maplessence's review
5.0
"About the novels of Elizabeth Goudge there is always something of the fairy-tale, and The Dean's Watch is full of the enchantment of goodness- it has the timelessness that marks the author's best work"
The Scotsman"
From the back cover of my copy - & I don't know if I can improve on this review quotation.
I'll try.
I wasn't well whilst I was reading this novel, so I had trouble getting into it at first, gave it another shot & was swept into a world of magic!
My sisters are wonderful people and one of them has the gift of making people (well, me!) believe that they are better people than they actually are when you are with her. For me, the best of Goudge's writing has that quality. And this book is one of her best. Goudge's characters have flaws, but she loves them, and you come to love them too. I was bawling my eyes out from Chapter 12 onwards, but Goudge's sentimental style is never treacly. I enjoyed feeling that much emotion!
This would be an ideal Christmas read and I may reread then to get the whole Goudge experience.
My copy is illustrated. I'll put up an example here - I always worry another librarian will think Cover Artist & delete the illustrator credit!
emmierose_721's review against another edition
5.0
Beautiful! This book was such a delight to read. It held my heart from the very beginning and didn’t let go until the very last page. What an adventure this book was! I definitely left it feeling an immense amount of joy. My favorite character was definitely the “terrible” Dean, himself. His simple faith in God and love for his parishioners warmed my heart. And that ending killed me
geneticginger's review against another edition
5.0
Such a wonderful story, weaved together with beautiful language and descriptions.
faithx5's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
tiffanyslack's review against another edition
5.0
This book was exquisite. I was completely captivated by Goudge's writing and can't wait to read more by her. The book is very character-driven and intensely spiritual/religious, so it may not be for everyone, but it is true and beautiful. The characters were so well crafted and REAL, even though they were from a very different time and place. It makes me long to visit a city and cathedral just like the one in the book and to see the fen stretching to the sea. If I didn't have a stack of books waiting that I have committed to reading next, I would immediately start this over and read it again.
nattiehewitt's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
Slow at the beginning
shoelessmama's review against another edition
While this book is beautifully written and every time I pick it up I am completely transported (I don't just "see" the scenery, I feel like I'm there) I have been struggling to pick it up. I often just delete unfinished books but I may want to return to this book one day. Putting it down for now on page 71.
billyjepma's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
As gentle and thoughtful a book as they come. Goudge's writing is lovely, almost to the point of becoming saccharine but pulling back just enough to ensure her characters and their motivations remain believable. I think the story might've benefited from a little more focus, as Goudge can't quite seem to decide if this is an ensemble piece or not. But I honestly can't blame her for not settling on a direction in that regard, either, especially since her characters are so lovingly realized.
It's a story about community, about the ties that bind a community together, even if the community itself rejects or ignores those binds. It's also a story about how a single person can change the tide of a community by simply paying attention to the people in it and giving them the simple respect and love we owe to one another. Those ideals are potentially too optimistic for a modern setting, but I think that's why I enjoyed them so much. It helps that the characters are messy, conflicted, and often selfish people whose selfishness or self-centeredness prevents them from experiencing a better world. Even the Dean, who's as close to a proper protagonist as we get, is clumsy in his goodness. For a book built on nostalgia and sentimentality, having characters who don't always, or even regularly, get it right is crucial. I was consistently surprised at how well Goudge manages that balancing act.
I really enjoyed this, almost despite myself, since it's pretty far removed from the kinds of books I'm drawn to. It's a breezy read, but not in a forgettable way, like a Hallmark movie. That breeziness comes from the classically lovely prose, clumsy-earnestness of its characters, and the warm, familiar sense of place that Goudge injects into every scene.
It's a story about community, about the ties that bind a community together, even if the community itself rejects or ignores those binds. It's also a story about how a single person can change the tide of a community by simply paying attention to the people in it and giving them the simple respect and love we owe to one another. Those ideals are potentially too optimistic for a modern setting, but I think that's why I enjoyed them so much. It helps that the characters are messy, conflicted, and often selfish people whose selfishness or self-centeredness prevents them from experiencing a better world. Even the Dean, who's as close to a proper protagonist as we get, is clumsy in his goodness. For a book built on nostalgia and sentimentality, having characters who don't always, or even regularly, get it right is crucial. I was consistently surprised at how well Goudge manages that balancing act.
I really enjoyed this, almost despite myself, since it's pretty far removed from the kinds of books I'm drawn to. It's a breezy read, but not in a forgettable way, like a Hallmark movie. That breeziness comes from the classically lovely prose, clumsy-earnestness of its characters, and the warm, familiar sense of place that Goudge injects into every scene.
rissaleighs's review against another edition
5.0
What luck that I picked this up in November and finished it the first of December. So cozy and perfectly seasonal.
I wasn't sure what to make of the slow, meandering opening, or the eccentricities of Isaac Peabody, the clockmaker, at first. And then I read other reviewers finding the theology problematic, and I read it with sharper eyes for that reason*. But by the last quarter, I was entirely swept up.
Stylistically, this has the feel of a fable. Goudge has such insight into human personality. All of the descriptions were so beautiful and immersive. Despite the meandering start, it really gains cohesion and momentum that carries the reader through to the end. A reader could be forgiven for finding it sententious or preachy - but I found it struck just the right note, with gathering insistence that matched how the dean could feel in his bones that his time was drawing to a close. I don't think it would be unreasonable to throw around adjectives like timeless or masterpiece. Plus cathedrals. What more can I say?
I wasn't sure what to make of the slow, meandering opening, or the eccentricities of Isaac Peabody, the clockmaker, at first. And then I read other reviewers finding the theology problematic, and I read it with sharper eyes for that reason*. But by the last quarter, I was entirely swept up.
Stylistically, this has the feel of a fable. Goudge has such insight into human personality. All of the descriptions were so beautiful and immersive. Despite the meandering start, it really gains cohesion and momentum that carries the reader through to the end. A reader could be forgiven for finding it sententious or preachy - but I found it struck just the right note, with gathering insistence that matched how the dean could feel in his bones that his time was drawing to a close. I don't think it would be unreasonable to throw around adjectives like timeless or masterpiece. Plus cathedrals. What more can I say?
mimima's review against another edition
4.0
The dear friend who loaned it to me said, "this is my favorite Goudge" and I can see why - it is a wonderful story about love, redemption, forgiveness, and beauty.
It started slowly, and I note that I have made the same comment about other of her books, so perhaps it just takes me a bit to get into the rhythm of her writing.
It started slowly, and I note that I have made the same comment about other of her books, so perhaps it just takes me a bit to get into the rhythm of her writing.