Miss Buncle's Book
63. D. E. Stevenson, Miss Buncle's Book
In the sleepy and complacent village of Silverstream, Miss Barbara Buncle is a fairly typical Englishwoman in her late 30s, sliding into spinsterhood. However, unbeknownst to her friends and neighbors, she has performed the astonishing and unprecedented feat of writing a novel, in which she has depicted each of them in a very exact - and not always favorable - light. When Mr. Abbott, a partner in a London publishing house, agrees to publish her book under a pen name, Miss Buncle has no idea what a big impact it will have on her life. The book becomes a bestseller, and even her neighbors in Silverstream read it. When they recognize themselves, some of them are enraged at the book’s mystery author, but others benefit from the novel’s portrayal of them. Will Miss Buncle be able to manage the chaos her book has created?
This is yet another charming novel from Persephone Books, and I really enjoyed its depiction of a somewhat stereotypical English village. All the characters are very entertaining and lifelike, and they have interesting stories which blend well into the larger plot of the effect of Miss Buncle’s book. I do wish that some of the stories had gotten a little more page time; there are so many characters that not all of them can be treated with the same degree of thoroughness, but I was curious about even the minor characters. Plot-wise, not a lot happens, but the fun is immersing oneself in Miss Buncle’s world. Apparently there is a sequel to this book, Miss Buncle Married, and I’d definitely like to get my hands on it as well!