This is a
very unconventional book — it's nearly all dialogue, and the
characters all seem to speak the same way, even the children. Sometimes
what they say is nonsensical, and other times they come out with
brilliant gems. The acerbic Compton-Burnett, who wrote 19 largely
similar books, is not to everyone's taste, although she can be
hilarious and insightful. Whether you love her or hate her, you'll
probably agree there is no author like her.
In Mother and Son
the mother, Miranda, is a tyrant. Although her middle-aged son,
Rosebery, has been her doting companion, the aging Miranda decides to
hire a companion so as not to burden Rosebery and her 12 years' younger
husband, Julius, as she declines. A rejected applicant, Miss Burke,
gets a position in the former household of the woman Miranda hires,
Hester, who lived contentedly in Emma's home but now wants to be
financially independent. This trio of females becomes a prospective
marriage pool for Rosebery and Julius after Miranda dies. Two
engagements are quickly made — and quickly broken. The men
can't escape their unmarried state, even with Miranda gone; the women
don't want to.
Compton-Burnett's books are being rereleased even though they seem
dated, so they must still have an audience. Whether you enjoy reading
her probably depends on whether witty repartee and little else can
carry a novel for you. However, if you're a feline lover, Mother and Son
might be worth reading solely for Plautus the cat, "at once more or
less than a human being."
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