Reviews

Unfortuntely, this one was not quite for me. I see the appeal though: the writing is witty and Pym makes poignant stabs at the society surrounding Oxford.

She is often compared to Jane Austen, just like a much more contemporary version, but I feel like that comparison is not really warranted. Because while Austen does make plenty of fun of her characters, they still feel like real people.
On the contrary, I felt like all of the characters in Crampton Hodnet were mere parodies, their exaggerated personalities just there to be made fun of.

Even though this is a short read I struggled with picking it up and am rather glad that I'm finished. It's too bad as I had hoped to discover another author who provides that perfect mix of witty (and funny) social criticism with insightful writing that I love in Jane Austen's writing.

msliz's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

lesliejerkins's review against another edition

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5.0

Barbara Pym just gets it.

aphraclare's review against another edition

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emotional funny sad 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

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