Rating: 
Summary: delicious... with the added treat of Prunella Scales
Review: Prunella Scales' excellent reading brings to life these wicked and delicious stories of English village life. A pleasant diversion for the commute ..
Rating:
Summary: Ladylike Battles of Social Supremacy
Review: Ten years ago a friend suggested that if I were short of reading material I could do no better than to pick up a copy of 'Queen Lucia' - the first in a series of six 'Lucia' books. I ignored his advice but, fortunately for me, several months ago I experienced an attack of extremely good sense, bought the first book and have never looked back. 'Mapp and Lucia' (PLEASE read the three books preceding this one!!) will introduce you to the most disagreeable, ridiculous, shallow, narrow-minded, scheming, snobbish, frightful, venomous, adorable group of middle-class English ladies (not forgetting Mr Georgie Pilson) that you are EVER likely to meet. Every chapter oozes poison and I lapped it up. At the end of 'Trouble For Lucia' - the sixth and final book - it was most painful having to say 'au reservoir' to all my delightful new friends in Tilling. 'Mapp and Lucia' is arguably the best of the six but...it'll be so much fun making your own mind up!
Rating:
Summary: Tarsome? I should say not!
Review: Ten years ago a friend suggested that if I were short of reading material I could do no better than to pick up a copy of 'Queen Lucia' - the first in a series of six 'Lucia' books. I ignored his advice but, fortunately for me, several months ago I experienced an attack of extremely good sense, bought the first book and have never looked back. 'Mapp and Lucia' (PLEASE read the three books preceding this one!!) will introduce you to the most disagreeable, ridiculous, shallow, narrow-minded, scheming, snobbish, frightful, venomous, adorable group of middle-class English ladies (not forgetting Mr Georgie Pilson) that you are EVER likely to meet. Every chapter oozes poison and I lapped it up. At the end of 'Trouble For Lucia' - the sixth and final book - it was most painful having to say 'au reservoir' to all my delightful new friends in Tilling. 'Mapp and Lucia' is arguably the best of the six but...it'll be so much fun making your own mind up!
Rating: 
Summary: Mapp and Lucia: Napoleons of the Tea Room
Review: This is the first book I've read in E.F. Benson's "Lucia" series, and it is fun-filled ride indeed. For Benson novices, Lucia Lucas is a middle aged, recently widowed (in this novel), perfectly nice upper middle class woman who just happens to have the mind of Machavelli. Missing her obvious calling for World Domination, she is instead content to rule the social life of her small English village with an iron fist. As "Mapp and Lucia" begins however, Lucia has long since deposed any serious threat to her social dominance in her immediate vicinity, and decides fresher pastures are in order. She packs up her things (including , of course, best friend and right-hand-man Georgie) and moves to Tilling, where she expects she will be made society Queen in no time flat. Unfortunately for Lucia, Tilling already has a Queen, one Elizabeth Mapp, and she has no intention of relinquishing her crown.The scene is thus set for a true Battle Royal, only in Tilling the battelfields are luncheons and dinner parties, and the weapons fruit gardens and lobster recipes. The results are very very funny, as the genteel of Tilling spend a breathless year thoroughly enjoying each swipe, snub and put down. The hilarious climax has our heroines floating out to sea on an overturned kitchen table, with Lucia's last audible words promising delicious gossip just as soon as she gets out of her current mess. Benson draws his characters exquisitely well, I found myself flat out liking her. She is an Englishwomen of the 1930's, past her prime but still youthful, who just happens to be blessed (cursed?) with the personality of an Alpha Male. The resulting battle of wits with the formidable Mapp is fascinating; Mapp is clearly not her intellectual equal but through a mixture of deviousness and and cunning manages to pull the carpet from underneath Lucia's carefully laid plans time and again. The supporting characters are equally well written, with best friend Georgie and Mapp's crony Diva especially amusing. All in all, a funny, entertaining and biting satire that is well worth reading whether you are already a Lucia fan or are picking up a Benson novel for the first time. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Best of the series
Review: This is the highlight of the series, pitting Lucia against her less able, but equally ruthless counterpart, Elizabeth Mapp - two ladies who both consider themselves social queens of the village of Tilling. The ensuing war includes Fete's garden parties dinner parties and climaxes with the crafty Miss Mapp attempting to steal the recipe for Lobster ala Reisholme and being caught by Lucia, they are then caught in a flood and whisked out to sea on a kitchen table. Oh my!
Rating:
Summary: Best of the series
Review: This is the highlight of the series, pitting Lucia against her less able, but equally ruthless counterpart, Elizabeth Mapp - two ladies who both consider themselves social queens of the village of Tilling. The ensuing war includes Fete's garden parties dinner parties and climaxes with the crafty Miss Mapp attempting to steal the recipe for Lobster ala Reisholme and being caught by Lucia, they are then caught in a flood and whisked out to sea on a kitchen table. Oh my!
Rating:
Summary: Ladylike Battles of Social Supremacy
Review: This popular tale is a delight even 70 years later. The reader gets to know very well the primary characters in this social comedy. Benson does a superb job of describing the genteel battles between the two ladies in Tilling,concerning Lucia's much coveted lobster recipe, and invitations to dine. The men are, of course, secondary to the plot.They hover around the ladies like courtiers. I think that Georgie, Lucia's devoted and platonic friend, is my favorite character-perhaps the most genuinely nice person in the book. I sometimes even feel sorry for Miss Mapp when Lucia takes over social affairs so thoroughly! I wonder what would happen if Lucia and Miss Mapp were both interested in Major Benjy!
Rating:
Summary: like dynasty on smart pills
Review: What a delightful book! The bitchiness is fabulous--after reading Queen Lucia and Miss Mapp, I absolutely could not wait to find out what happened when the two of them crossed paths. This entire series is a can't miss, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys British wit and passive aggressive social antics that would put my mother-in-law to shame! Please try them and enjoy them--they are indeed a treat!
Rating:
Summary: like dynasty on smart pills
Review: What a delightful book! The bitchiness is fabulous--after reading Queen Lucia and Miss Mapp, I absolutely could not wait to find out what happened when the two of them crossed paths. This entire series is a can't miss, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys British wit and passive aggressive social antics that would put my mother-in-law to shame! Please try them and enjoy them--they are indeed a treat!
Rating:
Summary: The jewel of the series
Review: While all six of the 'Lucia novels' are convulsively funny, _Mapp and Lucia_ is by far the best of the bunch. Elizabeth Mapp is an immovable object and Emmeline Lucas an unstoppable force. Their collision in the quiet seaside town of Tilling is simply the funniest thing you'll ever read.
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