WordsofaReader

The Edwardians is my first foray into the work of Vita Sackville-West. Prior to this all I knew of Miss Sackville-West was her firm association with Virginia Woolf. Shame on me for not seeking out her own personal brilliance sooner.The Edwardians is a in depth look into high society of Great Britons Edwardian period. The novel is supposedly based on many a true fact and figure. Set mainly, in the country estate house of Chevron the book deals with the highly guarded relationships of the social set of the era and their many first world issues.The language and the imagery brings this not so distant past into close focus. It's easy to get swept away in a world so far from ones own but at the same time knowing that the actual relatability of the characters is far from accessible.Not much happens in the way of plot points but it takes a step back from the reading process to really notice. The characters thoughts and opinions are such that they take over your conscious thought.While highly enjoyable, I found the novel unsettling at times. Being dragged into a place where loveless marriages of convenience are more than acceptable and where no one can really be trusted is a little dubious but overall I found being swept away to 'a more civilized' time wonderfully distracting.My particular edition was purchased at Shakespeare and Co in Paris and it has the famous stamp to prove it. I've looked forward to reading this book for years now but have continually put it off for one reason or another. I'm glad to have finally finished its pages and even more pleased that they didn't prove a dissapointment.For anyone yet to sample the lyrical prose of Vita Sackville-West, I highly recommend you do so as soon as possible.