Neighbours on the Green

by Mrs. Oliphant

Reproduction of the Neighbours on the Green by Mrs. Oliphant

490 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1889

About the author

Margaret Oliphant Wilson Oliphant (née Margaret Oliphant Wilson) was a Scottish novelist and historical writer, who usually wrote as Mrs. Oliphant. Her fictional works encompass "domestic realism, the historical novel and tales of the supernatural".

Margaret Oliphant was born at Wallyford, near Musselburgh, East Lothian, and spent her childhood at Lasswade (near Dalkeith), Glasgow and Liverpool. As a girl, she constantly experimented with writing. In 1849 she had her first novel published: Passages in the Life of Mrs. Margaret Maitland which dealt with the Scottish Free Church movement. It was followed by Caleb Field in 1851, the year in which she met the publisher William Blackwood in Edinburgh and was invited to contribute to the famous Blackwood's Magazine. The connection was to last for her whole lifetime, during which she contributed well over 100 articles, including, a critique of the character of Arthur Dimmesdale in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter.

Reviews

[~ Cheryl ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful!

A group of interconnected (long-ish) short stories, about happenings in the village of Dinglefield Green.

The stories are narrated by the astute and kindly old widow named Mrs. Mulgrave. Her life is peaceable enough, but childless and living alone makes her an observant neighbor. Many of the villagers turn to her for assistance in times of crisis; even some visitors to the Green enlist her help. Her tone is chatty, and the narrative is at times both witty and heartfelt. By the time I finished reading, Mrs. Mulgrave felt like an old friend.

There is something about this set that reminds me Elizabeth Gaskell’s beloved The Cranford Chronicles (which include My Lady Ludlow and Mr. Harrison's Confessions). And Mrs. Mulgrave – with her candid observations about her neighbors and her overriding affection for them – reminded me very much of Miss Read who narrates the wonderful Fairacre series.

Fun, witty, with a little excitement and drama mixed in here and there, these tales are compulsively readable. Dinglefield Green is an easy place to believe in because of Oliphant’s effortless skill with setting and characters. Makes me wish I lived there!

I absolutely loved this series. I may even prefer it to her Carlingford Chronicles.

[Austenfan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second time I have read this book and I liked and appreciated it even more this time. The small world of the green, the little events that feel suspenseful and important, told from the point of view of a well meaning busybody.

[Joan Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories are witty and fun. The complete set of stories, plus one related novel, are available for download at the Margaret Oliphant Fiction Collection.