I hope these 25 Books in 25 Days posts aren’t getting tedious for people? Nearly halfway! And today I wasn’t sure if I was going to find time to read As Far As Jane’s Grandmother’s (1928) by Edith Olivier, particularly since I’d had an aborted attempt to read it a couple of years ago. As it turns out, I liked it much more this time around.
It was the limit of their nursery walks, and all through their lives it remained for them the most explicit measure of distance.
The title refers to the distance that Jane usually travels as a child – no further than her grandmother’s. If memory serves from Anna Thomasson’s excellent A Curious Friendship, the phrase was one Edith used in her own life. In the novel, though, it takes on a second meaning – the metaphorical parameters of life determined by Jane’s grandmother, outside which she cannot pass. Having had a childhood and young womanhood circumscribed by what her grandmother believes moral and correct, the book shows us people entering Jane’s life who might transform it – whether friends or lovers, or even a nunnery. And will she ever be able to escape the role set out for her?
I’ve now read all of Olivier’s novels (there aren’t that many), and none come close to The Love Child, her first. This one followed a year later, and I think is my second favourite – what made the first so special was a sort of fairytale naivety that she could never quite recapture, but this is a very engaging novel nonetheless. I think it would fit alongside many of the green-spined Virago Modern Classics.
Still enjoying your synopsis and also like to see the book covers. You’re doing well with this challenge.
Not tedious at all, Simon. I’m following your progress and your posts with interest.
Definitely not tedious, Simon. I’m impressed that anyone can read 25 books in 25 days never mind write as eloquently and (apparently), effortlessly as you do about them all. I very much enjoy reading all your posts and discovering authors previously unknown to me.
Oh, I love the idea of reading 25 books in 25 days! I recently read some cozy mysteries and was thrilled by being able to read them in a day. What did happen to the days when novelswere 200 pages (or maybe 250)? IAnd did read and love The Love Child, so will look for this one. I do remember seeing these Pan Bello editions in ebooks a few years back….
I am thoroughly enjoying your 25 Books in 25 Days challenge reports! Bravo! I am also in awe of anyone doing this. But in chosing my next book to read from the TBR, I left the shorter ones in case I might decide to something similary daft one day. LOL! Maybe 10 in 10 days.
Tedious? Quite the opposite, I am discovering new books and authors. Quite a number of them would probably be good choices for the English book group I run here in Germany. Some members find a longer novel difficult to finish within a month, or even two, so novellas or short/er novels are perfect.
The Love Child is the only Olivier I’ve read, and I had not heard of this one, but I think I would enjoy it too.
I am enjoying your posts very much – apologies for my lack of comments I have been struggling to keep up with reading and commenting on lots of people’s posts.
Not tedious!