Jill: A NovelThe novel is set in wartime Oxford, the city in which it was written. Protagonist John Kemp is a young man from "Huddlesford" in Lancashire, who goes up to Oxford. With great sympathy it analyses his emotions at this first experience of privileged southern life (he had never been south of Crewe). Socially awkward and inexperienced, Kemp is attracted by the reckless and dissipated life of his roommate Christopher Warner, a well-off southerner who has attended a minor public school, tellingly called "Lamprey College". The eponymous Jill is Kemp's imaginary sister, whom he invents to confound Warner. Kemp then discovers a real-life Jill called Gillian, the 15-year-old cousin of Warner's friend Elizabeth. Kemp becomes infatuated with Gillian, but his advances are thwarted by Elizabeth and rebuffed by Gillian |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 29
Page 12
... Oxford of Michael Fane and his fine bind- ings , or Charles Ryder and his plovers ' eggs . Nevertheless , it had a distinctive quality . A lack of douceur was balanced by a lack of bêtises , whether of college ceremonial or ...
... Oxford of Michael Fane and his fine bind- ings , or Charles Ryder and his plovers ' eggs . Nevertheless , it had a distinctive quality . A lack of douceur was balanced by a lack of bêtises , whether of college ceremonial or ...
Page 17
... Oxford in those days until the Oxford University Rhythm Club was set up in 1941 and pro- vided public jam sessions , but on the advice of Frank Dixon I had found a number of scarce deletions in Acott's and Rus- sell's ( then separate ...
... Oxford in those days until the Oxford University Rhythm Club was set up in 1941 and pro- vided public jam sessions , but on the advice of Frank Dixon I had found a number of scarce deletions in Acott's and Rus- sell's ( then separate ...
Page 213
... Oxford ? ” " Oxford ? Oh - all right . " As soon as he was out of their sight he broke into a quick shamble , filled by the other's words with a desire to know the worst . He ran down a side street , leaping over pools of a curious red ...
... Oxford ? ” " Oxford ? Oh - all right . " As soon as he was out of their sight he broke into a quick shamble , filled by the other's words with a desire to know the worst . He ran down a side street , leaping over pools of a curious red ...
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
afternoon asked Banbury Road beer began bottle bread Chris Christo Christopher Warner Christopher's cigarette College Crouch d'you damn dark desk door drink Eddy Eddy's Edward du Cann Elizabeth empty eyes face feel felt fire fountain pen gave Gavin Bone girl glass grinned hair Hallo hands head Higher School Certificate Huddlesford Jill Joe Kemp John heard John Kemp John's Junior Common Room knew Lamprey laugh laughter leaving letter light listened looked round mind Minerva morning mouth never night noticed overcoat Oxford Patrick Patrick Dowling paused pher pocket porter pulled pushed remember seemed sherry glasses sitting smiled smoke sofa sound stared stood stopped street talking teacake Thank there's thing thought took town turned Tutor voice walked watched Whitbread window wondered