At Home In Mitford

I was glad to see this appear on our list, because I've tried reading it before and always flagged at about the time the dog made an appearance. But it's a book that's been so highly recommended by so many people and moreover people whose opinion I respect that I so wanted to enjoy it. And I did, really I did. I read the whole thing in an evening and I'm glad I did.

However, I must confess that this genre must just not be my cup of tea. I couldn't really classify it as other than 'Heartwarmer.' And I know I like other stories that have heartwarming elements to them, but this book seemed to be nothing but Heartwarming. There was no real plot. Nothing much happened. Oh, yes, there were missing food, and stolen jewels, and a mysterious love story, and a kidnapped dog, but none of this felt terribly adventurous and I felt as if I was just sort of drifting along through the story. By the time I got to the end and Father Tim had celebrated another birthday, I found myself thinking, 'Goodness me, has it really been a year already?'

For some reason, small towns - and the slow pace of life that goes therewith - just fail to interest me. I've never lived in one, never wanted to live in one, and never been enchanted by the notion of living someplace where everyone knows your business and you have no choice but to shop at the one (overpriced because of lack of competition) store in town. What did these people have against driving fifteen minutes to the nearest supermarket in the nearby college town, anyway? Do they hate Walmart, too? Good grief. I just don't identify with that mindset. (Unrelated diatribe: recently I inquired at the local Publix as to whether they'd be installing self check-out lanes anytime soon, and was told that no, they preferred to keep the personal touch. That's all well and good, but if I want personal interaction I'll get together with my friends, thank you very much. I don't rely on grocery store check-out clerks for my social interaction, and I don't do my shopping based on the friendly experience I intend to have: I do it based on the convenience, efficiency, and low cost, all of which are enhanced by the very practical self check-out lanes. And anyway, if you're that desperate for conversation, you can always go through the traditional lane after all! I just prefer to have a choice!)

I really appreciated the wholesome and edifying tone of the book, which was moral, sound, and uplifting without sounding preachy. Father Tim's spiritual dilemmas seemed real, and his Scripture quotations were on the mark. There was no theology that I flinched at or found questionable, but the book did not read like a moralistic tract for all that. Which I very much appreciated. It's a very difficult and fine line to walk, and this author did it masterfully.

What I didn't get was the relationship between Father Tim and Cynthia. I could see the casual acquaintance growing into attachment, but why all the muddling about, awkward 'going steady' talk, and midnight hugs and hair-kisses?? It struck me as rather inappropriate behaviour for a clergyman. If he was interested in her romantically, why didn't he pray about it and act on it, one way or the other??

Finally, the cake-eating scene annoyed me no end. Okay, I've been known to make up a pot of fudge or toffee and gradually consume the whole thing over the course of an afternoon or evening, but 1) I really, really like fudge. Father Tim was just eating the cake mechanically; 2) I'm not at risk for diabetes; 2) I haven't specifically been warned to follow a strict diet and health regimen lest I develop diabetes. Given all these factors, it seemed an incredibly foolish thing to do.

But then, maybe that was another point of the book. Father Tim isn't perfect either, which is what makes him all the more lovable and endearing of a character. Because, really, I found him so, even though there was little about his life, his habits, and his sleepy little town that seemed noteworthy.

I'm not sure I'll read any more of the Mitford books. It was enjoyable while I was at it, but not compelling enough to entice me to return. But I'm glad I read this one.