Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Gaudy read

Header is because I'm reading Gaudy Night now. It's the first novel I've ever read by Dorothy Sayers. I have to hand it to her for not writing down to the audience. Anyone who bought the book hoping it would quickly bear down into the murdery stuff must have been sorely disappointed. But her portrayal of a reunion at a women's college at Oxford is engaging and convincing. Jeez, and these were the second class citizens!

3 comments:

susan said...

I read and enjoyed all of her Lord Peter Wimsey novels a long time ago. Harriet Vane was a very cool addition to the stories, one who allowed Sayers a broader scope for her philosophical and sociological exploration while writing what weren't entirely mystery novels. I hope you may enjoy more of them if they can still be found.

susan said...

ps: Michael Innes was another of my favorites - Lament for a Maker is one I think you'd enjoy.

Ben said...

Lament for a Maker is a great title, and for that among other reasons I am curious.

Gaudy Night is unfolding nicely. (One character said that England needs "a 'Itler", which is topical.) Kind of interesting how Wimsey is absent for much of it. That's a special subclass of mystery books: ones where the detective barely shows up. There's at least one Ellery Queen book like that.