To say The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie was well received is an understatement. One of the finest works by the already well-established novelist Muriel Spark, this novel was heralded for its economic style, its charm and humor, and for its exploration of the dark side of idealism and commitment. Samuel Hynes, writing in Commonwealth stresses that the novel “is as good as anything Mrs. Spark has done. . . . It is intelligent, witty, and beautifully constructed.” In describing the protagonist and her students, a reviewer for Library Journal remarks: “Miss Spark’s account of the awakening and maturing of adolescent girls is realistic and at times amusing. Though the idol of their teens had feet of clay, she left an indelible mark on their lives.” Finally, Granville Hicks, writing in Saturday Review affirms that Spark “proved herself to be highly talented and remarkably versatile.” Compared to the likes of Evelyn Waugh and Iris Murdock, Spark is, according to Hicks, a writer who “goes her own way, and a fascinating way it is.” The novel he concludes is “admirably written . . . extremely amusing, and deeply serious.”