I adore Tessa Hadley every new novel, short stories heaped in anticipation., The Party was no different and I relished the cover and its contents.

Hadley has this knack of taking the ordinary and making it into something wonderful and insightful. Her characters are nothing out of the ordinary either just people you meet in any walk of life. Take Evelyn and Moira, the sisters. Moira the eldest, the cool university student, men supposedly flocking to her. Evelyn, the youngest full of envy for Moira, desperate to be like her, to have people listen to her opinions, have men admire and desire her.

A party in a rundown Bristol pub offers Evelyn that opportunity much to the disdain of Moira. It’s a night of alcohol, of Paul and Sinden, men who offer something different, an air of superiority, of wealth hanging around them. Are these the type of men Moira and Evelyn aspire to catch??

Days later Hadley transports them in Sinden’s car to Paul’s mansion, to an overly warm room stuffed full of posh hangers on. It felt like Hadley’s way of equalising the sisters, both slightly out of their depth, both cautious and wary. As ever alcohol loosened the tongue, the inhibitions cast to one side as the night progressed.

For Evelyn it was revelatory, a lesson in men, their attitudes, their emotions and indeed her own emotions. For Moira a realisation that her sister was alright, a friend, a confident, someone she could continue growing up with in a post war world.

The narrative was sparse yet filled with meaning, emotion and imagery that showed off a post war Bristol, that gave us two sisters navigating their way through a new world.

When innocent expectation meets chinless wonders

I’ve never read Tessa Hadley before, and this slim volume was a neat introduction to an elegant writer with an eye for detail. Taking her vampy innocents on a series of sexy and sexual adventures in a Bristol still recovering from the Second World War, Hadley shows that an entire world lives in every individual. Moira and Evelyn—sisters, rivals, confidantes—insert themselves into the burgeoning scene in Bristol, making their own entertainment amongst the arty, upper class set.

Deep in the mind of the younger, expectant but innocent Evelyn who yearns to be older, like Moira, Hadley’s book is a short evocation of a time before mobiles, before the Internet, before global interconnectedness, when the world was as far as you could see, as far as you could reach, when life was still visceral.

A heady three stars.

I became completely immersed in this short novella and its portrait of sisters Evelyn and Moira in post-war Bristol. It begins one night at a party in pub near the docks, where the sisters meet Paul and Sinden, two wealthy outsiders, who later invite them to the lavish mansion house where Paul lives with his brother and sister. As the girls mix with the privileged and slightly jaded posh set, their lives are changed forever. It is a turning point for them both and the start of their lives as adults.

Delightful. Unable to finish before this was archived, but everything I read was as spectacular as expected from Hadley.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I was completely fascinated by this little novella and would have loved to have spent more time with the characters. My only criticism is that the ending felt rather abrupt! It's an astute exploration of class, desire and growing up, through the lens of two sisters, and I'll definitely be exploring more of Hadley's work.

A short, incisive portrait of two sisters coming of age, and their entanglement with a wealthy family. Beautifully written, as you'd expect from Hadley, and well worth the read.

I was not a huge fan of this as it reads more like a historical fiction novel than a literary fiction book. The characters were okay but I didn’t like the setting or the writing as I just don’t really like historical books. It might be good for someone interested in the time period and slice of life kind of book but this wasn’t for me.

THE ENDING! I have no words actually.

I loved this so much. I definitely found it slow at times, but I think that helped to build the atmosphere and made me appreciate the faster bits so much more.

Somehow this was my first time reading Tessa Hadley, and I’m definitely going to read some more!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc. 🫶🏻

An exquisite evocation of time and place coupled with pin sharp depiction of the uncertainty of early adult hood. The Party pulls you into a life and remains with you long after reading.

This was a strange one. About two sisters at a party in post-war Bristol, it is clearly a well written book but leaves one with the question, “what was the point?”. The plot is cleverly crafted and family dynamics of working class families versus affluent ones at the times are captured perfectly. So are the ramifications of war on all families despite their financial differences. As the party progresses into debauchery and frivolousness, even intricate prose cannot rescue one from the unpleasantness of the ending. Was it meant to be about crawling through the muck of the party and coming out changed, about knowing how the other half lived, about gaining the experience to be immune to posh sensibilities? I have no idea but please let me know if you find out

To me it felt like that wondrous perspective imparted in the early hours after a bender, while the previous evening is already fading from your memory.

Thanks to Netgalley and Vintage books for an advance copy!

P.S That perspective is usually full of holes and falls like a block of cement on your foot by noon

It is a while since I read a work by Tessa Hadley, and I am glad I made it this novella, thanks to an ARC I received courtesy of the publishers and NetGalley. The Party transported me to 1950s Bristol, where sisters Moira and Evelyn are enjoying their university studies of French and art and also their first forays into womanhood. Over the course of not one, but three parties (a raucous dockside party, a stylish cocktail party, and a chaotic gathering at a dilapidated mansion house), the sisters not only emancipate themselves from their familial surroundings, but also learn lots about gender inequalities, class divides, and how to make their own moral choices. Warmly recommended, this novella is a window into female lives three quarters of a century ago.

I loved the other Tessa Hadley novels I've read, but this one didn't grab me. I was not particularly engaged with the characters and didn't really care what happened. But Hadley's writing is as wonderful as always. It's short (a novella) so perfect for anyone who wants to read well written short fiction.

I absolutely adore Tessa Hadley’s novels and so was excited to read The Party, a novella. It is the coming of age story of two sisters, Moria and Evelyn, set in 1950s Bristol.
I loved the post war setting and Hadley’s beautiful and descriptive writing completely transported me back to the 1950s. The characterisation of the two sisters was excellent and the author tells their story with insight and empathy.
A beautifully written novella that I would recommend for fans of the author or those new to her work.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

An evocative novella, perhaps a little slow at times, but with a sensational ending. For fans of Kate Atkinson and Claire Fuller.

A novella about two sisters in post-war Bristol, on the cusp of womanhood. Starting off at a party and moving onto a cocktail party, the sisters find everything changing over just a few days.

Having so enjoyed reading Free Love, I was looking forward to this new novel. I had so enjoyed the descriptive writing and the characters which appeared in Free Love, and I was looking forward to more of the same. The Party however did not grab me. I did not feel connected to the characters and was not very interested in what they where doing. I am over half way through and have put it down, deciding to try it another time. It may be that the characters in the other novel where nearer my own age, and therefore easier to relate to....? I don't know, but the wonderful descriptions weren't there for me.

A powerful story about two sisters, Moira and Evelyn, in post-war Bristol. Over a few days, the sisters attend parties, meet intriguing but unsuitable men, and start to learn about adulthood, class, and relationships.

The book is beautifully written, with vivid descriptions that bring the time and place to life. The story focuses more on the sisters’ thoughts and experiences than on big events.
This was a quick, memorable read that will stay with you long after you put it down.

The Party is a thoughtful and emotional exploration of sisterly relationships and misplaced desire. It is a short but powerful story, looking at youthful desire and the fickle nature of people. Whilst not long enough to be truly engaging for me, ending before I had a real chance to connect with any of the characters, it was a well written novella and I enjoyed the story.

An enjoyable novella that I read in one afternoon. Hadley has a way of making the ordinary extra ordinary. Really enjoyed her writing in this.
A story of two sisters and two parties they attend, meeting men that are not suitable for them. Set in post war Bristol.

This novella follows sisters Moira and Evelyn as they sneak off to a party in post-war Bristol. There, they meet two men and it is clear there's a class division. Packed with lovely 'full' descriptions, I felt there was an unnecessary use of almost archaic language and French inserts. Was this to create an obvious class divide and commentary? It took me out of the scene. There's an interesting and too-deliberate commentary on class, religion, family and aspiration here, but it's lost amongst vapid and hollow characters who are fairly dull upon examination.