Just a glimpse of Buncle

I love this delightful slice of life during WWII by D. E. Stevenson. The four Graces are the four grown up daughters of Mr. Grace, the minister of a Church of England church. One is serving in the military, one working as a land girl, the other two keeping house and assisting their father with the parish. Visitors arrive and disrupt the pattern of their lives. And being a novel by D. E. Stevenson, eventually all settles down into a new, satisfactory pattern.

This is advertised as Miss Buncle Book 4. However, the name Buncle never appears in the novel. All we see of Miss Buncle, now Mrs. Abbott, is a glimpse of her in a pew at a wedding at the beginning of the book. A major character from Miss Buncle, Book 3 does have a significant role in this book, but on the whole The Four Graces is only slightly connected to the other Buncle Books. That doesn't make it a bad book, I love it. But if you are expecting to see a lot of Barbara Buncle Abbott, you may be disappointed. I feel that the delights of Sal and Tilly and Liz and Addy Grace and their father and friends make a delightful book of their own.

14 people found this helpful

The Four Graces

As an avid Stevenson fan I was happy to see this book on Audible. The wartime story of a widowed minister and his four daughters in a small rural village is vintage Stevenson. The differences between their two unwanted house guests and how they impact the family keeps the story moving along at a lively pace. If you are not familiar with Ms. Stevenson, this book will make you a fan.

5 people found this helpful

The best of DE Stevenson’s wonderful books

I’ve always loved this book, even more than the Mrs. Tim and Barbara Buncle books. But I’m now even more rapt in the fabulous audio book version narrated by Karen Cass.
Set in war time England, it portrays village life, with a focus on the four daughters of Mr. Grace, country parson.
I highly recommend this absolutely beautiful story.

5 people found this helpful

Charming

Another lovely book by D.E. Stevenson. Very British, capturing a time of simplicity and innocence, even against the shortages and tensions of WWII. Yes, the plot is slight; her stories are more concerned with people, and there are some delightful and sympathetic characters here. Karen Cass is absolutely wonderful as a narrator, I believe she is under-rated. She deserves more complex material.

4 people found this helpful

Hilarious story. So-so performance.

I had recorded this book for myself before this recording was available, and my work is quite a bit better than this recording. Ms Cass hums the wrong wedding march both times: the march from Lohengrin, which is usually used as a processional and doesn't match what is written in the book, instead of the Mendelssohn, which is usually used for a recessional (as in the book) and which matches what's written in the book. And when there is a quote from a Gilbert and Sullivan opera, she doesn't seem to have any idea what she's quoting. When Liz is imitating Aunt Rona,Ms Cass doesn't make it at all funny. On the other hand, I wish I could speak French as easily and as well as she seems to, and I wish I could do an English accent as well as she does. So her performance isn't a total washout.

3 people found this helpful

My Favorite D. E. Stevens book

Funny, witty, charming, with subtle and unique romantic alliances. I absolutely love this narrator! To say it’s my favorite D. E. Stevens book, is saying a great deal!! Always clean, & highly recommended! And another interesting peek at how the Brits survived the war!

3 people found this helpful

Charming and heartwarming

Lovely story of four sisters, their gentle minister father, and two young men who fall in love with two of the sisters.
Set in the English countryside towards the end of WWII, it focuses on happy and humorous family relationships and not the war.
Although, rationing of food and queuing for hours to buy it, and needing coupons to buy clothes, are interesting insights into life on the home front.
These are people and a place that are a pleasure to know.

Another Great One for Fans of DE Stevenson

Excellent narration brining the characters to life by revealing their character through voice. DE Stevenson continues to weave the theme of quaint countryside life of Britain while continuing to develop characters from previous stories into their own strength.