Arnold Bennet’s depiction of everyday working life is always exceptional and this continues in ‘Hilda Lessways,’ the sequel to Clayhanger. I enjoyed the characters of George Cannon and Hilda in this novel and the empathy they produced in me was a pleasant surprise. Her gradual change from being so lacking in confidence to becoming a quite independent woman of the late 19th century is quite refreshing, a reflection on the author’s skill surely. At the same time the author deals with the daily domesticity of the servants working for the middle classes in those times, even up into the early 20th century. The respect and deference expected and shown by maids, gardeners and grooms et al. is quite a reminder for the present day populace of particular democracies like the UK. This was a perfectly satisfying read to follow on from ‘Clayhanger’ although, for me, the ending was a confusing and annoying set of events. Nevertheless, it encourages me to start reading the third novel, ‘These Twain’ which I would never have considered at all in the past. Highly recommended.
