Evelyn Smith (1885–1928)

I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.


I have reviewed several memoirs. This one made me contemplate many things. This is the life story of a woman who fell in love with a young Navy soldier. They married before he shipped off to Korea. What was supposed to be three months turned into almost a year of separation. From the beginning I saw how strong a woman she was. It made me wonder why she would give in to her husband’s thoughts on everything. Then I looked at the time period. I wasn’t born until the late 50’s. Even then young ladies were expected to behave a certain way. Women ‘had their place’ in society. I was surprised at how long she and her husband John were together. I wondered how she could have been so blind to the signs that things were not well with her marriage. Then I thought about my own first marriage and was suddenly able to identify with her. She did find love again. That didn’t mean things were real smooth. I understood the “first marriage baggage”. This story made me ponder several things. When my son, newly married, joined the army his new wife was ecstatic. She had all of these ideas of what army life would be like. We tried to tell her about the loneliness she would feel when he was gone, even with family to surround her. He wasn’t even shipped out of the states when she left him. He found another woman shortly thereafter who embraced the military life he loved. She supported him when he was shipped to South Korea. I thought about Evelyn’s concern while her husband was there. As a mother I was worried when my son was stationed there so close to the demilitarized zone.

I felt very sad for her and the relationship she lost with her daughter. I have a relationship with my daughter, but she is closer to her father her left me and the kids for another woman. I don’t understand why her daughter treated her the way she did. However, I drew strength from her story. The old saying that nothing is fair in love and war rang so true. I applaud this author and the strength her story shows to women everywhere, no matter what their walk in life. This was a wonderful story. Through heartache comes strength and hope.… (meer)

This is book number 12 of the Kings Treasuries of Literature Series. This was obviously designed by the series general editor, Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, as an aid to teachers in their endeavours to introduce pupils to the art of drama. It contains 13 abbreviated plays annotated with advice for classroom production: The Swineherd and The Travelling Companion fro Hans Andersen; The Parlement of Foules and The Cock and the Fox from Chaucer; Thor's Hammer and The Death of Balder from Norse Legend; A Christmas Carol from Dickens; The Perfect Holiday from Alcott; Alice in Wonderland from Carroll; Circe's Palace from Hawthorne; The Lady of the Lake from Scott; A Midsummer Night's Dream from Shakespeare and Robin Hood from an old ballad. I enjoyed reading these stories again in simple play form. This is a beautiful little book and a valued addition to my collection of the series.… (meer)

Priscilla Thornton - nicknamed "Quilla" as a result of a childhood inability to pronounce her own name - was a Thursfield girl. Not for her the local "freak school" run by Miss Pargetter, which emphasized beauty and art, rather than academics and sport. When Biddy Tomykins - young for the Third Form, and small for her age - was transferred to Thursfield from its rival school, the little "Parge" became something of a target to her new classmates. Quilla, who had encountered Biddy before, couldn't help but like her, despite her elf-like quality and her "Queen B" moniker. But being Biddy's friend - or champion, as need be - created nothing but problems, driving a wedge between Quilla and her closest school-friend, Tamsin, and involving her in all manner of disasters. Would things ever return to normal, or would the coming of Biddy ruin Quilla's school experience forever...?

Evelyn Smith, who published fourteen girls' school-stories from 1922 to 1928, is an author whose work I greatly enjoy, and although Biddy and Quilla doesn't quite equal such titles as Seven Sisters at Queen Anne’s, and its sequels, it was still immensely engaging. Smith really had an understanding of young girls, and the complicated social relations between them, probably owing to the years she spent teaching at a school like Thursfield. From Quilla's conflicted feelings about Biddy, to Tamsin's simultaneous awareness of her own resentment, and inability to control it, Smith demonstrates a sensitive appreciation for the world and experience of the schoolgirl. Highly recommended to all Evelyn Smith fans, or to any readers with an interest in the girls' school-story genre!… (meer)