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julieclair's review
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Second in a series. I enjoy Delafield’s writing and dry sense of humor. And her books give a fascinating picture of the life of an upper middle class English family between the wars. But I didn’t connect with this book as much as I did the first one, Diary of a Provincial Lady. I’m not sure why… perhaps because her writing style was already familiar to me so I didn’t find it as novel and refreshing.
lagobond's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars. Not quite as hilarious as [b:Diary of a Provincial Lady|249823|Diary of a Provincial Lady|E.M. Delafield|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1408938782l/249823._SX50_.jpg|242076], but still plenty funny, intelligent, and entertaining. Great fun for reading out loud.
I plan to check out some of the books mentioned by the Provincial Lady, because I want to read whatever E.M. Delafield liked to read. She was a spectacularly talented writer, and I feel so lucky that I came across her work. The authors who inspired her writing must have been very much worth seeking out. But first, [b:The Provincial Lady in America|860193|The Provincial Lady in America|E.M. Delafield|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348341571l/860193._SY75_.jpg|845633]!
A free online/e-reader version of this book is available at https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks08/0800701h.html
I plan to check out some of the books mentioned by the Provincial Lady, because I want to read whatever E.M. Delafield liked to read. She was a spectacularly talented writer, and I feel so lucky that I came across her work. The authors who inspired her writing must have been very much worth seeking out. But first, [b:The Provincial Lady in America|860193|The Provincial Lady in America|E.M. Delafield|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348341571l/860193._SY75_.jpg|845633]!
A free online/e-reader version of this book is available at https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks08/0800701h.html
sirius_feanor's review
3.75
My favourite part is the parties where nobody knows who anybody else is, but pretends they do.
bookpossum's review against another edition
4.0
Quite delicious. I enjoyed it just as much as the first volume, but will read other things before continuing the Provincial Lady's saga so that I can continue to appreciate E M Delafield's quirky sense of humour. My favourite quote from this volume comes while she is in London and is joined by her husband Robert. During the course of a conversation over lunch:
"That reminds Robert: there is to be a concert in the Village next month for most deserving local object, and he has been asked to promise my services as performer, which he has done. Definite conviction here that reference ought to be made to Married Women's Property Act or something like that, but exact phraseology eludes me, and Robert seems so confident that heart fails me, and I weakly agree to do what I can. (This, if taken literally, will amount to extraordinarily little, as have long ceased to play piano seriously, have never at any time been able to sing, and have completely forgotten few and amateurish recitations that have occasionally been forced upon me on local platforms.)
Highly recommended for a light-hearted look at life in an English village between the wars.
"That reminds Robert: there is to be a concert in the Village next month for most deserving local object, and he has been asked to promise my services as performer, which he has done. Definite conviction here that reference ought to be made to Married Women's Property Act or something like that, but exact phraseology eludes me, and Robert seems so confident that heart fails me, and I weakly agree to do what I can. (This, if taken literally, will amount to extraordinarily little, as have long ceased to play piano seriously, have never at any time been able to sing, and have completely forgotten few and amateurish recitations that have occasionally been forced upon me on local platforms.)
Highly recommended for a light-hearted look at life in an English village between the wars.
rworrall78's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
discount_viscount's review against another edition
4.0
This books finds The Provincial Lady, now a celebrated author, taking a flat in London, ostensibly to get some writing done but instead mostly reluctantly socializing with a variety of amusing friends and acquaintances including scandalous old school chum Pamela Pringle and Emma the Bloomsbury Group hanger-on. If the original Diary of a Provincial lady were chocolate cake, this would be day old chocolate cake - almost as good but not quite, but you still wouldn't mind another piece.
mothwing's review against another edition
2.0
Diverting and funny, but all in all it wasn't as funny as the first instalment.
garbo2garbo's review against another edition
4.0
A pleasant a quietly witty read. I love going on these journeys with the Provincial Lady!
charlottejones952's review against another edition
3.0
After loving the first book in the series earlier in the month, I went straight on to the second one. This volume dealt less with the domestic situation and more with the society life in London which I don’t enjoy as much.
Again, with this being short I got through it really quickly and liked the development of the protagonist’s career as a writer, a plot point that I assume was heavily influenced by the author’s own life.
Overall I would still highly recommend the series and though you wouldn’t be missing anything with regards to the plot if you started here, I would suggest starting with the first as I found that the development of the main character is a great thing to read.
Again, with this being short I got through it really quickly and liked the development of the protagonist’s career as a writer, a plot point that I assume was heavily influenced by the author’s own life.
Overall I would still highly recommend the series and though you wouldn’t be missing anything with regards to the plot if you started here, I would suggest starting with the first as I found that the development of the main character is a great thing to read.
sathyasekar's review
3.0
I went all out to get this book after completing the first book of this series. I was not disappointed by the book all though I can't say it was better than the first.
This phase of the Provincial Lady's life revolves more around London. Her provincial home and society is very much there but with the happy success of her first book, our endearing Lady is thrown into an elitist circle which is curious and condescending about her. She holds her own in the pages of her diary with her pen- she draws for us again delightful caricatures of the people she meets. Some of the humor casts a sort of deja vu. You realize that at a basic level, the London life and people are not so different from those in the provincial world that the Lady drew in the first book of this series. What makes this second book a fun ride again is the ability of the writer to interpret the absurdities of life and be able to convey it in a deliciously funny way.
"Literary Agent saying how much he looks forward to seeing my new manuscript. (Can only hope that he enjoys the pleasures of anticipation as much as he says, since they are, at present rate of progress, likely to be prolonged.)"- a sample f her wit. I have often been awed by the prose of writers like P.G.Wodehouse and Georgette Heyer when delivering a witty dialogue or sentence. I am awed by Ms Delafield as well when she turns in sentences as above. I was laughing out loud when I read the above line but was also filled with envy at how with apparent ease and simplicity, Ms Delafield has executed such a comic turn and left me in splits. Genius, creativity, inspiration.. whatever you may choose to call it. It just rocks.
Despite all of this however, I still have to say that the first book was superior. It is however a very subjective opinion based on my personal preference for life in the country side. The wealth of characters and day-to-day situations I saw in the first book were easily r"elatable". I see them every day at home and could connect to the author immediately. In this book however, I felt the author was in a world she was unfamiliar and uncomfortable with. That perhaps defines the success of the book but I felt I had lost my connection with the Provincial Lady. I also missed immensely Mademoiselle and Lady B and those lovely small-town characters who really brought the first book to life. In addition, I wish I had seen more of the children, the Vicar's wife, Robert and the rest.
But these are not deterrents from the book. This is another lovely offering from Ms Delafield. I look forward to the next one now.. just cant get enough of the Provincial Lady.
This phase of the Provincial Lady's life revolves more around London. Her provincial home and society is very much there but with the happy success of her first book, our endearing Lady is thrown into an elitist circle which is curious and condescending about her. She holds her own in the pages of her diary with her pen- she draws for us again delightful caricatures of the people she meets. Some of the humor casts a sort of deja vu. You realize that at a basic level, the London life and people are not so different from those in the provincial world that the Lady drew in the first book of this series. What makes this second book a fun ride again is the ability of the writer to interpret the absurdities of life and be able to convey it in a deliciously funny way.
"Literary Agent saying how much he looks forward to seeing my new manuscript. (Can only hope that he enjoys the pleasures of anticipation as much as he says, since they are, at present rate of progress, likely to be prolonged.)"- a sample f her wit. I have often been awed by the prose of writers like P.G.Wodehouse and Georgette Heyer when delivering a witty dialogue or sentence. I am awed by Ms Delafield as well when she turns in sentences as above. I was laughing out loud when I read the above line but was also filled with envy at how with apparent ease and simplicity, Ms Delafield has executed such a comic turn and left me in splits. Genius, creativity, inspiration.. whatever you may choose to call it. It just rocks.
Despite all of this however, I still have to say that the first book was superior. It is however a very subjective opinion based on my personal preference for life in the country side. The wealth of characters and day-to-day situations I saw in the first book were easily r"elatable". I see them every day at home and could connect to the author immediately. In this book however, I felt the author was in a world she was unfamiliar and uncomfortable with. That perhaps defines the success of the book but I felt I had lost my connection with the Provincial Lady. I also missed immensely Mademoiselle and Lady B and those lovely small-town characters who really brought the first book to life. In addition, I wish I had seen more of the children, the Vicar's wife, Robert and the rest.
But these are not deterrents from the book. This is another lovely offering from Ms Delafield. I look forward to the next one now.. just cant get enough of the Provincial Lady.