Dominika, you have redeemed this book for me! Not because I thought it was bad (Dorothy Whipple simply can’t be!) but because I found it almost unbearable sad. I love your view of the novel as an exploration of a woman’s calling to motherhood. Of course, I loved Lucy’s character! I think you’ve encouraged me to read St. Edith Stein before and I’m going to make her a priority in 2025. I’m a spinster myself but I find myself now with many children in my life, and I want to take seriously the call to be a Lucy-like person for them. Thank you as always for the depth and insight you bring to us in your writing.
Elizabeth, I can't imagine you're not already a Lucy-like person to them! I've always been struck by your generous and kind presence just online! And it really is an unbearably sad book at times. Geoffrey is monstrous. But also I forgot until I went back through it that it is punctuated with some excellent and biting humor:
'A lot of words beginning with "b" make good expletives. They relieve one's feelings.'
'But why, I should like to know,' said old Mrs. Sargent unwisely. 'Why should Sarah wish to relieve her feelings about her grandmother?'
'Ah,' said Vera. 'That's what you must ask yourself.'
TOO MUCH VERA 🤣
Also, I would definitely read Essays on Woman with you as a buddy read in 2025. I've only read it the once and it's really dense in places, so even while I was in the midst of reading it, I knew I didn't want to let too much time pass before rereading it.
Thank you for this essay Dominika. I haven't read 'They Were Sisters' or St Edith Stein (she's been on my tbr pile for a while though) but clearly I should! I loved how to wove together the insights from these two very different writers.
Thank you for your kind words, Becca! In one of her essays Flannery O'Connor defined a Catholic writer as a writer who faithfully presents reality as it is (or something along those lines), and I think that's why Dorothy Whipple's writing lends itself so well to St. Edith Stein's commentary. Whipple really does present the human condition (especially for women) so exceptionally true to life.
Great thoughts, Dominika. I have They Knew Mr. Knight on my shelves and it's long too! I find Edith Stein's example profoundly inspiring, and I love how you linked these writers across their different circumstances and overlapping times.
Thank you, Melody! All her books are absolute whoppers haha! But also completely unputdownable. And I know--I think of Edith Stein's life and writings all the time 💙
Such an interesting piece. I love Whipple and this the first of hers I read and one of my favourites. I also loved The Priory. I've never heard of Stein, but now I have! Thank you
I loved The Priory too! I let my kids have a movie marathon so I could read it in a day, because Whipple's characterization and storytelling is just so riveting! 🤣 And Stein is such an impressive woman--intellectually and personally. She lived by her convictions until the very end.
Thank you so much, Amber! Whipple is totally worth reading even just for the sheer mastery of her storytelling. It's so hard to tear myself away from her books when I've started reading one of them.
I just read that section of St Edith Stein the other day and loved it! So it is a delight to reread those same quotes that I wrote down again and have them linked to what looks like an interesting book that I’ll add to my (admittedly very long) tbr!
Thus far, I have only read Whipple’s Someone at a Distance. I will make this one a priority, especially as I am studying Christian spiritual formation. Great piece!
Oh yes! This is such a good book to consider for Christian formation. It's both so spiritually and psychologically astute. And I really enjoyed Someone at a Distance, but I love this one even more! My other favorite so far is Because of the Lockwoods.
Thank you! I think there are several reasons. She didn't become involved in the London literary circles of her day preferring instead her quiet, provincial lifestyle, which didn't help cement a lasting reputation. And then her writing fell out of fashion in the 50s and became unjustly associated with domestic melodrama.
Dominika, you have redeemed this book for me! Not because I thought it was bad (Dorothy Whipple simply can’t be!) but because I found it almost unbearable sad. I love your view of the novel as an exploration of a woman’s calling to motherhood. Of course, I loved Lucy’s character! I think you’ve encouraged me to read St. Edith Stein before and I’m going to make her a priority in 2025. I’m a spinster myself but I find myself now with many children in my life, and I want to take seriously the call to be a Lucy-like person for them. Thank you as always for the depth and insight you bring to us in your writing.
Elizabeth, I can't imagine you're not already a Lucy-like person to them! I've always been struck by your generous and kind presence just online! And it really is an unbearably sad book at times. Geoffrey is monstrous. But also I forgot until I went back through it that it is punctuated with some excellent and biting humor:
'A lot of words beginning with "b" make good expletives. They relieve one's feelings.'
'But why, I should like to know,' said old Mrs. Sargent unwisely. 'Why should Sarah wish to relieve her feelings about her grandmother?'
'Ah,' said Vera. 'That's what you must ask yourself.'
TOO MUCH VERA 🤣
Also, I would definitely read Essays on Woman with you as a buddy read in 2025. I've only read it the once and it's really dense in places, so even while I was in the midst of reading it, I knew I didn't want to let too much time pass before rereading it.
Thank you! That is so kind of you.
I’ve forgotten the humor which means I definitely need to reread it! LOL, that quote is hilarious!
I would love to buddy read Edith Stein’s Essays on Woman with you in 2025!
Thank you for this essay Dominika. I haven't read 'They Were Sisters' or St Edith Stein (she's been on my tbr pile for a while though) but clearly I should! I loved how to wove together the insights from these two very different writers.
Thank you for your kind words, Becca! In one of her essays Flannery O'Connor defined a Catholic writer as a writer who faithfully presents reality as it is (or something along those lines), and I think that's why Dorothy Whipple's writing lends itself so well to St. Edith Stein's commentary. Whipple really does present the human condition (especially for women) so exceptionally true to life.
Great thoughts, Dominika. I have They Knew Mr. Knight on my shelves and it's long too! I find Edith Stein's example profoundly inspiring, and I love how you linked these writers across their different circumstances and overlapping times.
Thank you, Melody! All her books are absolute whoppers haha! But also completely unputdownable. And I know--I think of Edith Stein's life and writings all the time 💙
I loved this essay. Stein is a favorite of mine but I’ve never heard of Whipple! Adding her on my TBR list for sure.
Thank you! And I hope you love her! She's a master storyteller and deserves a much wider readership.
Such an interesting piece. I love Whipple and this the first of hers I read and one of my favourites. I also loved The Priory. I've never heard of Stein, but now I have! Thank you
I loved The Priory too! I let my kids have a movie marathon so I could read it in a day, because Whipple's characterization and storytelling is just so riveting! 🤣 And Stein is such an impressive woman--intellectually and personally. She lived by her convictions until the very end.
So good! I’ve never heard of that author or that book but I love Edith Stein. I’ll be adding it to my (very short) fiction list! Beautiful.
Thank you so much, Amber! Whipple is totally worth reading even just for the sheer mastery of her storytelling. It's so hard to tear myself away from her books when I've started reading one of them.
Wonderful essay and thoughts! I will be on the lookout for Dorothy Whipple's They Were Sisters, as it sounds just like the type of book I love.
Melisa, I think our reading taste is nearly identical and I'm certain you would love Dorothy Whipple! 💙😄
I actually just bought a copy of They Were Sisters from Persephone. A bit of a splurge, but I suspect it will be worth it. :-)
Totally worth it! And their editions are so beautiful! It makes the reading experience extra wonderful.
I just read that section of St Edith Stein the other day and loved it! So it is a delight to reread those same quotes that I wrote down again and have them linked to what looks like an interesting book that I’ll add to my (admittedly very long) tbr!
Oh that's wonderful! And I understand the very long tbr pile. I'll never get through mine in this lifetime 😅
Thus far, I have only read Whipple’s Someone at a Distance. I will make this one a priority, especially as I am studying Christian spiritual formation. Great piece!
Oh yes! This is such a good book to consider for Christian formation. It's both so spiritually and psychologically astute. And I really enjoyed Someone at a Distance, but I love this one even more! My other favorite so far is Because of the Lockwoods.
Enjoyed your review of this unknown book, especially the compare to the writing of St Edith Stein. I wonder why this author was unknown.
Thank you! I think there are several reasons. She didn't become involved in the London literary circles of her day preferring instead her quiet, provincial lifestyle, which didn't help cement a lasting reputation. And then her writing fell out of fashion in the 50s and became unjustly associated with domestic melodrama.
There's good information here: https://www.cottontown.org/Culture%20and%20Leisure/Literature/Pages/Dorothy-Whipple.aspx
I've read four of her novels though and every one has been absolutely insightful and well-written.