella as she sets off with good intentions and high hopes. The Cornhills also have a cat who has just given birth to a litter of kittens - a device that enables some of the extramarital intimacies, and also reinforces the idea of love and attraction as a force of nature, irresistible and capricious.
Anyway, it's superbly written. It gives the impression that if you met Elizabeth Jane Howard, you'd never get away with a white lie because she seems to have x-ray vision for the human soul.
Occasionally we detour into minor sub-plots. One involves Arabella's mother, a rich, heartless playgirl who's jealous of Arabella and trying to marry her off to some of her cast-off lovers. Also, Janet, whose husband Henry was Arabella's previous lover. These create the sense of a story world where love is precarious and unreliable, even when it looks completely solid. It creates a warning note at the end for Arabella as she sets off with good intentions and high hopes. The Cornhills also have a cat who has just given birth to a litter of kittens - a device that enables some of the extramarital intimacies, and also reinforces the idea of love and attraction as a force of nature, irresistible and capricious.
Anyway, it's superbly written. It gives the impression that if you met Elizabeth Jane Howard, you'd never get away with a white lie because she seems to have x-ray vision for the human soul.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2024
A stand alone novel from the author of the Cazalet Chronicles. A book that grows layers as it progresses: perceptive, insightful, witty and bold. This edition not only bears a lovely cover, but also a sparkling and astute introduction from the late, much missed Hilary Mantel who was a fan of Elizabeth Jane Howard. She is, she writes ‘one of those novelists who shows, through her work, what the novel is for. She enables us to see when we are myopic. … She helps us to do the necessary thing - open our eyes and our hearts.’
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews