Araminta's Wedding

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Araminta's Wedding is a 1993 satirical novella from England, written by Jilly Cooper with illustrations by Sue Macartney-Snape. The book pairs Macartney-Snape’s drawings with new writing by Cooper, creating a text-and-illustration story. The Daily Telegraph praised it as a comforting, childishly enjoyable, sumptuously illustrated read.

Plot in simple terms: the story follows Lady Araminta Atherstone, who is set to inherit her father’s Lincolnshire estate. Several men want to marry her, including her cousin Piggy Atherstone and an aristocratic gambler named Bounder Cartwright.

Background details: the illustrations were not made specifically for the book but were gathered from existing works and linked with new prose by Cooper. Cooper said writing to the illustrations was “jolly difficult,” and the work is satirical in nature. Andrew Parker Bowles contributed ideas to the prose.

Reception: reviewers noted its light, humorous tone. The Vancouver Sun commented that the novella has relatively little sex compared with Cooper’s other works. The Daily Telegraph described the book as a kind of “game of consequences,” linking the pictures and the text. Sue Macartney-Snape was praised as a natural observer of the country set, known for caricature-style portraits of English high society. By 1996, the book had sold about 30,000 copies.

Coincidental portrayals: the story includes a fox-hunting group called the Atherstone Hunt. After publication, Cooper learned there is a real Atherstone Hunt Club and apologized to it, even giving copies of the book and speaking at a dinner event. Illustrator Annie Tempest noted a similarity between one of Macartney-Snape’s figures and her own characters.

Publication and scope: Araminta's Wedding is a UK publication in English, categorized as a satirical romance. It stands among Jilly Cooper’s works that blend sharp social satire with illustrated storytelling. A related website lists the book at www.jillycooper.co.uk/books/aramintas-wedding/.