Rachel, Rachel; Formerly Published as; A Jest of God

by Margaret Laurence

Book Overview

A thirty-four-year-old school teacher living with her mother, Rachel Cameron feels trapped in an environment of small-town deceit and pettiness--her own and that of others. She longs for contact with... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• ISBN: B002C5F0FG
• Release Date: January 1966
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

Customer Reviews

An amazing journey of a woman finally finding herself

At first I thought of Rachel as paranoid and on the edge of sanity; however, by the end of the novel she has found her self and her voice. Her thoughts and feelings towards her mother and sister are so realistic, even if they seem unsettling at times. It was enlightening to be a part of her journey towards self-discovery and strength.

Margaret Lawrence does it once again.

Although I find Margaret Lawrence to be an incredible author, all her books tend to be the same. Different people but always the same place, type of character, style. . . this is at least the case with all her books in the Manawaka Series. Stone Angel was my favorite, A jest of God was pretty good though.

Entertaining!

After reading "The Diviners" by Margaret Laurence, I found "A Jest of God" more entertaining and true-to-life. The female protagonist Rachel was more believable and down to earth. The plot of homosexuality was realistic and daring.

Unforgettable and True

A Jest of God epitomises Margaret Laurence's focus on characters whose stories are usually never told. The protagonist, Rachel, is a spinster school-teacher in small town Manitoba. She is stifled both by her closed community and by internalising their pettiness. Rachel's inner-dialogue sets the claustophobic atmosphere, while also being funny, frustrating and moving. Laurence's portrait of an ordinairy woman coming to terms with herself and with surroundings is flawless and highly readable.