Review: Excellent Women

Excellent Women by Barbara Pym
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alexander McCall Smith writes in the introduction that Excellent Women is a book that "on one level, is about very little" but is actually "a great book about a great deal". That is absolutely true. Nothing much happens - the events would probably make for one episode of Corrie, if that - but Pym's observations about people are spot on. The narrator, Mildred Lathbury, immediately recognises that a supposedly kindly, sweet hearted woman is actually a conniving little madam, realises that a man is a bit of a cad despite (to her embarrassment) developing a crush on him, and regularly reflects on her own limitations and failings.

A wonderful book for "excellent" women (or men) - those who have a tendency to be on the side lines being useful to others but are never themselves the star attraction. The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is that the lack of plot does make things drag now and then.

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