Ada Leverson — whom Oscar Wilde called ‘the Sphinx’ — was among the most elegant comic writers of the Edwardian era, and Bird of Paradise (1914), her last novel, shows that gift at its most polished. Characters pursue love, status, and social appearances in a world of drawing-room manoeuvres and witty exchanges that Leverson orchestrates with the ease of long practice and genuine intelligence.
Wry, clever, and thoroughly enjoyable for anyone who loves the comedy of manners tradition, from Congreve to Waugh. Download this free EPUB and let the Sphinx have one more entirely deserved final word.