Rating: 
Summary: Subtle Story With Tragic Undertones.
Review: Miss Jean Brodie seems like a teacher sent from heaven: She's witty,well traveled,and clearly interested in her young female students,so much that she chooses several to become part of her"set" which is considered a great honor-but is it? The book slowly lets you see Miss Brodie's manipulative side as she tries to eeriely control her "girls" lives and forever changes them as a result. A bit episodic at times and the play(as well as movie) had a more powerful ending. Still,it's an interesting charactor study which will make you think well after you've finished it.
Rating: 
Summary: Complete Loyalty To Spark Due
Review: Originally published in 1961 in a single issue of the New Yorker, The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie set off a firestorm of worldwide praise which hasn't diminished with the passage of time. Though the novel has been adapted for the stage, made into an excellent Academy Award-winning film, and a six-part PBS special, the book has received little attention from American academia, though in England the scholarly attention shown the book and author Muriel Spark has been generous. It's a shame American academia has been disinclined to promote The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie in literature studies, as this has, for most of the general American public, regulated the book to something of obscurity status. Thankfully, novelist and critic John Updike has been a steady and dedicated Spark advocate for decades, reviewing each of her books in the New Yorker as they are released, thus vastly broadening her American audience. Like the best of the novels of Denton Welch, Erskine Caldwell, Jane Bowles, and Virginia Woolf, and the short stories of Isak Dinesen, there's something wonderfully off-center about Spark's novels which most American academics find impossible to comprehend and successfully digest, unless the book in question arrives on their desks already consigned to a safe, ready-made and recognizably-labeled syllabus. It's only the rare literary work which can be picked up and enjoyed by almost anyone, regardless of background, sex, age, or nationality, and The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie is such a disarming, open-handed book. Whether scholar, literature enthusiast, or average man or woman on the street, subway or farm, all can equally understand and embrace this book. The story of a bright, colorful and eclectic Scottish school teacher troublesomely employed by a tightly conservative girl's school in 1930s Edinburgh, the novel moves effortlessly backward and forward in time, and though never less than light in tone, has so many deceptive layers and angles that the book seems to be almost organic in nature. Nowhere does the reader sense an author's intruding hand, mind or decision-making process. Wise beyond reason, its gracious prose continually underscores poetic, psychological, and spiritual truths that subtly illuminate the ostensibly simple story of Brodie and her six special girls taking place in the foreground. Initially structured around an act of betrayal and a question of identity , the answer to the mystery is casually given midway through the story, making it clear to the undiscerning that the true focus of the novel lies elsewhere. Its complex themes of individuality, group identity, loyalty, hero worship, sublimation, rebellion against authority, neurosis, proxy relationships, and repression are effortlessly woven together and punctuated by symbolism so fine many readers may overlook it altogether. Less overtly funny than most, The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie stands out distinctly among all other Spark novels, which can generally be grouped by style and approach. Though a work of fiction, the book also includes elements of autobiography, memoir, and spiritual reflection. Seamless throughout, with The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie, Spark threw her net wider than she ever had before or has since. An excellent introduction to her remarkable oeuvre, readers will find the book highly readable. They'll also find themselves reflecting on its meanings and intentions for some time upon completion. Ultimately, the novel happily leaves the reader with more questions than answers; as in life, the larger mysteries remain.
Anyone who has seen the 1969 film adaptation (which understandably literalized most of the novel's themes) and believes reading the novel would be redundant is incorrect. As powerful as the film is, the book is immeasurably more powerful and wiser, if less overtly dramatic. Recently chosen as one of the 100 greatest novels of the 20th Century, The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie is certainly that.
Rating: 
Summary: reading for highschool
Review: This book was assigned to me for reading in preperation for my freshman year of highschool. I found it hard to get into at first. What keep me going was how all the characters evolved.It was funny, but the relationships seemed strange to me. I could not help feeling that Miss Brodie was a tad on the crazy side. The writing was spectacular. The book is a real page-turner
Rating:
Summary: Underrated Little Classic
Review: I read The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie because it was on the Modern Library List of the greatest novels of the 20th Century, and I knew it was pretty short. I thought it would be interesting to see why it made that list. As it turns out, I think The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is one of the books which earned its place on that list. The novel concerns Miss Brodie and here five students. She has chosen these five in order to craft them into her image. Miss Brodie is a spinster and wants to live her life through them. Miss Brodie imparts all of her views on them even though they conflict with the more conservative views of the school. Miss Brodie's views are very liberal. She is very frank when talking to her students about her sexual liasons, and she encourages some of them to become sexually active with a male teacher. Miss Brodie is also a fascist, and she tries to impart these views on the students, too. In the end, you see the ways in which she has influenced her students. The novel is really superb. I seems to comment on the how ideals can be taken too far and can be checked. Miss Brodie also seems to represent Calvinism and Fascism. She contrasts Miss Brodie's position with the school's more conservative positions. The novel is written in superb prose (I'm not sure why people complain). The repetitions in the prose are there for a reason (to represent propaganda). The characterizations, particularly of Miss Brodie and Sandy, are apt. It's really a graceful novel with a lot to say (much of which I agree with). It's definitely thought provoking and very worth a read.
Rating:
Summary: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Review: The story is of a spinsterish teacher at an all girls school in Scotland. The action takes place through a series of flashbacks before and after World War II. Miss Brodie takes six young girls under her wing and the girls spend their school years in a sort of cult with their teacher; a cult recognized and envied by both students and faculty. Miss Brodie's style of teaching is somewhat unorthodox and the girls learn about life in addition to their studies. Whether the girls were better off as the result of Miss Brodie's tutelage is up for debate. Miss Brodie is very frank about her sexual liasons and even tries to fullfill her own repressed sexuality by proxy throgh the girls. Additionally Miss Brodie's admiration of facism is passed on to her pupils. Miss Brodie is ultimately betrayed by the one girl who she felt had the most potential. Miss Brodie is ultimately dismissed and she spends her remaining years wondering who was her Judas.
Rating:
Summary: Great coming of age story for girls
Review: It's with a sense of real wistfullness that I remember this book. I am going to order another copy to relive the sense of interest and joy that I recall the first book inducing in me (hint, if I don't edit this review, it means that my memory hasn't let me down) A great book, that will induce a sense of confidence in girls, the charactarisation is that good. It's a real classic, energetically written, and I think every young person should be given the opportunity to read it. It's a little unconventional, even now, and it's difficult not to warm to the personalisation of Miss Brodie. This book makes you think of every person who has ever made a difference in your life, and treasure their memory.
Rating:
Summary: A Decent Read
Review: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is the story of an eccentric, unorthodox teacher at a private school in Scotland. The story's action centers around the title character's dealings and connivings with six of her favorite students who acquire the collective title "The Brodie Set". In the story the reader becomes privy to how Miss Brodie deals with these six students collectively and individually, the administration of the school at which she teaches, and her various romantic interests.
The book is a celebrated work, and one has to wonder why this is so. Certainly, the character of Miss Jean Brodie is initially interesting; here we have an opinionated, sexually liberated woman at a stodgy Scottish prep school in the early 20th century. To be sure, Miss Brodie would be much more interesting if the book had been written at the time of its setting, rather than in 1961; a character such as she would be much more likely to exist in the 60's. As the story proceeds, however, she become something of a bore, and that is probably just as well, since the focus of the story eventually shifts from Miss Brodie to a particular student of hers.
Interesting to this reviewer are the passages describing what eventually becomes of Miss Brodie's students. Some of these passages occur quite early in the story, as does the revelation of Miss Bridie's betrayer. Hence, the reader may infer that the author intends for the story to be something other than a whodunit mystery, with the reader trying to figure out who betrayed Miss Brodie and how.
The story lacks tension, and is, therefore, not an exciting read. So, we are not to be blamed for asking why this story is so celebrated. I must admit that, despite all of the shortcomings I have thus far discussed, I enjoyed the book. The prose has a refined and cosmopolitan feel; the sentences are artfully composed, restrained without being cryptic. The book's length makes it an excellent read for a long weekend, when reading without deep involvement is desired. And the storyline, while not exciting, does manage to hold interest. I think that perhaps the most appropriate adjective for this story is "intriguing." On that basis, I do recommend The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, but time the reading of it for when you simply want to kill time, without really wasting time.
Rating: 
Summary: A Weak Novel of Manners
Review: I'm astounded by all the applause this book's been getting. This book is well-written, but it lacks tension, humour, and anything resembling a plot. The use of flashbacks to tell the story is ineffective and confusing. It's also targeted for female readers since all the central characters are women. This book might be categorized as a novel of manners, but that would be overgenerous and an insult to Jane Austen.
Rating:
Summary: unique, but with many weaknesses
Review: The good points: an interesting story, which is at basic about a woman with a powerful and magnetic personality who used young girls to meet her own unmet personal needs - a manipulator extraordinaire. At first she is presented as a sort of hero and receives the girls' worship, but as the book progresses it becomes clear how unpleasant of a person she really is, despite the positive effects she has on some of the girls. Also positive in this book is that its plot definitely moves in a solid forward direction and it has a good smattering of flesh-and-blood characters and enough low-level perversity (mild examples of adults seducing teenage girls, and description about girls' developing chests, etc.) to keep the reader more-or-less expectant, or perhaps terrified, of what might just happen next... The weak points:
1) much of the writing itself was quite dull, even repetitive, and so often the grammar - in the PROSE! - was horrendous, with the worst offenders being run-on sentences that cause you to knock your head against the wall. 2) much of the information provided about the characters was repeated over and over again, almost like the author was doing it purposefully and for some sort of quaint humorous effect, which at first it was, but soon became simply annoying and insulting to the reader. I began to wonder if what the book really lacked was a strong editor. 3) Tons of extraneous detail about subjects that added nothing to the plot's core, subjects such as religion, politics, and who-knows-what-else. Once I recognized the detritus for what it was I started skimming, to no ill effects on my enjoyment of the book 4) The book was set up with the expectation of coming to a powerful climax, but the author basically gave away the ending throughout the book, so that by the end there came no sense of fulfillment...
Rating:
Summary: ENTERTAINING BUT SLIGHT
Review: Think of yourself as a 10 year old in the environment of a stagnated, uniformed, processed school for girls in the 1930's. The teaching is conservative and safe, so as not offend the sensibilities of the children or the parents. Into this steps Miss Jean Brodie, a teacher just entering into her 40's who discusses her love life, her vacations, her disagreements with the administration and the other teachers at her school. There isn't a lot of actual work you do in her class. This teacher is more interested in teaching you about obscure knowledge or about subjects that have nothing to do with the course. In fact, she seems to want to discuss whatever happens to be her interest at the moment. There's not a lot of actual work in the class but she does take you to art galleries, operas, botanical gardens and the like. You would think she was a cool teacher, right? Then you have entered into the world of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. It's easy to picture Miss Brodie as similar to Plato and the other philsophers of Athens as they attracted young aristocrats into their circles and put radical ideas into their minds. The girls in her classes are much too young to hold their own intellectually against her so they become more like worshipping disciples to Brodie's take on life. Brodie would be in as much trouble in the present day as she would in the 1930's. For good or bad, education in the public sector is founded on conformity. Anyone rocking the boat at an educational institution is generally looked on with suspicion or even resentment. The fact that the other teachers could not form relationships with their students like Brodie did added to their conspiracy against her. The Prime of Miss Brodie traces the relationship of one group of girls from the beginning of their contact, and through transitions to the future, the ultimate end of their relations. You get the sense that Brodie believes herself a heroine to be emulated, a person who is superior to everyone else, a demi-god of education. The fact that facism is mentioned more than once is a clue to the book. It hints that she thinks of her girls as flunkies or lesser shadows of herself that only serve to reinforce the fantasy of her life. The fact that she refers to her 40's as her prime shows that she is afraid she is already past it. I liked this book but I would call it "slight". By that I mean there's not a lot going on in it. I just didn't want to call it shallow. I didn't feel challenged by it really. It didn't push any envelopes of thought or form. Ironically, the feel of the novel has all the tinges of a conservative mind that fits the novel into a nice little frame. This book would have no problem being taught at a conservative, stifled, and repressed school. I guess that means I'm rebelling against Dame Muriel Spark.
|
