Gaudy Night was written in 1935, but its themes are timeless. On it, Harriet Vane and other women are plagued by nasty letters and graffiti as well as threats. No internet mob could be nastier than the perpetrator of these crimes. What is different about today is that the women who are victims at first stay silent and when they do reveal their plight, they are determined to find the culprit without help of the police for fear of a ruined reputation for themselves and the women’s college at Oxford.
While working out her plot, Sayers explores themes such as mothers in the workplace, differences and inequity in social rules for men and women, capital punishment, Communism, socialism, and other issues pertinent to her time as well as ours. The story is mainly told from Harriet’s perspective. She often wonders how love and work can be balanced and almost gives up on love altogether because of its dangers to the mind as well as the heart. As the Harriet’s conflict is resolved and the reason for the perpetrator’s crimes is revealed, the reader is reminded that we must be fully committed to both truth and love so that both remain undamaged.
Because of these weightier themes, the story is much more than a common detective story. Sayers’ prose is interesting and vivid. Her characters are fun and often funny. She writes beautifully. Her work deserves its place among the great pieces of literature of our time. I read it twice as a young woman, and recently, in middle age, I began listening to it on YouTube. Unfortunately, the story was incomplete and Audible did not have a copy. I was happy to be able to get the Kindle edition for $1!
Having said this, I do not necessarily agree with all the criticisms lodged against women who leave their profession to serve their families. I personally was rather taken aback at Harriet’s selfishness at times which were written as if in order to be true to herself, she must only pursue her own intellectual passions. Because Sayers was a Christian, I think I can interject some Christian observation here without being unnecessarily preachy. As a Christians, when we look at Jesus, we see someone willing to serve others and sacrifice themselves for good of others (and I do mean good, not just so that others can pursue their own passions). It seems to me that the self-sacrifice of service is the element of love that was missing in this book. Self-sacrifice in the area of service for the true good of others is necessary of both men and women in order to make a family whole. It is not just expected of servant class but humbly modeled by the King of Kings, Jesus, as an example for all of us to follow. “He that wants to be the first should make himself the servant of all.” In spite of this, I found myself wrestling with some of the same issues as these ladies discussed and Harriet felt. For that reason and the others previously discussed, Gaudy Night stands a beautiful piece of literature which I have enjoyed enough to read or listened to three times and will probably return to should Audible remaster the wonderful narration of Ian Carmichael’s unabridged version.
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Top reviews from other countries
East End Lady
Evoking the atmosphere of a past age.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 29, 2023
Christine Goodnough
Another great story of romance and crime
Reviewed in Canada on August 6, 2018gill45blue
Great story - many spelling mistakes in the e-version.
Reviewed in France on November 22, 2019
