Alwynne’s review of Vera > Likes and Comments

Marvellous review!

This book is (or at least was ) on my mother's bookshelves, i have come close, but obviously not close enough, to reading it a couple of times. It sounds qualitatively very good and creepy

I never heard of this book, but I'll look for it when I finish my current stack of library books. Great review!

I had a von Arnim phase and I'd wanted to start with Vera but for some reason kept putting it off and read her other titles instead. I love Fraulein Schmidt and Mr. Anstruther. I'm almost coming around to Vera. Fantastic review! Von Arnim was beyond her time @ women's solitude as resistance

Roman Clodia wrote: "Marvellous review!"

Thanks! Think it's just an easy book to write about, incredibly fertile.

Jan-Maat wrote: "This book is (or at least was ) on my mother's bookshelves, i have come close, but obviously not close enough, to reading it a couple of times. It sounds qualitatively very good and creepy"

It was,, but the opening is almost excruciatingly slow and the style is very clunky at first. I almost gave up but after the first chapter it really starts to take off.

Eilonwy wrote: "I never heard of this book, but I'll look for it when I finish my current stack of library books. Great review!"

Thanks, look forward to seeing what you think. It's quite a unique piece.

Kubi wrote: "I had a von Arnim phase and I'd wanted to start with Vera but for some reason kept putting it off and read her other titles instead. I love Fraulein Schmidt and Mr. Anstruther. I'm almost coming ar..."


Thanks!! I'd only read The Enchanted April although do have copies of Fraulein Schmidt and of Christopher and Columbus. I collect the original green Virago classics so picked them up because they're part of that series. Now I know you liked it so much, I'll definitely move Fraulein Schmidt up my list.

great review, of what sounds like a really interesting novel :)

hawk wrote: "great review, of what sounds like a really interesting novel :)"

Thanks! So much more interesting than I'd anticipated.

Thanks, Alwynne. I thought I got a lot from this one but you provided even more insight. Your review of Vera ties in well with your serrated review of Rebecca (which also gave me much more food for thought than I got from the novel myself). You're well on your way to a monograph: "Marriage as Prison in the 20th Century Novel."

Great review

tortoise wrote: "Thanks, Alwynne. I thought I got a lot from this one but you provided even more insight. Your review of Vera ties in well with your serrated review of Rebecca (which also gave me much more food for..."

Thanks! They overlap in such unexpected ways. And yes my perspective on marriage not the most positive. Everyone I know who's married is either divorced or grumblingly discontent. Although it must suit some people. But when Lucy realises, on her honeymoon, that her time will never be her own again, I really felt for her.

Ellie wrote: "Great review"

Thanks!

What a fantastic point about her idealized father setting her up for this kind of dependency—they are both somewhat vampiric. Funny how quickly I forgot that after the first chapter. In fact he sounds a lot like the father in Von Arnim’s _Father_… still one of my favorite Von Arnims. Great review!

Amy wrote: "What a fantastic point about her idealized father setting her up for this kind of dependency—they are both somewhat vampiric. Funny how quickly I forgot that after the first chapter. In fact he sou..."

Thanks!