Review: At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon
Now that this small-town bachelor rector is turning sixty, he must find a way to take better care of himself.
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Contemporary Fiction | Small-Town Fiction
At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon
Description
The charming town of Mitford may be small, but make no mistake—it’s neither sleepy nor idle. Father Tim, a bachelor, is amply occupied, keeping up with the townsfolk and the lives and needs of his parishioners. Considering the surprises that accompany his sixtieth year, Father Tim will have to accept new ways to start taking care of his own needs.
My Thoughts
This first book in the beloved Mitford Years series is the second Mitford book I read. After jumping in near the end of the series with Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good, I knew I’d just have to go back and start the series from the beginning.
I found this first Mitford novel amusing in some places, hilarious in others, and altogether delightful, even as it has its share of heartrending moments. The story moves at a nice clip overall, oftentimes saying just enough, trusting the reader to get it. There’s also a mystery and dashes of romance woven in.
Father Tim and the people of Mitford struck me as a bit more cartoony in this novel than the one I started with, but that’s very likely due to the darling (did I just say “darling”?) illustrations at the opening of every chapter in the Penguin edition I read. All’s not perfect in this town, as the characters face some true-to-life challenges. And not everything in their backstories (including cases of crime and racism) is pretty. I’ll admit I had trouble keeping all of the characters straight at times, but hearing from so many of them got me that much better acquainted with Mitford.
I’m sure this is the kind of series that grows on you the further along you get into it. Even if my next review jumps further down in the series, know that I will have read the books in between too.
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