I don't think A Glass of Blessings is one of my all-time favourite Pyms but it's still positively delightful. Pym is, dare I say it, a little less harsh toward most of her characters here, which I personally think is a shame - but may come as a relief to some readers!

Wilmet the narrator makes this novel, an unusually peaceful one even by Pym's standards, with her self-doubting personality guiding us through her own journey of mild discontentment at a life more predictable than some of her contemporaries, and - in her mind, at least - still superior to others. The joys of the theft of a Faberge egg, mother-in-law Sibyl's refreshingly frank atheism, and a house of priests, all provide great fodder for Pym's scythe-like character work, and her sharp, bracing, but always fair assessment of character. I do wonder how Piers' secret would have played out sixty years ago (for a member of my generation, it was rather clear from page one) but Pym is a humanist, less susceptible to the biases of her era than many, which means the comedy of errors between Piers and Wilmet retains its power, rather than feeling outdated. Which is nice.

Another rich and rewarding Pym. ( )

I read this book while living in London. It explored the internal musings of a 30 year old English wife as she observes life around her while never fully engaging in her own life. Great fun to read and a total departure from my recent reads. Plus, I found myself sitting on the underground and musing a lot about my fellow passengers. And I drank a frightful amount of tea while reading this! ( )

The intriguing title draws attention - a regular glass of water? the blessing of a glass of champagne? a mirror?
an opening window? or ?

Mother-in-Law Sibyl is the redeeming character here as entitled, bored, clothes obsessed Wilmet
wanders from scene to scene, competing with gooseberries and gas rings.

She remains judgmental about everything from kids, "poor Piers," and
the "wearing of a duffle coat, a garment I do not approve of for grown men's London wear."

November mades her sad.
Christmas makes her sad.
Her name makes Piers sad.

No wonder Rodney wanted to stray.

When will we get to a place where readers care?!?

She shares a passionless marriage with Rodney as she aimlessly pursues possible romances with a gay guy and a celibate priest.
The gay man leads her on by not being honest which drags the plot along.

Highlights were seeing the name "Longbottom" and

for this description:

He was one of those preachers who, on coming to the end of what they have to say, find it impossible to stop.

Sentence after sentence seemed as if it must be the last but still he went on. ( )

This was the first novel I'd read by Pym and I struggled with the first half of the book. It wasn't the focus on everyday occurrences or even the mundane that bugged me, but instead the snobby attitudes of many of the upper-middle class characters. I just didn't find them likable. The last six chapters in the book were its saving grace, as Pym tries to pull things together, interweaving moments of comic relief. I'm willing to try another Pym novel though. ( )

A dash of Wharton's prose, a flourish of Austen's wit, and a bit of spice from Gaskell's CRANFORD, this novel portrays the daily life of a well-to-do married woman living in 1950s London. Subtleness is key here as a complicated plot does not exist; mostly it reads like a well-developed diary of the life of Wilmet Forsyth trying to put meaning into her life. Pym also showcases a muted wit that satirizes the religion and society of the day. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ( )