Excellent Women by Barbara Pym

 

Title:  Excellent Women

Author:  Barbara Pym

Narrated by:  Jayne Entwistle

Publisher: Blackstone Audio

Length: Approximately 8 hours and 41 minutes

Source: Checked out with Libby through the Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!

What book recommendation have you enjoyed lately?  I learned about Excellent Women by Barbara Pym from the @bibliolifestyle newsletter.  I am not sure how I missed this most excellent novel thus far in my life, but I am glad that I have found it through this recommendation. 

Mildred Lathbury is a single woman living in not the best part of London in the early 1950s.  Her father was a clergyman, but both of her parents have passed away.  She was left enough money to have a comfortable life in her flat working part time.  She has a simple, but happy life with work, church, and friends.  When a new couple move to the flat below her, Mildred starts to question the status quo of her life. 

My thoughts on this novel:

·       Excellent Women reminded me of a Jane Austen novel set in post WWII England.

·       Mildred is unmarried and in her early 30’s.  She is an “exceptional woman” that gets things done.  Since she’s single, everyone is sure that she is love with every man that is single.  They are also sure that she wants to cook or care for any  man who is hungry.  It puts her in some awkward situations.  I actually really liked when a single man asked her over to cook his dinner (I guess this was a date) and she said no.

·       I liked how faith was important to Mildred. The excellent women crowd is around church doing good works. 

·       It was interesting how the daily lives of a few people in an area of London could be so interesting.  Their lives were like a portrait in miniature similar to Austen’s work.

·       This novel showed that ordinary women and their ordinary lives are interesting.

·       The novel had wonderful humor.

·       There were also great characters such as Fr. Julian Malor, the local bachelor pastor and his sister Winifred.  Everard Bone is an attractive anthropologist.  Helena and Rocky Napier are the new neighbors that live below Mildred.

·       I was curious and horrified by the fact that Mildred shared a bathroom with the Napiers.

·       There were delicious descriptions of food and tea.  This novel made me want to eat.

·       It was a very enjoyable to listen to on audio.  Jayne Entwistle was a good narrator.

Overall, Excellent Women by Barbara Pym was a lovely comedy of manners in the style of Jane Austen set in post WWII London.  I loved it.  I need to read more Barbara Pym novels!