\u200bArnold Bennet\u2019s depiction of everyday working life is always exceptional and this continues in \u2018Hilda Lessways,\u2019 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\u2019s 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 \u2018Clayhanger\u2019 although, for me, the ending was a confusing and annoying set of events. Nevertheless, it encourages me to start reading the third novel, \u2018These Twain\u2019 which I would never have considered at all in the past. Highly recommended.
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