swirls's review against another edition
5.0
My dears, you simply must meet Lucia. She's just so deliciously devious, conceited, and fun to hate, while at the same time you can't help but rejoice in her triumphs. Favoloso! Absolutely hilarious.
newtread's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
eggp's review against another edition
4.0
Social piranha
feasting on the London set
too fat for her pond.
feasting on the London set
too fat for her pond.
jmslib's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
gavinj90's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
verityw's review against another edition
3.0
Lucia is on the loose in London. Will the capital survive her onslaught as she tries to inveigle her way into high society? And what will Riseholme do about it? I've read these out of order so this is the last book before Lucia and Mapp finally meet and merry hell breaks out. This is fun and clever and a little bit meta in its own way. I like Lucia more than I like Mapp - possibly because she's less malicious. She's trampling all over you, but mostly because she wants to be at the top of the pile - not specifically because she wants to push you down if that makes sense. And this is presumably Pepino's final appearance in the series too - and he gets a bigger role than usual.
oldenglishrose's review against another edition
4.0
As the title suggests, in Lucia in London Lucia and Pepino inherit a house in London after his aunt dies. Despite all her protestations of finding London dull and unimaginative compared to Riseholme, it doesn’t take Lucia long to abandon the quiet village and move up to town where she is soon unashamedly engaged in worming her way into London society, assuming familiarity on the slightest of acquaintances and inviting herself to other people’s dinner parties. However, Riseholme does not take kindly to being snubbed and retaliates with a flurry of activity in which Lucia is decidedly not involved. Unused to such independence on behalf of her subjects, Lucia must try to maintain her soveriegnty in Riseholme while battling her way to the top in London.
I think the reason that I enjoyed this book so much more than the first one, despite it being much the same to all intents and purposes, is the fact that it is the second book. A great deal of the fun and enjoyment of the Lucia books comes from knowing the characters and being able to predict exactly how they will behave in any given situation, then laughing at the inevitability of it all, and this sort of familiarity really needs more than one three hundred page book to be developed. Like Olga and her friends in Lucia in London, I have become a Luciaphil, and thoroughly enjoy watching Benson engineer situations in which I know Lucia will behave in a rude, crass manner and equally I know that everyone else will pretend not to notice because a. they’re too polite and b. they’re having just as much fun observing Lucia brazen out awkward social situations as I am. This obvious awareness of the silliness of events but genuine delight in them nonetheless is what makes this book so particularly enjoyable.
Although much of the action takes place in London, Riseholme is not neglected. I loved watching them scheming indignantly following Lucia’s mocking of Riseholme and the spread of gossip is a wonder to behold. I felt like I got to know some of the Riseholmites better in this book, and I’m definitely looking forward to spending more time with them in the remaining four Lucia books.
I think the reason that I enjoyed this book so much more than the first one, despite it being much the same to all intents and purposes, is the fact that it is the second book. A great deal of the fun and enjoyment of the Lucia books comes from knowing the characters and being able to predict exactly how they will behave in any given situation, then laughing at the inevitability of it all, and this sort of familiarity really needs more than one three hundred page book to be developed. Like Olga and her friends in Lucia in London, I have become a Luciaphil, and thoroughly enjoy watching Benson engineer situations in which I know Lucia will behave in a rude, crass manner and equally I know that everyone else will pretend not to notice because a. they’re too polite and b. they’re having just as much fun observing Lucia brazen out awkward social situations as I am. This obvious awareness of the silliness of events but genuine delight in them nonetheless is what makes this book so particularly enjoyable.
Although much of the action takes place in London, Riseholme is not neglected. I loved watching them scheming indignantly following Lucia’s mocking of Riseholme and the spread of gossip is a wonder to behold. I felt like I got to know some of the Riseholmites better in this book, and I’m definitely looking forward to spending more time with them in the remaining four Lucia books.
ruthiella's review against another edition
4.0
For the first 50 pages or so I felt like Georgie when he says, “how taresome!” Hadn’t we already trodden this ground in the first book? But then it picked up. Maybe I am becoming more used to Benson’s style or maybe it is the introduction of London characters that breathe new life into the reader’s perceptions of Lucia, but this one made me laugh out loud on numerous occasions. I mean, really laugh. Lucia and Peppino inherit a house in London and Lucia sets her sights on ingratiating herself in to London high society. Can Riesholm manage without its tastemaker and arbiter of culture? Will Lucia be able to swim as a small fish in a big pond?
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