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Little Bee by Chris Cleave

Jan11

My sister suggested, practically mandated, that I read this book. And the inside-the-cover blurb suggests, practically mandates, that reviewers of this particular title not provide much plot summary. They say it would spoil the experience of the story to tell you what happens or even talk about the characters. I had some issues with the book, even though I found it an absorbing read, so I’m going to disobey and talk about the characters and even the plot in general terms and see if I can work through my issues. If you are considering Little Bee as your next read and you are afraid that my discussion will spoil it for you, don’t read. You have been warned.

Little Bee, the title character, is a Nigerian refugee who has been imprisoned in a British immigrant detainment center for the past two years. The book is about what happens when Little Bee gets out of the detainment center and about what happened two and a half years before on a beach in Nigeria to Little Bee and to a couple from England, Andrew and Sarah. The good part about this book is that I read it to the end to see what would happen to the characters. Therefore, I must have cared what happened to the characters. But, however, nevertheless, I don’t really think I did, care, that is. I didn’t like them very much. Oh, it was easy to feel sympathy for Little Bee, a refugee from the horrors of civil war and cruelty in Nigeria’s oil disputes. But even while I was feeling very, very sorry for her, I also felt as if I were being manipulated somehow. I do sympathize with refugees and illegal immigrants. I tend to believe in open borders, although I’m not sure how that sort of governmental policy would work out in reality. I think it’s horrible and bad policy to keep people in some kind of pseudo-prison while their refugee status is pending approval from on high, an approval that hardly ever comes. But many, many illegal immigrants are not in fear of being murdered if they return to their home countries. Some are in fear of starving to death; others just want to make a better life for themselves and their families. A few are very likely terrorists themselves. In other words, the character of Little Bee is a sympathetic over-simplification of the immigration issue.

And Sarah is (spoiler warning) an adulteress, with no good excuse or justification for her behavior. Andrew, Sarah’s husband, is a coward in a moment of extreme stress when an instant decision is required. I couldn’t really fault him; I probably wouldn’t be able to make the courageous sacrifice he was asked to make on the spur of the moment either. But Andrew’s character was never really fleshed out beyond that one fateful decision anyway, so I didn’t care much about him either. Lawrence, the “other man,” was a wimp and a cheater, so I couldn’t stand him. And Charlie, Sarah’s and Andrew’s four year old son, wore his Batman suit throughout the story and unknowingly caused a couple of really bad things to happen, so I wanted someone to keep a better eye on him and keep him from causing such trouble. No one did.

I dunno. If you’re up for a tragic story about some well meaning people who happen to have serious issues, you might like Little Bee very much. On a different day, I might write a more positive review. Today a mildly discontented review, and links to other bloggers that really liked it a lot, is all I can do.

Other views and reviews:
Caribousmom: “Cleave’s prose is ironic, at times humorous (although the themes of the novel are anything but funny), and original.” (I agree with that description of the writing in this book. The dialogue, and the inner monologue, in particular, were captivating.)
Judy at Carpe Libris: “I love the title character and her deep honesty about life. Also, her observations of human nature are compelling. Too bad she is not real. I would love to meet her someday.”
Rhapsody in Books: “The facts that Cleave brings to your attention about Nigeria and about detention centers are undeniably true, and that’s what I believe you will take away from this story. It’s yet another good reminder of how truly fortunate we are.”
Hey, Lady! Whatcha Readin’?: “Where I think the author excels is in getting the reader to examine their own humanity. What would you give up for someone else’s life? When put in this situation, a person learns their character, and in one character’s case in this book, found they came up short.”

The Unbearable Lightness of Scones by Alexander McCall Smith

Jan10

To read and enjoy one of Alexander McCall Smith’s 44 Scotland Street novels, one must be in a certain frame of mind. It’s not exactly the same mind set that’s required for the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books by the same author. Those books are a little more linear and plot driven, although like the 44 Scotland Street novels, the plot in all of McCall Smith’s books does tend to meander a bit. The appropriate mood isn’t a Wodehousian mood either, even though McCall Smith shares some of P.G. Wodehouse’s sense of humor and appreciation for the quirks of human behavior.

McCall Smith’s books are all about the characters —and the homespun philosophical rabbit trails that the characters’ predicaments inspire in the author and in the reader. The inhabitants of 44 Scotland Street (both the novels and the setting) include:

Bertie is a precocious and endearing six year old with an overbearing mother, his own psychiatrist, a wimpy but loving father, and a desire to join the cub scouts in spite of his mother’s disapproval.

Bertie’s schoolmates, Tofu and Olive, add further confusion to his life as Tofu calls Bertie’s mom names while Olive insists on joining the cub scouts along with the boys.

Irene, Bertie’s mother, finds her fulfillment in maternal smothering of her offspring and in her own weekly visit to the psychiatrist.

Matthew, newly married to Elspeth Harmony. Their honeymoon in Australia is much more adventurous, and dangerous, than either of them could have imagined.

Angus Lordie and his dog, Cyril, both thought to be confirmed bachelors until the six puppies show up on the doorstep, soon find themselves contemplating marriage.

Bruce Anderson, “erstwhile surveyor and persistent narcissist,” undergoes a personal reformation when he realizes that moisturizer may not be enough to stave the ravages of age forever.

And Domenica MacDonald tries to catch a thief, but finds herself inadvertently becoming the very thing she abhors.

There are lots of other “characters” —in every sense of the word: Big Lou and her Jacobite boyfriend; Nick the photographer; Lard O’Connor, owner of a very special painting; Uncle Jack, president of the Cat Society of Singapore; and many more. As the reader meets each one, it is advisable to take them on their own terms, smile gently, and allow each person in the saga his or her own foibles and curious eccentricities. That’s the attitude for 44 Scotland Street: playful, amused tolerance and appreciation for the almost unbearable lightness of life.

The Unbearable Lightness of Scones is the fifth book in this particular series, and although it’s not necessary at all to read the books in order or to have read the first four before reading this one, anyone who enjoys The Unbearable Lightness of Scones will want to pick up the others at some point–no hurry, when you’re in the mood.

Murder Your Darlings by J.J. Murphy

Jan4

Well, Dorothy Parker and her coterie at the Algonquin Round Table are the kind of people who are fun to read about, but I wouldn’t want to spend much time with them in person.

Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song,
A medley of extemporanea,
And love is a thing that can never go wrong,
And I am Marie of Roumania. ~Dorothy Parker

In this first in a new series of famous-people-solve-mysteries, Dorothy Parker and close friend Robert Benchley find themselves at the center of a murder investigation since the corpse was found under the famous Algonquin Round Table. Other “bright young things”–Alexander Woolcott, Robert Sherwood, Frank Adams, Heywood Broun–make their appearances, strut and fret their hour upon the stage. The writers and hangers-on at the Algonquin are much more concerned with appearances and wit than with whodunnit, and the murder mystery plot serves mostly as vehicle for the famous and fabulous celebrities to display their sparkling repartee and tell their latest jokes.

I was most interested in finding out how much of the story was based on fact. It turns out that a lot of the talk is true or true to life but not much of the action really happened. Dorothy Parker and the others certainly existed and lunched together at the Algonquin. And they were known for their literary expertise and their clever conversation. And William “Billy” Faulkner, who shows up visiting New York City from down South just in time to become the prime suspect in the murder, did actually spend some time in NYC in the early 20’s, but probably didn’t meet the Algonquin set at that time. Much of the dialogue in the book is based on quotations or purported quotations from Mrs. Parker and her friends. And, the group known as the Algonquin Round Table did drink copious amounts of alcohol, despite the difficulties associated with Prohibition.

However, no murder, and some of the timeline of Dorothy Parker’s life is moved around to accommodate the necessities of fiction. As the author J.J. Murphy says, “The members of the Algonquin Round Table didn’t usually let the facts get in the way of a good story.” I doubt they’d object to Ms. Murphy’s portrayal of their fictional selves in this romp.

“Everything I’ve ever said will be credited to Dorothy Parker.”
George S. Kaufman

I must say that by the end of the book I was heartily tired of all the sophisticates and self-conscious critics in the story who were oh-so-superior and oh-so-drunk and oh-so-witty at one another’s expense that it was hard to feel much sympathy for any of them. Faulkner comes across as a droopy, alcoholic genius (which he may have been), and Mrs. Parker is a lush with a crush on her friend Benchley, who unfortunately has a wife and children in the suburbs but spends most of his time gallivanting with Dorothy and her circle. Even Dorothy Parker herself became somewhat contemptuous of her younger self and of the so-called Vicious Circle, saying:

These were no giants. Think who was writing in those days–Lardner, Fitzgerald, Faulkner and Hemingway. Those were the real giants. The Round Table was just a lot of people telling jokes and telling each other how good they were. Just a bunch of loudmouths showing off, saving their gags for days, waiting for a chance to spring them…. There was no truth in anything they said. It was the terrible day of the wisecrack, so there didn’t have to be any truth…

So, if you’re a fan of the times or of Ms. Parker herself, Murder Your Darlings is a decent enough tribute. The plot is a little creaky and so are the jokes, but that’s the material Murphy had to work with. I enjoyed it for the most part right up until the denouement, which turned out to be rather nasty, and as I said, I was weary of empty wit by then.

Murder Your Darlings should be available in bookstores and online starting today, January 4, 2011.

Semicolon’s Twelve Best Adult Fiction Books Read in 2010

Dec31

So Much For That by Lionel Shriver. Ms. Shriver rants about health care, and tells a pretty good story. Semicolon review here.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Semicolon review here.

Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser. Classic tale of a fallen woman who actually ends up with nothing worse than a feeling of vague discomfort with her pointless life. Semicolon review here.

Black Narcissus by Rumer Godden. Semicolon review here.

The Other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson. Semicolon review here.

Crossers by Phillip Caputo. Very violent with gratuitous sex, but also insightful about the U.S./Mexico border wars. Crossers are people who cross the border illegally, for whatever reason, mostly drugs or economic opportunity.

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. Very introspective, depressing, and thought-provoking.

Triangle by Katharine Weber. Not only about the famous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, but also about music. And it’s a history mystery.

Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus by Orson Scott Card. This historical fiction/science fiction novel by a master of both genres was so absorbing that I stayed up late to finish reading it and to find out what would happen to Christopher Columbus in a re-imagined world, changed by time travelers from the future.
Semicolon review here.

Shanghai GIrls by Lisa See. Semicolon review here.

The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson. This book reminded of something as I was reading, and it was only after I finished that I realized what it was: it has a “Touched by an Angel” feel to it, only with a lot more Jesus than Touched By an Angel ever saw fit to indulge. Semicolon review here.

The Best Book I Read in 2010:My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay. Semicolon review here. This story represents really sophisticated and deeply significant Christian fiction. Ms. McKay is not afraid to tackle the hard questions: why does God allow suffering? Why do bad things happen to good people? How do Christians pray when it seems as if God isn’t listening? How is Romans 8:28 (“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”) true? Is it true? Really?
Not only does the book deal with these and other hard questions, the writing is also courageous enough not to give simple, easy answers. But it also doesn’t say or imply that there are no answers. Oh, just read it. Fantastic.

12 Books I Plan to Read on my New Kindle This Year

Dec28

Yes, I got a Kindle for Christmas. I’ve already read one book on it, and I plan to read a lot more. I hope to use the Kindle mostly for “classics” reading because I believe in reading old books and because old, out of print/copyright books are inexpensive and easier to find in e-Reader format.

I’m excited about reading these books soon:

The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy. I’ve already starte this one, and although it’s moving a little too slowly for my middle grade fiction-saturated brain, it may be just what I need to re-enter the adult book world for a while.

A Passage to India by E.M. Forster. I’ll be reading this book sometime this year for My Friend Amy’s Faith and Fiction Roundtable.

The Club of Queer Trades by G.K. Chesterton. I’ve been wanting to read this novel by Chesterton for some time, but I haven’t been able to find a copy. Amazon Kindle had a copy of Chesterton’s complete works for a great price.

The Guns of Bull Run by Joseph Alexander Altsheler. I read one of Mr. Altsheler’s books about the Texas Revolution and thoguht he was at least as good as Henty, maybe better. He has a whole series of books set during Civil War battles, and if I like this first one, I’ll read the rest.

The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope. I like Trollope, and this one is supposed to be one of his best novels.

Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson. I don’t usually like short stories, but these are inter-related short stories about the people who live in a small town in Ohio. So, yeah, maybe.

The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne. Another book I’ve wanted to check out, but have been unable to find. Milne writes mystery.

The Crisis by Winston Churchill. No, not that Winston Churchill. The other Winston Churchill was an American, turn of the century, best-selling author of mostly historical fiction. The Crisis is set during the Civil War.

The Octopus: A Story of California by Frank Norris. Another turn of the century novelist, Norris wrote mostly naturalistic stories about corporate greed and monopolistic businessmen. The Octopus is about the Pacific and Southwest Railroad in California.

The Reign of Law: A Tale of the Kentucky Hemp Fields by James Lane Allen. A best-seller in 1900.

Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim. Another one I’ve been looking for.

Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent. The 2010 Christy Award in the First Novel category went to: Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent (Tyndale House Publishers). I somehow managed to download it for free at the Kindle store on a day when someone was feeling generous.

So, I downloaded all of the above for free, or almost free, and I intend to tryout each and every one. I’ll let you know what I think.

Historical Fiction Picks for 2011

Nov15

From this list of forthcoming historical fiction titles, I pick the following that I would very much like to read next year:

Dale Cramer, Paradise Valley, Bethany House (in 1921, a new Ohio law forces the Amish to attend public schools), January 2011. I’ve read several other novels by Mr. Cramer, and I think he’s quite a good writer. Here’s my review of Levi’s Will, another Amish-themed novel by Cramer.

J.J. Murphy, Murder Your Darlings, Signet (an Algonquin Round Table mystery featuring Dorothy Parker), January 2011. Although Dorothy parker would have been an uncomfortable person to know, she remains fascinating to look at from a distance. Her acerbic wit engages my own sense of humor, but again I’m glad to escape the exercise of that wit upon my foibles.

Jill Paton Walsh, The Attenbury Emeralds, Minotaur (new Dorothy Sayers-inspired mystery, which revisits Lord Peter Wimsey’s first case; set in 1951), January 2011. I’ve read at least one of Jill Paton Walsh’s Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries, the first called Thrones, Dominations, and I thought she did a good job of following in the footsteps of a master mystery writer, Dorothy Sayers.

Anne Perry, Treason at Lisson Grove, Ballantine (first Thomas and Charlotte Pitt mystery in three years; set in Victorian London), April 2011. I like Anne Perry’s Victorian mysteries, although the author’s personal story is rather bizarre, especially for a writer of murder mysteries.

Mary Doria Russell, Doc, Random House (chronicles of the lives of Doc Holliday and his girlfriend Kate in Dodge City, Kansas, during one memorable summer), May 2011. Ms. Russell’s The Sparrow was one of the very best books I read in 2009, so I’m willing to try out anything she writes, even a novel with a western setting.

Nicola Upson, Two for Sorrow, Harper Paperbacks (third installment of Josephine Tey mystery series), July 2011. I’ll only read this one if I can manage to find and read the first two in the series and if I like them. I’m quite fond of Josephine Tey’s novels, so I hope this fictional version of the author does her justice.

Veiled Freedom by J.M. Windle

Sep30

Kabul, 2001—American forces have freed Afghanistan from the Taliban. Kites have returned to the skies. Women have removed their burqas. There is dancing in the streets.

Kabul, 2009—Suicide bombing, corruption in government, a thriving opium and heroin trade, Sharia law, and women oppressed and treated as slaves and property. Is this the Afghanistan, the free country, that American soldiers and Afghan freedom fighters gave their lives to secure?

In her exploration of the state of liberty and democracy in Afghanistan today, J.M. WIndle creates three characters who serve as examples of some of the conflicts and intricacies that exist in that war-torn country. Amy Mallory is a twenty-something Christian relief worker who’s experienced emergency situations around the world, but nothing like Afghanistan. Steve Wilson is a former Special Forces operative who now works for a private security company. His job is to protect the new Afghani Minister of the Interior, the person second in command to the president of Afghanistan. Jamil is a native Afghan with a troubled past. He goes to work for Amy’s NGO because he needs a job to be able to eat, but working for a woman, even an ex-patriate woman, has its challenges in Afghanistan.

This novel includes plenty of material to offend or discomfort ideologues. The teachings of Isa Masih (Jesus) and Muhammed are compared, and Muhammed comes up short. At the same time, American and European efforts to change the surface of Afghan society obviously fall far short and at times are counterproductive. Security expert Steve Wilson comes to the conclusion that we should just leave Afghanistan to the Afghans and allow chaos to ensue. Aid worker Amy Mallory decides to stay and try to help in spite of the severe restrictions on what she can do or say or offer. Jamil finds his own way to pursue freedom and justice, but the price may be his life.

I’ve read several other books, both fiction and nonfiction, set in Afghanistan, and this novel, from a Christian perspective, reinforces my view that Christian ministry in a Muslim culture is a difficult and costly calling. Although God can and will work anywhere, the Christian who attempts to demonstrate the love and mercy of Christ to Muslims will most likely find deep-seated opposition and spiritual warfare. In every culture, American, Arabian, Afghan, German, Chinese, or Australian, there are aspects of that culture that set themselves up in opposition to the gospel. In the United States some of those opposing forces are materialism and the lure of riches, the sexual saturation that permeates Western culture, and pride in our own accomplishments both individually and as a culture. In Afghanistan a lack of respect for women, moral self-righteousness, and the concept of honor within a closed society all combine to combat both political and spiritual freedom.

Veiled Freedom uses the vehicle of a political thriller to discuss some of these issues in both Western and Afghan culture and to explore at least one way in which the gospel of Jesus Christ might be able to infiltrate and transform Afghanistan. The ending is kind of a long shot, but with God all things are possible.

June Bug by Chris Fabry

Sep29

This one is supposed to be a take-off on my favorite book of all time, Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Ummm, all I can say is I liked Les Miserables a lot better.

In this version, Jean Valjean is a man named John Johnson, and Cosette is a little girl named June Bug. Johnson and his assumed daughter June Bug travel the USA in their RV, seeing all the sights and parking in Walmart parking lots when they run out of money for campsites. There is no Inspector Javert, just a nice sheriff named Hadley Preston who wouldn’t hurt a flea or hunt down a thief. I thought there were a lot of holes in the plot, and June Bug, although somewhat endearing, is innocent and precocious in turn so that I kept having to look again to see how she was really supposed to be (nine years old). A single woman, who meets the pair in the Walmart parking lot and doesn’t know anything about them, invites father and daughter to live in her house while they’re waiting for a replacement part for the RV. I have my doubts that anyone with a lick of sense would extend such an invitation. John Johnson is too good to be true, and the real villain of the piece, whose name I won’t divulge, is way too bad to be quite believable –no redeeming qualities at all.

Anyway, I read to the end, but I’m just not recommending this novel, even though it was nominated for a Christy Award for Christian fiction last year. Maybe I missed something.

Becky’s Book Reviews: “I wish more of the story could have been told through June Bug’s perspective. We have a little bit of her story as seen through her own eyes. But the narrative shifts throughout the book to many different characters. What I did like was that most–if not all–of the characters we get to meet have some substance.”

Books, Movies, and Chinese Food: “The book is described as a modern version of Les Miserables. I could see the similarities but if you’re really looking for an adaptation, you’re not going to find it. I think the story holds up well on its own.”

Relz Reviewz: “‘June Bug’ is the very definition of bittersweet. As the final chapters reveal all the details of the truth Johnson kept hidden, my heart broke and tears flowed.”

So, yeah, they all liked it; the deficiency must be in my reading. If you want a “bittersweet” story of family intrigue and Christian suspense, check it out. But if you haven’t read Les Miserables, you really, really should before you spend reading time on June Bug.

The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson

Sep22

Someone recommended Lisa Samson when I asked about favorite authors of Christian fiction, and I took the bait and borrowed The Passion of Mary-Margaret from the library. The novel was published by Thomas Nelson Publishers in 2009, and I must say I was surprised. Not only was the story absorbing and eminently readable, it was very Catholic. That’s not what I expected from an evangelical writer and an evangelical publisher. The book reminded of something as I was reading, and it was only after I finished that I realized what it was: it has a “Touched by an Angel” feel to it, only with a lot more Jesus than Touched By an Angel ever saw fit to indulge.

Sister Mary-Margaret is seventy years old, and she’s already anticipating the day when she will see God face to face. Since that day could conceivably come at any time, even though Sister Mary-Margaret is in good health, our narrator decides to write down the events of her life and the things she’s learned in the past seventy years.

Because Sister MM is getting older, she move easily between past and present, a fact which makes the timeline in the book a bit confusing in places. The story concentrates on what is happening in the present and moves without warning, sometimes with very few transitional signals, into the past and the events of Sister MM’s youth and the beginning of her life as a religious (similar to a nun). Then, the story takes a detour into the mystical as Sister MM has conversations with Jesus, a Jesus who appears whenever he wishes in bodily form and tells Sister MM whatever he wants her to know.

It took me a little while to get into the flow of Samson’s story and style. Sister Mary-Margaret’s voice is practical, somewhat humorous and irreverent, and at the same time spiritual in the best sense of the word. She’s in the world, but not of it. She’s fully aware of sin and suffering in this world, but also in tune with the heartbeat of Jesus and His love for His broken creation. I thoroughly enjoyed Samson’s story of the awakening and spiritual journey of this Catholic religious sister and her unorthodox journey with Jesus as guide. I’ll be looking for other books by Lisa Samson. Any suggestions?

More reviews of The Passion of Mary-Margaret:
Lisa at 5 Minutes for Books: “I have a little trouble with the mysticism contained in the story. Remember, I told you Lisa Samson likes to push the envelope a bit? Mary-Margaret sees Jesus, talks to Jesus (and He talks back), has tea with Jesus. I can’t decide whether this contributes or detracts from my personal endorsement of the novel.”

My Friend Amy: ” . . . this novel is so completely lovely, so full of reality and yet so bathed in the love of Jesus that it moved me deeply, and in short, makes me feel like a better person for having read it.”

Relz Reviews: “Brilliant characterisation by Lisa brings Mary-Margaret, Jude, Sister Angelica and every other character to grace the pages of this book, to tangible life with their failings and strengths authentically displayed.”

The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith

Sep20

I’ve decided that on Mondays I’m going to revisit the books I read for a course in college called Advanced Reading Survey, taught by the eminent scholar and lovable professor, Dr. Huff. I’m not going to re-read all the books and poems I read for that course, probably more than fifty, but I am going to post to Semicolon the entries in the reading journal that I was required to keep for that class because I think that my entries on these works of literature may be of interest to readers here and because I’m afraid that the thirty year old spiral notebook in which I wrote these entries may fall apart ere long. I may offer my more mature perspective on the books, too, if I remember enough about them to do so.

Author: Oliver Goldsmith was born November 10, 1728, the son of a poor Irish clergyman. He was educated at various borading schools and one of his schoolmasters called him a “stupid, heavy blockhead.” You can read his most famous play, She Stoops to Conquer online. The Vicar of Wakefield, Goldsmith’s novel, is also available here. Said novel starts with this line:

“I was ever of opinion that the honest man who married and brought up a large family did more service than he who continued single and only talked of population.”

This line was written back when populating the world was still considered a service. The book goes on to tell the story of Dr. Primrose, the vicar of Wakefield, and his family and his many troubles.

Goldsmith himself was an unknown literary critic in poor financial straits until he became a protege of Samuel Johnson. Samuel Johnson said of his friend Goldsmith: “Goldsmith, however, was a man, who, whatever he wrote did it better than any other man could do.” High praise, indeed. Goldsmith, however, said of Samuel Johnson: “There is no arguing with Johnson; for when his pistol misses fire, he knocks you down with the butt end of it.“

His association with Samuel Johnson brought Goldsmith recognition but not financial success. When Goldsmith died in 1774, he was in debt for 2000 pounds, a great deal of money in that day.

Characters:
Dr. Primrose–the vicar of Wakefield
Mrs. Primrose–his wife
George, Sophia, Olivia, and Moses–the Primrose children
Mr. Thornhill–a gentleman
Sir William Thornhill–Mr. Thornhill’s uncle
Miss Wilmot–George’s fiancee

Summary:
Dr. Primrose and his family endure various trials and vicissitudes, including the seduction of one daughter, the loss of their fortune, a fire, and the imprisonment of the title character. It’s supposed to be funny, folks.

Quotations:
“Man little knows what calamities are beyond his patience to bear till he tries them . . . As we descend, the objects appear to brighten, unexpected prospects amuse, and the mental eye becomes adapted to its situation.”

“Her own misfortunes engrossed all the pity she once had for those of another, and nothing gave her ease. In company she dreaded contempt and in solitude she only found anxiety.”

More reviews:
Hope at Worthwhile Books on The Vicar of Wakefield: “The language was not singularly beautiful nor were the characters richly developed. In fact, the calamities and coincidences in the book were so unbelievable that I had to force myself to finish it. “