Reviews

Bliss & Other Stories by Katherine Mansfield

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laurasauras's review against another edition

5.0

Like many of Katherine Mansfield’s pieces of work, Bliss and Other Stories is a series of intimate vignettes. Each of the 13 stories looks at their characters at a moment of personal importance. Many show fractured relationships, and the ones that don’t feature such obvious difference in status and regard that they are clearly doomed. The stories are written from a multitude of perspectives, from children to elders, from New Zealanders to modern Europeans. All of the characters, from main to background, are highly believable, and have their own triumphs and tragedies for us to empathise with.

Mansfield published Bliss and Other Stories in 1920, and while it was not her first collection, it was the first she regarded as “mature”. Her personal life has very clearly influenced the anthology, with the settings taken from her own wanderings from Wellington, New Zealand to England, France and Germany.

My personal favourite from this anthology is the titular story, Bliss. Bliss is a medium sized story, 12 pages long, that spans just one evening, as Bertha Young prepares for and hosts a dinner party. From the first sentence, Bertha is overcome with a feeling of bliss, as if she had “swallowed a bright piece of that late afternoon sun”. Her joy is contagious, which is why this story stands out so much. The long sentences, so rich with imagery lead to a very fast pace, and the reader is forced to join Bertha in her anticipation. Her excitement makes her “radiant” and it is wonderful to see a woman’s enthusiasm be interpreted as beauty, even as she attempts to hide it from “idiotic civilisation”.

The story’s mood takes a dark turn when she realises that her husband is having an affair with her close friend. The whole night Bertha is feeling both connected to and shut off from the world. She hardly dares to breathe because her joy is so big and almost inappropriate, and yet she finds herself breathing even deeper. The despair at the end of the story is only made more complete by the all-consuming satisfaction Bertha feels in every aspect of her life. It is not a life that Katherine Mansfield would have been comfortable in, but there is no judgement in her allowing the characters that comfort in her stead, even though it is ultimately unravelled. Through Bliss, I come to know Bertha completely. Mansfield’s ability to show complex and beautiful characters is at it’s peak in this story of love and defeat.

In her stories, Katherine Mansfield is all too aware of the position her characters hold and that many of their limitations are a result of gender expectations. From the young, attractive woman doomed to be a spinster due to her lack of access to suitable partners, to the naive governess experiencing the danger men present on her own for the first time, each of the women are at the mercy of men for their income, position and happiness. This vulnerability leaves many of them altogether hopeless, and even those attempting to make their own way struggle, disadvantaged because they are without a man. Such examples are found in Pictures, where Miss Moss is forced into prostitution to pay her rent, The Dill Pickle, where Vera has had to sell her piano and wouldn’t have time for it anyway and in the obvious doom facing Mouse once abandoned in Je Ne Parle Pas Francais.

I first read Bliss and Other Stories as part of a school assignment, but the complexity and variety of the topics has had me rereading it many more times since. The stories linger, because of their relatability and their violence, and the feeling whilst reading them that you are intruding on some very real person’s most private moments. While this is at times uncomfortable, and often means that I usually can only read one at a time because they are too heavy to hold all in my head at once, it is also a truly wonderful feeling, one that will no doubt have me continuing to reread this collection for many years to come.

terppsi's review against another edition

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emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

susie_reads's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Lyrical language

thestoryofaz's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.75

I am not altogether sure whether I love this more than "The Garden Party and Other Stories" so I shall give it the same rating as "The Garden...". I feel as though some of the stories in this collection are more ambitious and experimental than those in "The Garden...". I especially loved "Je Ne Parle Pas Français", "Prelude", "Bliss", "Mr. Reginald Peacock's Day", and "The Little Governess" (the last two were uncomfortable reads owing to their subject matters).

orangetea's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced

3.0

foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

All of rhese stories were beautifully written. Katherine Mansfield takes the reader on a journey through the characters’ daily lives, delving into their inner thoughts and perceptions in such an immersive manner that fosters empathy and connection. I especially liked the first 3 stories: Bliss, Mr Reginald Peacock’s Day and Pictures.

I read this through the Audrey app, which featured a guide to expand your understanding of and connections to classic works of literature. The guide helped to pull out some pieces I wouldn’t have noticed (e.g. the fashion) and helped to highlight the important symbols in the story. I especially liked the art and voice notes that accompanied each story. I’ll definitely use this app in the future as I feel like it really helped me to enjoy the stories more.

If you do listen to this book, I’d really recommend the Juliet Stevenson edition. Her expert narration shows off her acting chops, making you wanting to listen and re-listen to these stories just to hear the nuances in her voice.

Content Warnings