Margaret Forster (1938–2016)

I read this book a week ago, whilst on holiday and now find I'm having difficulty remembering it. Not a good sign. Julia, the child of a somewhat puritanical and disapproving mother, didn't tell when she accidentally tipped over her niece's pram when out walking with her... and then the child dies. Keeping her secret colours Julia's life, and the person she grows into isn't easy to like. An uncomfortable read in which the pages turn quickly and easily. The only thing I didn't believe in, under the circumstances, was Julia's choice of profession. Read the book and see if you agree.… (més)

This was a reading group suggestion and I wasn't particularly thrilled. It wasn't as bad as I expected. It's a long book and I did have to commit myself to 100 pages a day to get through it. I found that when I picked it up, I could read the 100 pages and quite enjoy it but once put down, I would not be enthused to pick it back up. It definately becomes far too long towards the end and I was just waiting for it to be over. But it does have its interesting side - in its portrait of Elizabeth Barret Browning, its description of a servant's life - always at the mercy of those who called themselves poor but weren't really. The description of depression at the end is particularly good. So for a book that is the kind that I normally avoid, it was OK.… (més)