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Let them call it jazz and other stories
This small volume contains three tales of the solitary lives of 'Let Them Call It Jazz', 'Outside the Machine' and 'The Insect World'.
184 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1980
10 people are currently reading
368 people want to read
About the author
Jean Rhys
68 books1,514 followersJean Rhys, CBE (born Ella Gwendolyn Rees Williams; 24 August 1890–14 May 1979) was a British novelist who was born and grew up in the Caribbean island of Dominica. From the age of 16, she mainly resided in England, where she was sent for her education. She is best known for her novel Wide Sargasso Sea (1966), written as a prequel to Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre.
She moved to England at the age of 16 years in 1906 and worked unsuccessfully as a chorus girl. In the 1920s, she relocated to Europe, travelled as a Bohemian artist, and took up residence sporadically in Paris. During this period, Rhys, familiar with modern art and literature, lived near poverty and acquired the alcoholism that persisted throughout the rest of her life. Her experience of a patriarchal society and displacement during this period formed some of the most important themes in her work.
She moved to England at the age of 16 years in 1906 and worked unsuccessfully as a chorus girl. In the 1920s, she relocated to Europe, travelled as a Bohemian artist, and took up residence sporadically in Paris. During this period, Rhys, familiar with modern art and literature, lived near poverty and acquired the alcoholism that persisted throughout the rest of her life. Her experience of a patriarchal society and displacement during this period formed some of the most important themes in her work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 5, 2013
I found this little gem on Alibris whilst looking for a copy of Wide Sargasso Sea. It's a quick read as the collection only contains the short stories: Let Them Call It Jazz, Outside the Machine, and The Insect World.
This is my first venture into the works of Jean Rhys and I am utterly blown away. I didn't know what to expect but she masterfully draws you into the lives of the three protagonists and makes you feel the anxieties, paralysis and despair of the characters.
This is my first venture into the works of Jean Rhys and I am utterly blown away. I didn't know what to expect but she masterfully draws you into the lives of the three protagonists and makes you feel the anxieties, paralysis and despair of the characters.
May 21, 2009
Let Them Call It Jazz by Jean Rhys is short and brilliant. It consists of three short stories about three lonely women suffering from various forms of depression: Let Them Call It Jazz, Outside the Machine, The Insect World.
Let Them Call It Jazz:
Selina is a young woman who has no money, no home and no idea of what to do next in her life. She came to England with the intent of becoming a seamstress at a shop in London, but has had no luck getting hired. Instead she finds herself kicked out of the bedsit she rents weekly and learns that her life savings (30 pounds) has been stolen. While having a sandwich and coffee, she meets a man who provides her with a new place of residence. He owns a house and has a vacancy available. Reluctant at first, Selina soon finds herself living in a worn down flat, spending her nights drinking and dancing outside in the yard. The next door neighbors are unfriendly towards her and constantly tell her to leave the area. This tension grows and eventually the police are phoned - her dark skin and foreign accent have made the neighbors suspicious and they accuse her of being a prostitute, a troublemaker and a disturbance to the neighborhood. Unable to defend herself, Selina winds up in front of the local magistrate and eventually jail. She feels isolated, victimized and completely abandoned by everyone and everything. Her only solace is in a song she heard a young woman singing in prison - the Holloway song. Selina believed that the woman was singing that song to her and that was how and why she wound up in that prison - to hear that song. However, when Selina's song gets jazzed up and sold for cash, she is saddened - this song was her only connection to a place, to a reality. But she soon realizes that she has nothing and this song is an example of the nothingness she owns and so she lets go of the song.
Outside the Machine:
Inez Best is not good. She is in hospital having surgery and suffering from depression. She is surrounded by women - and she hates women. Unsure of how to react to everyone and everything, she just lays there at first and listens to the chatter surrounding her. Observing the women, she soon finds herself disliking them more and more. And she soon realizes that she needs to stay in the hospital longer, because she has nowhere to go once she leaves. Plus, she enjoys spending the day in bed, eating lunch, reading books and not having to do anything else - its an escape from her reality. She heals slowly every day and when she finally walks herself to the bathroom to wash up, she encounters Murphy (another fellow patient) who gets tackled by a nurse - apparently Murphy was going to attempt suicide in the lavatory. All the women question Inez when she returns from the bathroom - it seems that Murphy has a husband and two small children, but is so unhappy with her life that she has been trying to kill herself for quite some time. The women are appalled and disgusted by Murphy and think she should be hung. Inez, on the other hand, connects with Murphy, because she has contemplated suicide before, too. When it is time for Inez to finally leave, she is given some money by the Mrs. Tavernier, the old woman with whom she first spoke to upon entering the hospital ward. Inez accepts the money and thanks the woman. In her head, she tells herself that the amount people are willing to give - whether it be monetary or their own personal time - is never enough to truly help someone who is as sad and depressed as she is.
The Insect World:
Audrey is reading a book called Nothing So Blue and it provides details about insects, like the jigger ( a sand flea). She is living a flat she shares with her best friend, Monica. They both work as typists in a government building. Audrey likes to read - she prefers the written word to life. She would rather immerse herself in a book than in her own personal reality. We find Audrey getting upset over the way the sales woman at a store bullies her into buying a short dress that fits her too big. We follow her home where she remembers that she has not eaten all day, but is already running late to meet her friend Roberta for tea. At first glance, she is envious of Roberta for living in a cute cottage and opening the door in a floral housecoat and plopping herself down on the couch like a film star would have done. However, when Audrey really looks at Roberta, she realizes that the floral housecoat is actually made of old curtains and that Roberta doesn't look too glamorous after all. They begin to discuss the insects in the book that Audrey is reading and Roberta explains how the creepy jiggers are mere sand fleas and tells Audrey not to believe everything she reads. Eventually Audrey gets home and finds Monica making dinner and blasting the radio. They argue a bit and Audrey lays down to sleep. She gets woken up by Monica who tells her to stop screaming or they will be thrown out of their flat - apparently Audrey was screaming about jiggers.
My thoughts:
All three short stories vividly show the various forms of depression that these women suffer and they ways in which they choose to handle it or ignore it. The writing is excellent and truly showcases what a talented author Rhys was. Her ability to bring up so many different, but important issues in such a short space of time is amazing. Some of the issues she touches upon (aside from mental illness) are: racism, sexism, economic status, social class and identity. Rhys is also able to fully develop the characters and provide a background for them without disrupting the flow of the short story line's plot. Her tone is somber and haunting - the essence of each character's mental state of mind. Overall, I would highly recommend this little book - its the perfect introduction to Rhys' writing style. Enjoy!
Let Them Call It Jazz:
Selina is a young woman who has no money, no home and no idea of what to do next in her life. She came to England with the intent of becoming a seamstress at a shop in London, but has had no luck getting hired. Instead she finds herself kicked out of the bedsit she rents weekly and learns that her life savings (30 pounds) has been stolen. While having a sandwich and coffee, she meets a man who provides her with a new place of residence. He owns a house and has a vacancy available. Reluctant at first, Selina soon finds herself living in a worn down flat, spending her nights drinking and dancing outside in the yard. The next door neighbors are unfriendly towards her and constantly tell her to leave the area. This tension grows and eventually the police are phoned - her dark skin and foreign accent have made the neighbors suspicious and they accuse her of being a prostitute, a troublemaker and a disturbance to the neighborhood. Unable to defend herself, Selina winds up in front of the local magistrate and eventually jail. She feels isolated, victimized and completely abandoned by everyone and everything. Her only solace is in a song she heard a young woman singing in prison - the Holloway song. Selina believed that the woman was singing that song to her and that was how and why she wound up in that prison - to hear that song. However, when Selina's song gets jazzed up and sold for cash, she is saddened - this song was her only connection to a place, to a reality. But she soon realizes that she has nothing and this song is an example of the nothingness she owns and so she lets go of the song.
Outside the Machine:
Inez Best is not good. She is in hospital having surgery and suffering from depression. She is surrounded by women - and she hates women. Unsure of how to react to everyone and everything, she just lays there at first and listens to the chatter surrounding her. Observing the women, she soon finds herself disliking them more and more. And she soon realizes that she needs to stay in the hospital longer, because she has nowhere to go once she leaves. Plus, she enjoys spending the day in bed, eating lunch, reading books and not having to do anything else - its an escape from her reality. She heals slowly every day and when she finally walks herself to the bathroom to wash up, she encounters Murphy (another fellow patient) who gets tackled by a nurse - apparently Murphy was going to attempt suicide in the lavatory. All the women question Inez when she returns from the bathroom - it seems that Murphy has a husband and two small children, but is so unhappy with her life that she has been trying to kill herself for quite some time. The women are appalled and disgusted by Murphy and think she should be hung. Inez, on the other hand, connects with Murphy, because she has contemplated suicide before, too. When it is time for Inez to finally leave, she is given some money by the Mrs. Tavernier, the old woman with whom she first spoke to upon entering the hospital ward. Inez accepts the money and thanks the woman. In her head, she tells herself that the amount people are willing to give - whether it be monetary or their own personal time - is never enough to truly help someone who is as sad and depressed as she is.
The Insect World:
Audrey is reading a book called Nothing So Blue and it provides details about insects, like the jigger ( a sand flea). She is living a flat she shares with her best friend, Monica. They both work as typists in a government building. Audrey likes to read - she prefers the written word to life. She would rather immerse herself in a book than in her own personal reality. We find Audrey getting upset over the way the sales woman at a store bullies her into buying a short dress that fits her too big. We follow her home where she remembers that she has not eaten all day, but is already running late to meet her friend Roberta for tea. At first glance, she is envious of Roberta for living in a cute cottage and opening the door in a floral housecoat and plopping herself down on the couch like a film star would have done. However, when Audrey really looks at Roberta, she realizes that the floral housecoat is actually made of old curtains and that Roberta doesn't look too glamorous after all. They begin to discuss the insects in the book that Audrey is reading and Roberta explains how the creepy jiggers are mere sand fleas and tells Audrey not to believe everything she reads. Eventually Audrey gets home and finds Monica making dinner and blasting the radio. They argue a bit and Audrey lays down to sleep. She gets woken up by Monica who tells her to stop screaming or they will be thrown out of their flat - apparently Audrey was screaming about jiggers.
My thoughts:
All three short stories vividly show the various forms of depression that these women suffer and they ways in which they choose to handle it or ignore it. The writing is excellent and truly showcases what a talented author Rhys was. Her ability to bring up so many different, but important issues in such a short space of time is amazing. Some of the issues she touches upon (aside from mental illness) are: racism, sexism, economic status, social class and identity. Rhys is also able to fully develop the characters and provide a background for them without disrupting the flow of the short story line's plot. Her tone is somber and haunting - the essence of each character's mental state of mind. Overall, I would highly recommend this little book - its the perfect introduction to Rhys' writing style. Enjoy!
October 1, 2020
Three small tales of isolation and quiet despair that resonate strongly in these uncertain times. Rhys remains one of the greatest twentieth-century authors for her depictions of loneliness and self-deception.
February 9, 2024
The first story was a 4, the second story was a 3.5, and the third story was a 3. It’s definitely worth reading the first story though. Rhys writes beautifully. Women in the margins, at the edges.
October 4, 2016
Three short stories published as a Penguin 60, taken from books published in the 1970s. The stories are all based around female lead characters, and all feature depression or at least borderline mental illness. Not really happy, uplifting stuff, it is fair to say!
Gets a bit spoilerish below, so stop here if you are about to read it...
The title story tells of Selina, a recent immigrant to the UK, down on her luck. She has little money, and is kicked out of her bedsit and has her money stolen. She is befriended by a man who offers her a room in a run down house, where she spends what little money she has on alcohol and falls out with the neighbours who insist she is too loud. The police are called, and having no means to defend herself, the neighbours lies are believed, and she ends up in jail. Circumstances in jail give her some hope. I will leave the ending for the reader to discover.
The second story Outside the Machine is the story of Inez, a patient in a French hospital, with a number of other female English patients. The story tells the background of each of the patients, their interactions with each other and the staff.
The third story The Insect World tells of Audrey - a woman reading a book about insects, and a day in her life where she is bullied by a shop attendant, jealous of her better off friend, and agues with her housemate.
Not really fitting into the genre or area of interest I normally read, but the stories are well constructed and build the characters well. Each of these stories sits around the 3 mark.
Gets a bit spoilerish below, so stop here if you are about to read it...
The title story tells of Selina, a recent immigrant to the UK, down on her luck. She has little money, and is kicked out of her bedsit and has her money stolen. She is befriended by a man who offers her a room in a run down house, where she spends what little money she has on alcohol and falls out with the neighbours who insist she is too loud. The police are called, and having no means to defend herself, the neighbours lies are believed, and she ends up in jail. Circumstances in jail give her some hope. I will leave the ending for the reader to discover.
The second story Outside the Machine is the story of Inez, a patient in a French hospital, with a number of other female English patients. The story tells the background of each of the patients, their interactions with each other and the staff.
The third story The Insect World tells of Audrey - a woman reading a book about insects, and a day in her life where she is bullied by a shop attendant, jealous of her better off friend, and agues with her housemate.
Not really fitting into the genre or area of interest I normally read, but the stories are well constructed and build the characters well. Each of these stories sits around the 3 mark.
April 25, 2025
La edición que leí tenía 7 relatos (Vienne, Kismet, Till September Petronella, Let Them Call It Jazz, Tigers Are Better-Looking, Who Knows What's Up in the Attic y Sleep It Off Lady). Debo decir que en un inicio me costó trabajo agarrar el ritmo, pero ya hacia la la última historia sentía hasta una cercanía con la autora.
Como descripción general, diría que Rhys utiliza personajes femeninos y la experiencia de ser mujer como algo que le es familiar, mas no como tema central. En cambio, estas historias narran desde la periferia, la soledad, la no-pertenencia, la hostilidad; todo esto, sin embargo, de una manera muy astuta, sarcástica y divertida, con una narrativa desconcertante pero sumamente bien lograda.
Como descripción general, diría que Rhys utiliza personajes femeninos y la experiencia de ser mujer como algo que le es familiar, mas no como tema central. En cambio, estas historias narran desde la periferia, la soledad, la no-pertenencia, la hostilidad; todo esto, sin embargo, de una manera muy astuta, sarcástica y divertida, con una narrativa desconcertante pero sumamente bien lograda.
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April 14, 2022Read for British Lit 1760-Present
May 17, 2025
“Then her body relaxed and she lay and did not think of anything, for there is peace in despair in exactly the same way as there is despair in peace.”
Jean Rhys is a wonderful writer and I will always hold a special place for her in my heart! I expected to love this a little more than I did, but perhaps I was not in the right headspace for a melancholy story…
If you want to read Rhys’ work and don’t know where to start, I haven’t stopped thinking about Good Morning Midnight in 7 years!
Jean Rhys is a wonderful writer and I will always hold a special place for her in my heart! I expected to love this a little more than I did, but perhaps I was not in the right headspace for a melancholy story…
If you want to read Rhys’ work and don’t know where to start, I haven’t stopped thinking about Good Morning Midnight in 7 years!
July 30, 2012
I've been slowly moving my old book reviews from the early 2000s over to Goodreads, probably much to the annoyance of my friends here who I'm spamming with all those updates, but it had the benefit of reminding me of how much I liked the other Jean Rhys books I've read. So when I found this at a used bookstore for a dollar I snapped it up. (Originally it was 60p... not sure how that pricing math works.)
Three tight, strong stories about women who feel alienated from mid-century society. Each has a really strong and distinct narrative voice, but together they paint such an interesting picture of outsiderness and poverty and anxiety and womanhood and loneliness. Plus her writing is a joy to read. She's so underrated and so good.
Also while I was reading, two tiny pressed flowers fell out from between the pages. I love that so much.
Any of my Goodreads friends want my copy? I'm happy to pop it in the mail.
Three tight, strong stories about women who feel alienated from mid-century society. Each has a really strong and distinct narrative voice, but together they paint such an interesting picture of outsiderness and poverty and anxiety and womanhood and loneliness. Plus her writing is a joy to read. She's so underrated and so good.
Also while I was reading, two tiny pressed flowers fell out from between the pages. I love that so much.
Any of my Goodreads friends want my copy? I'm happy to pop it in the mail.
February 20, 2015
Jean Rhys, like Margaret Atwood, is one of those rare authors who make sense when the story seems to be making none at all. "However," I ask myself, "Does life really make sense?"
This is the keynote of these three short stories by Jean Rhys. Told with a shifting narrative, the stories in this book are about three women, two of them are foreigners in a strange land while one of them is not sure whether the world she has lived in for so many years is really her own. Stories of alienation and belonging, of silent fears and self-consciousness, of how notions of beauty, of being different from others and growing old affect the confidence and individuality of women are told beautifully in this little book.
Let Them Call it Jazz is a book by a woman who was way ahead of her time with stories that will always remain applicable universally for women around the globe!
This is the keynote of these three short stories by Jean Rhys. Told with a shifting narrative, the stories in this book are about three women, two of them are foreigners in a strange land while one of them is not sure whether the world she has lived in for so many years is really her own. Stories of alienation and belonging, of silent fears and self-consciousness, of how notions of beauty, of being different from others and growing old affect the confidence and individuality of women are told beautifully in this little book.
Let Them Call it Jazz is a book by a woman who was way ahead of her time with stories that will always remain applicable universally for women around the globe!
November 25, 2018
I've read and reread many of these over time. Rhys's stories are not for the faint-hearted or those seeking fairy tales, you need some stomach to read most of them, an open mind, and a certain "spirit", but not in Mr Sims's sense, greed won't help at all while reading her. As well as greed she explores loneliness, isolation, alienation, trauma, the woman's experience, the creole's experience, the migrant experience, and uncountable themes in between with a livid voice—and in Ford Madox Ford's words, a lurid passion—as she gives the underdogs the voice they were denied.
What else can I say? Just go and read a few of these stories. Or all of them.
What else can I say? Just go and read a few of these stories. Or all of them.
December 3, 2007
This book is very small, part of the 60 pence Penguin books for Penguin's 60th birthday. It's got three little stories about madness, otherness, decay, and pain around the inter-war and war period in London and Paris. Very snappy, efficient prose; two of the stories are told in a third-person style, and one is a memoir-type first person tale. The stories rage against the machine that transforms people and especially women into automatons and objects. They are extremely scary stories, really. Excellent tragic realist/postcolonial/feminist work without being just any one of those things...
August 5, 2016
I prefer her in longer 'short' books. No-one beats her descriptions of women who have realised that life really doesn't make sense. Or even pleasant sense.
November 19, 2024
"Let Them Call It Jazz" by Jean Rhys is a short but brilliant collection. It consists of three short stories about three lonely women who experience different forms of depression: "Let Them Call It Jazz," "Outside the Machine," and "The Insect World.".
All three short stories compellingly depict the diverse manifestations of depression that the women endure. Each narrative reveals how they respond to their struggles, confronting or evading their feelings. The writing is masterful, showcasing the author's remarkable talent, Rhys, who brings these complex characters and their emotional turmoil to life profoundly and engagingly.
Rhys masterfully brings her characters to life, intricately weaving their backgrounds into the narrative without interrupting the seamless progression of the short story's plot. Her tone is sad and haunting, effectively capturing the essence of each character's emotional and psychological state. With each carefully chosen word, the reader is drawn into the depths of their minds, feeling the weight of their experiences and the shadows of their thoughts.
Born and raised in the Caribbean, Rhys is now an adopted Londoner. He has never felt at home in either place nor shown a strong attachment to either culture.
I highly recommend this little book; it is an excellent introduction to Rhys's writing style.
March 12, 2025
This is the sixth of the Penguin 60s books that I had picked up, and it was as impressive as the others in terms of the depth of the author's understanding of human psyche. The first of the stories in this book, which lends the book its title, is the most poignant of the three short stories in this book by Jean Rhys. Racism is laid bare in all its ugliness, and one finishes the story wondering if those who pass racist remarks and do racial discrimination ever realise how far reaching their actions are. It is indeed possible, quite clearly probable that some women, as much as men, fight off racism and do well. But the vast majority simply cave in to such base behaviour by the perpetrators - and the story shows how realistic this kind of a downward slide can be. The other two stories, just as the first one, shows how women are especially vulnerable in this unequal world. An unfortunate set of circumstances can easily push vulnerable people to succumb to a downward spiral of self-esteem and depression, leading to the most unfortunate outcomes. One will need to keep reminding oneself that these are fictional stories - it can be very, very disturbing otherwise. It underscores to need to look way beyond merely allocating a day to "celebrate" women in our society. Worth a read, if one is willing to learn from these stories.
June 3, 2021
My favourite was the titular story as it highlighted the struggles of a young Creole woman in a very racist English society and her tenacity in pursuing what she needed to prosper. She had such fire and her memories of growing up with her grandmother and what she had learnt from her and the language were what made this story the best in the collection.
All the other were based around the existence and treatment of women in 1900s Europe; their roles as wives, actors, dancers, mistresses. The cattiness and petty jealousies that can arise among as the compete for jobs and attention. Only one approached depression and it did so rather sparingly.
The stories were:
Vienne
Kismet
Till September Petronella
Let Them Call It Jazz
Tigers Are Better Looking
Who Knows What's Up In The Attic
Sleep It Off Lady
All the other were based around the existence and treatment of women in 1900s Europe; their roles as wives, actors, dancers, mistresses. The cattiness and petty jealousies that can arise among as the compete for jobs and attention. Only one approached depression and it did so rather sparingly.
The stories were:
Vienne
Kismet
Till September Petronella
Let Them Call It Jazz
Tigers Are Better Looking
Who Knows What's Up In The Attic
Sleep It Off Lady
March 23, 2024
Need on lood iseseisvalt kindlameelsetest, tugevalt tahumatutest, meelega mässavatest, naljaga naelutavatest naistest. Naistest, kes näitavad oma ajastu keskmes olevatele tabudele ja voorustele koha kätte võttes omaks teguviise ja käitumismalle, mis nende sookaaslased häbist karjuma ja punastama panevad ning mehepurakad padujalus amokki jooksma ajavad.
Need naised on endas kindlad. Nad teavad mida nad tahavad, millal nad seda tahavad ja miks neid põrmugi ei kõiguta see, et mingi kogukondik moraal peaks neid vaos hoidma. Jah nad laulavad ja napsutavad, kui selleks tuju tuleb. Jah nad viskavad su jõllitavalt mõnitava näolarhvi pihta telliskivi ja ütlevad, et istu koos oma -ismidega istmikutaburetti. Jah nad otsustavad, kas elada või surra ja lähevad siit elust nii, nagu nemad seda õigeks peavad - kas oma käe läbi või jah, mõnel muul moel.
Need naised on endas kindlad. Nad teavad mida nad tahavad, millal nad seda tahavad ja miks neid põrmugi ei kõiguta see, et mingi kogukondik moraal peaks neid vaos hoidma. Jah nad laulavad ja napsutavad, kui selleks tuju tuleb. Jah nad viskavad su jõllitavalt mõnitava näolarhvi pihta telliskivi ja ütlevad, et istu koos oma -ismidega istmikutaburetti. Jah nad otsustavad, kas elada või surra ja lähevad siit elust nii, nagu nemad seda õigeks peavad - kas oma käe läbi või jah, mõnel muul moel.
June 9, 2017
What a weird & wildly wonderful read this was for me. It is very original, very quirky, quite bizarre & all kinds of awesome!
The first short is the title name of the book and is about a woman who simply doesn't or is unable to function in the world in which she lives. Because Her behavior costs her time in the brig hospital but it appears that by the end she has learned a bit.
Her song:
"Don't trouble me now
You without honour.
Don't walk in my footstep
You without shame."
The second & third shorts here, Outside the Machine & The Insect World, are every bit as good as the first. I love the way Rhys uses her words, changes them up & also her use of the colloquialisms in these stories.
The first short is the title name of the book and is about a woman who simply doesn't or is unable to function in the world in which she lives. Because Her behavior costs her time in the brig hospital but it appears that by the end she has learned a bit.
Her song:
"Don't trouble me now
You without honour.
Don't walk in my footstep
You without shame."
The second & third shorts here, Outside the Machine & The Insect World, are every bit as good as the first. I love the way Rhys uses her words, changes them up & also her use of the colloquialisms in these stories.
May 4, 2019
Good, direct prose that capture the emotion of an issue subtly and profoundly. Unfortunately there was something lacking in it that I can't describe that stopped it really striking a cord with me. I think I like the third story the best even though I have no clue as to what the point of it was meant to be.
July 8, 2019
Not as great as the Jean Rhys novels that I've read but still pretty great. I don't think anyone writes as well about the difficulties of paying the rent as well as Rhys does, especially when it comes to straight women and artsy types. She'll bust your heart up every time.
January 17, 2024
Sometimes I read stories which I wind up respecting but not enjoying. For the most part, these stories fell into that category (the middle one I had a bit more affection for, though the deeply depressing ending did not help).
September 2, 2017
I did not like this story. It was quite depressing as the down and out protagonist ends up not getting anywhere at all. Can't recommend.
December 19, 2017
Disappointing.
December 27, 2019
This book about women made me feel my situation and gender were more desperate and miserable than I have ever felt them before
August 6, 2022
didn't vibe with this as much as I had hoped. the writing felt too loose & deconstructed for my taste but the 1st and last stories were still undoubtedly great
July 31, 2025
first time I saw Penguin get namedropped in a book, and it was a Penguin book. whoa.
First story was my favourite.
Last story was my least favourite.
First story was my favourite.
Last story was my least favourite.
December 31, 2025
Terrible, confusing and forgettable.
March 21, 2025
I thought these stories about isolated lives of women in the city were all great.
December 14, 2014
In these three stories Jean Rhys gives portraits of three women in unusual circumstances. In 'Let them call it jazz' Selina, who comes from the Caribbean, has to deal with poverty and racism in London. Her first person narrative is given in the Caribbean dialect. Inez Best convalesces in an English clinic near Paris in 'Outside the machine'. And the threatening atmosphere of London during the Blitz unsettles Audrey a great deal. Three fascinating and convincing portraits, demonstrating Rhys's range and skill.
In hierdie drie portrette van verskillende vroue wat ontstellende omstandighede moet verduur, word Jean Rhys se omvang en vaardigheid as skrywer gedemonstreer.
In hierdie drie portrette van verskillende vroue wat ontstellende omstandighede moet verduur, word Jean Rhys se omvang en vaardigheid as skrywer gedemonstreer.
April 7, 2013
Short but brilliant.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews