Week 51: Gaudy Night

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Gaudy Night, by Dorothy Sayers

Dorothy Sayers is one of my favorites. In fact, the classical homeschooling philosophy I follow is based on a speech she gave, which kind of makes me boggle a bit. I just really enjoy her style, and have read some of her theological books as well as the mysteries. Gaudy Night is my favorite of the Wimsey mysteries--and he hardly appears in it, and there's no murder. Instead, the story focuses on Harriet Vane as she goes back to Oxford for the first time since her trial. She ends up staying in her old college for quite some time as she tries to figure out who is vandalizing things and writing poison pen letters.

Harriet spends a lot of time pondering questions that Sayers had a lot of opinions about--the difficulties (for women) of combining work and marriage, the importance of scholarly integrity, and suchlike. And as she ponders, she comes to realize a few things about herself and Lord Peter...

Comments

  1. FaithDecember 19, 2011 at 12:10 PM

    I love Sayers too and I've read most of the Lord Peter Wimsey books, but I found Gaudy Night a bit of a slog. It was soooo erudite. But I am glad I read it. My favorite though is Nine Tailors. Have you read that one?

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  2. Nancy LeekDecember 19, 2011 at 2:22 PM

    One of my favorites too. I wish you really had that cover and could make it into a bag!

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  3. JeanDecember 19, 2011 at 2:47 PM

    Hi Faith, yes I quite like the Nine Tailors, despite the interminable number sequences. I feel so sorry for poor Will.

    I would love to make this book cover into a bag. Come to think of it though, I have one objection to Gaudy Night. Harriet, knowing full well that there is a vandal running around the college who loves to destroy things, sets up a priceless ivory chess set in her room just so it can be smashed. It's idiotic of her and I think she wouldn't really do it.

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