The Sweet Dove Died

Normally I adore the socks off of Barbara Pym, but this one seemed a little unlike her. Maybe it was the cold I had when I read this, but none of the characters were likable – normally Leonora's character would have some additional dimension that would endear her to the reader, or at least she'd have a level of insight to match what the author expects the reader to bring to the book, but she had little self-awareness and was hard to take seriously as the main character.

Is it wrong of me to say that this seemed more like Anita Brookner? Pym usually seems so warm and compassionate and witty, Brookner a little colder and more detached or refined (or “elegant”, Leonora's favourite word). Perhaps I haven't read enough (or thought hard enough) of either of them to really say.

P.S. Where were the anthropologists?!