Cold Comfort Farm
Stella Gibbons
1932
233 pages
Penguin Books
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FTC disclosure: I bought this book, used (thank god), from Powells. The cover is glorious…in fact, it’s the best thing about the book.
This was a tough one for me, even though I knew it was meant as a satire. Gibbons was poking fun at the “gee, ain’t rural life grand” books that were popular at the time. And while the names were hysterical (Urk Starkadder, Harkaway and Caraway, Elfine…), I couldn’t abide Flora Poste and her Dudley Do-Right-eousness. Sure, the end result was that most of the family was (apparently) happier, but good lord, could the woman be any more interfering and “I know what’s best for you even if you don’t?” It was annoying, even if it was meant to be funny.
You know, I didn’t like Pride and Prejudice, either, and it’s meant to be a satire, as well. And Fool. God, I hated that book. (Although Lamb kicked some serious butt.) Lesson learned: avoid satires.
Also, just what was that nasty thing that Aunt Ada Doom saw in the woodshed? Other than a convenient excuse to act like a crazy woman for 70 years.
Oh, and here’s a brief synopsis: Orphan child Flora decides to go sponge of relatives for the rest of her life. She settles on her Starkadder cousins at Cold Comfort Farm, a dreary place full of wild, dreary, possibly insane people. Flora decides to be a busybody and goes about improving everyone’s lives. End result: they all live happily ever after, including Flora, who flies off into the sunset.
How funny that you love the cover – I saw it and thought, what a weird cover! :–)
Eek, I’m sorry it didn’t work for you. This one was recommended to me by a friend who said one of my short stories (yes, a satire) reminded her of it. She thought it was hilarious and I imagine I’m going to adore the book (once PBS actually gives me a copy…I’m next in line!).
Ooh I am sorry you didn’t like this one. I have to say I loved it. I went on to read Nightingale Woods and loved that too. It isn’t to everyone’s taste.
vivienne´s last [type] ..Yay me!
Don’t feel bad Jill, I didn’t like this one either. I just didn’t get most of the satire, and the best part for me were the cows, Graceless, Aimless, and Feckless.
When I read this one a few years ago, I thought it was fine, but I didn’t love it the way I thought I would. I think I missed much of the satire since I hadn’t read many of the books that it was alluding to and poking fun at. That said, I did watch the film version afterwards that stars Kate Beckinsale and I liked that a whole lot more… so maybe you would enjoy that! Just something to keep in mind!
Steph´s last [type] ..Steph and Tony investigate… a bunch of books!
Satires, sarcasm, and dark humor are three things I love, but I’m always running into about half my students staring at me with half-amused, half-disgusted expressions whenever we read one.
Some types of writing just do not sit well with certain readers. I, for example, absolutely do not like realistic, romantic chick lit. I love the unrealistic ones though. 
Trisha´s last [type] ..Ancient World- Mesopotamia
I actually recommended this for my book club a while back without having read it because all the reviews I saw said it was so funny. And parts of it were. But mostly I found it annoying and wound up skipping a lot of it to get to the end.
I own a copy of this book and I love the cover of mine. It’s really quirky. I enjoyed it, but it may have helped that I saw the movie first, and I had that vibe with me as a read. A lot went over my head, though.
Shelley´s last [type] ..October!
This sounds like a book to skip. Thanks for the heads up!
Wow! FARMER ZOMBIES!
* reads review *
Oh. . . Meh.
EL Fay´s last [type] ..the speaker of the poem is made from materials that are not meant to last- and wont survive- a lifetime
If anything, the cover is fantastically creepy and awesome!
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Oh no–not a satire fan? I love me some satire! But it has to be done well. Not a fan of Jane Austen (snore).
By the way, that cover is unreal. Like literally–is that a real cover?
Trish´s last [type] ..Announcing Baby – Coming Easter 2011
That cover freaks me out!
Oh well, I don’t like that cover, that alone will make me not pick it up.
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Get your nasty commenting skillz warmed up because I’ve got a review of Fool coming up!
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But…but…Lamb was satire, too!
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Seriously, wait a few weeks to let the details fade from your mind, and then watch the movie. It has the best cast ever (Stephen Fry will make you wet your pants laughing; ditto Ian McKellan and Rufus Sewell) and it is just amazing. Watch it. It’s so great.
Jenny´s last [type] ..Revolution- Jennifer Donnelly
Oh gosh, I love this book! As ridiculous as all of the Starkadders were, Flora Poste was the most ridiculous character in the book. I loved the way Gibbons made fun of the people that going around trying to make other peoples lives “better.” Love, love the movie, too.
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I can’t tell if that cover is frightening or quirkily awesome.
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