Group Read, March 2016: Harriet Hume

Our Group Read for March is Rebecca West's Harriet Hume. Please post any comments you have here.

I'll be reading this. I'm interested to read it because I loved Return of the soldier and then really disliked The Thinking Reed. Curious to see which way this one falls.

I have my copy but I haven't started reading it yet. I have not read any other books by Rebecca West so I'm interested to see whether I like her.

I just got my copy and will probably start on the weekend.

I've read the first chapter and I think this is going to be an odd little book.

I finished reading this and it never really grew on me. I found the fantasy elements to be very odd. And also, I think the point was that Harriet gradually gains power over Condorex through each of their meetings but I didn't really see it that way. I thought the focus was kept too closely on Condorex and Harriet was really seen mainly through his eyes and experiences. While that is certainly the author's right to decide, I just didn't like having to view Harriet through Arthur's warped personality.

I'll be curious to hear other thoughts if anyone else reads it!

I do intend to read it Japaul :-) but I confess that the description didn't enthuse me that much and it sounds like your thoughts match my expectations.

So, I'll get there but I have a few books ahead in the queue and I'm not tempted to push them out of the way to let this one to the front of the line...

Has anyone else started? Any thoughts on what you've read so far?

I am starting today... bought the book for this GR and am kind of curious after reading the various reviews I found online.

I will start soon as well. I got caught up in Les Miserables and can't seem to put it down!

I'm only halfway through, but I'm enjoying it so far... I don't mind seeing Harriet through Condorex's eyes... just because I'm amused that she knows everything that's going on but we only see that reflected back through him.

I am enjoying it as well. I do think Rebecca West is showing us a man who thinks highly of himself but by kowing his thoughts we know he is actually rather stupid and one-dimensional. Because Harriet can read his thoughts she also knows, while at the same time she knows he's thinking the same of her.

I like this construction and have the feeling Harriet and we as readers make fun of Arnold. But I don't know where it ends, being only halfway through.