The Garden Party and Other Stories
Ratings9
Average rating3.7
Korte verhalen van inmiddels meer dan een eeuw geleden, met bloemrijke omschrijvingen van omgeving en mensen. Virginia Woolf heeft over Katherine Mansfield gezegd: “I was jealous of her writing. The only writing I have ever been jealous of.””
Then something immense came into view; an enormous shock-haired giant with his arms stretched out. It was the big gum-tree outside Mrs. Stubbs' shop, and as they passed by there was a strong whiff of eucalyptus.
Het zijn min of meer allemaal miniatuurtjes, niet altijd met een duidelijke plot, beetje meanderend, fijne afwisseling met zwaarder werk.
Then the first inhabitant appeared; it was the Burnells' cat Florrie, sitting on the gatepost, far too early as usual, looking for their milk-girl. When she saw the old sheep-dog she sprang up quickly, arched her back, drew in her tabby head, and seemed to give a little fastidious shiver. “Ugh! What a coarse, revolting creature!” said Florrie. But the old sheep-dog, not looking up, waggled past, flinging out his legs from side to side. Only one of his ears twitched to prove that he saw, and thought her a silly young female.
Well, I am in two minds over this. On the one hand, for many of these short stories, almost nothing happens, and for many the stories seem fragments rather than a formed short story (with a beginning or instigation, and occurrence and a wrap up, or ending). Usually for me this would leave me to consider the short story to be unsuccessful. However subtle some of the plots and events of the stories are, they are nicely written in an interesting (and somehow captured in time) way.
I was probably more taken with the New Zealand stories, and where there was a NZ flavour to the story. Many of the stories are themed around disappointment, and there is a flavour of the class system, and are probably a reflection of the era. The various stories are set in varied locations - NZ, England, Monte Carlo (Monaco), France.
Like others, I enjoyed At The Bay, and also the titular The Garden Party the others were brief entertainments, but I probably flagged towards the last 3 or 4 stories.
Overall, not really my genre, but I can appreciate the writing.
4 stars.
