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Manservant and Maidservant

By Ivy Compton-Burnett
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3.44 goodreads logo

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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Manservant and Maidservant by Ivy Compton-Burnett is a sharp and dialogue-driven exploration of domestic life, set in a dysfunctional Edwardian household. The power dynamics among the eponymous servants and their idiosyncratic employers play out through witty conversations and psychological intrigue. This novel artfully dissects themes of class hierarchy, familial obligation, and human behaviour.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're drawn to intricate stories of family dynamics and class conflicts, depicted with sharp wit and dialogue. The narrative offers a penetrating look into domestic life in the early 20th century, showcasing power struggles and human motivations in a uniquely engaging manner.

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A ruthless satire of power struggles and petty economies, Manservant and Maidservant exposes the violence and cruelty at the core of Victorian family life.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Horace Lamb runs an austere household with tyrannical force and cruel economy. His five children shiver through the winter and learn that a fire is not a thing to be taken for granted. Hierarchies are more lightly enforced in the servants' quarters, where Bullivant and Mrs Selden attempt to rein in their young charges. When Horace suddenly turns attentive and caring, the real difficulties begin: the taut order of the household slackens, setting loose old grievances.

Her own favourite among her novels, Manservant and Maidservant is Ivy Compton-Burnett at her laceratingly witty best.

Original, artful and elegant... To read her for the first time is a singular experience - Hilary Mantel

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Manservant and Maidservant by Ivy Compton-Burnett is celebrated for its unique, artful style, characterised as original and elegant. The novel is noted for its shrewd, sly wit, with a distinct voice that is both entertaining and often surprising. Critics draw parallels to Jane Austen, but emphasise Compton-Burnett's originality in her exploration of primal human emotions within a genteel setting. The work combines a tightly repressed emotional intensity with humour, providing a singular reading experience akin to enjoying literary greats like Virginia Woolf and Elizabeth Bowen.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781782278689

Publisher: Pushkin Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 26 May 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Pushkin Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 320

Collections

Classic Fiction Fiction General Fiction Ivy Compton-Burnett Literary Fiction

About the Author

Ivy Compton-Burnett (1884-1969) was one of twentieth-century England's most original and admired writers. The seventh of thirteen children, she was raised in Richmond and Hove and studied Classics at Royal Holloway College. Her family was struck by repeated disasters starting with the death of her father in 1901; Compton-Burnett eventually took charge of the household until it was broken up during the First World War.

Compton-Burnett lived alone in London until she was joined in 1919 by Margaret Jourdain, a writer and furniture expert who was to be her lifelong companion. Aside from a disavowed early novel, Compton-Burnett published eighteen highly acclaimed works of fiction in her lifetime, won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and was made a Dame shortly before her death. A House and Its Head, More Women than Men and Daughters and Sons are also available from Pushkin Press.

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