The Tortoise and the Hare

[Tania, Gloucestershire Wild Daffodil.]

July's read of The Tortoise and the Hare.

Who is planning on reading it this month?

There is a wonderful Backlisted Podcast on this one here
https://www.backlisted.fm/episodes/80...

[Diana]

Definitely! It will be a reread for me that I‘m looking forward to.

[Bronwyn]

Oh I forgot about this. I’m in the middle of two books but I’ll try and remember to get to it after!

[Jazzy]

I just ordered it for £7 on ebay.

[Jazzy]

I'm reading quite a few books at the moment, one of which is The Agatha Christie Book Club (2012) by C.A. Larmer

:)

[Tania, Gloucestershire Wild Daffodil.]

Jazzy wrote: "I'm reading quite a few books at the moment, one of which is The Agatha Christie Book Club (2012) by C.A. Larmer

:)"

That sounds interesting. I'm also reading a few books at the moment, but plan to start this one soon.

[Antoinette]

I’ve got the book so I am hoping to get to it.

[Marilyn]

I'm in (after I finish my current read).

[Susan in NC]

I’m in the middle of a few books, also can’t get this one - when I search Scribd and my library, keep getting the children’s book!

[Dominika]

I'm really hoping to fit this one in. It's been on my to read list for a while.

[Marilyn]

Susan in NC wrote: "I’m in the middle of a few books, also can’t get this one - when I search Scribd and my library, keep getting the children’s book!"

archive.org has 2 copies

[Susan in NC]

Thanks, if I can get to it, I will!

[Tania, Gloucestershire Wild Daffodil.]

I've been rather inundated by books this month, but hopefully I'll get to start this one tonight. I loved it the first time I read it.

I wonder who people feel is the tortoise and who is the hare? The question seems to divide people a little.

[Antoinette]

I just finished it and had a love hate relationship with it! Really, I never hated it but it had me so on tether hooks throughout. I will add more comments soon.

[Tania, Gloucestershire Wild Daffodil.]

I think I know what you mean. It wasn't easy to guess which ay it was going.

[Antoinette]

I felt the inevitable with a sense of dread. I really wanted to shake Imogene and tell her to fight back, to show some passion. But, she didn’t know how, as she had always been the submissive wife. Really a brilliant book. I’ve gone back to listen to the Backlisted podcast, as it’s one of those books, I can’t seem to let go of.

[Tania, Gloucestershire Wild Daffodil.]

Excellent. I look forward to your thoughts on both.

[Antoinette]

I did listen to the Backlisted podcast. It was great to hear Carmen Calill’s thoughts on the book and Elizabeth Jenkins. I still get annoyed at her for her silly Dorothy Whipple line. I’m a big Dorothy Whipple fan and I rather dislike the way she ranks her lower than her Virago authors. Sorry, I know this is off topic.

[Diana]

I agree with you, Antoinette, regarding Dorothy Whipple. I‘ve collected and read most of her novels (Persephone editions).
„The Tortoise and the Hare“ was a reread for me but after nearly 4 years I must admit I‘d forgotten how it ended!! I did feel for Imogen, as she suffered such humiliation, but I also wanted her to be more active and less subservient, not just to win back her husband’s admiration but so that she would become more self-confident and independent. Her husband, Evelyn, realized that a pretty wife, submissive and always trying to please, no longer fulfilled his needs. It seems that she had not developed further and did not discern any need to, until she was pushed.

[Antoinette]

I must admit this book really got under my skin. I wanted Imogene to grow some backbone and stand up to Evelyn. Interesting that he turned to Blanche because she was so independent but didn’t she ultimately become submissive to him as well. She was there to fulfill all his needs.

[Diana]

Yes, exactly. They did, however, have some common interests outside the domestic sphere. Blanche was also already active in community work, if not supportive of common folk (see her attitude to the introduction of the NHS). But there was at some point the indication that he might leave Blanche, too, when it suited him.

[Antoinette]

Agree, Diane. The title of the book is fascinating to me. I see Imogene as the tortoise initially as she is slow to react to what is happening, but becomes the hare when she suddenly leaves. Blanche is the hare at first as she pursues Evelyn but once she wins she turns into the tortoise, ready to sit back and relax. That final domestic scene- he reading the paper, her curled up eating a bon bon. I have no sympathy for Blanche. For Imogene, I do!

[Tania, Gloucestershire Wild Daffodil.]

Antoinette wrote: "I still get annoyed at her for her silly Dorothy Whipple line. I’m a big Dorothy Whipple fan and I rather dislike the way she ranks her lower than her Virago authors..."

Me too. That idea that she wouldn't go below the Whipple line, is baffling.

Diana wrote: "But there was at some point the indication that he might leave Blanche, too, when it suited him.."

If you marry your mistress, you create a vacancy.

I am finally about to start. I've had a busy few days and several books to finish off, but I now have a week off work, so will be able to spend a few days reading.

[Pamela]

I read this at the end of last year. Blanche certainly made all the running to capture Evelyn so I guess she’s the hare, but her prize wasn’t really that great. I also found Imogen annoyingly passive, but there seems to be more hope for her at the end. Like the tortoise, her way may get her to a better place that Blanche in the end.

[Peggy]

I just finished this. Like Antoinette, I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with it. Although Blanche was quite different than Imogen, they both worshipped Evelyn (whom I couldn’t stand).

I wonder how long Evelyn will be content with Blanche now that he has her? Or will he be looking for the next woman who thinks he’s God’s gift?

[Bronwyn]

I just finished and did like it, but I totally agree that Imogen was too passive. I get that she’s a product of time and place and position, but it was so hard just watching her let these things happen to her. At so many points it could have gone differently! I didn’t like Evelyn or Blanche either. Normally I feel the blame would go to the straying spouse, but Blanche knew what she was doing. And, again, Imogen let it all happen to her. It was hard to read sometimes. Thank goodness for Jenkins’ writing, which is just gorgeous.