Grantchester Grind

Grantchester Grind continues the story of Cambridge's fictional Porterhouse College, following the events of Porterhouse Blue. The college faces a financial crisis while dealing with the aftermath of severe damage to Bull Tower and the complex circumstances surrounding the previous Master's death. The plot centers on multiple schemes to secure funding for the struggling institution, including outreach to wealthy alumni and negotiations with an American media mogul. Lady Evans, widow of the former Master, implements her own agenda by funding a planted Fellow to investigate her husband's death, while the current Master Skullion struggles with health issues following a stroke. The novel weaves together multiple storylines involving the Dean's search for a potential new Master, mysterious financial offers, and the machinations of various college officials and external parties. The story maintains connections to Sharpe's broader literary universe, with references to events from his novel Ancestral Vices. This satirical work continues Sharpe's examination of tradition versus progress in British academic institutions, while exploring themes of power, corruption, and the lengths people will go to preserve their way of life.

Readers found this sequel less satisfying than Porterhouse Blue, with many noting it lacks the sharp satire and pacing of the original. The humor comes across as more forced and mean-spirited. Liked: - Return of familiar characters from Porterhouse Blue - Individual comic scenes, particularly those involving the Dean - Commentary on 1990s academic politics Disliked: - Convoluted, meandering plot - Less cohesive narrative than the first book - Characters feel more like caricatures - Excessive length compared to predecessor - Too much focus on financial dealings rather than academic satire "The jokes feel recycled" noted one Amazon reviewer, while another commented "It tries too hard to outdo the original." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.6/5 (467 ratings) Amazon: 3.7/5 (31 ratings) LibraryThing: 3.5/5 (89 ratings) Several readers recommend sticking with Porterhouse Blue instead, calling this an "unnecessary sequel."

Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis The misadventures of a junior university lecturer in post-war Britain capture the same satirical view of academic politics and institutional absurdity.

Small World by David Lodge A globe-spanning satire of academic conferences and university life connects through its examination of scholarly politics and institutional rivalries.

Straight Man by Richard Russo The story of a week in the life of a college English department chair presents academic bureaucracy and institutional dysfunction with parallel dark humor.

Nice Work by David Lodge The collision between academia and industry in this campus novel mirrors the institutional conflicts and social commentary found in Grantchester Grind.

The History Man by Malcolm Bradbury The political and social machinations within a British university setting expose similar themes of academic power structures and institutional politics.

🎓 The novel's title "Grantchester" refers to a real village near Cambridge, famous for its association with poet Rupert Brooke and the popular TV series "Grantchester" 📚 Tom Sharpe wrote this book in 1995 as a sequel to "Porterhouse Blue" (1974), after a gap of over 20 years between the two novels 🏛️ Cambridge University, where the story is set, consists of 31 colleges, each with its own unique traditions and governance structures that inspired the fictional Porterhouse College ✍️ Sharpe drew from his own academic experiences at Cambridge's Pembroke College, where he studied history and anthropology in the 1950s 🎭 The book's satirical style follows a rich tradition of British academic satire, including works like Kingsley Amis's "Lucky Jim" and David Lodge's "Campus Trilogy"