One of a series of authors whose works I've been gobbling up lately. There's a small village on the edge of an Austrian lake, and opera people, and a One of a series of authors whose works I've been gobbling up lately. There's a small village on the edge of an Austrian lake, and opera people, and a boarding school that's not doing very well, and a very young and very practical woman, and horrible things are looming on the horizon. It's lovely and hopeful and full of the struggle for good and funny and kind. And yes, given the tendency of Ibbotson to set her novels for adults in the vicinity of the world wars, there is a great deal of sadness behind it, but not too much at the surface.
Ibbotson's novels for adults are remarkably comforting for stories about war. They're often set in Vienna, at least in part, and there's a very practiIbbotson's novels for adults are remarkably comforting for stories about war. They're often set in Vienna, at least in part, and there's a very practical young woman, and an older man, and a cast of eccentrics (kindly portrayed), and usually quite a bit about opera that follows a "Can you believe these flawed people can create art that is so moving?" There are usually a lot of meals. The heroines are all A Little Princess grown to marriageable age, who even in the worst situations behave well and are really helpful and good with animals and children and severe old women. And there is war: horrible things have happened or are about to happen. Possibly this sounds too Sound of Music, but its lack of sentimentality keeps it from cloying. They are uniformly charming books suitable for the old and the young.
I don't like this cover, however. It doesn't seem to pertain in any way. And for some reason it evokes the countryside rather than the mostly urban setting of the book.
There should be lots more writers like this and Mary Stewart and Rosamund Pilcher. Well, there are, I just haven't figured out who they are. Each one comes as such a delight.
Slightly deceiving to put it on the House shelf, because really, it's much more city square-as-character. This one is set in 1911, and the woman is olSlightly deceiving to put it on the House shelf, because really, it's much more city square-as-character. This one is set in 1911, and the woman is older, and she has a lovely shop where she makes beautiful clothes for women. And she has an apartment above her shop, and her living room looks out over the square, so she sees what's going on with the neighbors. Different, but still with the sadness. I don't want to become a seamstress or designer, I don't want to live in Austria. But I love the careful attention to detail and the familiarity with the neighbors lives, and them all so close.
Loading...
