Book Reviews: ‘A Great Deal of Ingenuity’ by Ruth Leigh, published by Resolute Books 16 July 2023

Today I am pleased to share with you my review of the new book by Ruth Leigh, A Great Deal of Ingenuity. I first wrote about Ruth’s book in my blog post here.

Book cover of A Great Deal of Ingenuity by Ruth Leigh

BLURB

The pages of Pride and Prejudice sparkle with household names. Proud Darcy
and prejudiced Elizabeth, book-loving Mr Bennet, the snobbish Bingley sisters,
predatory Mr Wickham and oily Mr Collins.
But what about all the other people busy cooking, mending, flirting, walking
and socialising in the background?
In this entertaining collection of short stories, Ruth Leigh shines a light on the
lives of nine characters from the novel. For instance, how is married life at
Hunsford for Mr and Mrs Collins? Will mousy Maria Lucas ever find a
husband? How does Sally the maid feel about mending Lydia’s worked muslin
gown? Which Meryton matron will triumph in luring a respectable and
marriageable young man into their parlour? These stories give the reader a
window into the worlds of Meryton, Rosings Park, Pemberley and Hunsford as
you’ve never seen them before.

Ruth Leigh Author of the Isabella Smugge novels and new book A Great Deal of Ingenuity

MY REVIEW

The author give us an assured depiction of the world of Jane Austen, opening our eyes up to some of the realities of life for minor characters in the novel, and vividly depicts, for instance, the lives of the servants and many others to whom only passing references are made by Jane Austen.

These stories are beautifully done, observant of the closest details, and bring out many aspects of 18th century life we may have disregarded, such as how they made soap, remedies they used for the cut and sore hands of housemaids, and how it would have felt to be the one washing all the menstrual rags, nappies and dirty underclothes of the family who employed them, and also constantly called upon to make sponge cake and lemon tarts for the frequent social callers on the lady of the house.

I felt so sorry for Sally, maid to Colonel and Mrs Forster, who, along with all her other duties, is just expected to mend the tear in Lydia Bennett’s worked muslin gown. I also had a strong sense of fateful destiny for young, hopeful Mr Bennett, charmed by pretty young Miss Gardner who is to become the redoubtable Mrs Bennett of the future, when his youthful delusions will be thwarted.

I like the way the author gives a page of context first before each story, reminding us of the reference within the text of Pride and Prejudice which she has used as the basis of her own imaginative extension.

Harriet Harrington’s voice is brilliant, exactly right for a flighty young girl of the time, fixated on the soldiers in town. The story sparkles and is a perfect alternative perspective on the events of Pride and Prejudice.

I found a sharp and vivid depiction of life in those days and how vital it was for a young woman to seek financial security in a husband, and also how easily disease and death arrives in a family, and how relentless the arrival of babies. In addition, we realise the extent to which servants saw and knew everything we might choose to keep hidden these days. They would often have fallen prey to the temptation to earn extra cash through blackmail in those social circles.

Some of the stories are very sad: the background of Mrs Eleanor Jenkins, Ann de Bough’s companion; and some shocking – Mr Bingley’s cook Mrs Nicholls, bitter, resentful, conspiratorial. These stories give such a wonderful insight into those times, their values and customs and language, and close observation of the psychology of each character.

Highly recommended for all Jane Austen lovers!

Order the book here.

ABOUT RUTH

Ruth is a novelist and freelance writer, the author of the Isabella M Smugge
series, contemporary humorous page-turners. She lives in rural Suffolk with
three children, one husband and a cat. Ruth has been an Austen devotee since
the age of fifteen and is a proud member of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth
Century Nerd community. You can find her on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok
and Twitter at ruthleighwrites and at her website, http://www.ruthleighwrites.co.uk.

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