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In this journey through literature from Horace Walpole to J. K.
Rowling, Hardyment attempts to demonstrate the central importance of houses in
literature. She explores the influences and inspiration of some of the best
loved fictional dwellings and considers how these buildings sometimes become
characters in their own right. The twenty chosen novels are dealt with
chronologically, allowing the reader to understand the progression of ideas and
how the authors could be influenced by each other. Each chapter lasts on
average only ten pages but there feels a great difference in the depth of
analysis between them.
The likes of Walter Scott and Horace Walpole were interested in the
medieval period and this is reflected not just in their writing (in which
Hardyment points out their aims and preoccupations relevant to their
contemporary political and social situations) but also in their own homes.
Later authors are attributed to having particular obsessions with the idea of
home or of one particular house that they mentally held on to throughout their
lives. These claims occasionally feel a bit loosely evidenced with only a
couple of quotes thrown in to add seeming authenticity.
Some chapters offer interesting analysis of the text, explaining how
buildings were personified or used to explore certain character traits,
reversing expectations. Others seem to be largely padded out with a synopsis of
the story, unnecessarily revealing plot points with little relevance to
Hardyment’s arguments. I’d previously read about half the books discussed and
this allowed for a good mix in enjoyment. If familiar with all twenty I’m not
sure you’d get much from this book.
A beautiful book with moments of insight but not overall adding much
to the conversation. It did, however, pique my interest in a number of the
books I’ve yet to read and is a gentle, bookish read.
Pick up a copy:
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