Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Bloomsbury Publishing (2010), 320 pages.
Description
Reigning over a social merry-go-round of dinners and parties, Mrs Ames is the undisputed queen bee of Riseborough. That is, until vivacious new villager Mrs Evans catches the eye of both her son and her husband. Not content with captivating the men in her life, 'that wonderful creature' Mrs Evans becomes not just rival to Mrs Ames' marriage, but rival to her village throne. When the whole of Riseborough is invited to Mrs Evans' masked costume party, action must be taken. As the date looms, the irrepressible Mrs Ames resolves to seize the chance to win back her position, and thus, her man.
User reviews
LibraryThing member atimco
I've been meaning to read something by E. F. Benson, given the frequent complimentary allusions to his work that I see on the LibraryThing boards, and this Early Reviewers book gave me the perfect opportunity. Benson is best known for his Mapp and Lucia books, in which he chronicles the social
Mrs Ames dominates the social life of Riseborough, ruling both her neighbors and her husband, Major Ames, with the same skillful management. No one can topple her from her throne (and yes, many have tried) until her cousin, the beautiful Millie Evans, moves to town. Almost accidentally, Millie catches the eye of both Major Ames and his son, Harry. Slowly, by a series of inactions so small as to be almost imperceptible, the Major and Millie begin to form a clandestine relationship.
In some ways Millie experiences an "awakening," but Benson views it with a less-than-approving eye, showing the selfishness involved in her self-discovery and self-assertion. It's a fine thing to know oneself and one's desires, but to pursue them with a singleminded avidity that runs roughshod over others without even a second glance at the ruin left behind — surely this is not self-discovery, but self-worship?
My first instinct was to compare Benson with Austen, but as I read I began to find L. M. Montgomery a more apt comparison. Austen is less forthcoming and blunt about her characters' motivations; usually you can tell what they are thinking and why they are doing what they do, but the charm is in the deduction, in what is not said. Benson goes right ahead and says it all, analyzing every nuance of his characters' thoughts. The Montgomery comparison comes in with his subject matter: the social politics among women of a certain set. Montgomery also treats this subject, but though she has a keen eye for the humor of the situation and the ridiculousness of the players, she is far less cynical than Benson. Benson pities his characters and finds them mildly humorous, but he doesn't, on the whole, like them as we can sense Montgomery likes hers.
The writing is very smooth. I love some of Benson's phrases, like "she waded out into the liquid rims of the sea." And this description of Mrs Ames's changing as a result of her involvement in the Suffragette movement: "The bonds of her barren and barbaric conventionality were bursting; indeed, it was not so much that others, not even those of 'her class,' were becoming women to her, as that she was becoming a woman herself." Or the sharply gentle reproof, "Men don't ruin the women they love. Men, I mean." There are also some very poignant passages about what it is like to get old and look back longingly to the "blue mountains" of one's youth. Yes, the writing is a delight.
This story is funny in so many ways, but also sad. Major Ames is incapable of understanding or tolerating his wife's Suffragette leanings, and she considers that her first duty is to him rather than to her new convictions. I'm sure this is not a popular conclusion nowadays, but I applaud it. She made her promises to him first (even if he did almost break his to her). And it isn't all about her giving up her dreams to serve her husband. It's a choice that Mrs Ames — the only person really in control by the end of the book — makes for her own happiness.
Overall, I enjoyed this book very much for the humor (Mrs and Mr Altham's conversations being the chief of the funny scenes), the poignancy of the characters, so well delineated, and the ultimate conclusion in which everyone has to learn to be unselfish in some way. All the same, there is something slightly clinical about it that prevents me from clasping the book to my heart and loving it unreservedly. It almost garnered four stars from me, but I think three and a half will suffice. I'll be looking for more of Benson's work.
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power plays and foibles of a small, prosperous English upper-class in the 1920s and 1930s. Mrs Ames is a little earlier, published in 1912, and is similar in scope, though a stand-alone novel. It deals with themes of marital fidelity, aging, women's rights, transgression, forgiveness, and a fair amount of amusing absurdity.Mrs Ames dominates the social life of Riseborough, ruling both her neighbors and her husband, Major Ames, with the same skillful management. No one can topple her from her throne (and yes, many have tried) until her cousin, the beautiful Millie Evans, moves to town. Almost accidentally, Millie catches the eye of both Major Ames and his son, Harry. Slowly, by a series of inactions so small as to be almost imperceptible, the Major and Millie begin to form a clandestine relationship.
In some ways Millie experiences an "awakening," but Benson views it with a less-than-approving eye, showing the selfishness involved in her self-discovery and self-assertion. It's a fine thing to know oneself and one's desires, but to pursue them with a singleminded avidity that runs roughshod over others without even a second glance at the ruin left behind — surely this is not self-discovery, but self-worship?
My first instinct was to compare Benson with Austen, but as I read I began to find L. M. Montgomery a more apt comparison. Austen is less forthcoming and blunt about her characters' motivations; usually you can tell what they are thinking and why they are doing what they do, but the charm is in the deduction, in what is not said. Benson goes right ahead and says it all, analyzing every nuance of his characters' thoughts. The Montgomery comparison comes in with his subject matter: the social politics among women of a certain set. Montgomery also treats this subject, but though she has a keen eye for the humor of the situation and the ridiculousness of the players, she is far less cynical than Benson. Benson pities his characters and finds them mildly humorous, but he doesn't, on the whole, like them as we can sense Montgomery likes hers.
The writing is very smooth. I love some of Benson's phrases, like "she waded out into the liquid rims of the sea." And this description of Mrs Ames's changing as a result of her involvement in the Suffragette movement: "The bonds of her barren and barbaric conventionality were bursting; indeed, it was not so much that others, not even those of 'her class,' were becoming women to her, as that she was becoming a woman herself." Or the sharply gentle reproof, "Men don't ruin the women they love. Men, I mean." There are also some very poignant passages about what it is like to get old and look back longingly to the "blue mountains" of one's youth. Yes, the writing is a delight.
This story is funny in so many ways, but also sad. Major Ames is incapable of understanding or tolerating his wife's Suffragette leanings, and she considers that her first duty is to him rather than to her new convictions. I'm sure this is not a popular conclusion nowadays, but I applaud it. She made her promises to him first (even if he did almost break his to her). And it isn't all about her giving up her dreams to serve her husband. It's a choice that Mrs Ames — the only person really in control by the end of the book — makes for her own happiness.
Overall, I enjoyed this book very much for the humor (Mrs and Mr Altham's conversations being the chief of the funny scenes), the poignancy of the characters, so well delineated, and the ultimate conclusion in which everyone has to learn to be unselfish in some way. All the same, there is something slightly clinical about it that prevents me from clasping the book to my heart and loving it unreservedly. It almost garnered four stars from me, but I think three and a half will suffice. I'll be looking for more of Benson's work.
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LibraryThing member Matke
Just as funny but much more poignant than the author's "Queen Lucia", Mrs. Ames fully explores a real person with plenty of inner conflicts and not a little intelligence, both social and otherwise. Benson situates the novel in his usual milieu, the small British village in the Edwardian era, with
Some may find the more obvious themes (women's rights, the importance of the marriage vows) dated, but the universal themes of what is right and wrong, and how one balances one's own needs against the needs of others, make this a truly timeless work; it's hard to believe that it was written in 1912. The delightful paperback edition will keep you smiling, if not laughing aloud. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a gentle comedy of manners.
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all the societal rivalries and jockeying for position that are his trademark. The careful deveopment of Mrs. Ames's social conscience, her growing awareness of the emotional undercurrents in her marriage, and the precise delineation of how boredom can lead even the most innocent of persons to the edge of a social abyss, make this book a revealing portrait of the class and the age. Even better, the petty jealousies, the small ambitions, the intrigues and complete misunderstandings between characters, and the very human motiviations involved, make this a perfect picture of small-town society today. Some may find the more obvious themes (women's rights, the importance of the marriage vows) dated, but the universal themes of what is right and wrong, and how one balances one's own needs against the needs of others, make this a truly timeless work; it's hard to believe that it was written in 1912. The delightful paperback edition will keep you smiling, if not laughing aloud. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a gentle comedy of manners.
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LibraryThing member LizzieD
Mrs. Ames begins like the Lucia books with witty observations about the very involved lives of middle-aged people of very comfortable means in a very little English town. We meet society's queen Mrs. Ames, "In appearance ... like a small, good-looking toad in half-mourning..." and her husband Major
Then the story turns. Major Ames and Millie Evans begin a minor flirtation, fueled mainly by boredom, that eventually takes on a darker character as Mrs. Ames observes its development. The book is still funny, but this is no longer Lucia-like. When Mrs. Ames involves herself in women's suffrage, the tone becomes almost serious. Benson manages to keep us smiling or even laughing out loud even while he engages our pity and admiration for a woman's courage. Readers who have no need for non-stop action will find this a charming little book with more depth than the beginning promises.
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Ames, ten years her junior. We have her rival Mrs. Altham and we have her younger cousin Millie Evans, newly arrived in Riseborough with her husband, the town's new doctor. So far so good. We laugh at Mrs. Ames and her printed menu cards for a dozen dinners of various quality, elegant and reusable, and at the avid pursuit of gossip among the Riseborough residents. Then the story turns. Major Ames and Millie Evans begin a minor flirtation, fueled mainly by boredom, that eventually takes on a darker character as Mrs. Ames observes its development. The book is still funny, but this is no longer Lucia-like. When Mrs. Ames involves herself in women's suffrage, the tone becomes almost serious. Benson manages to keep us smiling or even laughing out loud even while he engages our pity and admiration for a woman's courage. Readers who have no need for non-stop action will find this a charming little book with more depth than the beginning promises.
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LibraryThing member Kasthu
I first heard about this book from another blogger, who mentioned that the Bloomsbury Group would be reprinting four more books this summer, of which Mrs. Ames is one. EF Benson wrote dozens of novels, of which his Mapp and Lucia series is most famous. Mrs. Ames is very similar to Mapp and Lucia;
The novel starts off a little shakily; at first I found it a little hard to get engaged by Benson’s writing style. But as I continued reading, I found myself loving this witty satire, in which people split hairs over whether one lives in a “street” or “a road.” Mrs. Evans’s social ascendency over the town of Riseborough seems accidental, so it’s no less funny when she has the upper hand over Mrs. Ames. One of my favorite characters in this book is Mrs. Altham, the middle-aged neighbor who equally aspires to the position of Queen Bee—but doesn’t ever get there and says nasty things about people behind their backs. This might get old after a while if the author’s tone hadn’t been quite so satirical—often, the joke is on Mrs. Altham, which makes parts of the book such a joy to read. Reading this book makes me look forward to reading more of EF Benson’s books—I’ve heard that the Mapp and Lucia series is especially good and so I think I’ll try to track down copies of some of those books.
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it concerns the social life of the town of Riseborough and several ladies’ attempts to be Queen Bee there. Mrs. Ames is the reigning queen of middle-upper class Riseborough, but her position is threatened by the arrival of Mrs. Evans.The novel starts off a little shakily; at first I found it a little hard to get engaged by Benson’s writing style. But as I continued reading, I found myself loving this witty satire, in which people split hairs over whether one lives in a “street” or “a road.” Mrs. Evans’s social ascendency over the town of Riseborough seems accidental, so it’s no less funny when she has the upper hand over Mrs. Ames. One of my favorite characters in this book is Mrs. Altham, the middle-aged neighbor who equally aspires to the position of Queen Bee—but doesn’t ever get there and says nasty things about people behind their backs. This might get old after a while if the author’s tone hadn’t been quite so satirical—often, the joke is on Mrs. Altham, which makes parts of the book such a joy to read. Reading this book makes me look forward to reading more of EF Benson’s books—I’ve heard that the Mapp and Lucia series is especially good and so I think I’ll try to track down copies of some of those books.
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LibraryThing member mmyoung
How does the reader decide if a book is good? It depends as much upon the reader's meaning of the word "good" as it does on the book. A book that is deeply moving to one person can be leaden to another. A book which excites the interest of one person will be dull reading to the next. For a reader
That said--why did I enjoy E. F. Benson's Mrs. Ames? Yes. Not, I think, for the reasons that many other reviewers seem to have enjoyed it. I expected another light book about the petty machinations of superficial women and men. I expected to read about upper middle-class people who spent their time manufacturing ways of keeping busy. I expected to read about people who cared more about who preceded whom into the dining room than who was returned in the next election. I expected to read about a small group of people who were so fixated on the petty comings and goings in their own village that they were unaware of the rising level of class discontent and the looming war to come.
Yes, all that was in the book. But there was more. This is a book about what it was like to be a woman in that time and in those social circles. At the heart of the book lies the story of two marriages. Each marriage looks staid and unexceptional from the outside and yet each of the wives is emotionally unfulfilled. The book follows less than a year in the life of the village of Riseborough and yet over that short period of time each woman comes to the realization that, on an emotional level, her relationship with her husband is dead. Or perhaps, had never really been alive. Each woman struggles to find a way out of the emotional deadness at the center of her life and each undertakes a different way of "solving" the problem.
I didn't pick up this Benson expecting a thoughtful and empathetic examination of the interior life of a woman exiting middle-age. And though Mrs. Ames attempts at regaining her husband's interest are often amusing, from the point of view of the cynical watcher, they are never mocked by the author. The reader sees into the secret corners of her life and so appreciates her quiet heroism even when she does not.
Nor did I pick up this book expecting a thoughtful and empathetic portrait of the interior life of a woman who has "lived on" her beauty and charm but is now facing the depredations of middle age. Although the reader does not inhabit the mind of Mrs. Evans to the extent they do that of Mrs. Ames Benson presents a finely-etched picture of a woman who has never felt deeply about anything and wants finally to experience some of the emotions she has missed.
Did I like Mrs. Ames? Yes. I plan to read it again, soon. I also plan to read the books its author published before and after in the hopes that I will find something similar.
Was I surprised by Mrs. Ames? Again, yes. Because I have learned not to expect a deep, thoughtful and loving examination of lives of middle-aged women, irrespective of whether the book in question was written yesterday or a hundred years ago. Too often now I hear the excuse that author A or writer B should not be criticized for their misogyny or their racism or their homophobia because everyone was like that then.Well, I would not claim that Benson does not show evidence of racism or elitism or gender essentialism but Benson does not despise his characters. He may not approve of their actions, he may doubt their wisdom, he may be aware of their petty motivations and cognizant of all their weaknesses and vices but at the same time he embraces their humanity.
I wish I could say as much for many other writers.
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(such as I) who likes to sit down after finishing a book, rate it and write a review of it, answering the question as to why I enjoyed a book can take longer than did reading the book.That said--why did I enjoy E. F. Benson's Mrs. Ames? Yes. Not, I think, for the reasons that many other reviewers seem to have enjoyed it. I expected another light book about the petty machinations of superficial women and men. I expected to read about upper middle-class people who spent their time manufacturing ways of keeping busy. I expected to read about people who cared more about who preceded whom into the dining room than who was returned in the next election. I expected to read about a small group of people who were so fixated on the petty comings and goings in their own village that they were unaware of the rising level of class discontent and the looming war to come.
Yes, all that was in the book. But there was more. This is a book about what it was like to be a woman in that time and in those social circles. At the heart of the book lies the story of two marriages. Each marriage looks staid and unexceptional from the outside and yet each of the wives is emotionally unfulfilled. The book follows less than a year in the life of the village of Riseborough and yet over that short period of time each woman comes to the realization that, on an emotional level, her relationship with her husband is dead. Or perhaps, had never really been alive. Each woman struggles to find a way out of the emotional deadness at the center of her life and each undertakes a different way of "solving" the problem.
I didn't pick up this Benson expecting a thoughtful and empathetic examination of the interior life of a woman exiting middle-age. And though Mrs. Ames attempts at regaining her husband's interest are often amusing, from the point of view of the cynical watcher, they are never mocked by the author. The reader sees into the secret corners of her life and so appreciates her quiet heroism even when she does not.
Nor did I pick up this book expecting a thoughtful and empathetic portrait of the interior life of a woman who has "lived on" her beauty and charm but is now facing the depredations of middle age. Although the reader does not inhabit the mind of Mrs. Evans to the extent they do that of Mrs. Ames Benson presents a finely-etched picture of a woman who has never felt deeply about anything and wants finally to experience some of the emotions she has missed.
Did I like Mrs. Ames? Yes. I plan to read it again, soon. I also plan to read the books its author published before and after in the hopes that I will find something similar.
Was I surprised by Mrs. Ames? Again, yes. Because I have learned not to expect a deep, thoughtful and loving examination of lives of middle-aged women, irrespective of whether the book in question was written yesterday or a hundred years ago. Too often now I hear the excuse that author A or writer B should not be criticized for their misogyny or their racism or their homophobia because everyone was like that then.Well, I would not claim that Benson does not show evidence of racism or elitism or gender essentialism but Benson does not despise his characters. He may not approve of their actions, he may doubt their wisdom, he may be aware of their petty motivations and cognizant of all their weaknesses and vices but at the same time he embraces their humanity.
I wish I could say as much for many other writers.
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LibraryThing member rhussey174
Mrs. Ames is the second book by E.F. Benson that I’ve read; a couple years ago I read his Queen Lucia and enjoyed it quite a lot (I received Mrs. Ames through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program). Mrs. Ames, published in 1912, covers much the same territory as Queen Lucia, published 8 years
Queen Lucia is about Lucia’s struggle to maintain her control over the local social scene, and Mrs. Ames finds herself doing the exact same thing. The threat to Mrs. Ames takes a while to emerge, but it turns out to be Mrs. Evans, the doctor’s wife, who is relatively new to town. She has ideas for entertainments — masked costume parties! — that the town has never seen before. She also, more ominously, begins to spend more and more time with Mr. Ames, and the two of them begin a flirtation. It is entirely innocent to begin with, but over the course of the book grows increasingly serious.
Mrs. Ames sees what is going on and does her best to win her husband’s attention back, although, at the same time, she begins to wonder just how happy she is in her marriage. Her attempts to win back her husband’s affections provide some of the book’s uncomfortable comedy: she tries a wrinkle cream and colors her hair to get rid of the gray, but, sadly, her husband doesn’t notice and the women think she looks odd and see right through her attempts to regain youthfulness. It’s kind of pathetic, and yet perfectly understandable and sad.
In an effort to regain her place at the center of society that Mrs. Evans took away with her costume party, Mrs. Ames takes up the cause of women’s suffrage. Here’s where the book gets particularly interesting, and where the comic tone wavers a bit. Mrs. Ames began not caring at all about votes for women, only wanting to make a splash and force people to choose sides, but over time she finds she is genuinely concerned. The suffragist movement speaks to her vague feelings of dissatisfaction with her life and her marriage, and she sees that having greater independence and political involvement could bring a new meaning to life.
This part of the story climaxes in a scene where Mrs. Ames is forced to choose between, on the one hand, her loyalty to her husband and the codes of politeness she has spent her whole life blindly following, and, on the other, her new-found belief in votes for women. Her husband has invited a local politician to dinner, the very same man, unfortunately, that the suffragist group has decided to heckle during his speech later that day.
How Mrs. Ames resolves this dilemma and whether her unhappiness and her husband’s love affair will rip apart the social order provide the drama for the rest of the novel. I enjoyed the book very much, although it’s the book’s unevenness of tone that, strangely, made me like it: I found it fascinating that Benson was willing to take the story in a darker direction than anything in Queen Lucia, even if it disrupted the tone of light comedy established earlier in the book. The novel’s portrayal of women’s fight for the vote is mixed, but Benson does write some moving passages about Mrs. Ames’s self-awakening, and he is far from dismissive of her unhappiness. So, while this may not be a brilliant novel, it’s an entertaining, funny one that offers much that’s serious to think about.
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later. Both books are about small-town English life among the leisured classes. They are about gossip, dinner parties, and social rivalry. Neither book delves into anything terribly deep, dramatic, or tragic. In both books Benson shows affection for his pampered, petty characters, while at the same time making it clear just how absurd they are.Queen Lucia is about Lucia’s struggle to maintain her control over the local social scene, and Mrs. Ames finds herself doing the exact same thing. The threat to Mrs. Ames takes a while to emerge, but it turns out to be Mrs. Evans, the doctor’s wife, who is relatively new to town. She has ideas for entertainments — masked costume parties! — that the town has never seen before. She also, more ominously, begins to spend more and more time with Mr. Ames, and the two of them begin a flirtation. It is entirely innocent to begin with, but over the course of the book grows increasingly serious.
Mrs. Ames sees what is going on and does her best to win her husband’s attention back, although, at the same time, she begins to wonder just how happy she is in her marriage. Her attempts to win back her husband’s affections provide some of the book’s uncomfortable comedy: she tries a wrinkle cream and colors her hair to get rid of the gray, but, sadly, her husband doesn’t notice and the women think she looks odd and see right through her attempts to regain youthfulness. It’s kind of pathetic, and yet perfectly understandable and sad.
In an effort to regain her place at the center of society that Mrs. Evans took away with her costume party, Mrs. Ames takes up the cause of women’s suffrage. Here’s where the book gets particularly interesting, and where the comic tone wavers a bit. Mrs. Ames began not caring at all about votes for women, only wanting to make a splash and force people to choose sides, but over time she finds she is genuinely concerned. The suffragist movement speaks to her vague feelings of dissatisfaction with her life and her marriage, and she sees that having greater independence and political involvement could bring a new meaning to life.
This part of the story climaxes in a scene where Mrs. Ames is forced to choose between, on the one hand, her loyalty to her husband and the codes of politeness she has spent her whole life blindly following, and, on the other, her new-found belief in votes for women. Her husband has invited a local politician to dinner, the very same man, unfortunately, that the suffragist group has decided to heckle during his speech later that day.
How Mrs. Ames resolves this dilemma and whether her unhappiness and her husband’s love affair will rip apart the social order provide the drama for the rest of the novel. I enjoyed the book very much, although it’s the book’s unevenness of tone that, strangely, made me like it: I found it fascinating that Benson was willing to take the story in a darker direction than anything in Queen Lucia, even if it disrupted the tone of light comedy established earlier in the book. The novel’s portrayal of women’s fight for the vote is mixed, but Benson does write some moving passages about Mrs. Ames’s self-awakening, and he is far from dismissive of her unhappiness. So, while this may not be a brilliant novel, it’s an entertaining, funny one that offers much that’s serious to think about.
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LibraryThing member michigantrumpet
E.F. Benson appears to have anticipated that some readers might dismiss "Mrs. Ames" as just a tempest in a teacup: "but if you happen to be living in the teacup too, a storm there is just as upsetting as a gale on the high seas." Some might find the language a bit stilted for our modern tastes, but
Edward Frederic Benson (1867-1940) -- called Fred by his friends -- was the son of the Archbishop of Canterbury, a champion figure skater, and one-time Mayor of Rye, East Sussex, where he lived in Henry James' former home. Never married himself, he managed nonetheless to credibly describe the interior of several couples' marriages. Most interesting was his sympathetic take on women's suffrage, a divisive issue of the era. His portrayal of various characters' reaction to encroaching middle-age and misplaced efforts to retain their attractiveness is funny, bathetic and nuanced.
To place this book in Mr. Benson's canon, he had written almost 30 novels before penning "Mrs. Ames." It was published on 1912, some eight years before his popular Lucia and Mapp series. Wit and satire abound, with many a felicitous turn of phrase (one character describes as "merely an Odysseus who had never voyaged wondered what voyaging was like.") The Althams' rapacious capacity for gossip, the audacity of Mrs. Ames inviting one spouse for a dinner party without the other, and the pathos of Maj. Ames' and Mrs. Evans' feelings for one another are all well and properly skewered. The set piece of the Shakespearean costume party is a highlight. Although it doesn't quite reach the campy heights of the Lucia novels, there is plenty to amuse.
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isn't that the charm of reading books from another era -- joining in the cadence and rhythm of another place and people? There is much here of the universal experience: marital angst, mid-life crises and acting out, moon-eyed ridiculous undergraduates, and social competitiveness to name a few. Edward Frederic Benson (1867-1940) -- called Fred by his friends -- was the son of the Archbishop of Canterbury, a champion figure skater, and one-time Mayor of Rye, East Sussex, where he lived in Henry James' former home. Never married himself, he managed nonetheless to credibly describe the interior of several couples' marriages. Most interesting was his sympathetic take on women's suffrage, a divisive issue of the era. His portrayal of various characters' reaction to encroaching middle-age and misplaced efforts to retain their attractiveness is funny, bathetic and nuanced.
To place this book in Mr. Benson's canon, he had written almost 30 novels before penning "Mrs. Ames." It was published on 1912, some eight years before his popular Lucia and Mapp series. Wit and satire abound, with many a felicitous turn of phrase (one character describes as "merely an Odysseus who had never voyaged wondered what voyaging was like.") The Althams' rapacious capacity for gossip, the audacity of Mrs. Ames inviting one spouse for a dinner party without the other, and the pathos of Maj. Ames' and Mrs. Evans' feelings for one another are all well and properly skewered. The set piece of the Shakespearean costume party is a highlight. Although it doesn't quite reach the campy heights of the Lucia novels, there is plenty to amuse.
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LibraryThing member Osbaldistone
About halfway through this work, I thought it was going to be simply a series of humorous anecdotes about small-town upper-crust society in England before WWI, with the kind of sarcastic wit that reminds one of Oscar Wilde or P.G. Wodehouse. And though all this is true, some of the characters began
So, if you enjoy a memoir-like series of stories poking light fun at the priveledged class, or prefer a more coherent overal theme to a novel, stick with this one and you'll happily find both. And Benson's prose is delicious.
Os.
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to become more 3-dimensional in the second half of the work, the events related became more connected to the whole work, and, overall, the work and the characters turned out to be quite a bit more fun to get to know than the early chapters would have suggested.So, if you enjoy a memoir-like series of stories poking light fun at the priveledged class, or prefer a more coherent overal theme to a novel, stick with this one and you'll happily find both. And Benson's prose is delicious.
Os.
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LibraryThing member dhelmen
a surprising read, I started it expecting something fluffy and amusing and while it delivered on that, Benson also conveys and deeper and more interesting story which seems ahead of it's times. The prose can be somewhat heavy going for a modern reader from the U.S., but it is well worth wading
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through. You will be rewarded with a delightful story and some hilarious lines! Show Less
LibraryThing member paeonia
Many years ago I came to Mapp and Lucia through the television series, and read those books then. It a pleasure to rediscover Benson's witty writing again. Mrs. Ames was not a quick read for me - it is not exactly a page-turner, but one is never quite sure when another satiric gem or clever
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phrasing is going to turn up. In addition, the characters had more depth than the opening chapters lead the reader to expect. Show Less
LibraryThing member bell7
In the small English town of Riseborough, Mrs. Ames holds sway over the fashions and practices of the populace. What has her neighbors abuzz this time? She's invited a husband or a wife to a dinner party, separate from their partner. But things go greatly awry when both her husband and her son
This is the sort of gentle read that those who appreciate the characters and interactions of a story like Cranford may enjoy. There's not a lot of plot action outside of the day to day life of middle aged married people, which sounds boring, but really isn't. The delivery of the thoughts of the Althams, the Ames', and more of the characters, amused me and made me laugh aloud at times; their interactions were gossipy and politely insulting and true.
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begin to have an interest in one of the singly-invited women, Mrs. Evans.This is the sort of gentle read that those who appreciate the characters and interactions of a story like Cranford may enjoy. There's not a lot of plot action outside of the day to day life of middle aged married people, which sounds boring, but really isn't. The delivery of the thoughts of the Althams, the Ames', and more of the characters, amused me and made me laugh aloud at times; their interactions were gossipy and politely insulting and true.
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LibraryThing member emperatrix
I found Mrs. Ames charming and reminiscent of the Cranford stories-sometimes silly, but sweet and fable-like. I had never read Benson before, but I found his style witty and enjoyable. Will definitely be looking for the Mapp and Lucia books after this.
LibraryThing member Cariola
I'm afraid I'm going to put this one on hold for awhile. I've started it three times and just can't seem to get beyond page 30. It's just not grabbing my attention. I'm not going to rate it until I give it another go, as I think I might enjoy it more when I have the time to appreciate the wordy,
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leisurely style. Show Less
LibraryThing member taleswapper
This book is bone dry. It's chock full of stinging observations about early the 20th century leisure class, at least full of those at the lowest rung. I'm sure it's funny in places, but the characters are interested in such uninteresting things, which I suspect is part of the society skewering
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going on here. I had trouble with remembering which character was which and mixing up Colonels and Majors. The book does pick up toward the end as the Major gets entangled in an unwise flirtation and his wife finds an interest in the Suffragette movement. But it took too long to get there. Show Less
LibraryThing member chelseagirl
Years ago, I'd read a few of Benson's Mapp and Lucia books. On the face of it, this is something similar -- a comedy about charming, witty, but small-minded people in a struggle for social dominance in a small English village. But the book also deals interestingly with women and their fear of
I received this book as part of the Early Reviewers Program on LibraryThing.
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aging. (It's interesting that a 29 year old man chose to write about forty- and fifty-something women.) There's a point when Mrs. Ames has gotten involved with the suffragette movement and found herself genuinely engaged with the issues when the novel seems on course to transcend itself; will her pointless life find a real purpose? Alas, it shifts back into a comedy of manners when the Tory candidate she needs to protest against turns out to be a relative. It's a pleasant enough book, but I grew tired of the complacency of these well-off and narrow people. I received this book as part of the Early Reviewers Program on LibraryThing.
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
Written by the son of an Archbishop of Canterbury, this is a delightful read. I have always loved English humor. It is tongue in cheek, dry and often not obvious. Because of this, reading it will require some amount of patience, which I believe will be well worthwhile. Also, the printed page is not
There are an abundance of double entendres. I have not laughed out loud or issued any guffaws but I have truly been amused after finishing almost every sentence. I have never been bored. I feel that I have enjoyed the text as much as, or perhaps more, than anything I have read in awhile, not only for the story presented but for the presentation itself. Every sentence is a work of art.
The humorous message is so subtle, that often, you stop and pause and, rereading what you just read, you arrive at a sudden aha moment and your lips curl up in a smile. The story perfectly illustrates the deprecating pretentiousness of the upper classes of England, at the turn of the 20th century. (The book, originally published in 1912, was reissued in 2011.) The characters all seem to engage in a clever repartee in which each hints at the news they wish to share without ever obviously revealing it, while professing their complete lack of interest in gossip. In actuality, they are politely tearing each other to ribbons.
The women vie for the honor of being the town barometer or trendsetter, currently held by Mrs. Ames. There is the standard envy generally observed toward the one who occupies the throne, especially when there are several women in the wings who are seeking to dethrone her and who believe that they are more worthy of the place of honor in their society. The gossip often hints at the undercurrent of jealousy. They are all yearning for something more and seem almost, but not quite, content.
Mrs. Ames, a decade older than her husband decides to throw a dinner party to which she invites only one spouse of each couple. She often likes to mix things up but this time there are unintended consequences to her actions. The story develops from there as her husband and son both become infatuated with Mrs. Evans who fancies herself an innocent coquette. Mrs. Ames had unwittingly unleashed a marital storm which explodes with a subtle force of nature. In the meantime, she herself explores new depths and becomes involved with the women’s suffrage movement.
As the plot unfolds, the characters make plans that backfire because their deceptions are ill conceived and poorly constructed. Convincing themselves that they are doing no wrong, they make plans designed to mislead their spouses and misdirect their intentions. Too soon, all of these plans develop in unexpected ways, making a mockery of their designers. The tongues of Riseborough wag incessantly, sprouting rumors more often than flowers in the gardens of their minds often indicating unwise and incorrect deductions. They are wonderfully developed characters. You can almost visualize them in each scene from their descriptions. The author has used language to create images in your mind and has excelled, in my estimation. Mrs. Ames, a character who uses her wiles to make up for her somewhat lacking pedigree, is one you will enjoy meeting and getting to know.
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easy on the eyes because the font and style make the letters appear too tight, in my edition, anyway. Other than that I am loving it.There are an abundance of double entendres. I have not laughed out loud or issued any guffaws but I have truly been amused after finishing almost every sentence. I have never been bored. I feel that I have enjoyed the text as much as, or perhaps more, than anything I have read in awhile, not only for the story presented but for the presentation itself. Every sentence is a work of art.
The humorous message is so subtle, that often, you stop and pause and, rereading what you just read, you arrive at a sudden aha moment and your lips curl up in a smile. The story perfectly illustrates the deprecating pretentiousness of the upper classes of England, at the turn of the 20th century. (The book, originally published in 1912, was reissued in 2011.) The characters all seem to engage in a clever repartee in which each hints at the news they wish to share without ever obviously revealing it, while professing their complete lack of interest in gossip. In actuality, they are politely tearing each other to ribbons.
The women vie for the honor of being the town barometer or trendsetter, currently held by Mrs. Ames. There is the standard envy generally observed toward the one who occupies the throne, especially when there are several women in the wings who are seeking to dethrone her and who believe that they are more worthy of the place of honor in their society. The gossip often hints at the undercurrent of jealousy. They are all yearning for something more and seem almost, but not quite, content.
Mrs. Ames, a decade older than her husband decides to throw a dinner party to which she invites only one spouse of each couple. She often likes to mix things up but this time there are unintended consequences to her actions. The story develops from there as her husband and son both become infatuated with Mrs. Evans who fancies herself an innocent coquette. Mrs. Ames had unwittingly unleashed a marital storm which explodes with a subtle force of nature. In the meantime, she herself explores new depths and becomes involved with the women’s suffrage movement.
As the plot unfolds, the characters make plans that backfire because their deceptions are ill conceived and poorly constructed. Convincing themselves that they are doing no wrong, they make plans designed to mislead their spouses and misdirect their intentions. Too soon, all of these plans develop in unexpected ways, making a mockery of their designers. The tongues of Riseborough wag incessantly, sprouting rumors more often than flowers in the gardens of their minds often indicating unwise and incorrect deductions. They are wonderfully developed characters. You can almost visualize them in each scene from their descriptions. The author has used language to create images in your mind and has excelled, in my estimation. Mrs. Ames, a character who uses her wiles to make up for her somewhat lacking pedigree, is one you will enjoy meeting and getting to know.
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LibraryThing member Mooose
Even though I realize it wasn't written for today's audience I couldn't get over how deucedly wordy this book was. Long paragraphs, stuck in the heads of people who are so boring they're painful to be with. I didn't find much humour in the novel, most of the characters struck me as sad. I've seen
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the 'Mapp & Lucia' series and enjoyed it, perhaps 'Mrs. Ames' would be better on a screen. Show Less
LibraryThing member LipstickAndAviators
I won this book in a LibraryThing giveaway, and prior to receiving it I admit I was quite unfamiliar with any of the writings of E.F. Benson. However, I have to say, I was quite pleased with this little novel. It did take a little effort and patience to get into, but it did eventually pick up so I
This delightful book is more than just a snapshot of small-town life, but also a careful glimpse into a variety of facets of human nature, which we can all respond and relate to. The story is well-designed and there are many humorous events that will keep a reader captivated to the end. For this it deserves 5 stars, but I subtracted one simply because I found the writing style to be a bit tedious at times, especially in the beginning. It does take a fair amount of focus and perseverance to finish, but will be a treasure to those who make it through!
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encourage all other readers to stick with it. The story is lightly witty and humorous, and full of ironic, tongue-in-cheek statements that can easily be glossed over, but make the book infinitely more pleasurable when you do catch them. As other reviews have mentioned, It deals with the obvious plot of life in a small town, with various female figures struggling for the place of queen bee. But more than that it deals with a certain illicit romance between two characters, and the universal desire of people to love, and be loved, and the actions otherwise rational, ordinary people might take to bring such a love into their own lives. Mrs. Ames and Mrs Adams are both feeling neglected by their husbands, yet they each find a different method of rectifying the problem. I was very impressed by the grace Mrs Ames shows to her younger cousin (who has become a rival for Mrs Ames' own husband) despite the terrific wrongdoing that was committed against her and her marriage. I was also continually amused at The gossipy Althams, who often think they know everything that goes on in the town, yet still know nothing (isn't that so often the case in life!).This delightful book is more than just a snapshot of small-town life, but also a careful glimpse into a variety of facets of human nature, which we can all respond and relate to. The story is well-designed and there are many humorous events that will keep a reader captivated to the end. For this it deserves 5 stars, but I subtracted one simply because I found the writing style to be a bit tedious at times, especially in the beginning. It does take a fair amount of focus and perseverance to finish, but will be a treasure to those who make it through!
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LibraryThing member AlanWPowers
A delightful portrayal of village social competition, and as always with Benson, character types, such as the talkative: "She talked rather slowly, but without ever stopping of her own accord, so that she got as much into a given space of time as most people. Even if she was temporarily stopped by
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an interruption, she kept her mouth open, so as to be able to proceed at the earliest possible moment." (6) Very funny on hair: prominent bald man who combs his long side hair over the top, secured by an essential hat, which may be knocked off by a branch. Show Less
Language
Original publication date
1912