A Room with a View by E. M. Forster

Mr. E. M. Forster has written a novel which is both a comedy of manners and a romance, and he has managed the difficult task of combining the two with no small degree of success. The story of Lucy Honeychurch's adventures in Italy and her subsequent entanglement with the conventions of English society is told with a lightness of touch and a subtlety of observation that are altogether admirable. The scenes in Florence are painted with a vividness that makes the reader feel the Italian sun, and the contrast with the chill propriety of Surrey is managed with delicate irony. The characters are drawn with a keen eye for the absurdities of human nature, yet without any trace of malice. Mr. Forster is a writer of genuine distinction, and this is his best book.

In "A Room with a View" Mr. Forster has given us a novel of character which displays a marked advance upon his previous work. The central figure, Lucy Honeychurch, is a study of a young woman awakening to the realities of life and love, drawn with a delicacy and insight that are truly remarkable. The author's treatment of the contrast between the spontaneous warmth of Italian life and the stifling conventions of English society is masterly. The book is full of wit and wisdom, and the dialogue is often brilliant. Mr. Forster has a genuine gift for creating living characters, and his satire, though keen, is never ill-natured. The ending is humanly absorbing and leaves the reader with a sense of satisfaction.

A young woman in a muddle — that is the theme of Mr. Forster's new novel, and he treats it with a sympathy and humour that are altogether winning. Lucy Honeychurch, the heroine, is a charming creation: a girl who is trying to find her way between the promptings of her heart and the demands of society. The book is full of delightful scenes, especially those laid in Florence, where the collision of English respectability with Italian spontaneity produces the most amusing results. Mr. Forster writes with a deftness and a wit that are rare in modern fiction. His observation of character is acute, and his style is a constant pleasure.

Mr. Forster's new novel is much the best of the three he has so far given us. There is in it a kindlier tolerance, a greater sympathy with his characters, than we have noted before. The story of Lucy Honeychurch, who goes to Italy with her prim cousin Charlotte and there encounters the emancipated Mr. Emerson and his son George, is told with a delicate humour and a quiet wisdom that are very attractive. The author has not found it necessary to kill any of his characters off, which is a relief. The book is a comedy of manners in the best sense, and we recommend it heartily.

This book is so charming it makes me mad. Forster writes with such a light touch but hes saying something real about class and repression and learning to be yourself. Lucy Honeychurch is a wonderful heroine — she grows so much over the course of the novel. The scene in the Piazza Signoria is one of the best first dates in literature. The Italian setting is just glorious. A perfect summer read.