Miss Buncle Married

" 'I like the name,' said Arthur. 'I like the name of the book very much indeed. It goes very well with The Pen Is Mightier -- and is quite in the "John Smith" tradition. You will make a lot of money out of the book, Barbara.'

" 'But it musn't be published!' cried Barbara, sitting bolt upright in bed and gazing at him with horror-stricken eyes. 'I never meant it to be published.'

" 'Not published?' exclaimed her publisher in amazement.

" 'No, no, no -- how could you think it, Arthur?'

" 'But why -- '

" 'Because we should have to leave Wandlebury. We should have to leave The Archway House, and it would break my heart ... They would recognize themselves, and we should have to leave. And, even if they didn't, I should always be thinking that show more they were going to, and I should never have another peaceful moment. You've no idea what it was like at Silverstream -- the strain nearly wore me out.' "
~~front flap

Another delightful, charming "nothing much ever happens" (although really it does) sort of book, set in England between the wars, with all the charm and sweetness of English village life: tea, and walking to town with a basket on one's arm for the shopping, and gossip. So relaxing to slip into another world -- one that doesn't include war or racism or urban blight or poverty. Escapism I know, but still very compelling.

And I've just discovered that there are two sequels! show less

When we last saw Miss Buncle, she was just about to marry her publisher, Arthur Abbott. Her novel, Disturber of the Peace, disturbed the peace in the town of Silverstream, and the novel opens with a decision to move from there in light of the censure Barbara, now of course married, received for writing it. Barbara begins married life in Wandlebury, a new town with a whole new set of characters from which to gain inspiration. But Barbara claims she has eschewed novel writing and turns her attention to her new house, friends, and family, including Arthur’s nephew Sam.

Barbara is just as charming as ever; she’s incredibly perceptive of the people she encounters, from the village busybodies, to the town doctor (who happens to be an old show more friend of Arthur’s), to an eccentric old aristocrat who changes her will according to the whim of a moment. It’s this will that’s at the heart of the plot of the book and the mistakes and mistaken identities that ensue as a part of Barbara’s attempts to interfere. There are some truly hysterical scenes in the novel, but I don’t want to reveal anything for fear of ruing the plot.

Only time will tell if Barbara learns her lesson; I’m wondering when The Two Mrs. Abbotts will be republished so I can get more of these wonderful characters, including the Marvels next door: Mr. Marvel is a wonderfully boorish Artist and his ragamuffin children who run roughshod over the Abbotts’ garden. The ending is somewhat predictable, and many of the characters are toned down from the ones that appear in Miss Buncle’s Book, but I thought this novel was entertaining from the first page to the last. show less

This sequel to Miss Buncle's Book finds the protagonist settled into a new life with her publisher-turned-husband. Feeling stifled and overburdened by social commitments, they decide the only solution is to move. After some time, Barbara finds the perfect house which needs considerable renovation but this little trifle is quickly resolved. Barbara befriends a young woman, Jeronina aka "Jerry," the niece of a wealthy but failing elderly matriarch. Jerry falls for Arthur's nephew Sam, but while Barbara approves of the match, there are reasons only she knows for allowing their relationship to develop slowly. Of course she attempts to influence events, and of course things don't go as planned, and of course it all turns out fabulously in show more the end. Otherwise it wouldn't be a D.E. Stevenson novel, would it?

This was a light, fun read, although not as magical as Miss Buncle's Book. The reader must suspend disbelief at the swift transformation of a derelict building into a showplace, and the twists required to create the happy ending, but I didn't find that to be a problem and am looking forward to completing this series. show less

Almost as funny as the first book in the series, Miss Buncle Married is the perfect book to read if you need to remember how kind and wonderful humans are capable of being. This book is guaranteed to lower your cortisol levels, with its stress-free, barely there plot. D.E. Stevenson really makes you forget her characters aren’t real. I loved reading about everyone in this book, with the highlight being the mischievous Marvell children and their dubious button collection!

Six-word review: Weak tea following predecessor's hearty brew.

Extended review:

My expectations were set low for this sequel to a first book that has the feel of a standalone. My six-word encapsulation of Miss Buncle's Book says, "Perfectly delightful feelgood novel charms gracefully." Not only does it have a clear, complete arc but the premise that worked so well is canceled by the door-closing ending, stating clearly, "We can't go back." Moreover, I was warned that the second, though fun, wasn't as good.

Even so, I found the contrast striking.

Where book 1 has direction, momentum, and an apt conclusion, book 2 meanders.

Where book 1 seems to flow naturally and of its own accord, book 2 feels forced and contrived.

Where book 1 is robust, show more book 2 is saccharine.

Where book 1 gives us character, book 2 gives us caricature.

In sum, as I knew I might be, I was left wishing I'd quit at one. But my pleasure in the main characters and their interactions with their community inevitably led me on. I'll stop now. show less

The sequel to Miss Buncle's Book finds our heroine, now Barbara Abbott, married and looking for a new town to settle down and make a home in. This is still a pleasant read, but is much more meandering and unfocused than the first book, and parts of it feel more dated, too. (While the first book is hardly explicitly feminist, there were lots more hinky things about gender and physical appearance in this book. That, together with the weird voodoo fetish doll interlude and the fact that we keep being told how kindly Arthur is while he also more than once talks about how much fun it had been to kill "the Boche" in WWI, sat really uneasily for me alongside the more charming parts of the book.) Some amusing parts, and I'll keep an eye out for show more the third book in the series but I won't be hurrying to track it down either. show less

Miss Buncle's absurd adventures continue in this light and entertaining sequel. I absolutely love that the Abbotts decide to move away from their living situation, rather than admit to a dislike of dinner parties and card games -- ridiculous, but so satisfying to my inner curmudgeon.