The Hollow and The Pursuit of Love: Mini Reviews

The Hollow (1946) by Agatha Christie

🔫 I'm sure I've read Agatha Christie's The Hollow, though I don't understand why I couldn't remember it being that good. It's a Poirot's story, though his involvement wasn't much. He even appeared midway through the story. Poirot happens to be a neighbor of the Angkatells' country house, where John Christow and his wife, Gerda were staying for the summer. Also staying are Edward and David Angkatell, Henrietta Savernake, and Midge Hardcastle.

🔫 John Christow was shot dead near the pool, only minutes before Poirot was about to arrive for dinner. Poirot felt that the scene was staged for his eyes. And this proved to be a crucial point in the investigation of this, apparently, crime passionell. Three women loved Doctor John Christow differently. His wife Gerda worshipped the ground he walks on, Henrietta provided intellectual mind he could discuss his works with, while Veronica Cray is an actress and his old flame. Who, of the three, was the murderer?

🔫 I loved a psychological mystery like this one. A crime within the closed circle of relatives, where we, the readers, could investigate the case by following the thoughts and gestures of each suspect, while Poirot was in the background, guiding us to the right path. Excellent! My new favorite, too!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

The Pursuit of Love (1945) by Nancy Mitford

❤ Having read two satisfying Mitford's before (Pigeon Pie and Wigs on the Green), I was looking forward to read The Pursuit of Love, which, some synopsis daubed as Mitford's funniest. I was disappointed. It's not remotely as funny as I've expected, though I think it's unexpectedly more poignant than the two, especially in the end.

❤ The story is told from the POV of Fanny Logan, who had been brought up alongside her cousin, Linda Radlett, whose pursuit of love made the center of the story. Living between the two wars in England, the Radletts from Alconleigh is an eccentric and rough-on-the-edges family. Linda and Fanny had been forming their ideals of love from childhood. And it is quite interesting to follow the realization in life of these, especially Linda's, views and ideals of love and marriage. It's a wickedly satirized misguided love adventures, with the main attraction of eccentric characters. The jokes were mainly dry, and it's not something I'll cherish for a comfort reading.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐1/2

Wigs on the Green (1935) by Nancy Mitford #NovNov24

Book Beginnings on Fridays (hosted by Rose City Reader):

No, I'm sorry,' said Noel Foster, 'not sufficiently attractive.'
He said this in unusually firm and final accents, and with a determination which for him was rare he hung up his office telephone receiver.

💚 After a high brow spiritual novella I've read earlier, a witty satire from Nancy Mitford seems like a perfect option to get into next. And it was pretty hilarious - its comical quality isn't unlike P.G. Wodehouse, but with a center theme of British fascism, Mitford is unbeatable. Fun fact: Mitford was actually inspired by her sisters' political enthusiasm, and the book caused a rift between the sisters.

💚 When Noel Foster came upon a small fortune, he retired from boring clerk job to hunt for wealthy heiress to marry. His biggest mistake was to boast about it to his sycophant playboy scheming friend of Jasper Aspect. The later knew of an unworldly but rich and beautiful Eugenia Malmains who lives in the countryside. They find her to be an ardent supporter of Union Jackshirts movement, headed by a Captain Jack.

💚 Also coming from London are two young women, one Miss Smith and one Miss Jones. They are in fact Poppy Saint Julien, who's considering to divorce her unfaithful husband, and is accompanying her friend Lady Marjorie, who's running away from a Duke she's just jilted on the altar. A fourth young woman who was to complicate the story is a local beauty, Mrs. Lace. The two friends from London represent their generation and background, the 1930s of metropolitan city like London, when young people, especially the rich, were reckless, irresponsible, and ignoring moral conventions.

Friday 56 Quote (hosted by Head Full of Books):

"There's nothing radically wrong with your nature, darling, but your upbringing and environment, so far, have been lousy. I never met anybody more invited to cope with the ordinary contingencies of life - especially the emotional side of it."

💚 As expected, Jasper turned out to be a rival rather than assistant to Noel's cause. And their whole wealthy heiresses scheme is thwarted by many unforeseen but hilarious events, from falling in love with the "wrong" women, to the appearance of mysterious detectives, to Union Jackshirt fanaticism. It is the latter aspect that provided this story with loads of incredibly foolish, but witty at the same time, humour, and comical scenes that will make you laugh. Like I said, the story feels like a mixture of Mitford's sharp and witty satire and Wodehouse's slapstick comic; a thoroughly fun and hilarious read!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Read for:

Novellas in November 2024 #NovNov24

hosted by Cathy @ 746 Books and Rebecca @ Bookish Beck

Pigeon Pie by Nancy Mitford: A Review for #1940Club

🐦 I have found this little gem through my searching for a book published in 1940, to read for the 1940 Club. I was struck first by the title: Pigeon Pie. Now, I like eating pigeon, but never on a pie. So, it sounds really delicious to me (the book title, not the pie). And I wasn't wrong, it was a light, delicious, highly entertaining book! Though I wonder, why titled it Pigeon Pie. There was, indeed, a pigeon in the story, but I didn't remember it being killed to be cooked in a pie - although Sophia eating a pigeon pie at the end of the story should be wonderful, I came to think, for it would be a---, wait... maybe I should start from the beginning!

🐦 Nancy Mitford written this book in late 1939, just before World War II began. But it was written as a lighthearted, hilarious satire on the outbreak of a phoney war. I think it's a satire of British high society's views on serious matters, such as war.

🐦 Lady Sophia Garfield is a highly imaginative, flippant woman, who is easily distracted. When the news about the outbreak of the war was broken, she is both excited and bored at the same time. Her husband, Lord Luke Garfield, on the other hand, doesn't believe there would be a war, because Herr Hitler and 'Our Premier' is in good relationship.

🐦 The Garfields' marriage is rather a failure. Luke keeps a woman called Florence Turnbull to stay in the house, Granby Gate; while Sophia is in love with Rudolph Joselyn. Both husband and wife settle on with this neat arrangement. And I think that’s the best for both parties, at least they are still happy and respect each other. While Luke joins a new religious cult: the Boston Brotherhood, Sophia enrols at First Aid Post as a receptionist.

🐦 Counting laundry at the First Aid Post (of which she is terrible) isn't a glamorous occupation. Sophia is dreaming about being a beautiful spy. All the more because her nemesis, Olga Gogothsky (née Baby Bagg) - whom Sophia nicknamed ‘duck-billed platypus disguised as a Sultana’ 🤣 - keeps boasting about being on secret mission as a spy.

🐦 Then a series of events is rapidly happening in succession. Her godfather Sir Ivor King, the legendary singer is found dead, Luke goes to America, and Sophia stays alone in the house, with Florence and two men from the Brotherhood. She then finds out that her house has been the nest of spies! And, as if answering her wishes, she herself is offered a job as a spy!

🐦 I have never read Mitford before, but after this, I'd certainly read more of her! Witty and hilarious, fast-paced but light story about, otherwise, a gory one about war. However, it doesn't feel like she's mocking or taking the war lightly, but more of seeing it from more positive perception. In reality, Mitford wrote a preface, apologizing that Pigeon Pie was written by Christmas 1939, but only published in May 1940.

🐦 My favorite part is perhaps Sir Ivor's 'propaganda': the Pets Program, where he sings for the benefits of all animals, including Millie, Sophia's dear bulldog. But the funniest part is maybe from the rivalry of Olga and Sophia, which produces some of the funniest banters, such as this one:

Olga: “Dearest, I must tell you that it’s a secret. However, when you hear that I have an appointment under the Government, that I have to undertake great responsibilities, and that I may often be called out in the middle of the night without any idea of where I am to go, you may guess the kind of thing it is. More I cannot say.”

Sophia: “Sounds to me like a certified midwife.”

Like I said, this was a silly and hilarious story, very engaging and entertaining. ❤ it! 

Rating: 4 / 5

 

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