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The Widow Barnaby
This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts - the books may have occasional errors that do not impede the reading experience. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.
412 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1838
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About the author
Frances Milton Trollope
325 books27 followersFrances Milton Trollope (1779 – 1863), more popularly known as Fanny Trollope, was an English novelist and writer whose first book, Domestic Manners of the Americans (1832), caused an international sensation upon its publication. Trollope’s more than 100 books include strong social novels, such as the first anti-slavery novel, Jonathan Jefferson Whitlaw (1836), which influenced Uncle Tom’s Cabin author Harriet Beecher Stowe; the first industrial novel, Michael Armstrong: Factory Boy; and The Vicar of Wrexhill, which took on the corruption of the church of England; as well as two anti-Catholic novels, The Abbess and Father Eustace. Between 1839 and 1855 Trollope published her Widow Barnaby trilogy of novels, and her other travel books include Belgium and Western Germany in 1833, Paris and the Parisians in 1835, and Vienna and the Austrians. Her first and third sons, Thomas Adolphus Trollope and Anthony, also became writers; Anthony Trollope was influenced by his mother's work and became renowned for his social novels.
She is sometimes confused with her daughter-in-law, the novelist Frances Eleanor Trollope.
She is sometimes confused with her daughter-in-law, the novelist Frances Eleanor Trollope.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 27, 2019
Maybe 4.5. I really enjoyed this one - a fantastic story, with a great balance of wit, silliness, drama and passion. I highly recommend!
September 18, 2022
3.5/5
Hard as it may be to believe, I've never read a word of Trollope. But Aubrey, you ask, haven't you just finished this work, authored by a someone with the surname of Trollope? Why of course! But be honest, when someone in the literary venue speaks the word Trollope, does anyone think of Frances, nicknamed Fanny, Milton Trollope, composer of both the first anti-slavery novel , the first industrial novel, and thirty-nine tomes otherwise? No, they think of her son, who currently has north of 160 times as many ratings as his mother, whose writings influenced his as well as those of Harriet Beecher Stowe and likely a number of others that academia has been loathe to admit to for many of the years succeeding her death. So, as you can see, I've never read Trollope. I have, however, read this work, which was rather silly in parts, somewhat monotonous in its good vs bad character portrayals, and altogether too long when all is said and done. However, it is also extremely funny at times, excellent at drawing up a scene and character relations when dealing with some of its more unique personality creations, and otherwise unique enough in its strengths and glancing in its weaknesses for me to rate it as well as I have. I'm not sure if I'm up to the task of reading any of the author's oeuvre beyond some of the "first" novels mentioned, but I do think she deserves a great deal more attention than she so far has gotten, for at least the influence she's had on her compatriots and descendants if not in her own right.
This is one of those triple-volumed behemoths that writers who were putting together pieces in some way for money were forced to shape their works around. As Trollope literally began writing for publication after a series of familial financial pitfalls, it's not entirely surprising that this work suffers from some amount of artificial bloat. There's also some weirdness in terms of the plot, for the eponymous Widow Barnaby is, to put it mildly, more of the anti-heroic bent, and the rhapsodic marriage plot that provides the more conventional main thrust of the piece centers around not her, but her beautiful (and honestly milksop) of a niece. So, there's some chance that the two plot threads were conceived separately and then slammed together for the sake of volume and narrative thrust, but in all honesty, both come with their strengths in terms of scenes, characters (especially the villains and a couple of the greys), and resolutions, so it's not as egregiously fit together as I may have made it sound. I suppose my main qualm was how interestingly the novel began and how largely tritely it ended, for name me a book that initially centers around a disabled spinster with superb amounts of wit and sense, both derived from none other than the vast amounts of literature she consumed during her largely sedentary life. I'll wait. True, thanks to the irrepressible widow Barnaby, it wasn't entirely cookie cutter from the staid Victorian model of its kind, but one can't say with any measure of honesty that potential wasn't wasted. At the very least, though, there were no easy outs in regards to some of the more sordid/complicated characters that could have otherwise sacrificed narrative substance for the sake of easy black/white plot dynamics, and for that, I can say indeed that I read a novel, rather than a parable.
The downside to reading this was largely due to my decision to read a 21st c. piece that harkened back to this work's 19th c. style of writing alongside it, raising the original in my estimation and unfortunately leaving the latter somewhat in the dust. Again, this was rather too long for my liking, and I will admit to my eyes glazing over more than a handful of times in just over 500 pages. Still, I've read plenty that was worse in tone, style, plot, character, and whatnot that managed to get clear over 1000 ratings, if not 1000 (this one, once I'm through, will be sitting pretty at 74), and there's definitely an audience of those forever hankering after more Austen who want something closer to that particular specimen of authorship than a Gaskell or an Evans/Eliot. If you happen to be that type, you should know that this particular edition of mine was apparently going for eight pounds/12 euros back in 2007, and inflation (*cough* government enabled corporate greed * cough*) notwithstanding, this wouldn't be the most difficult work to acquire a copy of. True, the publisher that looks to have inspired the more modern one that put out this work was wholesale insulted by none other than Virginia Woolf, but much as I love her, one cannot live on brain alone, and one could do far worse than this work for the rest.
Hard as it may be to believe, I've never read a word of Trollope. But Aubrey, you ask, haven't you just finished this work, authored by a someone with the surname of Trollope? Why of course! But be honest, when someone in the literary venue speaks the word Trollope, does anyone think of Frances, nicknamed Fanny, Milton Trollope, composer of both the first anti-slavery novel , the first industrial novel, and thirty-nine tomes otherwise? No, they think of her son, who currently has north of 160 times as many ratings as his mother, whose writings influenced his as well as those of Harriet Beecher Stowe and likely a number of others that academia has been loathe to admit to for many of the years succeeding her death. So, as you can see, I've never read Trollope. I have, however, read this work, which was rather silly in parts, somewhat monotonous in its good vs bad character portrayals, and altogether too long when all is said and done. However, it is also extremely funny at times, excellent at drawing up a scene and character relations when dealing with some of its more unique personality creations, and otherwise unique enough in its strengths and glancing in its weaknesses for me to rate it as well as I have. I'm not sure if I'm up to the task of reading any of the author's oeuvre beyond some of the "first" novels mentioned, but I do think she deserves a great deal more attention than she so far has gotten, for at least the influence she's had on her compatriots and descendants if not in her own right.
This is one of those triple-volumed behemoths that writers who were putting together pieces in some way for money were forced to shape their works around. As Trollope literally began writing for publication after a series of familial financial pitfalls, it's not entirely surprising that this work suffers from some amount of artificial bloat. There's also some weirdness in terms of the plot, for the eponymous Widow Barnaby is, to put it mildly, more of the anti-heroic bent, and the rhapsodic marriage plot that provides the more conventional main thrust of the piece centers around not her, but her beautiful (and honestly milksop) of a niece. So, there's some chance that the two plot threads were conceived separately and then slammed together for the sake of volume and narrative thrust, but in all honesty, both come with their strengths in terms of scenes, characters (especially the villains and a couple of the greys), and resolutions, so it's not as egregiously fit together as I may have made it sound. I suppose my main qualm was how interestingly the novel began and how largely tritely it ended, for name me a book that initially centers around a disabled spinster with superb amounts of wit and sense, both derived from none other than the vast amounts of literature she consumed during her largely sedentary life. I'll wait. True, thanks to the irrepressible widow Barnaby, it wasn't entirely cookie cutter from the staid Victorian model of its kind, but one can't say with any measure of honesty that potential wasn't wasted. At the very least, though, there were no easy outs in regards to some of the more sordid/complicated characters that could have otherwise sacrificed narrative substance for the sake of easy black/white plot dynamics, and for that, I can say indeed that I read a novel, rather than a parable.
The downside to reading this was largely due to my decision to read a 21st c. piece that harkened back to this work's 19th c. style of writing alongside it, raising the original in my estimation and unfortunately leaving the latter somewhat in the dust. Again, this was rather too long for my liking, and I will admit to my eyes glazing over more than a handful of times in just over 500 pages. Still, I've read plenty that was worse in tone, style, plot, character, and whatnot that managed to get clear over 1000 ratings, if not 1000 (this one, once I'm through, will be sitting pretty at 74), and there's definitely an audience of those forever hankering after more Austen who want something closer to that particular specimen of authorship than a Gaskell or an Evans/Eliot. If you happen to be that type, you should know that this particular edition of mine was apparently going for eight pounds/12 euros back in 2007, and inflation (*cough* government enabled corporate greed * cough*) notwithstanding, this wouldn't be the most difficult work to acquire a copy of. True, the publisher that looks to have inspired the more modern one that put out this work was wholesale insulted by none other than Virginia Woolf, but much as I love her, one cannot live on brain alone, and one could do far worse than this work for the rest.
August 18, 2012
Who knew Anthony Trollope's mother was a writer? I certainly didn't, but I'm glad I discoverd this (dare I say) delightful novel in three volumes. It is part Pride and Prejudice, part Sense and Sensibility, part Emma, and a dash of Cinderella. I'm puzzled by the title since the widow Barnaby's story really served as the counterpoint for the story of the young orphan, the widow's niece Agnes. While Fanny Trollope frequently uses dozens of words where only one or two would suffice and long paragraphs where a few sentences would have been plenty, so much the better to transport the reader back to an age of beautiful language, a lost art of written and spoken communication in our age of LOL, BTW, and WTF.
September 13, 2016
Irrepressible grasping social climber with weakness for handsome ne'er-do-wells gets her comeuppance. Sweet chaste patient penniless young relative gets her reward.
A highly entertaining read. The widow is hilarious in her persistent refusal to believe that she can possibly run out of money; even getting thrown into Newgate for nonpayment of debt doesn't faze this woman. She's a bit like a stupider and less attractive version of Scarlett O'Hara in her avarice and ambition; you can almost hear her shrugging things off with a "Fiddle de dee, I'll think about that tomorrow." Agnes (ugh, why? why??), the sweet penniless orphan, is a little tedious in her flustered blushing (or blushing fluster, if you prefer) but she does have excellent taste in men. Unlike the foolish Marianne who takes FAR too long to appreciate the sterling qualities of Colonel Brandon, this girl knows right away that she wants nothing to do with flighty young bucks, instead falling for a distinguished Older Man. Her friends in Bath (I think -- or it might be Lyme Regis) are delightful in their affection for her, and everyone gets just what they deserve in the end. En route there is enough social commentary and Victorian paraphernalia (dresses, dancing, whist, officers, gambling, watering holes, charlatans, inheritances, the return of lost relatives, surprise revelations, etc.) to satisfy the most devoted fan of the genre.
I really wish there were a sequel, though, because is something I would just love to see XD
A highly entertaining read. The widow is hilarious in her persistent refusal to believe that she can possibly run out of money; even getting thrown into Newgate for nonpayment of debt doesn't faze this woman. She's a bit like a stupider and less attractive version of Scarlett O'Hara in her avarice and ambition; you can almost hear her shrugging things off with a "Fiddle de dee, I'll think about that tomorrow." Agnes (ugh, why? why??), the sweet penniless orphan, is a little tedious in her flustered blushing (or blushing fluster, if you prefer) but she does have excellent taste in men. Unlike the foolish Marianne who takes FAR too long to appreciate the sterling qualities of Colonel Brandon, this girl knows right away that she wants nothing to do with flighty young bucks, instead falling for a distinguished Older Man. Her friends in Bath (I think -- or it might be Lyme Regis) are delightful in their affection for her, and everyone gets just what they deserve in the end. En route there is enough social commentary and Victorian paraphernalia (dresses, dancing, whist, officers, gambling, watering holes, charlatans, inheritances, the return of lost relatives, surprise revelations, etc.) to satisfy the most devoted fan of the genre.
I really wish there were a sequel, though, because is something I would just love to see XD
June 20, 2016
Je ne connaissais pas Frances Trollope (la mère d'Anthony) et j'ai choisi son roman un peu par hasard (le critère étant que j'avais besoin d'un roman de plage qui ait beaucoup de pages...). Et ce fut une véritable découverte ! L'héroïne, Martha, et toute la situation m'a rappelé le superbe Lady Susan de Jane Austen en plus caustique. Les personnages sont absolument savoureux, à la fois par leur bêtise (Agnès est un peu trop gentille) , leurs préjugés ( la tante Betsy est un modèle du genre buté) et par leur avarice (Martha est extrêmement réussie)
Donc on suit avec plaisir les évolutions dans la société de Martha ( la veuve joyeuse et sans éducation) et d'Agnès (la jeune ingénue perpétuellement en deuil et tellement digne) . Le vocabulaire est choisi, les descriptions précises, les dialogues sont incisifs et les personnages extrêmement construits et travaillés. Les retournements de situation d'Agnès évoquent un peu les rebondissements de la littérature gothique et on sent sous la plume de l'auteure une réelle volonté parodique grâce à ses sarcasmes.
Je ne rentrerai pas dans tous les détails de l'histoire, j'ai tellement envie qu'on la découvre par soi-même mais je ne me suis pas ennuyée une seule seconde et j'ai énormément ri tant la plume de l'auteure est cynique et acide
Ce que j'aime : le style de l'auteure, ses dialogues, la manières dont elle construit ses personnages
Ce que j'aime moins : parfois l'ingénue l'est un peu trop et Betsy est un peu trop butée
En bref : Un bijou de cynisme qui décrit à merveille la société et l'avarice
Ma note
9/10
Donc on suit avec plaisir les évolutions dans la société de Martha ( la veuve joyeuse et sans éducation) et d'Agnès (la jeune ingénue perpétuellement en deuil et tellement digne) . Le vocabulaire est choisi, les descriptions précises, les dialogues sont incisifs et les personnages extrêmement construits et travaillés. Les retournements de situation d'Agnès évoquent un peu les rebondissements de la littérature gothique et on sent sous la plume de l'auteure une réelle volonté parodique grâce à ses sarcasmes.
Je ne rentrerai pas dans tous les détails de l'histoire, j'ai tellement envie qu'on la découvre par soi-même mais je ne me suis pas ennuyée une seule seconde et j'ai énormément ri tant la plume de l'auteure est cynique et acide
Ce que j'aime : le style de l'auteure, ses dialogues, la manières dont elle construit ses personnages
Ce que j'aime moins : parfois l'ingénue l'est un peu trop et Betsy est un peu trop butée
En bref : Un bijou de cynisme qui décrit à merveille la société et l'avarice
Ma note
9/10
June 4, 2024
Dopo aver letto tutto il Trollope (Anthony) pubblicato, dal ciclo Palliser alle Cronache del Barset, agli autoconclusivi, potevo forse farmi mancare il romanzo della madre Frances - provocatoria autrice della letteratura vittoriana? Un tour picaresco tra le ipocrisie e i tic dell'alta società inglese, arguto e divertente vortice di avventure di Mrs Barnaby, vedova alla ricerca di un nuovo marito, accompagnata dalla dolce e remissiva nipote Agnes.
July 18, 2011
Really more about the vulgar, selfish Mrs Barnaby's niece, the good, timid, beautiful Agnes, than the widow Barnaby herself. It's Victorian, but not really literary; it's a comforting, light-hearted romantic kind of read in the Cinderella mould. Reminded me a bit of Louisa M. Alcott and L. M. Montgomery.
July 12, 2019
Une découverte merveilleuse, pour un grand plaisir de lecture.
Frances Trollope, contemporaine de Jane Austen, nous offre un superbe roman où les femmes ont la part belle. Elle peint avec talent les petits travers et les grands ridicules de ses personnages, avec une plume fine et une psychologie très poussée. Malgré son épaisseur, je n'ai pas vu le temps passer !
Frances Trollope, contemporaine de Jane Austen, nous offre un superbe roman où les femmes ont la part belle. Elle peint avec talent les petits travers et les grands ridicules de ses personnages, avec une plume fine et une psychologie très poussée. Malgré son épaisseur, je n'ai pas vu le temps passer !
January 2, 2022
Una lettura tutto sommato piacevole ma non paragonerei la vedova Barnaby alla Lady Susan austeniana, madre snaturata ma donna intelligentissima, di classe, furba come una volpe...
La vedova Barnaby è solamente una sciocca civetta vanitosa che sistematicamente viene "annusata" e scoperta. E' capace però di "riciclarsi" superbamente...
La vedova Barnaby è solamente una sciocca civetta vanitosa che sistematicamente viene "annusata" e scoperta. E' capace però di "riciclarsi" superbamente...
July 24, 2016
I believe if I had reviewed this book back in Ms. Trollope's day, I would have called it "frothy." Not much substance, but a good Victorian romance novel. Not the brilliant social commentary of Jane Austen. Not the deeply developed characters of Charlotte Bronte. A little silly at times. But a very likeable book to escape to.
[This was a time when pretty much all I wanted to do was escape. Also, remember the yellow, green and pink in a box idea. One word per spine. xox]
[This was a time when pretty much all I wanted to do was escape. Also, remember the yellow, green and pink in a box idea. One word per spine. xox]
October 14, 2012
Written in the style of Jane Austen. Wonderful flowery language. There are three volumes.
February 4, 2023
This is a romp and good fun. It is not a great piece of literature by any means but a fascinating insight into its time - and the snobbish values. She worked hard to spin things out and then wrapped it all up ridiculously quickly in the final chapters.
Fanny wasn’t moving in high society herself by this time and in her need to provide for her family must have occasionally behaved a little ‘vulgarly’ herself.
A slightly more sympathetic widow would have made it more engaging. Also a slightly less angelic Agnes. Anthony Trollope’s genius was in his characters having shades of grey (with a few wonderful exceptions!).
Fanny wasn’t moving in high society herself by this time and in her need to provide for her family must have occasionally behaved a little ‘vulgarly’ herself.
A slightly more sympathetic widow would have made it more engaging. Also a slightly less angelic Agnes. Anthony Trollope’s genius was in his characters having shades of grey (with a few wonderful exceptions!).
June 5, 2015
First time reading a book of Mrs Frances Trollope--mother of the much more famous Anthony Trollope (whom I love).
It was pleasant enough, but I kept on thinking to myself that I wish her son Anthony would have taken this story and rewritten it! I bet he would have done a better job with character development & dialog.
It was pleasant enough, but I kept on thinking to myself that I wish her son Anthony would have taken this story and rewritten it! I bet he would have done a better job with character development & dialog.
May 13, 2023
Non un capolavoro, certo, ma è stata una lettura di svago piacevole
September 12, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up. This was a pleasant and enjoyable story. Marriages, fortunes, misunderstandings, schemings - early Victorian fun, it's all here.
Miss Compton, the deformed spinster, pursues her goal of restoring her family estate with dogged good sense. Her niece - through the unfortunate marriage of her mediocre curate brother to the fortuneless daughter of a tallow chandler - is the flamboyantly crass titular character.
Widow Barnaby is a fortune hunter with no class. A recurring theme in the novel is that true pedigree shines through to those who should know - they are never deceived by either the rouge-wearing widow who aspires or the true gentility of her younger sister's child Agnes, whose father was a Willoughby. A running joke for Trollope is that, when men on the street look audaciously into the face of the widow, she believes herself to be admired; while she interprets the respectful casting down of their eyes when they encounter Agnes to be the result of disdain. Similarly, the widow believes herself honored by her invitation from Lady Elizabeth Norris, who in fact amuses herself by collecting "oddities."
Widow Barnaby claims credit for supporting Agnes, but she is verbally abusive and treats her basically as a maid. The widow has convinced herself that she has mourned her husband enough, but she insists that Agnes wear her old mourning clothes and give out the story that Agnes wants no others (to avoid the expense of providing clothes). Widow Barnaby also hopes to set herself off through the contrast to Agnes' imposed drabness:
Miss Compton, the deformed spinster, pursues her goal of restoring her family estate with dogged good sense. Her niece - through the unfortunate marriage of her mediocre curate brother to the fortuneless daughter of a tallow chandler - is the flamboyantly crass titular character.
Widow Barnaby is a fortune hunter with no class. A recurring theme in the novel is that true pedigree shines through to those who should know - they are never deceived by either the rouge-wearing widow who aspires or the true gentility of her younger sister's child Agnes, whose father was a Willoughby. A running joke for Trollope is that, when men on the street look audaciously into the face of the widow, she believes herself to be admired; while she interprets the respectful casting down of their eyes when they encounter Agnes to be the result of disdain. Similarly, the widow believes herself honored by her invitation from Lady Elizabeth Norris, who in fact amuses herself by collecting "oddities."
Widow Barnaby claims credit for supporting Agnes, but she is verbally abusive and treats her basically as a maid. The widow has convinced herself that she has mourned her husband enough, but she insists that Agnes wear her old mourning clothes and give out the story that Agnes wants no others (to avoid the expense of providing clothes). Widow Barnaby also hopes to set herself off through the contrast to Agnes' imposed drabness:
"Oh! monstrous!..." interrupted Miss Compton. "I see it all: ... while she wantons about like a painted butterfly, she has thrown her chrysalis-case upon you, my pretty Agnes, in the hope of making you look like a grub beside her..."
February 18, 2025
Questo libro è il primo di una trilogia, attendiamo gli altri due volumi.
Insomma, voglio sapere come va a finire con la Barnaby.
L’eroina di questo libro è Martha Barnaby il cui principale scopo è quello di stare al centro dell’attenzione sia dal punto di vista visivo (abbigliamento e trucco appariscente), sia dal punto di vista delle chiacchiere (un po’ mentendo, un po’ mettendo in cattiva luce altri per fare sembrare lei migliore).
Secondo scopo è quello di sposarsi con un uomo benestante.
In questo primo libro la accompagna, riluttante e per sua enorme sfortuna, la nipote Agnes che è esattamente l’opposto della zia.
Nel racconto la Barnaby è descritta in modo divertente, ma senza cattiveria, insomma è pur sempre la nostra eroina, anche le situazioni in cui si svolgono le vicende sono divertenti.
Tenera, ovviamente per contrasto, anche la vicenda della nipote Agnes.
In questo libro la Barnaby non ha uno sviluppo, la si considera una doppiogiochista falsa e cattiva e tale resta. Mi sono comunque trovata, paradossalmente, a fare il tifo per lei.
Due pecche, dal mio punto di vista. La prima è il finale velocizzato. Nel libro i personaggi e le vicende vengono introdotte in modo corretto, con le descrizioni giuste e con ritmi giusti (non eccessivi e nemmeno ridotti al minimo) però nel finale in 4, 5 capitoli succede di tutto. Un po’ un peccato.
La seconda riesumare un personaggio, la Trollope ci ha messo proprio un cerotto per questa faccenda, a mio avviso non necessaria.
Nel complesso comunque un libro divertente, ha un buon senso dell’umorismo la Frances.
p.s. qualcuno traduca gli altri due volumi, grazie!
Insomma, voglio sapere come va a finire con la Barnaby.
L’eroina di questo libro è Martha Barnaby il cui principale scopo è quello di stare al centro dell’attenzione sia dal punto di vista visivo (abbigliamento e trucco appariscente), sia dal punto di vista delle chiacchiere (un po’ mentendo, un po’ mettendo in cattiva luce altri per fare sembrare lei migliore).
Secondo scopo è quello di sposarsi con un uomo benestante.
In questo primo libro la accompagna, riluttante e per sua enorme sfortuna, la nipote Agnes che è esattamente l’opposto della zia.
Nel racconto la Barnaby è descritta in modo divertente, ma senza cattiveria, insomma è pur sempre la nostra eroina, anche le situazioni in cui si svolgono le vicende sono divertenti.
Tenera, ovviamente per contrasto, anche la vicenda della nipote Agnes.
In questo libro la Barnaby non ha uno sviluppo, la si considera una doppiogiochista falsa e cattiva e tale resta. Mi sono comunque trovata, paradossalmente, a fare il tifo per lei.
Due pecche, dal mio punto di vista. La prima è il finale velocizzato. Nel libro i personaggi e le vicende vengono introdotte in modo corretto, con le descrizioni giuste e con ritmi giusti (non eccessivi e nemmeno ridotti al minimo) però nel finale in 4, 5 capitoli succede di tutto. Un po’ un peccato.
La seconda riesumare un personaggio, la Trollope ci ha messo proprio un cerotto per questa faccenda, a mio avviso non necessaria.
Nel complesso comunque un libro divertente, ha un buon senso dell’umorismo la Frances.
p.s. qualcuno traduca gli altri due volumi, grazie!
November 16, 2024
This would be a 3.75 but I need to stress my disappointment with the last 100 pages.
The widow Barnaby is an unforgettable character, it blows my mind that we have a MC like her in a book written in the 19th century. She is caricatural, selfish but also portrayed with such tenderness. I was so happy that she was not chastised in the end.
I really enjoyed this book, it kept me company and made me laugh when I was feeling down, but the last 100 pages go against each and every premise that was made in the remaining 400 in order to rush towards a very cheesy happy ending. Nevertheless, loved the female characters in this, they are spotless, but the plot just lost its construction towards the end.
The widow Barnaby is an unforgettable character, it blows my mind that we have a MC like her in a book written in the 19th century. She is caricatural, selfish but also portrayed with such tenderness. I was so happy that she was not chastised in the end.
I really enjoyed this book, it kept me company and made me laugh when I was feeling down, but the last 100 pages go against each and every premise that was made in the remaining 400 in order to rush towards a very cheesy happy ending. Nevertheless, loved the female characters in this, they are spotless, but the plot just lost its construction towards the end.
June 30, 2020
This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel, amusing and dramatic enough to keep the reader happy.
Widow Barnaby is a super character full of vulgarity abd pretension. She is believable in her foibles and little cruelties to her niece, Agnes.
Agnes comes from the stable of sentimental heroines, but she is admirable without being too sickening.
The story has enough characters to keep track of without overtaxing the reader's memory and the adventures move along in a lively manner.
It is a decent piece of entertainment of which I grew fonder as I read it.
Widow Barnaby is a super character full of vulgarity abd pretension. She is believable in her foibles and little cruelties to her niece, Agnes.
Agnes comes from the stable of sentimental heroines, but she is admirable without being too sickening.
The story has enough characters to keep track of without overtaxing the reader's memory and the adventures move along in a lively manner.
It is a decent piece of entertainment of which I grew fonder as I read it.
December 30, 2019
The title character is so well done and so fun to dislike! Most of the story centers on her niece and her story of getting away from her aunt's duplicity. It seems Frances likes heroines who are perfectly mannered and beautiful. The great-aunt was another intriguing character who finally opens her purse to set her great-niece on her way.
December 1, 2018
Captivating!
April 1, 2024
4.5/5
Je me suis régalée avec ce roman !
Beaucoup d'humour, un ton mordant, parfois ironique, des personnages très attachants dont on suit l'évolution avec plaisir :) une très belle découverte !
Je me suis régalée avec ce roman !
Beaucoup d'humour, un ton mordant, parfois ironique, des personnages très attachants dont on suit l'évolution avec plaisir :) une très belle découverte !
August 25, 2024
This was a fun, lighthearted read (perfect company while recovering from covid). The 'bad' characters were so silly, that it all was rather funny, altough not without a fair share of drama.
November 17, 2023
Actual rating: 3.75 stars.
I was curious to read this novel because some readers compare it to Lady Susan, which is a brilliant, lesser known work of Jane Austen which I really love. Even if the tone and the story were quite different, I still found Widow Barnaby an enjoyable and entertaining read overall.
The humour, even if not as witty and sharp as Austen's, was quite good. I liked how, as Frances Trollope herself states, the main character is not the typical angelic Victorian heroine, but the widow Barnaby, a vain, selfish, hypocritical and shallow woman. It was definitely refreshing. Widow Barnaby's antics were definitely funny, but at the same time I sort of liked her and
The second protagonist of the novel is Barnaby's niece, Agnes, who is indeed the angelic Victorian heroine. While she wasn't memorable, I still enjoyed following her in contrast to her aunt. Her romance was kind of cute, but it dragged a lot towards the end, and I got a little fed up with it.
All in all, I do think the book was a little long and repetitive, but for the most part I enjoyed it and I would recommend it.
I was curious to read this novel because some readers compare it to Lady Susan, which is a brilliant, lesser known work of Jane Austen which I really love. Even if the tone and the story were quite different, I still found Widow Barnaby an enjoyable and entertaining read overall.
The humour, even if not as witty and sharp as Austen's, was quite good. I liked how, as Frances Trollope herself states, the main character is not the typical angelic Victorian heroine, but the widow Barnaby, a vain, selfish, hypocritical and shallow woman. It was definitely refreshing. Widow Barnaby's antics were definitely funny, but at the same time I sort of liked her and
The second protagonist of the novel is Barnaby's niece, Agnes, who is indeed the angelic Victorian heroine. While she wasn't memorable, I still enjoyed following her in contrast to her aunt. Her romance was kind of cute, but it dragged a lot towards the end, and I got a little fed up with it.
All in all, I do think the book was a little long and repetitive, but for the most part I enjoyed it and I would recommend it.
March 27, 2020
J'ai beaucoup aimé le style de l'auteur qui rappel un peu celui de Jane Austen. Les personnages sont tous très colorés, mais j'aurais préféré que celui d'Agnès soit un peu moins parfait. Les différentes péripéties de la veuve Barnaby sont toutes très divertissantes et j'ai beaucoup aimé ma lecture.
August 6, 2016
Loved her style - the widow Barnaby is a tremendous creation. A bit long though.....
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