The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Muriel Spark

Recently saw the movie The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie for which Maggie Smith won an Oscar. She was great and so was the movie. So I took a chance on the book.

The movie is very faithful to the book, but the point of view is different in each. While the movie is presented from Jean Brodie's point of view, the book gets more into the feelings of one of Miss Brodie's girls, Sandy Stranger. This change in perspective really helps the story because you see it from the point of view of a growing teenager whose perspective deepens and changes with age. Thus the shift that happens in Sandy from blind follower to rebellious foe, is much easier to understand in the book than in the movie.

If you liked the movie, or if you are, like me, a fan of 1930's fiction, I think you will find this a rewarding book.