This is a magnificently written book that spans the better part of a century and the better part of three women's lives. The narrative is not terribly captivating, being overly domestic, but it is an enjoyable read just the same because of Bennett's unique ability to capture feelings and everyday events with a romantic, realistic precision. I was particularly impacted by several passages about dogs and about "remarkable" happenings to the characters' perceptions as the eras ran past.
One particularly interesting feature of the book was how well Bennett handled the incessant march of time. Because it covers the majority of the central characters lives through the industrial revolution, there is a great deal of change that these epically conservative women never think they can handle. One particularly enjoyable example is how Sophia criticizes her sister for having lived a small life before realizing that she has as well. Also, how every change is rejected as bad and then later accepted as both inevitable and essential. I strongly suspect all of the small-town Western world is much the same today.
It is interesting also that the female characters are inevitably strong, if sometimes marred by some character fault while the male characters are inevitably marred by some character trait though some are also quite strong. I wonder how this reflects on Bennett's perception of the world, as it clearly contradicts most people's--I suspect--in more ways than one.
Number 87 on the list, I looked forward to completing this book because it brings me closer to completing the list; though I enjoyed the book, that enjoyment did not mar the satisfaction of finishing it.
Rating:
Not the best