The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym Paula Byrne

 This biography was incredibly detailed and tended to be a bit dry, although I enjoyed it in the end, and Paula Byrne certainly wrote excellent analyses of Pym's novels, and the links between her life and her books. Part of the problem was that Barbara got on my nerves in the beginning, because she kept falling in love with unsuitable men in a masochistic manner. She also got carried away by Nazi Germany, and even fell for a handsome Nazi. However, this was not unusual for her class, and in her time, unfortunately. Also, far too much has been made of it, although she took a long time to realise what the Nazis were really like.

I started to enjoy the book more when Barbara started working for her country during the war, eventually becoming an officer in the Wrens. She seemed to become much more likeable, and she was really a very brave, resilient and religious woman. It was interesting that she remained friendly with most of the unsuitable boyfriends!

Reading this biography will certainly provide you with a greater understanding and appreciation of the novels.

I received this free ebook from Edelweiss.plus in return for an honest review.