Finished 6-7-11, rating 4.5/5, classic, 246 pages, pub. 1908

This she might not attempt.  It was unladylike. Why?  Why were most big things unladylike?  Charlotte had once explained to her why.  It was not that ladies were inferior to men; it was that they were different.  Their mission was to inspire others to achievement rather than to achieve themselves.  Indirectly, by means of tact and a spotless name, a lady could accomplish much.  But if she rushed into the fray herself she would be first censured, then despised, and finally ignored.

Chapter 4

Lucy is a young Englishwoman who is blessed with a loving mother and brother, a comfortable home and the ability to travel.  When she and her cousin, Charlotte, visit Florence, Italy, they enjoy their time spent with others of their ilk.  When Mr. Emerson and his son, George, are thrown in to the mix, people respond to their unconventional and brutish ways by cutting them off or trying to ignore them.  Lucy, in her youth, was confused and intrigued by the two who paid no attention to social norms.  She is looking for something big, something more and the Emerson’s offer her a way of viewing the world that is fresh and new.

I loved this short gem of a romance.  It addresses a young woman’s coming of age during the early 1900’s, a time that demanded little from her.  Lucy knew she wanted more, but she didn’t know what more meant.  Because she was scared of her feelings for a man who did not follow society’s rules she fled home to the security of a place that told her what her place was in the world.

I loved Lucy’s transformation and the humor Forster used to make this book fun and still important.  I loved the whole thing and was especially charmed by the end.  I’m looking forward to finding this on film.

This book is from my personal library and was chosen for me by Candice and Jenny.  Here’s what they had to say…

“Short, sweet, and enjoyable.”  Jenny

“A personal favorite.”  Candice

This book counts toward Molly’s

A Classic Bribe

at Quirky Girls Read.  Why not join in the fun?