- Hardcover: 344 pages
- Publisher: Headline Review; Second edition (3 Jun 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 074722322X
- ISBN-13: 978-0747223221
- Product Dimensions: 18.3 x 11.9 x 3.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,097,622 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Review
'Barker is a talented comic writer - there is scarcely a word out of place, and the whole confection goes down a treat. All of which makes it your perfect holiday read' -- Sunday Times 'An uplifting and witty portrayal of family life in the Norfolk countryside. It celebrates a year of rich friendships and exuberant children, along with an eccentric mother and an infuriating ex... A delightfully wholesome novel with comic bite' -- Times 'Charming... Overflows with eccentric characters... A satisfying mix of entertaining domestic disasters and musings on kitten heels, hens and new love' -- Daily Mail
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Review
'Barker is a talented comic writer - there is scarcely a word out of place, and the whole confection goes down a treat. All of which makes it your perfect holiday read' (Sunday Times )
'An uplifting and witty portrayal of family life in the Norfolk countryside. It celebrates a year of rich friendships and exuberant children, along with an eccentric mother and an infuriating ex... A delightfully wholesome novel with comic bite' (Times )
'Charming... Overflows with eccentric characters... A satisfying mix of entertaining domestic disasters and musings on kitten heels, hens and new love' (Daily Mail ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
'An uplifting and witty portrayal of family life in the Norfolk countryside. It celebrates a year of rich friendships and exuberant children, along with an eccentric mother and an infuriating ex... A delightfully wholesome novel with comic bite' (Times )
'Charming... Overflows with eccentric characters... A satisfying mix of entertaining domestic disasters and musings on kitten heels, hens and new love' (Daily Mail ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Not intentionally meaning to, I read Summertime first, which is the second part of this lovely romp through the Norfolk countryside! I now intend to re-read Summertime to finish off the sentimental story! You'll love Hens Dancing if you love the countryside or gardening or simply love reading a story which allows you to get totally lost with it's hillarious characters and an all too familular settings for anyone who's been part of a family!! It had been laughing out loud and crying with pleasure as the "admired Venetia" experiences life to the extreme! A real fluffy feeling was left everytime I put the book down and couldn't wait until I was able to pick it back up again!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I took Hens Dancing with me on a short trip to the UK and had finished it by the time I reached my hotel. Yes, I was the woman in the plane/ train/ bus who sat and giggled continuously! I was enchanted by the story but strongly recommend that it is read when alone, behind closed curtains and then you do not embarass yourself!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Charming is the word that comes to mind. Hens Dancing chronicles a year in the country life of Venetia, keeper of hens (and pigs) and mother of three. There's not really a major plot line - no Big Event - but Barker manages to hook the reader and keep you interested. Venetia is self-absorbed and a shameless ditz. (I know that if I was one of the characters in the book, I'd be one of the other disapproving mothers!) Yet just as she teeters on the brink of becoming really annoying, she realizes she's annoying and does or says something endearing. She loves her children to pieces, and some of the best parts are when she's expressing that complex love, especially for her sons. The Beauty (is that really her name?) is a vamp in the making - I suspect that she's less charming in the sequel, when she hits childhood. There's a clever mix of characters - Venetia's ex is priceless, you can just picture his smirking countenance. A lovely read - I'll definitely buy Summertime!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
great fun!
Bears no relationship to the realities of rural life unless you're on a Cath Kidston budget (I mean, look at the cover; it is not misleading) -- frothy and ludicrous, but rural... Read more
Published on 17 Oct 2009 by K
Don't bother
I have to add my voice to those who similarly disliked this book. For a start, it is simply tedious and boring - nothing happens, and the minutiae of life of which it consists are... Read more
Published on 19 July 2009 by K. Dixon
Un-put-downable!
Hens Dancing is a beatifully written book about family life with all it's trials & tribulations. Venetia is on the verge of total meltdown due to the break-up of her marriage but... Read more
Published on 8 Jun 2009 by Mrs. Sally L. Wilson
very enjoyable
I loved this book, it was a very light hearted easy read as a mum of 3 myself i could totally relate to the main character and the chaos that surrounds her and being written as a... Read more
Published on 7 Dec 2008 by cup cake
A waste of time and money
I bought this book after reading the reviews, but my advice is - don't! I'm sorry, because I live in Norfolk and thought it would be a lovely read, but it's completely... Read more
Published on 16 Sep 2008 by Jane Dickens
Really dull
I read all the brilliant Amazon reviews before buying this book and felt confident it would be a sure-fire hit, but I was really disappointed. Read more
Published on 29 Aug 2008 by C. M. Reader
Literary equivalent of the Boden catalogue
Can't think what induced me to pick up this appalling, saccharine tosh but at least it was in the Oxfam shop. It was written by a Country Life columnist which says it all. Read more
Published on 17 Aug 2008 by booksetc
good but not as good as summertime
i love barker's style of writing, its completely unique and individual and i lap up what she has written, however although this was a good, comic and painfully real tale, i still... Read more
Published on 21 April 2008 by Ms. F. I. Macdonald
Perceptive!
Fantastically perceptive! I read this after the sequel, Summetime, and although in my opinion not quite as funny it was still a thoroughly enjoyable read. Read more
Published on 30 Sep 2003 by Jane White
Pure enchantment
I'm new to the kaleidoscope colours of Raffaella Barker's prose and I am hooked. Hens Dancing is a blend of humour, life's little ironies, real people in a real life setting with... Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2003 by Mrs. Kerry King
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