The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Rating:
Summary: Absorbing but oddly unsatisfying
Review: This famous novel concerns an eccentric, charismatic teacher and her influence over a group of Scottish schoolgirls during the 1930s.

The subject is indeed a rich one. Teachers, particularly female teachers with strong personalities, can play a large role in the imagination of their students. This is particularly true when the students are female, and suffer a dearth of role models in the form of professional, independent women. That Miss Brodie exerts her power toward evil ends gives this story some spice and moral complexity.

Ultimately, though, this novel disappoints. Miss Brodie's commanding, unconventional personality is vividly conveyed, and Spark's polished, appealingly economical prose moves the story along with virtuosic skill. But this novel is often annoyingly arch and mannered, with Spark seemingly indulging in private jokes that leave the reader out. And in the end the narrative, despite all the portentous foreshadowing, doesn't add up to all that much. "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" captivates, but ultimately it's rather hollow.

Rating:
Summary: Gushing Fan Praise
Review: I'm sorry, I'm such a fan of this book I refuse to engage in detailed analysis. Read this book, slowly, outloud for the utter wit of the writing. No pack of one liners, this book is perfectly plotted and characters well developed. Then read this book again for the many very serious ideas it explores. I first read this novel for a philosophy course. A choice by no means eccentric. Spark has been compared to Jane Austen for her wit and social observation, but not because Spark imitates Austen. Spark is Jane Austen's mordently satirical, and far less kind daughter who's outgrown her provincial mom's world.

Rating:
Summary: Influence, manipulation, betrayal
Review: "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" is about the strange relationship between a teacher at an Edinburgh girls' school and her six students in the 1930's. To say Miss Brodie's teaching methods are unorthodox is an understatement. She prefers taking her students to the theater and art galleries to classroom instruction, favors subjects irrelevant to the traditional school curriculum, disdains science and mathematics, believes spirituality and wisdom can be attained only through art, and is fascinated with fascism, heartily endorsing the policies of Mussolini, Hitler, and Franco. Her "prime" refers to the time in her life when she is able to wield a sphere of influence over her students.

For a teacher, Miss Brodie is strangely self-absorbed; she would rather spend time discussing the minutiae of her own life with her students instead of paying attention to their interests and welfare. But she is possessive of them all the same. She seems to see them as extensions of herself and wants to live vicariously through them; the reader gets the impression that she is subtly encouraging her students to become sexually active with a male art teacher whom she herself loves. In fact, there is some playful innuendo while the art teacher paints the girls' portraits: "One day," he tells one of the girls, "I would like to do all you Brodie girls, one by one and then all together."

Lest you think this sounds like simplistic prurient drivel for adolescent girls, it should be mentioned that there is some hauntingly deep symbolism (one of the girls, now a nun, grips the bars of a grille when her old school friends come to visit her at the convent) woven into the themes of influence, manipulation, and betrayal: When Miss Brodie is betrayed by one of her students and loses her job, she realizes that there is a limit to which she can manipulate her students; her prime is over.

Rating:
Summary: The Transfiguration of the Commonplace
Review: Students who are forced to read this slender but pithy novel in high school or university classes often dismiss it was being 'about nothing', or just a dead bore. Which is a shame, as this powerful novel from Muriel Spark is one that needs to be appreciated and taken seriously - and enjoyed - by all readers, whether those in high school or those who lecture on it to classrooms of bored university students. Perhaps the lack of appreciation for this novel by students is the lack of interest with which teachers approach it. Perhaps it hits too close to the bone for many teachers, who, like Miss Brodie, endeavour to shape and form their 'set' and who, perhaps unwittingly, manipulate their students in the worst ways.

Whatever the reason, this text is one that should be read and taught ethusiastically, for it packs into its 150-odd pages a deeply comic yet troubling bunch of themes: betrayal, fitting-in, the power of imagination, adultery, and most importantly, the transfiguration of the commonplace. In a way the book is at the same time a paeon to and a curse of the imagination, demonstrating how it can enrich life (such as in the antics of Sandy and Jenny) yet also how it can damage others (such as Miss Brodie's false and manipulative ideas about love, sex, Teddy, Rose and so forth).

Muriel Spark writes about things she knows well, in this case teaching, Edinburgh, girls schools, sex and betrayal. A book not only worth reading, but well worth teaching, and an excellent introduction to the works of Spark, whose other works are equally compelling and astute.

Rating:
Summary: Gets Better With Age
Review: I remember reading this book in high school, like most of the reviewers on this page. And, like most of the reviewers here, I recall that at the time I found this book incredibly boring; its only redeeming quality was that it ended after 150 pages. It has been 6 years since I was subjected to Brodie, and I've read hundreds of books since then, yet for some reason Brodie is one of only a handful of novels that has truly remained with me. Miss Brodie, so arrogant and destructive, and Sandy, who goes through what can only be described as one of literature's most trying adolescences, are two of the most deeply human characters one will encounter in 20th century English literature. Add to that a strong feminist undercurrent and a unique perspective on pre-war politics, and you have a recipe for an enduring classic. Spark is a very good, though not immensely talented writer, (which might explain why this book is so difficult for high school students to get through) but she succeeds in crafting an interesting group of characters, and has a great deal to say for such a short novel. So, for all the students who end up reading this book in 9th grade English, I would say that even if you don't enjoy the book now, there is a reason why it is being taught; it is one of those little novels, like To Kill a Mockingbird or The Catcher in the Rye, that almost everyone who reads through it is ultimately better for. For anyone else looking for a quick read that will stick with them, I recommend this title without hesitation. It is certainly not the greatest book ever written (as dozens of young reviewers can certainly attest) but it is deserving of its status as one of the 100 best of the 20th century.

Rating:
Summary: Good 'n' short...
Review: We are a class of seven girls, and we have a female English teacher who has aspirations to become the next Miss Jean Brodie... As we read the book, we began to notice similarities between our teacher, Miss Sinclair, and Miss Brodie herself. Now, we have the distinct feeling that we in effect ARE the Sinclair set, but we don't seem to get to play very much golf... We were divided about the book. Some of us, including myself, found it very good, whereas others found it a bit stupid and unbelievable. One of the books benefits was it's shortness, as it was just the right length to read over, say, a weekend. However, it is doubtful that a teacher would get away with such extreme actions for so long. We all felt that Miss Brodie was portrayed as a victim of her own strong will, and that some of her thinking and teaching was particularly ahead of her time.

Rating:
Summary: Another one from your class cook my boy
Review: The book is about well nothing really. THe book contains nothing if you want to read something interesting, WRONG BOOK. If you want a punishment for anyone aged 1-30 make them read this and even better make them write an essay on it. If you ever have the unfortuante task of reading this book then stop after the first word and i promise you'll never regret it, I WISH I HAD. Only the devil and Mr Cook (are they the same person ?????) would make you read this. If you ever want to amuse yourself, if you have to read this for english, think of ways you can destroy the book, if not for yourself for humanity.

Rating:
Summary: Mr cook another disgruntled pupil
Review: This book was rubbish from beggining to end Muriel Sparks novel made me think how interesting my pen looked i read this as a punishment (im sure thats why we had to read it) in my english class under another Facist, how else could you like it, Mr Cook he tried to cover up how boring this book was by saying it helped you understand about why people betray each other but does it ever tell you, does it ever hint about it NO! I mean who cares about a group of girls who do nothing say nothing do nothing happens to them. That explains the rating.

Rating:
Summary: Another of Mr COOK'S pupils
Review: I am another person forced to read this book by my English teacher Mr Cook and the corrupt education system. I thought this book was awful and boring it has to be one of the worst books I have ever read (which isnt many). I also think what Miss Brodie did was a disgrace and puts alot of Mis-trust is teachers and the education system in general. If my parents thought these activities were going on in my school (Marr College) i would be amediatly withdrawn from it, so i think Sandy was right to betray Miss Brodie.

Rating:
Summary: Mr Cook 2 , The Sequel, This Time Its Personal
Review: I just wanted to say that this book made me wish that theyd legalise hand guns in the UK. It is the kind of book that makes little children cry. I have read more intresting stuff on the bake of crisp packets. In conclusion 9/10 phycopathic maniacs recomend reading The Pride Of MJB before going on a random killing spree.