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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not much testosterone, but plenty of chuckles., 25 Jan 2001
Lucia Lucas (born Emmeline Smith) wished the world to know that the recent death of her husband's aunt, who was 83 years old and who had spent the last seven of them bed-ridden in a private lunatic asylum, was "a grievous blow". Suppressed were the facts that neither Lucia nor her husband had hitherto given much thought to the aunt, and the fact that when Lucia's husband last visited the aunt, seven years previously, she bit him. No, the world must be convinced that the death of "dear Aunt Amy" was not a "happy release", it was "a grievous blow", requiring the wearing of veils, the drawing of blinds, and stoically-born, inconsolable suffering.So begins E F Benson's 1927 novel "Lucia In London", one of six in which the author chronicles the worlds of Riseholme and its social climbing leading resident, Lucia. I say "worlds" because we are presented with two worlds. There is the real world and the world of pretence. Most characters, especially Lucia live in both worlds. What they privately covet, the publically despise. What they really feel, for example at the death of an aunt, they suppress in order to pretend to something more publically admired. Benson's chronicles are great fun. The pretence, the point scoring, the absurdity, are richly detailed. There's not much testosterone, but there's a chuckle at least in every sentence.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
There's not much testosterone, but plenty of chuckles., 25 Jan 2001
Lucia Lucas (born Emmeline Smith) wished the world to know that the recent death of her husband's aunt, who was 83 years old and who had spent the last seven of them bed-ridden in a private lunatic asylum, was "a grievous blow". Suppressed were the facts that neither Lucia nor her husband had hitherto given much thought to the aunt, and the fact that when Lucia's husband last visited the aunt, seven years previously, she bit him. No, the world must be convinced that the death of "dear Aunt Amy" was not a "happy release", it was "a grievous blow", requiring the wearing of veils, the drawing of blinds, and stoically-born, inconsolable suffering.So begins E F Benson's 1927 novel "Lucia In London", one of six in which the author chronicles the worlds of Riseholme and its social climbing leading resident, Lucia. I say "worlds" because we are presented with two worlds. There is the real world and the world of pretence. Most characters, especially Lucia live in both worlds. What they privately covet, the publically despise. What they really feel, for example at the death of an aunt, they suppress in order to pretend to something more publically admired. Benson's chronicles are great fun. The pretence, the point scoring, the absurdity, are richly detailed. There's not much testosterone, but there's a chuckle at least in every sentence. Benson's novels are suitable for reading aloud. What is consummate prose on the page becomes great art when read for Isis Audio Books by Geraldine McEwan. I have listened to her reading over and over again. Listening in the car, I have found the longest journey in outback Australia to be pure pleasure. Be warned, however, that your laughing might impede your driving competence.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love Lucia, 9 May 2008
This is the second of the Lucia novels - there are, I think, six in total plus a further two written by Tom Holt. I would recommend each and every one of them, including those written by Holt. This novel, like the others, is sharply observed and a very funny comedy of manners. There is no cruelty in Benson's development of his characters - although we find them rather absurd and amusing, they remain endearing and surprisingly sympathetic.
I particularly like this book. In it, Lucia invades the "beau monde" as an irresistable force, tirelessly raising her profile amongst the titled classes, the most fashionable artists and thinkers and most notorious "cause celebres". The reaction amongst her friends in her home village of Riseholme to this relentless publicity seeking leads to one of my favourite scenes in the series.
Of course, once you have finished this book, you can then move on to the spendid "Miss Mapp" in preparation for the titanic meeting that is "Mapp and Lucia". This book, along with the others, has lifted my spirits many times over the years since I discovered it. Humourous, light hearted and beautifully written, these books remain a joy.
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by E. F. Benson
by E.F. Benson
by E F Benson
by E F Benson
by E. F. Benson
