Persephone Books discussion

April is almost half over and I've only just started this rather large book!

I know, it's a long one! I'm about halfway done, and I've found that it goes by pretty quickly. I've really been enjoying it!

Even though the plot feels a little predictable I am also enjoying it. As always, Whipple is a delight to read.

Just finished this highly enjoyable novel! I have saved the Afterword and Postscript for tomorrow.... :)

BTW, has anyone seen the black and white movie adaptation(1946)?

I'm getting close to the end! I haven't seen the movie adaptation...I will have to look for it.

Has anyone else finished this one? I really enjoyed this story. Laura, any particular topics you want to bring up?
I thought all of the characters were quite interesting, and I liked Celia and Ruth the best (which was probably what Whipple wanted). I thought it was interesting that Celia and Ruth were such optimists, and Thomas and Freda were very pessimistic (the difference is obvious even from the first page -between Celia and Thomas). I was surprised at how topical the issues in this novel were, especially the financial troubles of Thomas and Mr Knight...those issues are still happening today!

Yes, very topical! And the story did remind me a little of Trollope's The Way We Live Now.

Hello all, I'm new to the group, and by great coincidence just read this book a couple weeks ago. Dorothy Whipple is my favorite author that I've discovered through Persephone. There's some quality to her writing that makes her books compulsively readable, even when things are going horrifyingly wrong for her characters. This was the fourth book of hers that I've read, and my least favorite -- although I did still enjoy it. My favorite was The Priory, followed by Someone at a Distance, then They Were Sisters, then this one. I hope to read more.

Does this group have any policy regarding spoilers in discussion threads?

Welcome to the group, Emily! We're reading The Priory in August, so we'll get to read some more Whipple! We don't have a policy about spoilers. :) I'm guessing that if someone hasn't read the book yet and is worried about spoilers, they won't read the discussion until they're done.