An Imaginative Experience

by Mary Wesley
An Imaginative Experience cover
Good Books rating 3.5
Technical
  • ID: 5167
  • Added: 2025-10-22
  • Updated: 2025-10-22
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-10-24
mixed 2.50

The novel centers on two damaged individuals, Sylvester and Julia, surrounded by other lonely characters like Rebecca and Maurice. The story explores themes of kindness and cruelty, with the kind characters outweighed by their unpleasant counterparts. The America section felt over the top, and the characters of Julia and Sylvester were not fully engaging.

Mary Wesley's novel 'An Imaginative Experience' revolves around two damaged individuals, Sylvester and Julia, who are surrounded by other lost and lonely characters like Rebecca and Maurice. Sylvester is recovering from a toxic marriage to Celia, who continues to exploit him, while Julia is dealing with the aftermath of a traumatic past involving her rapist husband and her cruel mother. The story delves into the complexities of human nature, highlighting both kindness and cruelty. However, the America section felt exaggerated, and the characters of Julia and Sylvester were not particularly compelling. This is the second Mary Wesley novel I've read, and I found it less engaging than 'A Dubious Legacy.'

Quick quotes

    The book shows the worst and the best of human nature.

    Kindness goes a long way and how unfortunate that so few of us can show a little kindness when it’s most needed.

    This is the second Mary Wesley novel I’ve read and I would rate this below A Dubious Legacy.

goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-10-24
good 3.50

The novel begins with a couple of deaths but manages to avoid the typical morose themes, instead focusing on coincidence, romance, and a satisfying resolution. The story revolves around Julia Piper coming to terms with her losses and finding intimacy with Sylvester Wykes, who also has his own struggles. The book is easy to read, amusing, and full of memorable characters.

The novel starts with a couple of deaths, but it quickly shifts away from the usual dark themes of despair and suicide. Instead, it takes a more predictable path through coincidence, romance, and misunderstandings, ultimately leading to a satisfying and happy ending. The story centers around Julia Piper, who is dealing with the death of her estranged husband and son, as well as the immorality of her mother. She finds friendship and intimacy with Sylvester Wykes, who is also dealing with his own issues, including a callous ex-wife and a stalker. The book is easy to read and amusing, with a cast of memorable characters. It's not deep or profound, but it's enjoyable and full of wit and charm. The author's use of recurring characters and settings makes her books easy to remember, even if they are not particularly deep or thought-provoking.

Quick quotes

    The plot is Julia Piper coming to terms with the death of her estranged husband and son, the vicious immorality of her horrendous mother, the opening out of her heart to friendship and then on into intimacy with an equally damaged Sylvester Wykes.

    Her stories revolve around the same type of characters as Iris Murdoch...they all have names like Sylvester and Hamish and Giles, Julia, Christie or, and this is the character that appears in some way in all of her novels, Calypso.

    The novels are easy to read and fairly easy to forget but the one clever thing about them is she always has a hook that you will recall from the story and thus you never quite forget even if your recall is a tad hazy.

swiftlytiltingplanet.wordpress.com · Unknown · 2021-06-26
charming 4.50

Mary Wesley's novel An Imaginative Experience is a delightful escape, filled with quirky characters and dark humor. Her writing style, characterized by dialogue and frank attitudes towards sexuality, offers a unique exploration of relationships and the human experience.

Mary Wesley's An Imaginative Experience is a charming novel that offers a delightful escape into a world of quirky characters and dark humor. The story is set over several months, with the latter part falling over Christmas, making it a perfect read for the holiday season. Wesley's writing style is unique, focusing more on dialogue and character interactions rather than vivid descriptions. Her characters are often boorish and frightful British snobs, with central female characters being quiet, likeable introverts. The novel explores relationships and the human experience with a frank attitude towards sexuality, making it a refreshing and engaging read. Wesley's work is not limited to any particular age or situation of central character, but often features young women affected by parental neglect who find happiness with eccentric lovers. Her writing is based on her own rich and varied life experiences, particularly around the Second World War, which adds depth and authenticity to her stories.

Quick quotes

    Why did I not do more in my life, I ask myself, as I read the obituaries of the people who have crammed their lives with 'doing' while I have wasted great chunks of mine dreaming?

    Mary Wesley's writing is not one for fans of vivid description: her novels contain a lot of dialogue and quirky, often dark humour, plus a frank attitude to sexuality.

    Although she generally portrays the middle-classes, she often does so with her tongue firmly in her cheek.

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