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The Awakening of Miss Prim
Prudencia Prim is a young woman of intelligence and achievement, with a deep knowledge of literature and several letters after her name. But when she accepts the post of private librarian in the village of San Ireneo de Arnois, she is unprepared for what she encounters there. Her employer, a book-loving intellectual, is dashing yet contrarian, always ready with a critique of her cherished Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott. The neighbours, too, are capable of charm and eccentricity in equal measure, determined as they are to preserve their singular little community from the modern world outside. Prudencia hoped for friendship in San Ireneo but she didn't suspect that she might find love - nor that the course of her new life would run quite so rocky, would offer challenge and heartache as well as joy, discovery and fireside debate. The Awakening of Miss Prim is a distinctive and delightfully entertaining tale of literature, philosophy and the search for happiness.
336 pages, Paperback
First published April 4, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,710 reviews
August 23, 2014
There's a bit of an "awakening" associated with finishing this book. You're suddenly aware that you wasted all that time on a painfully mediocre novel when you could have been reading something else.
I think the author embarked upon this writing journey with a romance novel in mind, wanted to make it feel as if it had depth, and also as if she had depth. She then set about adding a dash of whimsy and quirk, hoping to garner praise for being "original", only to have this fall apart on so many levels, and in so many ways, it would take longer to enumerate them than it took to read it. It was full of "almosts" -- you almost find the characters and storyline charming, you almost enjoy the banter between the main characters, you almost find it familiar, you almost lose yourself in the setting... And, the biggest almost of all... You almost chose a different book to read.
I gave this one star for being a translation and, therefore, possibly suffering from something not carrying through, and the other star for it being a debut. Not quite the reckless waste of paper and criminal disregard of ink that some novels are, but... almost.
I think the author embarked upon this writing journey with a romance novel in mind, wanted to make it feel as if it had depth, and also as if she had depth. She then set about adding a dash of whimsy and quirk, hoping to garner praise for being "original", only to have this fall apart on so many levels, and in so many ways, it would take longer to enumerate them than it took to read it. It was full of "almosts" -- you almost find the characters and storyline charming, you almost enjoy the banter between the main characters, you almost find it familiar, you almost lose yourself in the setting... And, the biggest almost of all... You almost chose a different book to read.
I gave this one star for being a translation and, therefore, possibly suffering from something not carrying through, and the other star for it being a debut. Not quite the reckless waste of paper and criminal disregard of ink that some novels are, but... almost.
June 18, 2015
I am failing in my attempt to review this book. And it's so necessary because there are number of negative reviews about this book which are terribly unjustified.
I'm going to have to come back when I've had a little time to really digest it.
In the meantime, this book takes the reader to a place that is so idyllic and literary but it could only exist in our dreams but oh how much we wish it really did exist here.
I really hope that this author is going to be writing more books like this. I think I will have to put it next to the Guernsey literary and potato peel pie society and 84 Charing Cross Rd. on my shelf.
I'm going to have to come back when I've had a little time to really digest it.
In the meantime, this book takes the reader to a place that is so idyllic and literary but it could only exist in our dreams but oh how much we wish it really did exist here.
I really hope that this author is going to be writing more books like this. I think I will have to put it next to the Guernsey literary and potato peel pie society and 84 Charing Cross Rd. on my shelf.
January 19, 2019
Ugh! Life is too short for such absolute nonsense. Miss Prim (me thinks the author has named her not wisely, but too well) is a sort of look at what's wrong with modern life and love. The author has many ideas to throw at you the basic one is you can not love another until you love God. This is a fine idea, If she had stated that baldly from the first, I wouldn't have cared so much, but she makes you find it in tons of drivel. I guess you are supposed to be as obtuse as Miss Prim, with her high-falutin' college degree.
I like honesty with my books and relationships. Ms. Fenollera at the same time as she's trying to say that the simple life is best, also tries to stun the reader with her knowledge of art, history, and literature.
I like honesty with my books and relationships. Ms. Fenollera at the same time as she's trying to say that the simple life is best, also tries to stun the reader with her knowledge of art, history, and literature.
September 29, 2016
I'm actually quite close to giving it a 5 star rating... I'll probably change it when I reread it. This book was completely unexpected in the story it gave me. Here I was thinking it would be a delightful, light long weekend vacation type of read. It was a delightful long weekend vacation read but it is anything but "light". Fenollera captures the themes of literature, philosophy, the search for happiness, and love all in the smart pages. She then brings in the notion of a small town completely self sustaining with ideas that they are better equipped to educate their children than the modern education system. Miss Prim finds herself among a group of people that she didn't realize she needed in her life.
I was swept up in the philosophy discourses (at times trying to sort it out in my head.. I've never had the mind for a good old fashion discussion in formal logic and the nature of man.. but have had the secret wish to have that mind). Listening in on the children's lessons involving quotes from Virgil, Horace, Donne, and numerous other great minds left me in a state of marvel over how big and vast literature and learning can be. My own education and mastery of one language (English) seems so woefully inadequate when Fenollera writes about how these children are educated. I loved it and found it inspiring. I'm searching for a copy of Donne's work. When their teacher refers to education in the "classics" he isn't thinking Dickens or Austen... no.. he is thinking the ancient minds that formed and postulated much of the themes of our modern day ideology but with more finesse. Miss Prim brings in the body of emotion that the Man in Wing Chair lacks. His mind is one of logic, philosophy, order whereas she tempers that in her own mind with an acknowledgement of the importance of emotion. Though at times, she suppresses emotion quite adeptly. To try to sum up this bright book: This is a story of a woman who sheds what she once was to make steps towards her true potential. I kept thinking of Brene Brown's work on vulnerability and authenticity as I read the path of awakening that Miss Prim takes in this book. It was a stellar read. I know I missed some of its deeper themes and I'm already planning a reread to try to capture what I missed. I'll leave it with one of my favorite quotes from the book: "This was where she discovered that intelligence, this wonderful gift, grows in silence not in noise. It was here too that she learnt that a human mind, a truly human mind, is nurtured over time, with hard work and discpline". It gives me a thrill to know learning never stops, my mind is still in the process of nurturing, and that intelligence is ever growing.
I was swept up in the philosophy discourses (at times trying to sort it out in my head.. I've never had the mind for a good old fashion discussion in formal logic and the nature of man.. but have had the secret wish to have that mind). Listening in on the children's lessons involving quotes from Virgil, Horace, Donne, and numerous other great minds left me in a state of marvel over how big and vast literature and learning can be. My own education and mastery of one language (English) seems so woefully inadequate when Fenollera writes about how these children are educated. I loved it and found it inspiring. I'm searching for a copy of Donne's work. When their teacher refers to education in the "classics" he isn't thinking Dickens or Austen... no.. he is thinking the ancient minds that formed and postulated much of the themes of our modern day ideology but with more finesse. Miss Prim brings in the body of emotion that the Man in Wing Chair lacks. His mind is one of logic, philosophy, order whereas she tempers that in her own mind with an acknowledgement of the importance of emotion. Though at times, she suppresses emotion quite adeptly. To try to sum up this bright book: This is a story of a woman who sheds what she once was to make steps towards her true potential. I kept thinking of Brene Brown's work on vulnerability and authenticity as I read the path of awakening that Miss Prim takes in this book. It was a stellar read. I know I missed some of its deeper themes and I'm already planning a reread to try to capture what I missed. I'll leave it with one of my favorite quotes from the book: "This was where she discovered that intelligence, this wonderful gift, grows in silence not in noise. It was here too that she learnt that a human mind, a truly human mind, is nurtured over time, with hard work and discpline". It gives me a thrill to know learning never stops, my mind is still in the process of nurturing, and that intelligence is ever growing.
February 10, 2018
This is a hard book to rate. All the ideas I love to read about are there. I really want to hug the author and thank her for throwing this out there. But I often found myself annoyed while reading it. Perhaps, it was a bit sanctimonious even while trying so hard not to be. I enjoyed the town of San Ireono and yes, it would be a great place to live with all the tea and cakes and conversation. I would have liked it more if the characters were more developed than the ideals. Nevertheless, good job to the author on putting some great ideas out there. Truth, goodness, and beauty will save the world.
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July 13, 2025I read this book in 2016 and have no idea how it would hit me now. I decided to edit my somewhat scathing original review because I’m a published author now and I don’t think I should be point-scoring at the expense of people who work alongside me, figuratively speaking.
LIGHTLY EDITED BUT STILL HONEST REVIEW:
This book astonished, excited, and ultimately really disappointed me.
This Spanish novel, which is a best seller, sets out to convince you that in the perfect Chestertonian Christian community, people will have home-based businesses, teach their children dead languages, and everyone will feast constantly on pastries and rare teas while discussing great art and great books. In short, I am the perfect audience for this book. Where do I sign up?!
By the end of the book, my husband and I wanted to scream every time the word "toast" was mentioned.
So what went wrong?
The set up was intriguing and charming. At first. Because the set up kept on going until about page 200, when the heroine first encountered conflict. The resolution was also very disappointing to me because everything significant happened off page.
The author makes it clear from some very enjoyable discussions between the characters that Jane Austen is one of the author's literary role models, but Austen was actually quite tough on her characters. Most of her heroines have to experience a painful moral crucible in which they realize and turn away from their besetting sins, and it certainly doesn't happen off screen.
In contrast, Miss Prim has her awakening after a few awkward social interractions, a half-baked crush, and a luxurious tour of Italy. We should all be so lucky?!
I laughed out loud at bookish conversations about things that I, too, love to natter on about with friends, but a handful of opinions I happen to mainly agree with is not enough to sustain a novel (in my view), especially one that aspires to be as culturally subversive as this one.
I completely understand why some of my readers enjoyed this book and I have no desire to shame anyone for loving it. I would have liked to love it too.
LIGHTLY EDITED BUT STILL HONEST REVIEW:
This book astonished, excited, and ultimately really disappointed me.
This Spanish novel, which is a best seller, sets out to convince you that in the perfect Chestertonian Christian community, people will have home-based businesses, teach their children dead languages, and everyone will feast constantly on pastries and rare teas while discussing great art and great books. In short, I am the perfect audience for this book. Where do I sign up?!
By the end of the book, my husband and I wanted to scream every time the word "toast" was mentioned.
So what went wrong?
The set up was intriguing and charming. At first. Because the set up kept on going until about page 200, when the heroine first encountered conflict. The resolution was also very disappointing to me because everything significant happened off page.
The author makes it clear from some very enjoyable discussions between the characters that Jane Austen is one of the author's literary role models, but Austen was actually quite tough on her characters. Most of her heroines have to experience a painful moral crucible in which they realize and turn away from their besetting sins, and it certainly doesn't happen off screen.
In contrast, Miss Prim has her awakening after a few awkward social interractions, a half-baked crush, and a luxurious tour of Italy. We should all be so lucky?!
I laughed out loud at bookish conversations about things that I, too, love to natter on about with friends, but a handful of opinions I happen to mainly agree with is not enough to sustain a novel (in my view), especially one that aspires to be as culturally subversive as this one.
I completely understand why some of my readers enjoyed this book and I have no desire to shame anyone for loving it. I would have liked to love it too.
February 6, 2017
Some people will love this book and some will not and I can understand both. If you are practical and logical and to the point you may not - if you are philosophical and ideological you may. I liked parts and others frustrated me. I guess that makes me a bit unstable! The time period this is set in is unknown to me. Since it takes place in an enclave that rejects many modern conveniences, I just have no idea. There are cars. And there are monks. There is a lot of talk about Greek and Latin grammar. It is however a book about books for the most part, so that’s a plus.
This is rife with philosophical contortions, convoluted cryptic dialogue and mystical and twisted logic. Our two main characters are a pompous holier-than-thou male who is devilishly attractive and annoying at the same time. Miss Prim prefers delicacy, beauty and manners above all and has quite the hard time adjusting to a strange town who's inhabitants emit a cult-like vibe. It is a self-sufficient enclave that is isolated from the rest of the world to preserve old ways and manners and peaceful existence. People come to escape from the rest of the world and enjoy a slower gentler place. At times it felt creepy and others lovely. I do like their attitude toward classical homeschooling and their general caring for each other in the community. Constant references to classical and ancient literature, languages and art was over the top. There were references to references. There are several wise elders in this one and some delightful children.
Here is some of the better philosophy from the town's 95 year old matron:
Because fundamentally, nothing changes, you know. The huge old mistakes emerge time and again from the depths, like cunning monsters stalking prey. If you could sit at the window and watch human history unfold, do you know what you’d see.
You’d see an immense chain of mistakes repeat over the centuries, that’s what. You’d watch them, arrayed in different garb, hidden behind various masks, concealed beneath a multitude of disguises, but they’d remain the same.
Young people today extend their childhood well beyond the chronologically allotted time. They’re immature and irresponsible at an age when they should no long be so. But at the same time they lose their simplicity, their innocence and freshness early. Strange as it sounds, they grow old early… Those children have grown up unfamiliar with the great ideals that have shaped people for generations and made them strong. They have been taught to view them with contempt and, in their place, to substitute something cloying and sentimental that even they find unsatisfying and repellent.
What they are getting is sophism – foul rotten sophism.. Sophists have taken over schools and are working hard for their cause.
Tradition is ageless, child. It’s modernity that ages.
If you like mind exercises, go for this one. On the other hand you may want to throw it across the room. In that case, you'll be glad it is a small book.
This is rife with philosophical contortions, convoluted cryptic dialogue and mystical and twisted logic. Our two main characters are a pompous holier-than-thou male who is devilishly attractive and annoying at the same time. Miss Prim prefers delicacy, beauty and manners above all and has quite the hard time adjusting to a strange town who's inhabitants emit a cult-like vibe. It is a self-sufficient enclave that is isolated from the rest of the world to preserve old ways and manners and peaceful existence. People come to escape from the rest of the world and enjoy a slower gentler place. At times it felt creepy and others lovely. I do like their attitude toward classical homeschooling and their general caring for each other in the community. Constant references to classical and ancient literature, languages and art was over the top. There were references to references. There are several wise elders in this one and some delightful children.
Here is some of the better philosophy from the town's 95 year old matron:
Because fundamentally, nothing changes, you know. The huge old mistakes emerge time and again from the depths, like cunning monsters stalking prey. If you could sit at the window and watch human history unfold, do you know what you’d see.
You’d see an immense chain of mistakes repeat over the centuries, that’s what. You’d watch them, arrayed in different garb, hidden behind various masks, concealed beneath a multitude of disguises, but they’d remain the same.
Young people today extend their childhood well beyond the chronologically allotted time. They’re immature and irresponsible at an age when they should no long be so. But at the same time they lose their simplicity, their innocence and freshness early. Strange as it sounds, they grow old early… Those children have grown up unfamiliar with the great ideals that have shaped people for generations and made them strong. They have been taught to view them with contempt and, in their place, to substitute something cloying and sentimental that even they find unsatisfying and repellent.
What they are getting is sophism – foul rotten sophism.. Sophists have taken over schools and are working hard for their cause.
Tradition is ageless, child. It’s modernity that ages.
If you like mind exercises, go for this one. On the other hand you may want to throw it across the room. In that case, you'll be glad it is a small book.
July 26, 2013
Se me hace difícil hablar de esta novela, es de esos libros en los que tras acabar no terminas de tener claro si te ha gustado o no, pero en cualquier caso sí que tengo que decir que he disfrutado con su lectura. Evidentemente se trata de un libro distinto, incluso peculiar podríamos decir. Un libro que se sale fuera de los estereotipos a los que estamos acostumbrados, un libro que invita a tomar una taza de té, a disfrutar de un chocolate caliente, a ponerse junto a la chimenea en días de frío, a pararse a conversar.., y es que dan ganas de hacer las cosas que uno va leyendo a lo largo de la historia.
Aunque seguro que muchos lectores no lo verán así, me quedó la sensación de que en El despertar de la señorita Prim subyace una novela de autoayuda, pero no al estilo habitual al que podemos estar acostumbrados, está por encima de ese nivel y en esta historia nos encontramos multitud de referencias literarias, así como homenajes y guiños a clásicos de la literatura que no suelen aparecer en esos pseudomanuales de los que hablaba antes. Es muy de agradecer que pese a las continuas referencias a obras y personajes de la literatura el libro esté escrito con frescura con unos buenos diálogos que enriquecen en buena parte la historia.
Respecto al libro en sí, me gustó mucho el comienzo con una historia muy bien pergeñada en la que uno está ansioso por ir sabiendo que deparará el futuro a los protagonistas, Prudencia Prim y el señor del sillón. Pero algo antes de la mitad del libro la historia comienza a perder fuelle, no termina de avanzar, es un sí, pero no y es como si ese estilo directo con el que comenzaba se quedase un poco sin argumentos con los que continuar.
Y ahora vamos con los peros: no me gustan los libros que dejan un final abierto, y aunque el de El despertar de la señorita Prim no es de los peores creo que desmerece un poco la historia y la deja como si estuviera falta de rematar, supongo que más o menos todos los que llegamos al final de la historia podemos intuir como continuaría pero lo dicho, me gusta que me den la historia resuelta, y aquí no sucede. Supongo que era esa la intención de la autora, porque estoy convencido de que tenía y disponía de recursos más que suficientes para haber ofrecido un final más hecho.
Posiblemente sea sensación mía pero creo que los personajes femeninos de la historia están mejor diseñados que los masculinos, y personalmente hay uno que me ha defraudado un tanto y quizás debía haberse trabajado algo más, el monje.
Decía más arriba que esta novela es fresca, ligera incluso pero lo cierto es que el tratamiento que hace de algunos temas, como por ejemplo el de la educación puede invitar a una serena reflexión y es que mucho de esta novela tiene bastante enjundia y no es para dejarlo caer en saco roto.
Empezaba diciendo que no sabía si la historia me había o no gustado, y es verdad, pero también hay que reconocer que la autora consigue en esta, su primera novela, llegar un puntito más allá de donde estamos acostumbrados y eso también hay que valorarlo.
Me da la sensación de que es un libro que va a ir a más, y en el que, pese a tener una editorial muy importante detrás, el boca a boca va a jugar un papel muy importante en su futuro. Eso siempre es una buena señal.
Aunque seguro que muchos lectores no lo verán así, me quedó la sensación de que en El despertar de la señorita Prim subyace una novela de autoayuda, pero no al estilo habitual al que podemos estar acostumbrados, está por encima de ese nivel y en esta historia nos encontramos multitud de referencias literarias, así como homenajes y guiños a clásicos de la literatura que no suelen aparecer en esos pseudomanuales de los que hablaba antes. Es muy de agradecer que pese a las continuas referencias a obras y personajes de la literatura el libro esté escrito con frescura con unos buenos diálogos que enriquecen en buena parte la historia.
Respecto al libro en sí, me gustó mucho el comienzo con una historia muy bien pergeñada en la que uno está ansioso por ir sabiendo que deparará el futuro a los protagonistas, Prudencia Prim y el señor del sillón. Pero algo antes de la mitad del libro la historia comienza a perder fuelle, no termina de avanzar, es un sí, pero no y es como si ese estilo directo con el que comenzaba se quedase un poco sin argumentos con los que continuar.
Y ahora vamos con los peros: no me gustan los libros que dejan un final abierto, y aunque el de El despertar de la señorita Prim no es de los peores creo que desmerece un poco la historia y la deja como si estuviera falta de rematar, supongo que más o menos todos los que llegamos al final de la historia podemos intuir como continuaría pero lo dicho, me gusta que me den la historia resuelta, y aquí no sucede. Supongo que era esa la intención de la autora, porque estoy convencido de que tenía y disponía de recursos más que suficientes para haber ofrecido un final más hecho.
Posiblemente sea sensación mía pero creo que los personajes femeninos de la historia están mejor diseñados que los masculinos, y personalmente hay uno que me ha defraudado un tanto y quizás debía haberse trabajado algo más, el monje.
Decía más arriba que esta novela es fresca, ligera incluso pero lo cierto es que el tratamiento que hace de algunos temas, como por ejemplo el de la educación puede invitar a una serena reflexión y es que mucho de esta novela tiene bastante enjundia y no es para dejarlo caer en saco roto.
Empezaba diciendo que no sabía si la historia me había o no gustado, y es verdad, pero también hay que reconocer que la autora consigue en esta, su primera novela, llegar un puntito más allá de donde estamos acostumbrados y eso también hay que valorarlo.
Me da la sensación de que es un libro que va a ir a más, y en el que, pese a tener una editorial muy importante detrás, el boca a boca va a jugar un papel muy importante en su futuro. Eso siempre es una buena señal.
July 16, 2015
Once in a great while there comes a time when all the planets align and you stumble upon a book that touches you deeply on so many levels. I'm a better person for reading Miss Prim. This book is aptly named. I enjoyed the gentle unfolding of wisdom of the ages, with a touch of love, and a whole lot of truth In education and from the great books, and a full embrace of the simple lifestyle in its healing the ills of society and individuals. I will be revisiting this book again and I hope, with fingers crossed, that this fledgling novelist writes more. I would add "quickly", but then that would go against the principles she so carefully explains and espouses in this novel.
September 15, 2021
"Four female Ghostbusters?! The feminists are taking over!"
*coughs*
Good news first: The setting is lovely. Truly, lovely. And deftly evoked: just enough detail, but not too much. The attitudes of debate and discussion in the book, problematic though I found most of them, at least provided a stimulating intellectual atmosphere that does challenge the reader to think. So that's good. And the end is probably the best part -- peaceful, pulsing, and (finally) possessing some subtlety. (The resolution is not spelled out for you in black and white; rather, it is written in such a way as leaves little doubt, but is just vague enough to be aesthetically satisfying.)
So I have stated what I liked, and now I can move on to what I disliked. And thank goodness because BOY-HOWDY THESE CHARACTERS & AGENDAS THO.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(To begin with, we encounter our protagonist, Miss Prudencia Prim.) I know my name is not exactly the pinnacle of authorial subtlety, but please, no jumping to conclusions as to my character. If there's one thing I hate(other than insensitivity, homeschooling, faith, marriage, and probably a couple other things), it's jumping to conclusions as to a person's character based upon first impressions.
(Next, we have the community of San Ireneo de Arnois.) We, the people of San Ireneo, are possessed of a rare intellectual, sociological, and philosophical Enlightenment that gives us the ability to view the modern world for the morally degenerative and cerebrally challenged cesspool that it is. Nice to meet you. (Also: We're better than you and that opinion you have -- any of your opinions will do -- is Wrong. Just so you know.)
[And finally, we're blessed by the man himself. (The Man in the Wing Chair, to be precise.)] You know that guy who sits at the table with the sign, "I will argue with anybody about anything"? That's me. (But, secure in the knowledge of the absolute correctness of all of my ideas, I will debate you amiably and indulgently because aren't you deluded peasants cute.) You will never learn my actual name, but know that in addition to possessing flawless rhetoric to which everyone's arguments must inevitably bow; the beneficence of hyper-Classically educating a small group of children; concrete and elevated opinions on literature (I am an undisputed authority on the subject); and an impressive if not incredibly pragmatic fluency in multiple dead languages, I am also Charming™ . I will absolutely cause My Dear Prudencia to fall head-over-heels for me. (Every woman, you will come to learn, is attracted to someone who takes it upon himself to inform her of the utter, objective inaccuracy of every single one of her opinions.) (And she will for sure Come to Her Senses and realize that She Is Wrong about everything and I Am Right about everything. Because, love.)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Are you getting the picture? It's just . . . *hides face in hands* Y'all, I wasn't even really rooting for Prudencia to get out of her atheism/agnosticism/whatever it was and come to God because I was too distracted by how awful all the "enlightened" characters (the characters who at least acknowledged the possibility of God and the validity of faith in him) were.
This book has reinforced for me the identity of one of my least favorite (if not my absolute least favorite) fictional archetypes: the characters so immovably sure of themselves and ALLLLL their opinions that they possess those most sickening of characteristics: self-satisfaction, self-righteousness, and superiority complexes. Y'all, I can adore cocky, boastful, but inwardly conflicted characters like Han Solo and Killian Jones all day long, but when you present me with a character who literally never questions whether they're wrong . . . that's a surefire way to earn my dislike.
Leaving that issue aside . . . some of the positions espoused are Troubling. Gender issues are a big topic of debate in this story, and . . . wow. Let's continue to perpetuate the idea that feminism is ringing the death knell of Reason & Order & All Sense of Morality, why don't we?
[E.g.: One of the ladies points to the following statement of G.K. Chesterton's as a valid criticism of the fight for "women's rights": "Ten thousand women marched through the streets of London saying, 'We will not be dictated to,' and then went off to become stenographers." Now, is that a clever use of irony? Sure, but as an actual argument concerning the topic at hand, it falls flat on its face, because there's such discrepancy between the dictation to which women's rights refers and the dictation encountered in a job situation that it's ridiculous to attempt to equate the two.]
Honestly, much of the book gives the impression of an author who really just wanted to sit down and rant about her feelings On Life. Which is fine, and valid, and who am I to judge; but her feelings on Life -- and especially her manner of expressing them -- do not jive incredibly well with mine.
Basically, again, it boils down to this: I found the characters and the attitudes very problematic, though I will freely concede the charm of the setting and the fact that the book is able to keep one's interest and make one think.
Thank you and have a nice day.
{P.S. Oh, and the statements in this book regarding Little Women and Mr. Darcy?? DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED.}
*coughs*
Good news first: The setting is lovely. Truly, lovely. And deftly evoked: just enough detail, but not too much. The attitudes of debate and discussion in the book, problematic though I found most of them, at least provided a stimulating intellectual atmosphere that does challenge the reader to think. So that's good. And the end is probably the best part -- peaceful, pulsing, and (finally) possessing some subtlety. (The resolution is not spelled out for you in black and white; rather, it is written in such a way as leaves little doubt, but is just vague enough to be aesthetically satisfying.)
So I have stated what I liked, and now I can move on to what I disliked. And thank goodness because BOY-HOWDY THESE CHARACTERS & AGENDAS THO.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
(To begin with, we encounter our protagonist, Miss Prudencia Prim.) I know my name is not exactly the pinnacle of authorial subtlety, but please, no jumping to conclusions as to my character. If there's one thing I hate
(Next, we have the community of San Ireneo de Arnois.) We, the people of San Ireneo, are possessed of a rare intellectual, sociological, and philosophical Enlightenment that gives us the ability to view the modern world for the morally degenerative and cerebrally challenged cesspool that it is. Nice to meet you. (Also: We're better than you and that opinion you have -- any of your opinions will do -- is Wrong. Just so you know.)
[And finally, we're blessed by the man himself. (The Man in the Wing Chair, to be precise.)] You know that guy who sits at the table with the sign, "I will argue with anybody about anything"? That's me. (But, secure in the knowledge of the absolute correctness of all of my ideas, I will debate you amiably and indulgently because aren't you deluded peasants cute.) You will never learn my actual name, but know that in addition to possessing flawless rhetoric to which everyone's arguments must inevitably bow; the beneficence of hyper-Classically educating a small group of children; concrete and elevated opinions on literature (I am an undisputed authority on the subject); and an impressive if not incredibly pragmatic fluency in multiple dead languages, I am also Charming™ . I will absolutely cause My Dear Prudencia to fall head-over-heels for me. (Every woman, you will come to learn, is attracted to someone who takes it upon himself to inform her of the utter, objective inaccuracy of every single one of her opinions.) (And she will for sure Come to Her Senses and realize that She Is Wrong about everything and I Am Right about everything. Because, love.)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Are you getting the picture? It's just . . . *hides face in hands* Y'all, I wasn't even really rooting for Prudencia to get out of her atheism/agnosticism/whatever it was and come to God because I was too distracted by how awful all the "enlightened" characters (the characters who at least acknowledged the possibility of God and the validity of faith in him) were.
This book has reinforced for me the identity of one of my least favorite (if not my absolute least favorite) fictional archetypes: the characters so immovably sure of themselves and ALLLLL their opinions that they possess those most sickening of characteristics: self-satisfaction, self-righteousness, and superiority complexes. Y'all, I can adore cocky, boastful, but inwardly conflicted characters like Han Solo and Killian Jones all day long, but when you present me with a character who literally never questions whether they're wrong . . . that's a surefire way to earn my dislike.
Leaving that issue aside . . . some of the positions espoused are Troubling. Gender issues are a big topic of debate in this story, and . . . wow. Let's continue to perpetuate the idea that feminism is ringing the death knell of Reason & Order & All Sense of Morality, why don't we?
[E.g.: One of the ladies points to the following statement of G.K. Chesterton's as a valid criticism of the fight for "women's rights": "Ten thousand women marched through the streets of London saying, 'We will not be dictated to,' and then went off to become stenographers." Now, is that a clever use of irony? Sure, but as an actual argument concerning the topic at hand, it falls flat on its face, because there's such discrepancy between the dictation to which women's rights refers and the dictation encountered in a job situation that it's ridiculous to attempt to equate the two.]
Honestly, much of the book gives the impression of an author who really just wanted to sit down and rant about her feelings On Life. Which is fine, and valid, and who am I to judge; but her feelings on Life -- and especially her manner of expressing them -- do not jive incredibly well with mine.
Basically, again, it boils down to this: I found the characters and the attitudes very problematic, though I will freely concede the charm of the setting and the fact that the book is able to keep one's interest and make one think.
Thank you and have a nice day.
{P.S. Oh, and the statements in this book regarding Little Women and Mr. Darcy?? DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED.}
February 4, 2019
Hay algunas sorpresas por acá que quiero compartir: por su portada y su sinopsis, calculaba que el libro iba a tirar más a lo infantil/juvenil. No quiero decir que no me gusten, me parece una portada preciosa, pero engañosa. Leerla fue un buen viaje, uno muy cálido a una pequeña aldea que parece ajena al mundo, con sus antigüedades, sus modales, su delicadeza y cortesía. Otra de las grandes sorpresas es que el libro tiene romance, y no obstante no me resultó tedioso en lo absoluto (algo que normalmente me pasa con dicho género), por lo contrario, me pareció sumamente agradable y bien entablado. Lo disfruté muchísimo, y también creo que hay muchas reseñas injustas por este medio. Realmente es una novela muy dulce y bella de leer, sobre todo para los amantes de las letras, ya que sus protagonistas son dos amantes de la literatura, y lo demuestran con diálogos de gran erudición sobre lenguas muertas, clásicos de la literatura, entre otras.
June 15, 2014
This is rather lovely. In fact given the rather unsympathetic character that is the titular Miss Prim it is maybe surprising just how lovely this actually is. It seems to be one of the stream of books about book lovers that seem to be coming out with increasing frequency right now, maybe because both writers and publishers think that bibliophiles are the only ones actually purchasing books beyond the Christmas rush these days? Who knows? Whatever may be the case there certainly have been a spate of these books based in and around libraries and bookshops, and so far the ones I have read have been all quite lovely; this is no exception.
Miss Prudencia is an extremely well qualified and rather uptight young woman who answers an advert for a position as a librarian at the private library of a man who is essentially the squire and founder of the community of intellectuals and eccentrics that is San Ireneo. Despite being supremely over qualified for the position she is accepted for the post and finds herself having to adapt to the unconventional, but rather wonderful, family life of her new home. Miss Prim is a rather prickly individual, she has firm views and opinions which she tries her hardest to live up to, and she expects those around her to live up to these standards as well. It is only through accepting that it is acceptable to want and need others that she starts to soften, relaxing her purely rational approach to life and love.
In many ways this novel reads very much like one of the great Victorian novels that Miss Prim so adores. Obviously the plot is rather similar in several respects; Miss Prim is entering the house of landed gentry in one of those awkward 'not quite family, not quite staff' roles such as librarian or governess. Like one of Gaskell's or Bronte's heroines she engages in spiky slightly confrontational conversations with her employer; conversations where the most interesting thing is how long both of them can avoid saying what they really feel or think. Ultimately it is the softening and acceptance that grows within the novel and within Miss Prim that makes this such an endearing read. Gentle, thought provoking and really one of those books that you will think about for a long while.
Miss Prudencia is an extremely well qualified and rather uptight young woman who answers an advert for a position as a librarian at the private library of a man who is essentially the squire and founder of the community of intellectuals and eccentrics that is San Ireneo. Despite being supremely over qualified for the position she is accepted for the post and finds herself having to adapt to the unconventional, but rather wonderful, family life of her new home. Miss Prim is a rather prickly individual, she has firm views and opinions which she tries her hardest to live up to, and she expects those around her to live up to these standards as well. It is only through accepting that it is acceptable to want and need others that she starts to soften, relaxing her purely rational approach to life and love.
In many ways this novel reads very much like one of the great Victorian novels that Miss Prim so adores. Obviously the plot is rather similar in several respects; Miss Prim is entering the house of landed gentry in one of those awkward 'not quite family, not quite staff' roles such as librarian or governess. Like one of Gaskell's or Bronte's heroines she engages in spiky slightly confrontational conversations with her employer; conversations where the most interesting thing is how long both of them can avoid saying what they really feel or think. Ultimately it is the softening and acceptance that grows within the novel and within Miss Prim that makes this such an endearing read. Gentle, thought provoking and really one of those books that you will think about for a long while.
April 27, 2017
3.5 stars. I had one teeny little problem with this one, and I take full responsibility for it, because it is surely not the author's fault. It read to me like a fairy tale, taking place in a European village populated by people who had come there to form a Utopia of sorts. They wanted to escape from the noise and busyness of modern life. There were cars, but no cell phones or computers or TV, so the time period was vague. Everyone was kind and courteous and civilized. No one seemed to have money problems of any sort. Into this wonderful little Shangra-La comes Miss Prim, to take a position as librarian to a wealthy man raising his four nieces and nephews. So far, so good, and of course any astute reader knows where this is going. It has all the elements of the kind of book I like to read when I need something light.
The problem for me was that I could never take that headlong plunge into the heart of the book. I was constantly aware that I was reading a quasi fairy tale. It was very well written, with interesting characters, lots of literary references, and wonderful conversations about love, men and women, marriage, education and raising children. One of my favorites was whether Mr. Darcy actual WAS the perfect man. So a good book that was an enjoyable read, but I never fell head over heels for this one.
The problem for me was that I could never take that headlong plunge into the heart of the book. I was constantly aware that I was reading a quasi fairy tale. It was very well written, with interesting characters, lots of literary references, and wonderful conversations about love, men and women, marriage, education and raising children. One of my favorites was whether Mr. Darcy actual WAS the perfect man. So a good book that was an enjoyable read, but I never fell head over heels for this one.
August 2, 2021
First Reread: Dang, this book is just as good as I remembered! And honestly, I don't have SO much to add to my first review (except that I still need to read it again. I'm going to read this book like eighteen times in the next five years, I imagine) (and also, I don't actually remember seeing the St. Thomas Aquinas bit this time around? But hey, I was a little more tired this time, too. XD) because that was a pretty good summary, but I do have a few more thoughts this time to share:
1. Now that I've read more Chesterton, it's far more Chestertonian than I realized (so OF COURSE there is St. Thomas, even if I didn't notice it this time. XD).
2. I still don't understand all of it, and def. need to come back with more life experience.
3. The beauty of it lies in the quiet. If you're a person who likes everything to be exciting and crazy and going all the time, you're probably not going to like it. So.
4. The Man in the Wing Chair is my Platonic ideal of a man.
5. This time, I read all of my mom's notes that she left in the ebook (and left a couple of my own) and it was so lovely to almost read it with her, to see her thoughts and a side of her that I don't usually see. It made me smile. :)
Bumping my rating up to 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5 for GR!)
----
Wow.
This was, like, a love letter to good philosophy in book form. In entertaining book form. In it's-not-preaching-about-philosophy form. In the-plot-and-characters-could-stand-alone form. And I, as an avowed philosophy-theology nerd...ate it up.
I mean, it was Chesterton, Dante, Thomas Aquinas, the Roman poets, Dostoyevsky, Lewis, St. Augustine, and Tolkien, plus a bunch of other philosophical ideas that I don't know who they belong to, but that I recognized and loved, ALL IN ONE BOOK. One FICTION book. One GOOD fiction book. (Oh, and did I mention the large amounts of Catholicism? Cuz yeah, that was awesome.)
But it wasn't about philosophy. Although in a way, it was. It was about Miss Prim. And the Man in the Wing Chair. And the children. And the town. And philosophical ideas. (Okay, I lied. It is about philosophy. But it's about philosophy as it pertains to humans.) And it was unbearably romantic. But in the understated please-actually-I-wanted-more-not-less kind of way. And I just...I loved it, okay? It was amazing. I feel like I'm not selling this very well to anyone who doesn't necessarily love philosophy. But seriously--if you have a pulse, you should read this book. If you have read at least one classic book, you will probably love this book. If you're a homeschooler, read it. If you're a parent (although if you are, I'm not entirely sure how you found my review...) read it. Just...guys, read it, okay?
I know there are a bunch of negative reviews on this book, and all I can say is...those people are why this book is so important. The fact that they don't understand is why we need this book, and more like it. (I realize this sounds unbearably arrogant, and I'm sorry, but it's true. XD)
I am kind of tempted to give this book 4.5 stars even though I haven't reread it. But I know I'm going to reread it, probably soon, so I'm going to stick with a very high 4 stars for now. But know that it's going up to 4.5 stars as soon as I reread it. XD
1. Now that I've read more Chesterton, it's far more Chestertonian than I realized (so OF COURSE there is St. Thomas, even if I didn't notice it this time. XD).
2. I still don't understand all of it, and def. need to come back with more life experience.
3. The beauty of it lies in the quiet. If you're a person who likes everything to be exciting and crazy and going all the time, you're probably not going to like it. So.
4. The Man in the Wing Chair is my Platonic ideal of a man.
5. This time, I read all of my mom's notes that she left in the ebook (and left a couple of my own) and it was so lovely to almost read it with her, to see her thoughts and a side of her that I don't usually see. It made me smile. :)
Bumping my rating up to 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5 for GR!)
----
Wow.
This was, like, a love letter to good philosophy in book form. In entertaining book form. In it's-not-preaching-about-philosophy form. In the-plot-and-characters-could-stand-alone form. And I, as an avowed philosophy-theology nerd...ate it up.
I mean, it was Chesterton, Dante, Thomas Aquinas, the Roman poets, Dostoyevsky, Lewis, St. Augustine, and Tolkien, plus a bunch of other philosophical ideas that I don't know who they belong to, but that I recognized and loved, ALL IN ONE BOOK. One FICTION book. One GOOD fiction book. (Oh, and did I mention the large amounts of Catholicism? Cuz yeah, that was awesome.)
But it wasn't about philosophy. Although in a way, it was. It was about Miss Prim. And the Man in the Wing Chair. And the children. And the town. And philosophical ideas. (Okay, I lied. It is about philosophy. But it's about philosophy as it pertains to humans.) And it was unbearably romantic. But in the understated please-actually-I-wanted-more-not-less kind of way. And I just...I loved it, okay? It was amazing. I feel like I'm not selling this very well to anyone who doesn't necessarily love philosophy. But seriously--if you have a pulse, you should read this book. If you have read at least one classic book, you will probably love this book. If you're a homeschooler, read it. If you're a parent (although if you are, I'm not entirely sure how you found my review...) read it. Just...guys, read it, okay?
I know there are a bunch of negative reviews on this book, and all I can say is...those people are why this book is so important. The fact that they don't understand is why we need this book, and more like it. (I realize this sounds unbearably arrogant, and I'm sorry, but it's true. XD)
I am kind of tempted to give this book 4.5 stars even though I haven't reread it. But I know I'm going to reread it, probably soon, so I'm going to stick with a very high 4 stars for now. But know that it's going up to 4.5 stars as soon as I reread it. XD
September 25, 2015
Put me in mind of that classic Dorothy Parker review: Constant Weader fwowwed up. Nauseating!
I would give this less than 1 star if I could. But in a nut shell it is twee, nostalgic in a terrible UKIP'y way, places the past in an utterly rose tinted mythic setting that places in particular dead christian theologians in an exalted position and is in short utterly divorced from any sense of progress and excitement about the world about us. Worse still it does it all in a subtle quite readable way that is the mark of a good piece of propaganda. And that is what this book is, propaganda for for middle-class, middlebrow view that lauds the past and discounts any social, scientific or intellectual progress that has occurred in the last 200 years. I hoped Mis Prim was going to wake up the tedious denizens of this novel but I suspect she got Stepford Wife'd....I didn't stick around to find out I threw it across the bathroom at about the halfway mark!
PS how did I get seduced into buying it - its synopsis about an unconventional librarian in a weird place and a cheap deal from Waterstones.....never again..........
I would give this less than 1 star if I could. But in a nut shell it is twee, nostalgic in a terrible UKIP'y way, places the past in an utterly rose tinted mythic setting that places in particular dead christian theologians in an exalted position and is in short utterly divorced from any sense of progress and excitement about the world about us. Worse still it does it all in a subtle quite readable way that is the mark of a good piece of propaganda. And that is what this book is, propaganda for for middle-class, middlebrow view that lauds the past and discounts any social, scientific or intellectual progress that has occurred in the last 200 years. I hoped Mis Prim was going to wake up the tedious denizens of this novel but I suspect she got Stepford Wife'd....I didn't stick around to find out I threw it across the bathroom at about the halfway mark!
PS how did I get seduced into buying it - its synopsis about an unconventional librarian in a weird place and a cheap deal from Waterstones.....never again..........
May 23, 2019
Cóctel letal con sucedáneos de garrafón de Orgullo y prejuicio, Emma, Jane Eyre, Pigmalión y unas gotas de orujo cabezón de la destilería "Imitadores de Chesterton, S.L.". Todo lo que se pretende contar en este libro se ha contado ya, pero con talento, en las obras antes mencionadas. Añádase erudición de cartón piedra, pedantería y cursilería por arrobas y nostalgia por un pasado exquisito y bello que no volverá, y que, al parecer, consistía fundamentalmente en tomar té (a ser posible de una rara variedad cosechada a mano por campesinos rusos) con pastas a la menor oportunidad, recitar a los clásicos en latín y griego venga a cuento o no, despreciar olímpicamente la tecnología y optar por la autarquía radical, exiliándose en un pueblo donde todo es artesanal, delicado, bello y sostenible, y donde todos son ricos, claro, porque sólo el periódico, impreso en un armatoste deciminónico en tirada limitada, ya debe de costar un Congo.
El estilo es de lo más ramplón, con adjetivos derramados generosamente, como si fueran gratis; recuerda a folletín por entregas para señoritas de hace siglo y medio.
Se supone que uno es muy vulgar y carente de delicadeza si no aprecia libros como éste, lo que además es un claro signo de que la cultura clásica está irremisiblemente perdida debido a la globalización y al embrutecimiento de las masas. Gracias a Dios, este libro es a la literatura clásica lo que un bote de queso en spray es a la gastronomía. Si esto es lo que tiene que salvar a nuestra cultura, entonces sí que estamos perdidos.
El estilo es de lo más ramplón, con adjetivos derramados generosamente, como si fueran gratis; recuerda a folletín por entregas para señoritas de hace siglo y medio.
Se supone que uno es muy vulgar y carente de delicadeza si no aprecia libros como éste, lo que además es un claro signo de que la cultura clásica está irremisiblemente perdida debido a la globalización y al embrutecimiento de las masas. Gracias a Dios, este libro es a la literatura clásica lo que un bote de queso en spray es a la gastronomía. Si esto es lo que tiene que salvar a nuestra cultura, entonces sí que estamos perdidos.
February 7, 2017
It's intriguing, but for me, too clever. Too clever by halves.
Perhaps I find it hard to imagine such a place. With such options for dialog and with such a high accepted attitude of good intent and mannerly kindness.
Miss Prim and her employer both had their moments. But overall, I seldom felt that either one of them truly approached the practical applications of such a home place. Some of the other characters were highly interesting, maybe more so than the job duties and placements composite of Miss Prim's relationship with her employer.
But it seemed so very make believe. Magical in the sense of too much woo-woo or faerie dust quotient. At times I found it extremely pretentious. Not just in the standards of the two main characters but for the entire "tone", and especially the 4 siblings' commentary.
But the literary asides, the crosscut of quotations and interplay of printed word- it was all written well. Despite the length, this is pithy because of those parsing duels, and is not a simple or an easy read, IMHO.
Perhaps I find it hard to imagine such a place. With such options for dialog and with such a high accepted attitude of good intent and mannerly kindness.
Miss Prim and her employer both had their moments. But overall, I seldom felt that either one of them truly approached the practical applications of such a home place. Some of the other characters were highly interesting, maybe more so than the job duties and placements composite of Miss Prim's relationship with her employer.
But it seemed so very make believe. Magical in the sense of too much woo-woo or faerie dust quotient. At times I found it extremely pretentious. Not just in the standards of the two main characters but for the entire "tone", and especially the 4 siblings' commentary.
But the literary asides, the crosscut of quotations and interplay of printed word- it was all written well. Despite the length, this is pithy because of those parsing duels, and is not a simple or an easy read, IMHO.
September 20, 2014
2.5 stars--not at all what I was expecting after reading the back. I suppose, in a way, it is a sweet book, but overall it is very strange. Maybe something is lost in translation, but I never warmed to the characters, the village, or felt the relationships were believable.
February 7, 2022
Es difícil reseñar este libro. Si me preguntan si me gustó, no estoy segura. No me disgustó y a ratos me entretuvo. Debo aclarar que no leo romántica ni mucho menos erotica, pero he leído unos pocos libros románticos muy buenos. A pesar de sus críticas, creo que me divirtió más que fastidió la premisa principal de la novela: una especie de mundo perdido de lo anticuado. Sí, es machista, añejo e invasivo, pero tiene un toque encantador. Como las novelas de Agatha Crhistie. Antes de seguir con la generalidad, esta novela rompe todos los récords en algo, la protagonista más odiable del universo literario. Prudencia es lo peor, un ser rígido, obsesivo, prepotente, santurrón, completamente inconsistente con sus propios principios, intolerante al cambio, prejuicios a.... Recuerdan a la tía de las Mujercitas March??? Es muy simpática y flexible en comparación. Aquí me pregunto si el objetivo de la autora era caracterizarla así o no se dio cuenta, o exageró. Pero nunca había leído un personaje tan odioso. Aún así, me divertía la trama, pero me cargaron las citas de libros clásicos en lenguas antiguas. Porque la autora pretende destacar las cosas simples de la vida, y llena un pueblo de gente cargada de doctorados y éxitos. Yo, pobre mortal, no entiendo ni la mitad. La historia tiene su encanto, pese a los personajes, pero de algunos no hay ni nombre, incluyendo al co protagonista. El hombre del sillón no merece ni mención de su nombre. En fin, léanlo si no son feministas, el final es muy flojo igual. No es una gran novela pero bastante original, y genial para practicar la tolerancia una misma. #eldespertardelaseñoritaprim
July 4, 2014
3.5 There is something of an old-fashioned feel to the way this book s narrated. Miss Prim herself, is very correct, very determined and opinionated person. When she arrives in San Ireneo to take up her new post as a librarian to the man in the wing chair, he is never named, she finds children who can recognize passages of the Aeneid and learning other things that generally children do not learn. The residents in the town are quirky, all people who have come from other places who had worked at jobs that were not satisfying and have come here to start over. San Ireneo may be the second, after Three Pines, of fictional towns that I would most like to live.
There is a courtly manner of living, of discussing things, a town that seems placed back in the past when these things counts. Politeness, courtesy, interest in each others welfare, real caring and having the time to actually talk to each other.Miss Prim, though she a first finds the town odd, eventually comes to find it and its residents admirable.
A fun read, likeable characters for the most part, some great quotes to be had and a charming journey with Miss Prim.
ARC from publisher.
There is a courtly manner of living, of discussing things, a town that seems placed back in the past when these things counts. Politeness, courtesy, interest in each others welfare, real caring and having the time to actually talk to each other.Miss Prim, though she a first finds the town odd, eventually comes to find it and its residents admirable.
A fun read, likeable characters for the most part, some great quotes to be had and a charming journey with Miss Prim.
ARC from publisher.
May 26, 2016
This book had sooooooo much potential. I really, really wanted to like it. There were aspects that I *did* like very much. But there was just something about it that irked me while I was reading. The dialogue was stiff and seemed forced (maybe it was the translation?). The ideas portrayed by the characters about happiness and truth and beauty, while I happen to agree with all of them, were heavy-handed and off-putting. I didn't really see why the Man was never given a name, and it got weirder as the book went on and nobody in the town, not even his nieces and nephews, ever called him by name when they talked about him. So that was distracting. Maybe I missed some bigger meaning for that, but it went over my head. All in all, I think I appreciated what the book was trying to do, but I just wasn't a fan of the writing style.
February 15, 2015
This book is the most historically inexact, conservative, patronising and badly written piece of faff that I have had the misfortune to read in a long time. It is an insult to women readers, women writers, women scholars and all humans of some intelligence. It makes '50 Shades of grey' look edgy and interesting by comparison. I wish I could return it to the bookshop and I wish I had the 3 hours of my life back that I have misspent reading it.
April 9, 2014
I received a free advance copy of this book from NetGalley.
Normally I'll read a 300 page book in a few hours, or over the course of a day or two, but this book took me a while to finish because I kept putting it down. The publisher's blurb gave me an idea of what to expect from this story, and I have no problem with books promoting the idyllic, small town, old-fashioned life over modern cities with hustle and bustle where people often feel like they lack personal connection. My favorite examples of this are the Cat Who series by the late Lilian Jackson Braun and the Aunt Dimity books by Nancy Atherton(honorable mentions to the Agatha Raisin series by M.C. Beaton and anything by Rita Mae Brown) However, I felt that the author's tone was very patronizing throughout this book and it really put me off. I am also not a fan of the main character, Miss Prim, who I think was not a very compelling character and was very weak-willed up until the final 30 or so pages. I was pleasantly surprised that the ending was left so open to interpretation, which I think was a smart decision, and I did enjoy the references to Jane Austen's works and Little Women, but for me, that wasn't enough to save this book. It wasn't awful, but certainly not my taste and not something I'll recommend.
Normally I'll read a 300 page book in a few hours, or over the course of a day or two, but this book took me a while to finish because I kept putting it down. The publisher's blurb gave me an idea of what to expect from this story, and I have no problem with books promoting the idyllic, small town, old-fashioned life over modern cities with hustle and bustle where people often feel like they lack personal connection. My favorite examples of this are the Cat Who series by the late Lilian Jackson Braun and the Aunt Dimity books by Nancy Atherton(honorable mentions to the Agatha Raisin series by M.C. Beaton and anything by Rita Mae Brown) However, I felt that the author's tone was very patronizing throughout this book and it really put me off. I am also not a fan of the main character, Miss Prim, who I think was not a very compelling character and was very weak-willed up until the final 30 or so pages. I was pleasantly surprised that the ending was left so open to interpretation, which I think was a smart decision, and I did enjoy the references to Jane Austen's works and Little Women, but for me, that wasn't enough to save this book. It wasn't awful, but certainly not my taste and not something I'll recommend.
September 25, 2014
This is a peculiar little book set in the fictional village of San Ireneo de Arnois, where people have all come to drop out of their complicated modern lives and find a simpler life full of good manners and neighbourly customs, reminiscent of earlier times. Miss Prudencia Prim has taken on a job to sort out the extensive library of a man who lives on a large estate with his four orphaned nieces and nephews. She is very prim and proper and her ideas and opinions all firmly fixed. Her employer known simply as 'the man in the wing back chair' values a wide education and the ability of everyone to think for themselves and soon challenges many of Miss Prim's pre-fixed notions. Miss Prim finds solace and company in the village where she comes to value the courtesy and friendliness of the villagers and sees that each has found an individual niche to fill that brings them deep satisfaction. Over a long cold winter Miss Prim slowly undergoes an awakening not only to ideas but to a knowledge of herself and what it is to love.
February 13, 2022
La verdad es que este libro me ha causado sentimientos encontrados. Por un lado, el personaje principal, la señorita Prim, es totalmente insoportable. Sus apariciones son repetitivas, es continuo el recordarnos su forma de ser. Se nos muestra de forma contradictoria en ocasiones. Por otra parte, cada persona con la que se encuentra es una excusa para soltar monólogos en lugar de verdaderos diálogos.
¿Y por qué le pongo cinco no merecidas estrellas?
Porque la historia en sí es hermosa. Porque, a pesar de todos sus defectos, que no son pocos (de hecho, son muchos), merece la pena leerla. Porque es refrescante encontrar una novela que no se rinde a lo políticamente correcto, que muestra, aunque sea de una forma no demasiado fina, una forma de pensar que no es la imperante en la sociedad y con la que estoy de acuerdo en gran parte, lo que me da mayores simpatías hacia la novela. Porque en la enervante señorita Prim se nos muestra una metáfora de la vida actual. Y se nos incita a tomarnos tiempo y aprender a abrir y cerrar puertas.
¿Y por qué le pongo cinco no merecidas estrellas?
Porque la historia en sí es hermosa. Porque, a pesar de todos sus defectos, que no son pocos (de hecho, son muchos), merece la pena leerla. Porque es refrescante encontrar una novela que no se rinde a lo políticamente correcto, que muestra, aunque sea de una forma no demasiado fina, una forma de pensar que no es la imperante en la sociedad y con la que estoy de acuerdo en gran parte, lo que me da mayores simpatías hacia la novela. Porque en la enervante señorita Prim se nos muestra una metáfora de la vida actual. Y se nos incita a tomarnos tiempo y aprender a abrir y cerrar puertas.
April 26, 2017
Not everyone will love this book. If you want something that will not make you think, don't read it. If you hate reading conversations about the big questions of life, don't read it. If you think you are set in your superior, modern, progressive ways and that considering anything different is a weak waste of time, don't read it.
I borrowed this from the library after reading a review on The Gospel Coalition, got halfway through it and jumped on Amazon to order my own copy. It's the kind of novel that makes you want to underline entire passages. It's so smart, so truthful, and yet so quaint and charming at the same time. Definitely an original and one on which I would love to hear book club discussion.
I borrowed this from the library after reading a review on The Gospel Coalition, got halfway through it and jumped on Amazon to order my own copy. It's the kind of novel that makes you want to underline entire passages. It's so smart, so truthful, and yet so quaint and charming at the same time. Definitely an original and one on which I would love to hear book club discussion.
March 16, 2022
Wow, I loved this book! I think it's fair to say that I'm obsessed.
The characters were superb. Their development was phenomenal.
The story is set in an idyllic village where the "Feminist League" is really a group of matchmakers, and the Ancient Roman Liturgy is said at the nearby Benedictine Abbey.
And yes, the iconic "Man in the Wing Chair" is now neatly lined up in my head with Mr. Darcy, Gilbert Blythe, Faramir, Roger Hamley, and Gareth Dalmain as ideal husbands.
I loved the various Catholic themes throughout the book (which no doubt caused the bounty of negative reviews), especially silence versus noise, what education truly is, love and marriage, literature, the supernatural, beauty, and ultimately, the meaning of life.
Where has this book been my whole life?? I can't believe I've survived life this long without it. I will be purchasing a copy directly and adding it to my shelf of absolute favorites.
I truly don't know what else to say except to urge you to read it! But a note of warning, make sure you don't start it without enough time to finish it before you go to bed.
Some of my favorite quotes:
“You say you're looking for beauty, but this isn't the way to achieve it, my dear friend. You won't find it while you look to yourself, as if everything revolved around you. Don't you see? It's exactly the other way around, precisely the other way around. You mustn't be careful, you must get hurt. What I am trying to explain, child, is that unless you allow the beauty you seek to hurt you, to break you and knock you down, you'll never find it.”
“So seek beauty, Miss Prim. Seek it in silence, in tranquillity; seek it in the middle of the night and at dawn. Pause to close doors while you seek it, and don't be surprised if it doesn't reside in museums or in palaces. Don't be surprised if, in the end, you find beauty to be not in Something but Someone.”
“I have to tell you that equality has nothing to do with marriage. The basis of a good marriage, a reasonably happy marriage-don't delude yourself, there is no such thing as an entirely happy marriage-is, precisely, inequality. It's essential if two people are to feel mutual admiration. ................................
if you reflected a little more deeply you'd realize that you can only admire that which you do not possess. You do not admire in another a quality you have yourself, you admire what you don't have and which you see shining in another in all its splendor.”
“This was where she discovered that intelligence, this wonderful gift, grows in silence, not in noise. It was here too that she learnt that a human mind, a truly human mind, is nurtured over time, with hard work and discipline.”
"Tradition is ageless, child. It’s modernity that ages."
The characters were superb. Their development was phenomenal.
The story is set in an idyllic village where the "Feminist League" is really a group of matchmakers, and the Ancient Roman Liturgy is said at the nearby Benedictine Abbey.
And yes, the iconic "Man in the Wing Chair" is now neatly lined up in my head with Mr. Darcy, Gilbert Blythe, Faramir, Roger Hamley, and Gareth Dalmain as ideal husbands.
I loved the various Catholic themes throughout the book (which no doubt caused the bounty of negative reviews), especially silence versus noise, what education truly is, love and marriage, literature, the supernatural, beauty, and ultimately, the meaning of life.
Where has this book been my whole life?? I can't believe I've survived life this long without it. I will be purchasing a copy directly and adding it to my shelf of absolute favorites.
I truly don't know what else to say except to urge you to read it! But a note of warning, make sure you don't start it without enough time to finish it before you go to bed.
Some of my favorite quotes:
“You say you're looking for beauty, but this isn't the way to achieve it, my dear friend. You won't find it while you look to yourself, as if everything revolved around you. Don't you see? It's exactly the other way around, precisely the other way around. You mustn't be careful, you must get hurt. What I am trying to explain, child, is that unless you allow the beauty you seek to hurt you, to break you and knock you down, you'll never find it.”
“So seek beauty, Miss Prim. Seek it in silence, in tranquillity; seek it in the middle of the night and at dawn. Pause to close doors while you seek it, and don't be surprised if it doesn't reside in museums or in palaces. Don't be surprised if, in the end, you find beauty to be not in Something but Someone.”
“I have to tell you that equality has nothing to do with marriage. The basis of a good marriage, a reasonably happy marriage-don't delude yourself, there is no such thing as an entirely happy marriage-is, precisely, inequality. It's essential if two people are to feel mutual admiration. ................................
if you reflected a little more deeply you'd realize that you can only admire that which you do not possess. You do not admire in another a quality you have yourself, you admire what you don't have and which you see shining in another in all its splendor.”
“This was where she discovered that intelligence, this wonderful gift, grows in silence, not in noise. It was here too that she learnt that a human mind, a truly human mind, is nurtured over time, with hard work and discipline.”
"Tradition is ageless, child. It’s modernity that ages."
May 26, 2014
This is a truly amazing book. I loved about everything about the book, the characters, the story, the little insights that are shared, and above all, the little town where they live. It is the dream of anybody who has ever thought about getting rid of their regular job and move to a community where values like friendship and caring for each other are more important than money, careers and prestige. "[T]here was something hidden beneath the surface of the community. In the area around San Ireneo de Arnois there were no factories, large businesses or offices. All the shops sold high-quality goods, produces locally." " A quiet, peaceful community of home and business owners, that's what it was." The inhabits have escaped the city, but not all for the same reasons. Miss Prim wants to escape the noise in her head and has found unexpected friendship and good conversation in the town and at her employer's house. The main character is funny, and witty, and very set in her ways and beliefs. Her new situation often tests her patience, and her employer infuriates her with his comments and always seems to win their debates. But at the same time, both of them enjoy crossing their swords verbally. It is a joy to read about their discussions, that are often philosophical, and also abstract, comical and absurd at times. "As usual, the discussion with him had given her a headache. She didn't understand the logic of the conversation. How had they reached this point? When had they gone from women's literature to the pathology of the emotions?".
Small talk is frowned upon in the community, and people speak their mind and are very frank. Soon the feminist society decides to find a husband for Miss Prim. This also becomes the turning point of the story, and ultimately leads to a journey to Italy.
Another main part of the book is the deep beliefs of the employer, and Miss Prim's refusal to believe herself. This book is neither trying to convert the reader to religion, nor does it try to convince that religion is wrong. At times I was worried it would turn into some preaching christian fiction, but it never did. The characters respect the position of the other, and they also respect the fact that they will probably never agree on their beliefs.
The story is about searching, and also about finding something that is worth searching for. It is uplifting and full of hope.
Copy provided through NetGalley
Small talk is frowned upon in the community, and people speak their mind and are very frank. Soon the feminist society decides to find a husband for Miss Prim. This also becomes the turning point of the story, and ultimately leads to a journey to Italy.
Another main part of the book is the deep beliefs of the employer, and Miss Prim's refusal to believe herself. This book is neither trying to convert the reader to religion, nor does it try to convince that religion is wrong. At times I was worried it would turn into some preaching christian fiction, but it never did. The characters respect the position of the other, and they also respect the fact that they will probably never agree on their beliefs.
The story is about searching, and also about finding something that is worth searching for. It is uplifting and full of hope.
Copy provided through NetGalley
September 13, 2017
I have to confess, the moment I heard about The Awakening of Miss Prim, I could not wait to read it. For a book lover like me, the idea of being holed up as a librarian in a rustic, quaint and idyllic town was like a dream come true.
The village of San Ireneo de Arnois was a bit like something from a fairytale. The village, captures the ideals that many of us who oppose the fast-pace contemporary life would prefer. It is an enchanting, simple place that takes the reader back in time.
The characters are equally charming. Miss Prim makes the perfect outsider, moving in with her strong ideas and moral principals. She is then challenged by the wonderful and colorful array of villagers who each bring their own flavor to the novel and over time Miss Prim begins to understand things in a different way.
The Awakening of Miss Prim is little difficult to describe; it almost has to be experienced. It was so much more than I ever expected. I expected a lovely little story about a woman in a charming, quaint little town who gets to spend her days surrounded by beautiful books, and maybe even finds love. What I discovered was a wonderful philosophical discussion and debate about such topics as marriage, formal education, beauty, literature, art, philosophy and even feminism, all wrapped inside a delightful story. It is through her eyes listening to the opinions of the villagers that we learn, as she does, of the alternative options to “how things are”. I couldn’t help exploring where I stood on the subjects as they came up and was put into the shoes of Miss Prim; slowly being questioned and finally awakened to one of the things that I seek in life, and that is beauty.
Indeed, “What beauty will save the world?” Miss Prim keeps on pondering Dostoevsky’s line. I daresay she was able to answer that in the end.
The only question I have left is: Are there any homes for sale in San Inreneo de Arnois?
The village of San Ireneo de Arnois was a bit like something from a fairytale. The village, captures the ideals that many of us who oppose the fast-pace contemporary life would prefer. It is an enchanting, simple place that takes the reader back in time.
The characters are equally charming. Miss Prim makes the perfect outsider, moving in with her strong ideas and moral principals. She is then challenged by the wonderful and colorful array of villagers who each bring their own flavor to the novel and over time Miss Prim begins to understand things in a different way.
The Awakening of Miss Prim is little difficult to describe; it almost has to be experienced. It was so much more than I ever expected. I expected a lovely little story about a woman in a charming, quaint little town who gets to spend her days surrounded by beautiful books, and maybe even finds love. What I discovered was a wonderful philosophical discussion and debate about such topics as marriage, formal education, beauty, literature, art, philosophy and even feminism, all wrapped inside a delightful story. It is through her eyes listening to the opinions of the villagers that we learn, as she does, of the alternative options to “how things are”. I couldn’t help exploring where I stood on the subjects as they came up and was put into the shoes of Miss Prim; slowly being questioned and finally awakened to one of the things that I seek in life, and that is beauty.
Indeed, “What beauty will save the world?” Miss Prim keeps on pondering Dostoevsky’s line. I daresay she was able to answer that in the end.
The only question I have left is: Are there any homes for sale in San Inreneo de Arnois?
April 25, 2021
ESPAÑOL: Descripción, en forma de ficción, de las ideas de John Senior sobre La restauración de la cultura cristiana. Es curioso, pero me ha gustado más la versión novelística de Natalia que el libro de Senior, que califiqué sólo con tres estrellas. Véase mi crítica aquí: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
La novela es profundamente cristiana y está llena de desafíos intelectuales, para la protagonista y para el lector, dejando algunas cuestiones sin resolver del todo, para que el lector busque sus propias soluciones, como suele ocurrir en realidad en las discusiones de este tipo. Además, es un libro con un profundo sentido del humor. Me ha gustado mucho.
ENGLISH: Description, in fictional form, of John Senior's ideas on The Restoration of Christian Culture. It's funny, but I liked Natalia's novel more than the original Senior's book, which I only rated with three stars. See my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
The novel is deeply Christian and is full of intellectual challenges (for the protagonist and for the reader). It leaves some questions unsolved, so that the readers can seek their own solutions, as often happens in real life, in discussions of this type. In addition, the book shows a deep sense of humor. I've liked it a lot.
La novela es profundamente cristiana y está llena de desafíos intelectuales, para la protagonista y para el lector, dejando algunas cuestiones sin resolver del todo, para que el lector busque sus propias soluciones, como suele ocurrir en realidad en las discusiones de este tipo. Además, es un libro con un profundo sentido del humor. Me ha gustado mucho.
ENGLISH: Description, in fictional form, of John Senior's ideas on The Restoration of Christian Culture. It's funny, but I liked Natalia's novel more than the original Senior's book, which I only rated with three stars. See my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
The novel is deeply Christian and is full of intellectual challenges (for the protagonist and for the reader). It leaves some questions unsolved, so that the readers can seek their own solutions, as often happens in real life, in discussions of this type. In addition, the book shows a deep sense of humor. I've liked it a lot.
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