Excellent Women – Barbara Pym Kusursuz Kadınlar

Barbara Pym's Excellent Women, is a witty and subtle exploration of the lives of single, middle-aged women in post-WWII England. The story is set in a small London suburb and follows the life of Mildred Lathbury, a self-proclaimed excellent woman who navigates through her mundane life with the help of her church and her friends.Mildred is a spinster and a dedicated member of the Anglican Church. She lives alone and spends most of her time volunteering and attending church meetings. Her mundane life takes an unexpected turn when she becomes entangled in the lives of her neighbors, the Napiers. Helena Napier, a beautiful anthropologist, and her husband Rockingham, a handsome naval officer, move into the flat downstairs from Mildred's. Mildred is immediately drawn to the couple, especially after Rockingham begins to confide in her about his marital problems.Through Mildred's eyes, the reader gets a glimpse into the lives of these well-to-do people, and it becomes clear that their picture-perfect marriage is not what it seems. Mildred's involvement leads to a number of revelations, including secrets about the Napier's troubled marriage as well as Mildred's own realization about the limitations of her life.Excellent Women is a delightful novel that touches on themes of marriage, friendship, and the expectations of women in society. Pym's observation of the female experience is humorous and poignant, and her portrayal of Mildred is both sympathetic and witty.