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136
Novel • Fiction
Sussex, England • 1930s
1932
Adult
16-18 years
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons is a comic parody of rural romances, following 20-year-old Flora Poste who, after being orphaned, moves to Cold Comfort Farm to live with distant relatives. Flora, decisive and orderly, arrives to find a dysfunctional family and sets out to organize their lives pragmatically, ultimately helping them achieve their desires and restoring order to the farm.
Humorous
Bittersweet
Playful
Nostalgic
57,771 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Stella Gibbons' Cold Comfort Farm is widely praised for its sharp satire and humor, as well as its clever critique of rural melodrama. Readers appreciate the memorable characters and witty narrative. However, some find the humor too dry or the plot slow-paced. Overall, it is celebrated as a classic in comedic literature.
Readers who appreciate witty satire and pastoral parodies will enjoy Stella Gibbons' Cold Comfort Farm. Similar to fans of Evelyn Waugh's Scoop and P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves series, this novel appeals to those who delight in humorous takes on rural life and social conventions. It combines sharp humor with charmingly eccentric characters.
57,771 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Aunt Ada Doom
A reclusive elderly woman who holds sway over the Starkadder family with fear and tradition, using her supposed childhood trauma as a means to maintain control.
Seth Starkadder
The handsome, womanizing younger son of Judith and Amos Starkadder, who delights in being adored by his female relatives and harbors a passion for film.
Elfine Starkadder
The youngest of the Starkadder children, known for her beauty and eccentricity, who is influenced by Flora to adopt more refined manners and grace.
Judith Starkadder
The morose and intense mother of the three Starkadder children, who has a complicated relationship with her son Seth.
Amos Starkadder
The patriarch involved in running the family farm but is more passionate about preaching fire and brimstone sermons, often leaving familial responsibilities secondary to his religious fervor.
Reuben Starkadder
The pragmatic eldest child of Amos and Judith, whose main ambition is to inherit the family farm and who eventually sees Flora as a valuable ally.
Adam Lambsbreath
The loyal and lifelong servant of the Starkadder family, deeply attached to the farm animals under his care, particularly the cows.
136
Novel • Fiction
Sussex, England • 1930s
1932
Adult
16-18 years
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