“A sophisticated confection . . . For this delightful novel about the governess from hell, maybe only the word 'wicked' will do.” —The New York Times Book Review

“A brilliant oxymoron--a serious farce so subtle that its command of the reader must called insidious . . . Bright, candid, and modestly humorous, Stella Benson lures us into complicity . . . Cusk's ability to keep us interested in innumerable human collisions is uncanny. We may finally learn Stella's secrets, but she remains as fascinatingly indecipherable as anyone we know.” —The New Yorker

“Enchanting . . . A funny, modern Jane Eyre combined with an Anne Tyler-esque tale about escaping from the pressures of an unhappy urban life.” —Newsday

“An oddly ingratiating social comedy . . . Smart, literate, offbeat, confiding . . . A pleasure.” —The Boston Globe

“Hilarious . . . Stella is strange because strangeness is part of the human condition; she's just a little more aware of it than most people.” —Village Voice Literary Supplement

“Smart, charming, and often outright hilarious.” —Entertainment Weekly