Reviews

Britannia Mews by Margery Sharp

nikki_in_niagara's review

5.0

Set in the late 1800s then going up through to WWII, this book follows the life of Adelaide Culver who elopes with her drawing master to live a life of poverty.

This is my first adult book by Margery Sharp and I just adored it. I read it so fast as I just couldn't bear to put it down. I even woke up in the mornings thinking about the characters. They were so real to me and I loved everyone though they were flawed in their ways. The book was realistic of the Victorian era. The writing was wonderful with beautiful use of language. Even before I was finished I was thinking about reading more of the author. One of the best books I've read this year. 

cimorene1558's review against another edition

4.0

Margery Sharp at her harshest, this is a terrific book, but not an easy one.

mcsangel2's review

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

Interesting enough, but I was expecting better. Would have preferred if the entire book had been Adelaide's story, instead of switching to her niece 60% through. No real resolutions, the family never finds out that Adelaide's wastrel husband died a couple of years after they were married or that Gilbert is not him and he and Addy aren't married. The bit with Dodo just deciding that she isn't really in love with Richard after all was just odd.

suannelaqueur's review

5.0

SO GOOD. It was everything I expect from Sharp, but the story went nowhere I expected. It kept surprising me. ZOINKS, I HAVE A NEW BRITISH AUTHOR CRUSH!!!!!

slammy90's review

5.0

Un gioiello che mi ha scelto al mercatino dell'usato, sembrava dirmi "comprami! Comprarmi! Saprò farti felice!!"

Per fortuna che quel giorno ero attenta e l'ho preso con me, mi sento di consigliarlo a tutti

abookishtype's review

3.0

When she first steps on to the page in Margery Sharp’s Britannia Mews, Adelaide has very little clue how to operate in the world. She can be forgiven at this point, since she’s under ten and is the sheltered daughter of comfortably middle class Victorian parents. Over the course of the novel—which spans more than fifty years—we see Adelaide grow into a very posed woman who doesn’t seem to change at all. Adelaide’s world rewards the stubborn...

Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.

ewf's review

4.0

I couldn't exactly put it down, but it would have a limited audience among the people I know. My mother would have loved it.