I can’t believe I almost returned Wild Strawberries by Angela Thirkell to the library without even cracking the cover. Awful, horrible thought! But indeed, it did almost happen. Happily, I flipped it open just to read chapter or two before discarding it and within a page, within a paragraph even, I knew I would love it. Why did no one ever tell me how amusing Thirkell was? I’d expected a rather run-of-the-mill domestic novel and while this is certainly a domestic novel (my favourite sort, as you should know by now) Thirkell’s sense of humour and gift for satire elevates it well beyond similar offerings. I think I was smiling almost every moment I was reading (pausing, of course, during the necessary dramatic scenes).
The action focuses on the Leslie family of Rushwater House and most particularly on their young guest Mary Preston, the twenty-three year old niece of Lady Agnes, the daughter of the house. The only full-time inhabitants of Rushwater appear to be Lady Emily, the delightfully absentminded matriarch, and her husband but in reality it is the hub of Leslie family life where children and grandchildren can descend at any moment. The three remaining Leslie children (being not so much children as twenty- and thirty-somethings) are, in order, the calm, thoughtful widower John, the rather stupid but affectionate and charming Lady Agnes, and the irrepressible cad David. Their nephew Martin, whose seventeenth birthday party provides a number of excellent scenes in the novel, is an equally enjoyable character, his Uncle David’s partner in crime more often than not (their scheme for switching drivers without having to stop the car is particularly intriguing/hair raising).
Each character, however rarely seen, has such a distinctive personality and detailed background that it felt as though you’d known them from birth rather that for just a few hundred pages. A wonderful thing in a book certainly but very frustrating when you want more than anything just to read more about them – immediately! I am comforted by the knowledge that they do reappear in Thirkell’s later Barsetshire novels which I’m now very eager to get my hands on (happily, the library has most of them).
While young Mary might have been torn between David and John for much of the novel, awed by one and comforted by the other, I can’t say that I would have faced a similar conundrum. David is self-centered in the way that only a beautiful, brilliant young man can be and while that makes him a wonderful character, completely oblivious to the effect his thoughtlessness has on his adoring followers, it makes him significantly less appealing as a romantic lead. Why, gifted at everything he does, David has even written and published a novel, not that it was meant for anyone to read. As many members of the family comment, it’s much too clever to be understood. A conversation between Mary and David about said book does rather sum up David’s pretentious yet careless attitude towards life:
“I don’t suppose you read my first book?”
“I don’t think so. What was it called?”
“Why Name.”
“Why?” asked Mary.
“Exactly. Why? It’s so cretinous to give a book a name. A book exists freely in itself and a name pins it down horribly.” (p. 56)
It is David who promises Mary lunch followed by the wild strawberries of the title but not only does he forget about the strawberries he invites another woman along on their lunch. ‘Oh David’ became a common refrain while I was reading this (though I secretly thrilled at his callousness, knowing how the contrast benefited the considerate John). I think I fell in love with John right away, indeed it would have been impossible for me not to. He is kind, thoughtful, mature, and fond of his ridiculous mother, father and siblings as well as his nieces and nephews. That said, his early encounters with Mary are hardly promising:
She didn’t know how old he was, but he must be quite middle-aged, though he wasn’t at all fat or bald. From which we may gather that Mary’s ideas of middle-age were not very sound. (p. 78)
I feel that in Thirkell I may have found a new favourite author, certainly someone whose novels should number among my favourite comfort reads, and for that I can forgive her for bossing around another of my favourites: Denis Mackail, who happened to be her younger brother. As an elder sister I’m not sure why I’d been prejudiced against Thirkell for such behaviour (after all, it is our allotted mission in life, at least the early years) but any thoughts of such discrimination have now been banished. Bring on the many other Barsetshire novels!
I really like the sound of this book. Now to track it down.
I hope you’re able to find a copy!
I’ve heard this author’s name around without ever really knowing what kind of thing she writes. I think I had her associated with dark books about slightly crazy people. I will look her out now – this sounds delightful!
Isn’t it strange what preconceptions we have about authors we have never read? Lady Emily is perhaps slightly crazy, but in the most delightful manner.
A completely new author for me. I’m off to see what the library has right now.
Happy hunting at the library!
Once again you’ve introduced me to a new name – will have to keep my eye out for this one.
Based on the strength of this novel, she’s definitely an author worth knowing about!
What a wonderful review! Hold promptly placed.
Yay! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Do you know, I have passed over buying so many cheap Angela Thirkell novels in my lifetime, for no good reason other than sheer laziness and a desire to stick to what I know. What folly! She sounds brilliant. When I return to the dusty book caverns of Charing Cross Road, I’ll buy up every one in sight!
She is one of those authors that always seems to have at least one book in every rummage sale, isn’t she? I’ve passed by her books I don’t know how many times and now that I want to read them, of course, I’m having trouble finding the titles that interest me most! I hope you enjoy her as much as I have when you do have the chance to read her.
I have four old paperbacks by Angela Thirkell and I keep them shelved next to Barbara Pym, another English author of about the same time period.
Their topics are quite different but if you like Thirkell, try Excellent Women by Pym.
I’ve heard of her but I only knew that some of her novels were set in Trollope’s Barsetshire. I’m really into Trollope right now so I’ll have to put her on the to-read list.
Apparently there are 29 novels in total in Thirkell’s Barsetshire series. Between her and Trollope you should be able to stay in Barsetshire for quite a long while!
I’m glad you didn’t return it unread, for both your sake and ours! This sounds like such a delight.
It is, it is, it is a delight!
This sounds lovely, as is the cover. I have to shamefully admit that I’ve never herd of the author before.
It is a rather pretty cover but I must admit that my library edition was a rather battered first edition that looked nothing like this at all. And as it appears that most of us have never heard of Thirkell before either, I wouldn’t feel too shameful about that!
The title Wild Strawberries is just so tempting in this cold winter…
Isn’t it just?
I read High Rising by Thirkell last year (or 2009?) and really enjoyed it! I think Wild Strawberries is supposed to be her best, and I’ve been searching for her books in all sorts of used bookstores with no success. Glad you enjoyed this one, though- she seems a delight 🙂
Hurrah, someone else who has not only heard of Thirkell but also read her! Not sure how happy I am to hear that Wild Stawberries is considered her best…doesn’t seem to leave me much to look forward to! Still, I am excited about tracking down the other novels and I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble doing so. Luckily, my library seems to have copies of most of them.
I get Angela Thirkell mixed up with someone else, Monica Dickens or someone, and I wasn’t in love with Monica Dickens so I’ve never read Angela Thirkell. I love the excerpts you quoted though! Especially the bit about middle age.
Angela Thirkell is much funnier (at least to me) than Monica Dickens; she can certainly be more caustic. That said, I rather like Dickens as well. I hope you do give Thirkell a chance!
Love her, love her, love her! I’ve finally managed to collect at least one edition of each of the books, and I’ve lost track of how far I’d gotten in my first read-through-in-order so I may just have to start again. Just listened to an audiobook recording of August Folly…as you read them it’s fun to see the characters all intersecting. There was a bull named Rushwater Something in mine…
Oh Audrey, it’s wonderful to hear from someone who is so enthusiastic about her! I can’t wait to work my way through the rest of the series!
Barsetshire…as in TROLLOPE’s Barsetshire? How interesting!
One and the same!
Thank you for this review – I came across Angela Thirkell after reading the biography Circle of Sisters by Judith Flanders but have yet to read any of her novels. This is mainly because my local library doesn’t seem to have any of her books, but your review has convinced me that I perhaps I should just bite the bullet and buy one!
So glad you enjoyed the review, Alison! I can’t speak for the rest of the series but if you’re going to buy one of the novels Wild Strawberries is a safe bet!
I stumbled on Angela Thirkell through a friend whose mother had several of the first editions on her shelves and had passed them on. It was love at first sight, and I now own about 25 titles. She is an absolute delight!
Angela Thirkell becomes part of your life. I’m now in the process of re-reading each of her delightful books. There is an Angela Thirkell Society and a superb Angela Thirkell Companion on the internet.
I found an original copy of Wild Strawberries in Plymouth Proprietary Library today. Having seen your review, I look forward to reading it.
[…] bullied you when you were a child, and for years I refused austerely to read her. But recently Wild Strawberries and Pomfret Towers have weakened me. I do think she’s good, though if we are roasting her I […]