Queen Lucia

Rating:
Summary: I am now a Luciaphile!
Review: And proud of it...
I began this series because of recommendations from those who enjoyed Wodehouse. Although It's much dryer in the humor department than Wodehouse, the series is lovely and possesses that crisp hard edged satire that only Brits seem to be able to master. His skewering is principally focused on a narcissist who, despite her braggart ways, you can't take your eyes off and wouldn't want to live without. I've read all six in short succession, and I do agree with most reviewers that the final three are his strongest. I am sorry that we are left with only the six novels, but at least we have those. Long live Lucia!

Rating:
Summary: One of the 3 funniest novels ever written
Review: And the other 2 are also by Benson ... well, tied with Toole's "Confedearcy of Dunces" and Keenan's "Blue Heaven."

There's a slow start with the first chapter--Benson's humour is entirely character-based, so you needs must meet the character before the jokes can begin--but once they begin, they don't let up.

Luckily (because you'll want more, more more after this book) there are others in the series. This first book sets the pattern: wealthy, intellectually-pretentious, English housewife Lucia wants to be thought of as the exemplar of good/interesting taste, and will stop at nothing to achieve her goal. The characters are all frightfully interested in the most trivial things, and it's screamingly funny.

If you like Benson, try Beverley Nichols (oh, and do read the other two funniest novels ever written, mentioned above--you owe it to yourself.)

Note: a 3 star ranking from me is actually pretty good; I reserve 4 stars for tremendously good works, and 5 only for the rare few that are or ought to be classic; unfortunately most books published are 2 or less.

Rating:
Summary: A nice read
Review: Queen Lucia is the first in the series of novels that invite us in to Riseholm and the lives of it's residents. Lucia is the snobbish self appointed but undisputed Queen of everything cultural in this small rural english village. However she finds herself challenged unintentionally by Olga Bracely a famous opera singer who takes up residence in the village. As she fights for her throne the reader is witness to the malice, manipulation and backstabbing that is just under the surface in village life. As in all good stories Lucia is all but dethrowned and then regains the upper hand once again. The book is witty, full of interesting if somewhat strange characters and entertaining. After first reading Queen Lucia I felt a little disapointed having heard Bentley described as being on a par with Wilde, Wodehouse and Coward. I do not find this claimed level of wit and word smithing in Queen Lucia myself, however once I got past this disappointment I found myself both entertained by and fond of this novel.

Rating:
Summary: A must buy: Reader Geraldine McEwan IS Lucia
Review: Since the other reviews here relate to the printed version of the E.F. Benson book, I thought I'd chime in with a review that is specific to this CD version read by Geraldine McEwan.

McEwan starred as Lucia in the delightful "Mapp and Lucia" series in the mid-1980s. It's out on DVD now and I highly recommend you snatch it up immediately before it goes out of print. It's one of the very best British comedies ever.

In the series, McEwan establishes what I consider to be the definitive version of Lucia. She is so delightful that as soon as I found out her readings of two of the Lucia books had also been recorded, I bought them -- although I had never purchased books on tape/CD before.

Suffice it so say, I was not disappointed. McEwan is a wonderful reader who brings out all the wit of the books, and I can't stress enough how marvelous it is to hear her once again using her "Lucia voice."

This has my highest recommendation.

Rating:
Summary: Long live the Queen
Review: There are six Lucia novels by author Benson, who set the redoubtable Mrs. Lucas (Lucia, to her friends) first in Riseholme, really Broadway in the Cotswold. "Queen Lucia" is the first of the novels, and really, probably the weakest. Yet, you really can't help but be drawn into this microcosm of gentile upper-middle class English society set between the two World Wars in that frothy time period.

Nothing Lucia does is momentous, and she is an utter snob and pretentious to a nauseating level. Yet, we are captivated by her antics, stupid as they are. Predictably, her striving to be the Social Queen of Riseholme produces some deservedly embarrassing moments (she hires a Guru of dubious repute, for one thing.) But, being Lucia, she surmounts event the worst humiliation with sheer nerve.

The later novels pit Lucia against a far more worthy foe, Miss Mapp of Tilling. Miss Mapp even has her own novel sans Lucia, and the two tangle deliciously in the remaining four novels. If you like "Queen Lucia", you will adore the rest of the series.

Benson was the son of an Archbishop of Cantebury and had brilliant and artistic brothers and sisters. He was the longest-lived of the siblings, and produced many novels and scholarly histories, which sadly are out of print. Only these novels remain of his work, probably the most trivial. Yet the world they create, out of nothing but vanity and snobbish posing, is so captivating that their popularity almost never wanes.

The series contains:

Queen Lucia
Lucia in London
Miss Mapp
Mapp and Lucia
Lucia's Progress/The Worshipful Lucia
Trouble for Lucia

These are perfect escapist novels if you love things like "Masterpiece Theater" or BBC television. Just the thing for a cold winter day and a cup of tea.