Who was at whose party last night with whom? For the residents of Riseborough, the answer to that question and other gossipy tidbits like it is their prime preoccupation during days spent in the relatively otherwise unexciting little town. Chief among the participants are the women who vie for social superiority, engaging in small social battles to ensure their standing. (My favorite example of this is the feud that occurs between Mrs. Altham and Mrs. Ames on the subject of punctuality. "About two years ago, Mrs. Ames had arrived at Mrs. Altham's at least ten minutes late for dinner, and Mrs. Altham had very properly retorted by arriving a quarter of an hour late when next she was bidden to dinner with Mrs. Ames, though that involved sitting in a dark cab for ten minutes at the corner of the next turning...") Their ridiculous schemes, which often backfire, seem petty and pointless but occupy all of their time and energy. At the opening of the novel, the most ardent competition is between the displaced Mrs. Altham and the new reigning queen, Mrs. Ames. Soon, however, it becomes apparent that Millie Evans, the shy and extremely pretty new doctor's wife, has, wittingly or not, begun to gradually usurp their power. This intolerable situation cannot continue and Mrs. Ames, who sees her husband and son being drawn in by the siren's call, is determined to set things right again. She begins an all-out campaign to reclaim the attentions, if not the heart, of her husband and her throne in the village. But will the measures she undertakes be enough to win the war? The results of her plotting and of Mrs. Evans' skillful manipulations lead not only to a stirring climax but also to surprising growth for many (though certainly not all) of those involved. Roused from their idle and routine existences, Mrs. Ames and Mrs. Evans each begin a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment. Nearing the end of middle age, they have finally realized the petty and pointless natures of their lives and yearn for excitement and change. From "innocent" flirtation to strident political campaigning, their methods are divergent but lead to extraordinary personal growth and change for both women. One character, in particular, becomes a shining light of the growth to which we should all inspire, when she realizes that "...there were other things to care about..." outside of her previous insignificant occupations and jealousies.E.F. Benson is a master in the art of the social novel, focusing on the small and insular lives of the inhabitants of small towns in the early 1900s. Though the main action of his books is relatively minimal, the conflicts, both external and internal, in which his characters are involved are full of interest and insight. Using irony, satire and biting humor, Benson pokes fun at the petty and grasping nature that lies beneath the surface of us all, tempering it with sympathetic reminders of our more lovable and admirable assets and weaknesses. There is so much of humanity in his portrayals that it's easy to identify with the main characters and to become absorbed in their stories. Though the novel sags a bit in the middle, it is overall a very good read with passages that so clearly define what it is to be human, female and "of a certain age," needing so desperately to be understood and appreciated and to feel fulfilled. Slightly darker than his popular Mapp and Lucia series, the book is an excellent recommendation for those who appreciate a very perceptive look into the human psyche.My favorite quote is a description of Mrs. Ames: "In appearance she was like a small, good-looking toad in half-mourning; or, to state the comparison with greater precision, she was small for a woman, but good-looking for a toad. "
E.F. Benson’s novel makes a good change of pace. It’s a simple story, not too complex in terms of plot or description. Yet, he’s very good at subtle humor and satire, which is interspersed throughout the text. It’s like watching an episode of Cranford and Lark Rise to Candleford. At times, Benson’s descriptions can be rather blunt in their frankness…and quite evil. Take this description of Mrs. Ames: “In appearance, she was like a small, good-looking toad in half-mourning […] she was small for a woman, but good-looking for a toad. Her face had something of the sulky and satiated expression of that harmless reptile….” The narrator’s truly awful with no mercy! None of the characters in book escape from this brutal scrutiny. One of my favorites is the description of young Harry combing his hair: “If he brushed it back it revealed an excess of high, vacant-looking forehead; if he let it drop over his forehead, though his resemblance to seaweed increased also.” ;)The story basically follows a woman—Mrs. Evans—, who at age thirty-seven has reached her midlife crisis and desires to reawaken her youth—by pursuing a married man: Major Ames. Though through her machinations, she gains two devoted followers—both father and son, though it’s only the father who manages to stir her soul…. The irony comes into play through the description of Mrs. Evans’ choice of beau: Major Ames. And those little intimate moments between the two love birds…it’s truly wonderful.Certainly a weighty dramatic subject, though in Benson’s capable hands it becomes a light comedy. Really good and a lot of fun, so glad I won this.My only qualm, however, is the cover, which is a bit deceptive. It shows silhouettes of four ladies, dressed in 1920s garb. However, this book was published in 1912 and takes place around that era. So instead of picturing Gatsby, think of the second half of A Room With a View with its close-knit English hamlet.
Do You like book Mrs. Ames (2010)?
tE. F. Benson’s subject is always the petty concerns of petty people, but his talent is to make those concerns nearly as important to us as they are to his characters. For us, what happens to Benson’s people is also much funnier than it is to them.tAs with the Mapp and Lucia books Benson began to write in the 1920s, Mrs. Ames (1912) deals with the struggle of two women to be the dominant social maven in their little town. Millie Evans and Amy Ames are cousins and rivals for the title of supreme hostess of Riseborough, and an additional frisson is added to the plot by the dalliance of Millie and Major Ames, Amy’s husband. Mrs. Ames dares to invite only one member of each prominent Riseborough couple to a dinner party. Mrs. Evans counters with a fancy dress ball with a Shakespearean theme, and Benson makes hilarious use of the ball’s glut of Cleopatras and paucity of Antonys. Then Mrs. Ames begins to read suffragette tracts, and as Benson writes, “the fumes of an idea, to one who had practically never tasted one, intoxicated her as new wine mounts to the head of a teetotaler.”
—Michael Cohen
I agree with other reviewers who noted that the book started well, became rather sluggish in the middle, and ended well. However, I didn't see this book as primarily about two women struggling for supremacy in a small social circle -- though that is undoubtedly where it began -- but rather an exploration of the slow development of an almost-affair, and its effects on the three people aware of it.To me, though, the primary pleasure of this book was not in the plot so much as in the language -- deliciously rich -- the very cleverly expressed insights into human nature, and the not infrequently barbed descriptions of the characters. Sentences like the following were the highlight of this book, for me:Her mind was of no high order; she might, if she thought about a thing, be trusted to exhibit nothing more subtle than a fair grasp of the obvious.So much more entertaining than "she wasn't the brightest crayon in the box", no? If you appreciate this sort of understated humour, you'll enjoy the book, for all its sluggishness of plot.
—Ilona
Just as funny but much more poingnant than the author's Lucia series, "Mrs. Ames" fully explores a real person with plenty of inner conflicts and not a little intelligence, both social and otherwise. Benson explores his usual milieu, the small British village in the Edwardian era, with all the societal rivalries and jockeying for position that are his trademark. The main character, and the careful delineation of how boredom can lead the most innocent to the edge of the social abyss, make "Mrs. Ames" a revealing portrait of the class and age. And yet, the petty jealousies, the small ambitions, the intrigues between characters, and the very human motivations make this a perfect picture of small town society today. Hard to believe that this was written in 1912. This delightful paperback edition from The Bloomsbury Group is a pleasure to read, and will keep you smiling, if not laughing aloud. Highly recommended to anyone who likes a comedy of manners.
—Gail
