A Vision of Loveliness

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I enjoyed my reread of this book, it’s dark comedic narrative is almost satirical at times – and who doesn’t love that? While glamour is prevalent to the story, none of the situations in the story are very appealing by the realistic descriptions Levene gives of the underbelly of 60’s London.

Our long afternoon shadows from the southern slanted sun preceded us to where the car was parked just beyond a bridge pylon splattered in muddy swallow nests. I took a chance on it after seeing a review in one of the Emerald Street newsletters from some time ago.Suzy also introduces her to men who want to spend money on her, and educates her in the art of reeling them in. Set in the 1960s, this novel follows Jane who is forced to live with her horrible aunt, and who wants to live a glamorous life.

I like the sound of some of her other books where at one point I thought I wouldn’t read any more of hers! The story is framed through the lens of a young gal (not yet twenty) who is desparate to improve herself, the circles she moves in and indeed her wardrobe. Gerard Deloume, who first settled here in the late 1890s, was drawn to the "space and freedom" it offered – "a place where the Lord's voice still echoed from His Creation". Growing up in a small town of 2,500, I enjoyed close relationships with many families as we spent time on local ranches, attended Saturday night square dances, and enjoyed exploring the out of doors in the mountains and outskirts of town.Crab apple blossoms in the spring, magnolias, crepe myrtle, her special roses, Grampa’s tulip tree, and even succulent flowers. From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English a vision of beauty/loveliness etc a vision of beauty/loveliness etc literary someone who is very beautiful → vision Examples from the Corpus a vision of beauty/loveliness etc • In that dream he saw a vision of loveliness: himself as Foreign Secretary. I’ve heard her in my mind day after day this beautiful autumn here in Central Wyoming as visions of magnificent loveliness have continued for weeks on end, dangling fleeting beauty in gardens, orchards, mountains and all over our towns. I like that it doesn't try and sugar coat the truth - it lets the audience reach those conclusions on their own. Women, it seems, cannot allow even the smallest uncalculating kindness: they are envious and selfish, loathing and loathsome.

i understand the author was trying to represent white working class attitudes of the time, but there exists a certain human responsibility which goes beyond providing authenticity in a work of fiction. The period detail is enthralling and it makes for compelling reading, but in the end I was left with a bad taste in my mouth.She scanned the tables vaguely and spotted a large group of rather drunk but rather smart-looking people over in the corner.

Evokes the period around 1960 in London very well - felt like Colin McInnes and Jake Arnott except very much a woman eyes view. When Jane finds a crocodile handbag left in a pub, it leads her to Suzy, a girl-about-town with the irresistible allure that Jane has been practising for so long. Jane, now Janey, has been practicing for this life, knows what she wants and is unapologetic in getting it. It's a parable with echoes of the case of James Bulger – only the families are middle-class, so what goes awry cannot be blamed on violent films or poverty. That said, she is rather un-formed, but I would take that to be intentional on the part of the author.Oh my, the vines, bushes, trees, and even prairie grasses are food for the soul in fleeting moments of golden evening gloaming. A chance encounter with a handbag leads Jane 'Janey' James through her journey to become one of society's upper class. But I guess the story isn’t really about that, it’s about Jane and how she got to that point, how she “climbed” that social ladder and used the people around her to get exactly what she wants. Interesting story but the narrator perspective changed randomly in places which was somewhat unsettling.