"A subtle and beautiful book .... Very few authors combine her acute psychological insight with her grace and style. There is plenty of life in the modern novel, plenty of authors who will shock, amuse, amaze you - but who will put on the page a beautiful sentence, a sentence you will want to read twice?"
So writes Hilary Mantel of Elizabeth Jenkins' 1954 novel The Tortoise and the Hare and it was that comment together with Amanda Craig's review
It is the portrait of a marriage and of a particular period and social milieu, but done with "descriptive grace and narrative pulse, dry humour and moral discrimination, tempered elegance and emotional force" - Hilary Mantel again. The poised and beautiful Imogen is married to Evelyn Gresham, a successful barrister, but her place in his affections is under threat due to their neighbour Blanche Silcox, middle-aged, ungainly, competent countrywoman - the very opposite of the soignée wife. What will be the outcome?
For those unfamiliar with Elizabeth Jenkins, this article makes interesting reading. The book is currently available in a recent Virago edition, and my checks suggest that libraries may have that or an older version. Both Amazon US and UK stock it, as does The Book Depository (with free delivery worldwide).
Next Saturday (the 29th. ) we shall be talking about The Nice and the Good, but let's come back to discuss The Tortoise and the Hare on Saturday, 26th. September. I hope we'll have a large turnout!
Yes it is available from my local public libraries so I will be reading it. Whether subtle, beautiful sentences will work with me I'm not so sure (unremitting sex and violence being my sort of thing of course ...) and I have lost my moral compass somewhere in Switzerland so whether navigating the sentences will be easy I do not know.
Thank you for yet another book I would never have chosen for myself.
DP xxx
Posted by: Dark Puss | 22 August 2009 at 08:39 AM
I read this a while back -- look forward to hearing what people think of it.
Posted by: Harriet | 22 August 2009 at 09:24 AM
Have not heard of Elizabeth Jenkins but found the linked article very interesting. Am ordering the book and look forward to reading it.
Posted by: Anne | 22 August 2009 at 01:12 PM
I just ordered it!
Posted by: Nan | 22 August 2009 at 04:05 PM
Excellent! I bought this recently and haven't read it yet.
Posted by: Mary McCartney | 22 August 2009 at 04:11 PM
I'm in and have just ordered. Have failed to read Iris though but will enjoy reading your and others comments on it.
Posted by: Claire | 22 August 2009 at 04:29 PM
I've been meaning to read this for years, so I'll be joining in. And I believe the cover is the work of the wonderful Alice Tait? I link to her website under my 'places of beauty' section.
Posted by: Simon T | 23 August 2009 at 12:43 AM
I love that book, it is a gem. I read it some time ago but I can still remember the character of Blanche. I went through a phase of reading Viragos with their lovely covers but this was easily one of the best. Perhaps I will re read it now.
Posted by: melody | 24 August 2009 at 02:41 PM
This sounds like a fascinating book and I have yet to read any Jenkins so would love to join you in reading (and writing about) it.
Posted by: Samantha | 25 August 2009 at 05:42 AM