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Pure Juliet
Creepy. Peculiar. Fairy. Goblin. Liar. Weirdo. Crank. Genius.No one knows what to make of Juliet Slater, not even her mother. And clothes, boys, school, friends, the changing seasons and what other people think - none of these things seem to matter to Juliet. She spends hours in her room with incomprehensible mathematical text books, her mind voyaging in strange seas of thought, alone. Is she a genius? It might take the rest of her life to find out.While Stella Gibbons was celebrated for her beloved bestseller Cold Comfort Farm, the manuscript for Pure Juliet lay unseen and forgotten until it was brought to light by her family in 2014, and is published here for the first time in Vintage Classics. A tale that travels from an eco-millionaire's British country idyll to an Arabian Nights-style fantasy of the Middle East, this is a treat for fans of this witty, curious and always surprising author.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2016
6 people are currently reading
314 people want to read
About the author
Stella Gibbons
60 books409 followersStella Dorothea Gibbons was an English novelist, journalist, poet and short-story writer.
Her first novel, Cold Comfort Farm, won the Femina Vie Heureuse Prize for 1933. A satire and parody of the pessimistic ruralism of Thomas Hardy, his followers and especially Precious Bain by Mary Webb -the "loam and lovechild" genre, as some called it, Cold Comfort Farm introduces a self-confident young woman, quite self-consciously modern, pragmatic and optimistic, into the grim, fate-bound and dark rural scene those novelists tended to portray.
Her first novel, Cold Comfort Farm, won the Femina Vie Heureuse Prize for 1933. A satire and parody of the pessimistic ruralism of Thomas Hardy, his followers and especially Precious Bain by Mary Webb -the "loam and lovechild" genre, as some called it, Cold Comfort Farm introduces a self-confident young woman, quite self-consciously modern, pragmatic and optimistic, into the grim, fate-bound and dark rural scene those novelists tended to portray.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 8, 2016
Recently discovered and published.
I was excited to find there was an undiscovered novel by one of my favourite authors.
This is a quirky , weird , surreal book and very different.
Written in the 70's and I must say not one of her best.
It just didn't grab me and Juliet was such a strange character.
The ending was quite bizarre.
It still has wit and charm and will make you laugh in places.
I loved the descriptions of the countryside.
Worth a read if only to appreciate her other works!
I was excited to find there was an undiscovered novel by one of my favourite authors.
This is a quirky , weird , surreal book and very different.
Written in the 70's and I must say not one of her best.
It just didn't grab me and Juliet was such a strange character.
The ending was quite bizarre.
It still has wit and charm and will make you laugh in places.
I loved the descriptions of the countryside.
Worth a read if only to appreciate her other works!
March 13, 2016
Eh…2.5 stars
July 27, 2022
The story of an unlikely genius. Juliet is a poor girl from a poor family, she has done brilliantly at school, especially in Maths, and is expected to go to university, but her father has no use for further education and wants her to leave school and get a job. Juliet has managed to ingratiate herself with a wealthy elderly lady , Miss Addy Penicuik, who offers to adopt her for a year, and she meets Miss Addy’s great nephew, Frank, who becomes fascinated by her brilliance and her lack of normal social skills, and wants to help her. Juliet is entirely obsessed with the subject of coincidences, and has little interest in anything else, or in people in general. Frank believes he can help her to become more responsive. Juliet doesn’t even particularly want to go to university, though she is mildly interested in Cambridge as the maths is better there. The first two thirds of the book, where Juliet is living with Miss Addy and we meet various characters including Juliet’s parents, is quite enjoyable. But then in the last third of the book, time suddenly speeds up and we are whisked through the rest of Juliet’s life at high speed, including a very weird interlude in a sort of Arabian Nights setting in a fictional desert which caused me some disappointment, as I was enjoying the book up until then, but I have never cared for books that suddenly jump through a long period of time.
May 6, 2019
Cold Comfort Farm is one of my favourite books. Although I wasn’t anywhere near as keen on Conference At Cold Comfort Farm or Westwood, my fondness for Stella Gibbons was sufficient for her so-called lost novel ‘Pure Juliet’ to draw my eye. The blurb then convinced me to borrow it from the library. It defied and surpassed my expectations, which were based on how I expect female characters to be treated in 20th and even 21st century literature. The titular ‘Pure Juliet’ is a woman with no interest in romantic relationships, who wants only to be left alone so she can study. When I come across such rare characters in fiction, I’m delighted yet wary because they are usually punished for their unfeminine ways. (The most memorable example of this I’ve encountered is The Puttermesser Papers, which I still feel a little sad about.) Women who don’t want to marry or have children are generally depicted as tragic and unfulfilled. Thankfully, Gibbons does not resort to such tropes. The narrative is sympathetic to Juliet, while acknowledging the challenges that come with defying social expectations as she does. Moreover, an interesting range of other female characters are also included. What unites them is that they are convincingly flawed people rather than stereotypes or paragons. I’d like to say this isn’t worth mentioning, yet it somehow remains atypical.
Juliet herself is disinterested in social interaction and absorbed in her research to the extent that she could be interpreted as somewhere on the autistic spectrum. Near the start of the book, she meets a man who initially sees her as a manic pixie dream girl, his preferred type. I was concerned about where this was going. Thankfully, he very rapidly realises he isn’t attracted to Juliet and makes friends with her. Juliet’s background is working class and, despite excellent A-level results, her father won’t let her apply to university. Her response is to run away and stay with an elderly benefactress, a situation that seems more 19th century than 20th. I found the dynamic between the fussy Auntie Addie and Juliet rather fascinating. They seem utterly different: Juliet is curt and cerebral, Addie frivolous and emotional. Yet the old woman clearly took Juliet under her wing because she recognised some element of kindred spirit in her. Addie is a lifelong spinster, something her relatives patronise her about even though she expresses no regrets.
A further contrast to Juliet contrast is Clem, a cosy and accommodating woman who wants nothing more than a husband and a houseful of children. After initial mutual hostility, they get to know each other and end up coexisting happily. Both show an admirable tendency to go after what is important to them. Although I initially found Clem rather annoying, Gibbons’ subtle writing soon makes her sympathetic. This is a novel built upon carefully constructed, unusual, and convincing characters. The plot consists of family dynamics, rather than any great mysteries or dramas. Although Juliet is the central figure, those around her are vivid and very well-developed too. Still, the book is named after her for a reason. I was delighted when she was able to pursue her passionate academic interests. Such a life, narrowly focused on a single enquiry, is not overly romanticised, but neither is it diminished in any way. Gibbons presents it as a totally legitimate choice for a woman which, to reiterate, I’ve learned not to expect from fiction.
This is a very different, much more serious novel than Cold Comfort Farm. Although there is wry, character-centric humour, it is infrequent. What makes the book extraordinary is that it takes the idea of an eccentric female genius seriously. Nearly all the characters doubt Juliet at various points. She even doubts herself occasionally. The narrative, however, always treats her unconventional immersion in solitary research as totally reasonable. I must stress again how rare that is. Intellectually, I know that research is a collective endeavour undertaken largely in universities, rather than alone in the countryside. Reading your way to a transformative theorem is nonetheless a lovely dream, especially with a supportive family checking that you’re eating meals. While ‘Pure Juliet’ is too nuanced to be a fantasy as such, I can’t be the only spinster bookworm who finds the life Juliet builds for herself appealing. Male characters are allowed to be reclusive geniuses, so why not women? I wonder why this novel was ‘lost’ for so many years.
Juliet herself is disinterested in social interaction and absorbed in her research to the extent that she could be interpreted as somewhere on the autistic spectrum. Near the start of the book, she meets a man who initially sees her as a manic pixie dream girl, his preferred type. I was concerned about where this was going. Thankfully, he very rapidly realises he isn’t attracted to Juliet and makes friends with her. Juliet’s background is working class and, despite excellent A-level results, her father won’t let her apply to university. Her response is to run away and stay with an elderly benefactress, a situation that seems more 19th century than 20th. I found the dynamic between the fussy Auntie Addie and Juliet rather fascinating. They seem utterly different: Juliet is curt and cerebral, Addie frivolous and emotional. Yet the old woman clearly took Juliet under her wing because she recognised some element of kindred spirit in her. Addie is a lifelong spinster, something her relatives patronise her about even though she expresses no regrets.
A further contrast to Juliet contrast is Clem, a cosy and accommodating woman who wants nothing more than a husband and a houseful of children. After initial mutual hostility, they get to know each other and end up coexisting happily. Both show an admirable tendency to go after what is important to them. Although I initially found Clem rather annoying, Gibbons’ subtle writing soon makes her sympathetic. This is a novel built upon carefully constructed, unusual, and convincing characters. The plot consists of family dynamics, rather than any great mysteries or dramas. Although Juliet is the central figure, those around her are vivid and very well-developed too. Still, the book is named after her for a reason. I was delighted when she was able to pursue her passionate academic interests. Such a life, narrowly focused on a single enquiry, is not overly romanticised, but neither is it diminished in any way. Gibbons presents it as a totally legitimate choice for a woman which, to reiterate, I’ve learned not to expect from fiction.
This is a very different, much more serious novel than Cold Comfort Farm. Although there is wry, character-centric humour, it is infrequent. What makes the book extraordinary is that it takes the idea of an eccentric female genius seriously. Nearly all the characters doubt Juliet at various points. She even doubts herself occasionally. The narrative, however, always treats her unconventional immersion in solitary research as totally reasonable. I must stress again how rare that is. Intellectually, I know that research is a collective endeavour undertaken largely in universities, rather than alone in the countryside. Reading your way to a transformative theorem is nonetheless a lovely dream, especially with a supportive family checking that you’re eating meals. While ‘Pure Juliet’ is too nuanced to be a fantasy as such, I can’t be the only spinster bookworm who finds the life Juliet builds for herself appealing. Male characters are allowed to be reclusive geniuses, so why not women? I wonder why this novel was ‘lost’ for so many years.
February 27, 2016
Really had to think about my rating for this one. I enjoyed the way it was written, but I couldn't warm to any of the characters (other than Emma, in the last few chapters). I felt the whole thing was a little too quirky, and it didn't really leave me with any lasting feelings towards any of the characters. I also found myself thinking "is that it" with the ending (no spoilers!). However, I will be checking out Stella Gibbon's other works, as I think my issue was more with the story than the writing.
December 18, 2017
What a strange book. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but what I got was an odd winding narrative about an (intentionally) unlikeable young woman: Juliet. She's clever and has lovely hair, but that's about all of her attractive traits. Meanwhile she's apathetic, socially inept, thin in a malnourished kind of way, uncouth, disinterested, ugly, mean... She's not a particularly likeable character, but that's not the point. She's an unusual main character because she's not beautiful or nice, and in fact doesn't really have any redeeming qualities at all. Hence she's maybe a little more uncomfortably real than some characters. Not everyone can be likeable, but that doesn't mean they don't have a story to tell.
So, Juliet of the Cockney lower-class cosies up to a rich old lady to get herself some peace and quiet to think about the one thing that interests her: coincidences. Will she work out what she's looking for? Will the rich lady's nephew make Juliet into a "real girl"? That's about all you'll find out.
The book's a little confused, and jumps ahead abruptly in the last third. It's an interesting concept for a story, I guess, just not much fun to read.
So, Juliet of the Cockney lower-class cosies up to a rich old lady to get herself some peace and quiet to think about the one thing that interests her: coincidences. Will she work out what she's looking for? Will the rich lady's nephew make Juliet into a "real girl"? That's about all you'll find out.
The book's a little confused, and jumps ahead abruptly in the last third. It's an interesting concept for a story, I guess, just not much fun to read.
January 6, 2022
Not, perhaps, what Cold Comfort Farm would lead one to expect, but no stranger than some of the other later Stella Gibbons novels of the post-war era. And some recurrent character types cropping up.
June 17, 2019
Another of those books for which I am hesitating between 3 and 4 stars. The language is quite poetic in many places but I felt the book dragged a little towards the end when the group went to an unspecified Middle Eastern country. Because of this, I opted for 3 stars even though, overall, I found this an interesting read.
The main character, Juliet, is, at best, suffering fro Asperger's Syndrome; at worst, she might be classed as an idiot savant. Having obtained 5 A-levels without much effort, her sole interest in life is Mathematics and she spends most of the book pondering a problem which only becomes clear in the later stages of the story. She has no social skills or graces but is fortunate enough to be given an opportunity to focus on her chosen subject by a wealthy family in the country, some distance away from her uncomprehending parents.
This was a recently discovered manuscript and, as such, is written in a style from earlier decades. However, this should not put readers off. It is often elegant, sometimes poetic, occasionally funny in a quirky kind of way. In short, I would recommend it.
The main character, Juliet, is, at best, suffering fro Asperger's Syndrome; at worst, she might be classed as an idiot savant. Having obtained 5 A-levels without much effort, her sole interest in life is Mathematics and she spends most of the book pondering a problem which only becomes clear in the later stages of the story. She has no social skills or graces but is fortunate enough to be given an opportunity to focus on her chosen subject by a wealthy family in the country, some distance away from her uncomprehending parents.
This was a recently discovered manuscript and, as such, is written in a style from earlier decades. However, this should not put readers off. It is often elegant, sometimes poetic, occasionally funny in a quirky kind of way. In short, I would recommend it.
July 28, 2019
One of the main charms of Stella Gibbons books is their evocation of a previous era, one that is just still within living memory, the 1920's, 30's and 40's. Unfortunately with this novel that was unpublished in her lifetime she moves into the 60's and loses her surety of touch. Oh wait, here we have a reference to Star Wars and even 'punk' music - must be the 70's then!
The main character of this book is a teenage maths genius with no social skills from a working-class background - or, as we would say these days, on the 'spectrum'. It's hard to relate to a character whose main characteristic is a lack of empathy and whose special skills are described as incomprehensible to almost everybody. She is 'adopted' by a wealthy old lady and goes to Cambridge and publishes a thesis. There is a bit of a sub-plot about the nephew maybe falling for her but he doesn't and marries the right person. That's about it really, it's one of those books that leave you wondering why it was written and I wanted to like it because I very much like her other books.
The main character of this book is a teenage maths genius with no social skills from a working-class background - or, as we would say these days, on the 'spectrum'. It's hard to relate to a character whose main characteristic is a lack of empathy and whose special skills are described as incomprehensible to almost everybody. She is 'adopted' by a wealthy old lady and goes to Cambridge and publishes a thesis. There is a bit of a sub-plot about the nephew maybe falling for her but he doesn't and marries the right person. That's about it really, it's one of those books that leave you wondering why it was written and I wanted to like it because I very much like her other books.
April 29, 2016
I didn't finish it. Nor did Ms Gibbons, of course, and it's questionable whether she'd have wanted it released in this form. If she'd just put in more research then it would have helped. How does a maths prodigy think about coincidence? Not in the way the author imagines here; it's as though she simply isn't interested enough in the subject to find out. And the conversation about how the robin got its red breast - "Some say it's because it was soaked in the blood of our Saviour..." I longed for the cynical, no-nonsense teen lead to retort, "Do they have robins in the Middle East?" or "But it's not the right colour for blood, is it?" Anyway, the lack of direction in the story meant that, despite a promising start and some nice writing, I and Ms Gibbons both gave up.
March 21, 2016
I liked this book better than the Cold Comfort Farm books, it was an interesting enough story.
March 10, 2017
An odd story, with an eccentric (and slightly confusing) cast of characters. It's quite entertaining, but loses its way at the end. Not a patch on Cold Comfort Farm.
July 8, 2018
I love Stella’s writing. Her characters are unique but at the same time mundane. I read bad reviews for this so didn’t know what to expect, but was gladly surprised.
Juliet isn’t completely unlikable in book 1, only when she doesn’t comprehend Aunties death, or know how to behave, is when she seems inhuman. But this hints at autism to me. Not knowing what to do when someone is sick or dying. She isn’t understood and only Frank can see her potential.
I loved being inside the characters minds and how their thoughts were very normal.
Frank never gives up on Juliet, despite her ‘strangeness’ and it pays off. She grows as a person and develops emotions, finding a family. I really enjoyed the dynamic between these strange characters, all flaws and strange yet mundane happenings.
I did wonder where the story was going, but was pleased with the ending.
Juliet isn’t completely unlikable in book 1, only when she doesn’t comprehend Aunties death, or know how to behave, is when she seems inhuman. But this hints at autism to me. Not knowing what to do when someone is sick or dying. She isn’t understood and only Frank can see her potential.
I loved being inside the characters minds and how their thoughts were very normal.
Frank never gives up on Juliet, despite her ‘strangeness’ and it pays off. She grows as a person and develops emotions, finding a family. I really enjoyed the dynamic between these strange characters, all flaws and strange yet mundane happenings.
I did wonder where the story was going, but was pleased with the ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2019
I’m not sure whether Stella Gibbons meant to write a novel about an Aspie teenage girl, but that’s what she did.
Juliet Slater is a 17yr old who has achieved outstanding science and maths A level results and needs to escape from her family so she can think. She’s not exactly sure what she needs to think about but it might be to do with coincidence (probability?) Her retreat is Hightower and an ageing benefactress whose nephew, Frank, sees potential in Juliet. Is he a lustful Svengali or someone whose intentions are honourable?
I loved this and could not put it down. Stella Gibbons died 30 years ago and I’m not sure when the manuscript was written (from the cultural references I’d say mid-late 1970s) but it feels very contemporary, especially with Frank’s eco-friendly philosophy. Cut the so-called Arabian Nights section and this is eminently adaptable for film or TV.
Juliet Slater is a 17yr old who has achieved outstanding science and maths A level results and needs to escape from her family so she can think. She’s not exactly sure what she needs to think about but it might be to do with coincidence (probability?) Her retreat is Hightower and an ageing benefactress whose nephew, Frank, sees potential in Juliet. Is he a lustful Svengali or someone whose intentions are honourable?
I loved this and could not put it down. Stella Gibbons died 30 years ago and I’m not sure when the manuscript was written (from the cultural references I’d say mid-late 1970s) but it feels very contemporary, especially with Frank’s eco-friendly philosophy. Cut the so-called Arabian Nights section and this is eminently adaptable for film or TV.
August 10, 2022
I was late for work his morning because I just had to finish this.
An odd and satisfying read, and not at all what I expected. I assumed it would be a witty satire like Cold Comfort Farm. Not that it isn't sharp and ironic in places but it is a "serious" novel. Juliet is an unattractive, self-centred and ungracious character who manages to charm those she comes in contact with - including the reader.
An odd and satisfying read, and not at all what I expected. I assumed it would be a witty satire like Cold Comfort Farm. Not that it isn't sharp and ironic in places but it is a "serious" novel. Juliet is an unattractive, self-centred and ungracious character who manages to charm those she comes in contact with - including the reader.
December 6, 2020
I dithered between giving this one 3 or 4 stars, but the last 100 or so pages really did it for me. A very quaint and charming book! Heavily character-centric- almost like a modern Austen novel- but well worth sticking around for in the end. You grow a real fondness for them all
July 28, 2022
Juliet, and the entire story in fact, is weird and quirky. The story is a bit out there, and a bit slow, but will stay with me a long time because Stella Gibbons’ writing is beautiful and extremely readable. The main take away: there are no coincidences.
August 8, 2025
I enjoyed this, it wasn't the usual run of the mill novel for which I am grateful. In some ways dated, in others ahead of its time. None of the characters are quite what you would expect, which has to be good.
September 1, 2017
It was an okay read, some parts were really nice but most of it I didn't really know what to think of the book. I kept reading on but I might as well have stopped 3/4th of the book.
December 8, 2020
Started off pretty boring but picked up in the last third of the book.
September 10, 2023
This book was boring and I had to fight my way through the last part of it. Wish I had it in me to dnf things because it really wasn’t worth it.
February 19, 2017
I persevered with this book but half the time I had no idea what was going on. It started well but it felt very dragged out overall and the ending was bizarre.
February 23, 2016
Not quite up to the standard of Cold Comfort Farm, but this book, only published recently, had some very interesting ideas about modern education, nurture and nature, and emotional relationships. While I could not really like Juliet, I could sympathise with her predicament - single-minded, from a home where work was everything and education, particularly for girls, was nothing, and determined to pursue her great idea no matter what obstacles she had to overcome. I enjoyed it.
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June 18, 2016Hard to know what to make of this book. It starts off very tightly written with strong characters and ends rather unstructured with half formed cast of many. The narrators humour seems to tail off at the end and I'm not sure that Gibbons would have published it in this form. Curious!
May 21, 2016
A strange puzzle of a book. Beautiful, cold and charming all at the same time.
May 6, 2016
there is no coincidence in this world
April 6, 2017
oh I could not get on with this. Juliet and was whiny and dull. There was barely any plot and no hint of there even being a plot. I gave up on page 60.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews