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Ladysmead
"A Clergyman of small independent means, who has seven daughters, cannot expect them all to marry to advantage." So begins this tale of regency England, where manners and morals in a country village give way to flirtation and folly. For Sophia the prospect of marriage fades when she must take over the care of her father's household and her youngest sister Lucinda. But this will change as the neighbouring house, called Ladysmead, is rented by the interfering Mrs Norris and her beautiful niece Maria.
Capturing Jane Austen's style with fun and accuracy, Ladysmead revives Mansfield Park's Mrs Norris and carries the story of her scandalous niece to satisfying fruition.
Capturing Jane Austen's style with fun and accuracy, Ladysmead revives Mansfield Park's Mrs Norris and carries the story of her scandalous niece to satisfying fruition.
205 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1986
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 28, 2021
Like The Reluctant Baronet, this Jane Gillespie book focuses on Jane Austen's Mansfield Park in something of a roundabout sequel. I had already experienced the author's gently paced, roundabout way of storytelling that has a vintage feel in it's style and story.
In a distant village on the moors, the widowed vicar has six daughters. One might think he would be committed to seeing them marry and, even better, marry well. In truth, the Stockwell sisters find their own way into matrimony and do land well for the most part. That is, all, but the second oldest, Sophia, and the very youngest, Lucinda, just emerging from the school room. Without planning on it, Sophia was the only sister who drew no gentleman's offer so became the daughter who stayed at home to look after her vague, scholarly parent and the vicarage. She is neither vivacious and sparkling nor is she particularly skilled and efficient, but she does her best without much help or appreciation. She is unaware that her father's curate, a man of sense and very moderate means has silently appreciated her all along.
The village and neighborhood is remote and not the place much happens, but slowly the neighborhood is enlarged, first by a pair of widows- an aunt and her niece- who stir things up. Sophia must watch Lucinda start to idolize and then mimic the young Mrs. Rushton who makes it plain she is bored by all and feels she is above their little village community. While Lucie is taken as a companion by the lady who sees a doting young girl as better than nothing, Sophia is stuck getting unwanted advice from the older Mrs. Norris. Occasionally, those in the village wonder about the history of the two ladies who seem connected to wealth and high society back where they came from, but Sophia can only wish them elsewhere when another new person in the form of the new estate owner arrives to look over his inheritance.
Ladysmead takes a long time establishing the setting, the characters, and the situation and then seems to meander for more than half the book. It is only in the latter half that the story really takes off and the main players start acting in an interesting manner.
That said, it is a shorter novel so no hardship to wait for it to kick into gear. I struggled mostly that I hadn't established early a close liking for any of the characters at first though I did end up highly respecting and loving the curate Mr. Williams and feel sorry for Sophia and hoped she stopped being a doormat for everyone. She is a character that things happen to rather than one with her own agency. She does eventually show a little spirit and had her eyes opened about her own happiness (those who know MP are aware of how Mrs. Norris could drive even the most timid people to resolution).
The Mansfield Park connection was a side story though one does get to see where Maria Rushworth nee Bertram and her obnoxious Aunt Norris landed and learn if the previous events changed them at all. I'll leave that part a little mystery.
All in all, it was pleasant and loved the vintage feel. Those who like stories that are more a soft-touch and feel like the classic styles of writing would enjoy this one.
In a distant village on the moors, the widowed vicar has six daughters. One might think he would be committed to seeing them marry and, even better, marry well. In truth, the Stockwell sisters find their own way into matrimony and do land well for the most part. That is, all, but the second oldest, Sophia, and the very youngest, Lucinda, just emerging from the school room. Without planning on it, Sophia was the only sister who drew no gentleman's offer so became the daughter who stayed at home to look after her vague, scholarly parent and the vicarage. She is neither vivacious and sparkling nor is she particularly skilled and efficient, but she does her best without much help or appreciation. She is unaware that her father's curate, a man of sense and very moderate means has silently appreciated her all along.
The village and neighborhood is remote and not the place much happens, but slowly the neighborhood is enlarged, first by a pair of widows- an aunt and her niece- who stir things up. Sophia must watch Lucinda start to idolize and then mimic the young Mrs. Rushton who makes it plain she is bored by all and feels she is above their little village community. While Lucie is taken as a companion by the lady who sees a doting young girl as better than nothing, Sophia is stuck getting unwanted advice from the older Mrs. Norris. Occasionally, those in the village wonder about the history of the two ladies who seem connected to wealth and high society back where they came from, but Sophia can only wish them elsewhere when another new person in the form of the new estate owner arrives to look over his inheritance.
Ladysmead takes a long time establishing the setting, the characters, and the situation and then seems to meander for more than half the book. It is only in the latter half that the story really takes off and the main players start acting in an interesting manner.
That said, it is a shorter novel so no hardship to wait for it to kick into gear. I struggled mostly that I hadn't established early a close liking for any of the characters at first though I did end up highly respecting and loving the curate Mr. Williams and feel sorry for Sophia and hoped she stopped being a doormat for everyone. She is a character that things happen to rather than one with her own agency. She does eventually show a little spirit and had her eyes opened about her own happiness (those who know MP are aware of how Mrs. Norris could drive even the most timid people to resolution).
The Mansfield Park connection was a side story though one does get to see where Maria Rushworth nee Bertram and her obnoxious Aunt Norris landed and learn if the previous events changed them at all. I'll leave that part a little mystery.
All in all, it was pleasant and loved the vintage feel. Those who like stories that are more a soft-touch and feel like the classic styles of writing would enjoy this one.
July 3, 2021
Read this years ago as a teenager. A sequel of sorts to Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, or at least a continuation in the same world, as the characters of Mrs Norris and Maria Rushton play large roles in the book.
March 6, 2017
A pleasurable way to spend an afternoon... set in Regency England, this novel is about a country clergyman's family. Sophia, the second eldest of seven daughters, becomes the lady of the house and must cope with housekeeping on a small income, as well as her younger sisters who are still living at home. New neighbors arrive to live in Ladymead, a small but elegant house in the neighborhood, and any reader of Mansfield Park will recognize the new family at once. This is a quiet read, and the characters' thoughts and feelings are what drive the story.
November 21, 2011
I picked this up at book sale. It was previously owned by the public library but let go because of low demand. I see why there was low demand - even with "Jane Austen" written on the front. The characters were way too annoying... or I should say good characters that you wanted to know more about were lacking. I don't like being constantly irritated throughout a story so I did not enjoy it.
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April 24, 2008Gillespie,Jane
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews