An elegant portrayal of the inner life of a semi-orphaned young girl in post-war London, and the struggles and pains of the lives of everyone around her. Warm and heartfelt, it explores the tension of life on the edge of poverty, surrounded on one hand by the luxury of the more fortunate, and on the other the rubble and bombed out hollows that have yet to be cleared and rebuilt.

I neglected everything to finish this book this morning- I just couldn't wait. I laughed out loud. I cannot explain what was so enjoyable- the depth and sass of the characters, perhaps. I loved them all, even Angela. The cover says "The New York Review Children's Collection" but I would personally say older high school- many references to promiscuity and/or prostitution by one integral character who is only actually present once in the story. Another character, a spinster, is described as having "never been used" meaning a virgin. Just a bit crass for children imo. Lovely story though.

Curious piece of gritty fiction that had me alternating between enchantment and disgust. The writing is evocative but strangely disjointed and even jarring at times. I didn't really like most of the characters at first but surprisingly understood and appreciated each one of them by the end, illustrating the power of the author's writing and leading to the four star rating.

A gentle story from the past. I can see why people still like it.
I think there are lots of children like Lovejoy, sitting outside waiting.

Such a sweet little book! About London in the 1950s when there were still a lot of cleared but not rebuilt bomb sites, and some kids who make a garden in one.

An Episode of Sparrows is the story of how an encounter with two children growing up in post-war London brings meaning to the life of an elderly (before her time) spinster, Olivia, who lives with a domineering sister.

One of the children, Lovejoy, is a girl, who has been virtually abandoned by her dancer mother, the other a boy, Tip Malone, from a family, which though very loving, is too large for the parents to be able to keep a close eye on him.

The book reveals the unexpected consequences of the growing friendship between the children, and what comes from their attempt to create a little garden in the grounds of a blitzed church.

There are many other amusing and poignant characters in the book - from a chef struggling against poverty and a bad situation to create a perfect restaurant, and a young and well to do couple, whom the children meet. I should also mention Sparky, a very little boy who idolises Tip: it is his being caught in the act of stealing earth that sets the whole story in train.

This story is typical of Rumer Godden's output in its sympathy for all the characters, many touches of gentle humour, and portrayal of the misunderstandings and problems that can arise when the worlds of adults and children collide.

Rereading for the umpteenth time. This time as lectio divina.

Lovely 1955 book set in England after WWWII. Definitely NOT a war story, just a gentle read that I found relaxing and charming.

Read this as a school text many years ago, and re-read it recently. Some aspects had stayed with me (eg the Angelica Kauffman plates in the restaurant) but much had disappeared. The ending was a lot sadder than I remembered.

What I learned from this book--how very much can be said, how much 'mood' conveyed, without overwriting. This author will never look as if she was paid by the word. I found most of her stories moving, well-written, true to the era and culture they were set in. She sometimes has her books classified as children's books because she often writes about children...which just gives me one more reason to hate categorizing books as children's books.

This was the first book I read by Rumer Godden. The best was probably Thursday's Children--I'll have to go find that ISBN so I can get it on the site.

I usually enjoy Rumer Golden but this book wasn't to my taste at all. It is about the intrigues of a group of poor children in South London in the 1950s. I felt removed from the children and frustrated with the long drawn out scenes. I feel that the story would have been better as a long short story rather than a novel but this is just my opinion at the time of reading. Others may feel differently. Abandoned at page 124. Two and a half stars.

4.5★

n  You are making a mountain out of a molehill," said Angela.

Olivia was suddenly inspired to answer, "A molehill can be a mountain to a sparrow."n

I just love Rumer Godden!

One of the reasons is, like with Elizabeth Goudge, Godden's children (the sparrows of the title) are so well depicted. But all the characters (like the adults in my quote above) are very vivid) & easy to keep track of)

The unwanted waif (& kleptomaniac) Lovejoy has learned that if she wants something she has to get it herself - which is why she stole a packet of flower seeds. This leads to a passion for gardening, new friendships & a raft of unexpected consequences.

I did have to knock half a ★ off, because the relationship between Tip & Lovejoy  was very close to a romance - & Lovejoy was only 11. It was a relationship of minds & Tip was only two years older but it made me a little uncomfortable.

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