Excellent WomenExcellent Women
Score Classic
What it's about
Mildred Lathbury is a single woman in her thirties living in postwar London during rationing. She becomes tangled up with the vicar, her new neighbors, their lodgers and a few hopeless gentleman friends.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's a dry, wry comedy about loneliness bravely borne, with a sharp sense of place and character.
You'll love it if you liked
Barchester Towers
Cold Comfort Farm
The Remains of the DayGood to know
Not much happens, and that's the point. The pleasures are in the quiet wit.
By the numbers
- Readers79 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller8 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
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Quick answers
Is Excellent Women worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #1,208 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 71.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Excellent Women about?
Mildred Lathbury is a single woman in her thirties living in postwar London during rationing. She becomes tangled up with the vicar, her new neighbors, their lodgers and a few hopeless gentleman friends.
How long does it take to read Excellent Women?
About 6 hours (256 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Excellent Women?
If you liked it, try Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope, Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons or The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro.