Leaven of Malice

By Robertson Davies and Davies robertson

Book Overview

Winner of the Lealock Award for Humor "His writing is full of zest, wit, and urbanity. The soundness of his moral is apparent. The leaven of malice grows, and swells, and sooner or later touches all of us." - The New York Times Book Review "The reader will find it a riot--engrossing from opening prank to final curtain." - The Toronto Star The following announcement appeared in the Salterton Evening Bellman: "Professor and Mrs. Walter Vambrace are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Pearl Veronica, to Solomon Bridgetower, Esq., son of..." Although the malice that prompted the insertion of this false engagement notice was aimed at three people only - Solly Bridgetower, a junior instructor in English at Waverly University; Pearl Vambrace, the subdued daughter of a domineering profess? and Gloster Ridley, the anxiety-ridden editor of the Evening Bellman - before the leaven of malice had ceased to work it had changed permanently, for good or ill, the lives of many of the citizens of Salterton. Robertson Davies jumps at the opportunity this situation provides to create memorable characters and lasting impression.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140167897
• ISBN13: 9780140167894
• Release Date: July 1980
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Davies' humour at its best

The great aspect about Davies' triogies is that each component is a stand alone novel. I read Leaven of Malice and simply enjoyed it! Davies being an editor and publisher, writes with material from experience in the editing buisness. Davies stays true to a Canadian based setting and Canadian characters. He also suggests a dignified proper tone to the book through his diction. It is amusing how these proper characters can act so immature (in their dignified way) and provide so much entertainment to the reader. Davies has the art down of conveying believable characters who do and say outrageous things, and at the same time creates characters that are used in the form of satire. This book is #2 on my list after Fifth Business...this one is a definite read. You will get a lot out of it.

Unraveling Loose Ends

Book 2 of the Salterton Trilogy. Following up on loose ends from Tempest-Tost, and immediately beginning to unravel even more. A rich plot with Dickensian characters and twists (Davies was a great Dickens scholar so no surprise here). A bit deeper than Tempest-Tost, but still obviously an early effort although showing the deft touch with dialogue and character that came to distinguish Davies as a leading novelist.

The perfect humorous novel.

A Mixture of Frailties tells two complete but entwined stories: one of Sully and his young wife who are burdened by the 'dead hand' of Sully's mother (they must produce a male heir or forfeit a fortune to 'little Miss Nobody, studying Japanese flower-arranging' under the terms of her malevolent will); another of a provincial Canadian girl, Monica, who benefits from the absurd trust established by the will, and makes her way to Europe to learn if she has any talent as an opera singer. Monica has talent, though she often confounds herself in her struggles between filial loyalty to her coarse parents and her innappropriate love for a composer of brilliance but no kindness. In the world of Robertson Davies there are always happy endings. Monica will find her heart, and her future as a singer; Sully and his wife will find a fortune and an heir; a multitude of the sort of people who ought to exist, but somehow never do, will pop up along the way. But the best thing of all? Though Robertson Davies died recently, he left three and two-thirds trilogies which merit reading and re-reading. The man whom The New York Times called "The Canadian Trollope" has left a vastly entertaining and richly humorous collection of novels, essays, and miscellany.