Synopsis (Credit: www.amazon.co.uk)

A Room with a View depicts a young Englishwoman's adventure trying to come to grips with the conflict between her desires and society's expectations.

Lucy Honeychurch is a well-bred young middle class girl on holiday in radiant Florence. She comes from a family which is overly concerned with respectability, and is over-protected by a spinster named Charlotte Bartlett. Under no circumstances will Miss Bartlett allow Lucy to pursue (or even examine) her affection for the handsome young George Emerson — his father is far too unconventional with his modern notions about honesty and freethinking. Determined to forget George, Lucy finally gives in to the repeated proposals of Cecil Vyse, a thoroughly fashionable young gentleman, if not very exciting.

So the stage is set for this splendid satire on the English social strata of the early part of the 20th century, a time when the formal structure of the Victorian era was beginning to fray at the edges.

Modern Library 100 Best Novels: No 79.
On the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die List.

(Bought second-hand at Kloof Street Library, Tamboerskloof.)

I listened to a library audio version of the book about a year ago. Later I found a copy of the book at the library sale.

If someone were to tell me this book was the result of another writer's completing the author's unfinished work, it would have made sense. I found the middle section witty and sharp, with the beginning and end rather dull and uninspired. Not a book that would have made it onto my personal 1001 list.

The book is on its way to collin26 in the Philippines, who asked to read it. I posted it on Monday, opting for surface mail. Quite often a registered package like this gets lucky and is included with items dispatched by airmail. Only time will tell.


International tracking number: RJ016324738ZA
http://sms.postoffice.co.za/trackingparcels
http://www.track-trace.com/post

The book has arrived safely here at The Philippines. Thank you Stoepbrak for this book!