Nightingale Wood was the only VMC that I read whilst in Austria, and it was an absolutely perfect winter holiday read. I never really enjoyed Cold Comfort Farm, but I read a number of reviews on blogs when Nightingale Wood was republished by Virago that were enough to tempt me to get hold of a copy of this to read. It just took me six months to get around to doing so...It was worth waiting for. Nightingale Wood is the story of the Withers family, particularly daughters Madge and Tina, and the impact of the arrival of their penniless, widowed sister in law Viola on their household. There is plenty of romantic interest - Tina falls in love with the chauffeur whilst learning to drive, and Viola falls for the local squire. In some ways this was very Jane Austen-esque - a comedy of manners and social situations, but I found it witty and entertaining and very readable. I especially loved the miserly character of Mr Withers - whilst his penny-pinching annoyed the family, it envelops the whole story, and the reader is left wondering whether he will win through or whether the women will actually be able to get what they want.
Just the one VMC cover, above. I do hope that Virago consider republishing some more of Gibbon's books - I shall definitely start to look out for her again, and maybe even re-attempt Cold Comfort Farm.
