Summer Half Start Date 7th of July NON Spoiler thread

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ , She's a mod, yeah, yeah, yeah!]

Hi everyone!

I meant to put these threads up last night but my yoga had a deep relaxation session, so I went to sleep in my chair shortly after arriving home.

As the thread title says this is the NON spoiler thread. Or you can use spoiler tags. We don't want to spoil a first read for anyone (like me!)

This is my copy Just love this cover!

Grateful thanks to Kim for sending it to me!

Has anyone read this title before?

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ , She's a mod, yeah, yeah, yeah!]

I started the book last night. Thirkell jumps straight into the plot. I'm loving the bright, airy beginning!

[Abigail]

I read all of Thirkell (except for Tribute to Harriette) decades ago but fortunately, I don’t recall details of most of them, so these are like first reads for me. I have an old hardcover edition I scooped up from my grandmother’s estate; will start in a few days after finishing a quick read for the Austen Lovers group (The Heiress, by Molly Greeley).

[Susan in NC]

I’ve read this once before when I started working my way through Thirkell. I had read Trollope’s Barsetshire series, heard this author picked up with the family and place names, plopped down in the twentieth century, but similar humorous approach to the minutiae of rural life. I love these books, I’m still actually working my way through - I’m up to Enter Sir Robert!

But I am really enjoying this reread, I’ve accumulated used copies of as much of the series as I could find before they started getting reissued, or became available on Kindle. I am switching between audiobook and my paperback with this cover:


I just realized I never wrote a review for this one - but I did give it five stars, so I must have really enjoyed it!

[Veronique]

I’ve only read one Thirkell, High Rising, which I very much liked. Not sure why I didn’t carry on, especially since I bought the next 3 books. As for Trollope’s, I’ve the first two, loving Barchester Towers. Really want to get to Doctor Thorne...

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ , She's a mod, yeah, yeah, yeah!]

I'm up to Chapter 5 & I am finding this one far more amusing than the previous Thirkell's I've read! I do know an Edith! :)

[Janetje]

I didn’t know Angela Thirkell at all, but the book sounded promising, so I decided to join the read. And I’m glad I did, I’m thoroughly enjoying it so far! Well worth the €3.99 for the Kindle.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ , She's a mod, yeah, yeah, yeah!]

Janetje wrote: "I didn’t know Angela Thirkell at all, but the book sounded promising, so I decided to join the read. And I’m glad I did, I’m thoroughly enjoying it so far! Well worth the €3.99 for the Kindle."

Welcome to the group, Janetje!

[Susan in NC]

Welcome, Janetje! I found Thirkell’s Barsetshire books addictive when I started reading them - I’ve been slowly working my way through them, in between other books, over the years. I find I have to be in the mood for the rambling conversations and plots where not much really happens, and the quirky characters- but when I am in the right mood, I enjoy them very much!

I love the descriptions of the Whitsun picnic, and riverside activities, and even the storm. (view spoiler)[Everard falling for Kate is so sweet, even though she has eyes only for her domestic arrangements- she’d be a natural schoolmaster’s wife! Lydia, Tony and Swan are so funny, quite a handful, and of course everyone could cheerfully strangle Rose! (hide spoiler)]

[Carolien]

Veronique wrote: "I’ve only read one Thirkell, High Rising, which I very much liked. Not sure why I didn’t carry on, especially since I bought the next 3 books. As for Trollope’s, I’ve the first two,..."

I read Doctor Thorne a few months ago and loved it, even more than Barchester Towers. Cannot recommend it enough.

[Karlyne]

I forgot July 7th had passed... I'll dig out my copy today!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ , She's a mod, yeah, yeah, yeah!]

Karlyne wrote: "I forgot July 7th had passed... I'll dig out my copy today!"

Good to see you Karlyne!

[Susan in NC]

Karlyne wrote: "I forgot July 7th had passed... I'll dig out my copy today!"

👋🏻 Hey Karlyne! Hope you are doing well, I know the West is having terrible heat right now - take care, and enjoy a relaxing summer visit to Barsetshire!

[Judy]

I've read about 100 pages so far and am enjoying this book - I found a copy in a charity shop on holiday, which I thought was a sign to me to join in, especially as I'm reading in order and this is the next one in the series!

My favourite character so far is Lydia, who is hilarious - so bossy and determined. I do think Thirkell is great at portraying children.

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "I've read about 100 pages so far and am enjoying this book - I found a copy in a charity shop on holiday, which I thought was a sign to me to join in, especially as I'm reading in order and this is..."

Hi, Judy! I just finished my reread last night, finally reviewed today. Lydia is one of my favorite characters, as well, I loved watching her grow up in future books. But in this book, my first introduction to her, I really felt how I’ve heard authors describe some of their most vivid characters - Lydia truly bursts on to the page! (view spoiler)[I love her interactions with the boys from the school- she is truly a take charge kind of girl. And her passion for literature, and hatred of Miss Pettinger - she has strong feelings about everything! I can’t even remember being that intense about life…I remember when I read this the first time, I thought she was hilarious, but exhausting if Thirkell carries her into future books. But she actually grew into a delightful young woman! (hide spoiler)]

[Karlyne]

Susan in NC wrote: "Karlyne wrote: "I forgot July 7th had passed... I'll dig out my copy today!"

👋🏻 Hey Karlyne! Hope you are doing well, I know the West is having terrible heat right now - take care, and enjoy a rel..."

The smoke is killing us! We get all the California, Oregon and Washington fires, depending on which way the wind is blowing, plus our own (which aren't as bad - yet). I'd emigrate, but I can't figure out where to that isn't worse in its own way!
In the meantime, I'm sticking to English novels, and Thirkell is a perfect example of lovely English summer. Lydia makes me laugh out loud and her relationships are the best! Loyal and emotional, klutzy and earnest - I just love her.

[Susan in NC]

I am so sorry, I’ve been thinking of you with all the news of the horrible heat out west, I am sending prayers and cool, rainy thoughts as yet another fire season gets underway. And you are so right - here in the southeast, it’s beautiful, but hurricanes are a yearly occurrence, of course - and they spawn floods and tornadoes! Every region has unique problems.

I hope the English novels are helping you think cool, green thoughts! You summed Lydia up wonderfully, probably because you’re a girl grandma. She’s a delightful young woman, and has become one of my favorite recurring characters.

[Karlyne]

I'm really, really grateful that none of my grandgirls are like Rose. They're all beautiful (of course!😁), and they all have hearts. Whew!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ , She's a mod, yeah, yeah, yeah!]

Karlyne wrote: "I'm really, really grateful that none of my grandgirls are like Rose. They're all beautiful (of course!😁), and they all have hearts. Whew!"

A Lydia would be fun though - if exhausting.

The blurb on my copy implies that Tony Morland is (view spoiler)[still a terror - which he isn't. he still has the energy of ten people but has matured quite a bit. (hide spoiler)]

[Karlyne]

I do have a Lydia-ish one, and she is a lot of fun - although I've had to give her the Stink Eye more than the others, I think. She's grown into an amazingly capable young woman with heart, so I'm sure Lydia will, too.

[Susan in NC]

Karlyne wrote: "I'm really, really grateful that none of my grandgirls are like Rose. They're all beautiful (of course!😁), and they all have hearts. Whew!"

Oh, my gosh, very true - I’d take a pack of Lydias over one Rose! She makes her parents nuts, as you can see!

[Susan in NC]

Karlyne wrote: "I do have a Lydia-ish one, and she is a lot of fun - although I've had to give her the Stink Eye more than the others, I think. She's grown into an amazingly capable young woman with heart, so I'm ..."

That is good to hear about your granddaughter- brains and heart count for so much. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say Lydia is one of my favorite recurring characters.

[Judy]

Susan, I will look forward to meeting Lydia again in later books. Nice to meet the slightly older Tony in this one.

I'm about halfway through now and mainly enjoying it - although I would like to see more of the terrible Rose in action and a bit less of everyone complaining about her when she isn't actually there ;)

[Karlyne]

Judy wrote: "Susan, I will look forward to meeting Lydia again in later books. Nice to meet the slightly older Tony in this one.

I'm about halfway through now and mainly enjoying it - although I would like to ..."

Rose is the kind of girl who makes people run and hide when they see her coming! But, not to worry, not everyone not every time can avoid her...

[Susan in NC]

Karlyne wrote: "Judy wrote: "Susan, I will look forward to meeting Lydia again in later books. Nice to meet the slightly older Tony in this one.

I'm about halfway through now and mainly enjoying it - although I w..."

Very true - on both counts!

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "Susan, I will look forward to meeting Lydia again in later books. Nice to meet the slightly older Tony in this one.

I'm about halfway through now and mainly enjoying it - although I would like to ..."

Lydia and Tony are both great characters- and Rose is exhausting! I feel so for her parents, they both seem so competent, intelligent and normal!

[Judy]

I'm getting towards the end now and, although I've quite enjoyed it, I don't think it is as funny as some of Thirkell's others. I found August Folly much funnier and think some of the school parts in this one are a bit repetitive - admittedly the jokes about Latin etc are somewhat lost on me!

[Susan in NC]

Same here - several jokes about Latin, or the boarding school experience, went right by me! I guess Lydia, the boys, and their sheer exuberance, plus Rose’s dizzy melodrama, plus a sweet romance and all the nostalgia about glorious, sunny summers past was enough for me. Plus having read on in the series, knowing WWII would be upon them in a few years, and put an end to such lovely, carefree summer days made me feel sentimental! (I don’t think revealing WWII was around the corner counts as a spoiler…);)

[Carolien]

I'm about halfway and am appreciating this much more having read some of the Barchester Chronicles this year. At the picnic on the island, there is a mention that the Dean's grandfather was the vicar at Hogglestock which is Mr Crawley from Framley Parsonage. Rose is annoying.

[Karlyne]

Carolien wrote: "I'm about halfway and am appreciating this much more having read some of the Barchester Chronicles this year. At the picnic on the island, there is a mention that the Dean's grandfather was the vic..."

It's very odd that I haven't really read Trollope, not only since it would make so much sense to have read Thirkell's inspiration, but just because he was a much esteemed Victorian. I'm thinking it's because although I'm a fan of many writers of the era, there are also a couple that don't do anything for me (Thackeray and Hardy among them). I do need to give the original Barchester a try, I think.

[Susan in NC]

I’d like to reread Trollope’s Barchester series, as I entered slowly and unknowing what I was getting into - all of Trollope, then Thirkell! It’s been years, and I really don’t remember much about the first couple novels- then I got swept up in the characters! Then, of course, some characters go on into the Palliser series…

[Carolien]

Karlyne wrote: "Carolien wrote: "I'm about halfway and am appreciating this much more having read some of the Barchester Chronicles this year. At the picnic on the island, there is a mention that the Dean's grandf..."

I discovered Trollope this year and love him. My only attempts at Thackery and Hardy I abandoned without finishing the books, so if that is a recommendation for Trollope, please regard it as such!

Trollope is very readable, lots of humour and I love him as narrator. Halfway through Barchester Towers he reassures the reader that he won't let the heroine marry either of the dreadful suitors for her hand!

[Karlyne]

Ok, that's a recommendation I can get behind, Carolien! I'll put him on my list!