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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Just couldn't make it through this one. gave it a good try but kept starting and finishing other books before this one. I eventually gave up. it was OK but slow and only semi interesting.
Soft and meandering historical fiction set against the backdrop of the first world war. The scene building is superb and character development masterful.
Too long, not what I expected. A lot of detail of upper class life in the English countryside before WWI.
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Spoiler Alert. The title is misleading. This book actually begins the summer before the war and then includes the war. For someone who does not love war books, me, this had me gnashing my teeth.
Here's what I liked. The story. A young girl, bent on being an independent woman (spinster) is hired to teach Latin in a school in a small town. She develops friendships with some of the well-to-do and does some of the independent things women might do during this time period. There is some scandal which is a must-have if one is not going to have a murder. I do love this Downton Abbey-ish book. The characters are wonderful. Although the plot is somewhat predictable, I still enjoyed this book.
Here's what I liked. The story. A young girl, bent on being an independent woman (spinster) is hired to teach Latin in a school in a small town. She develops friendships with some of the well-to-do and does some of the independent things women might do during this time period. There is some scandal which is a must-have if one is not going to have a murder. I do love this Downton Abbey-ish book. The characters are wonderful. Although the plot is somewhat predictable, I still enjoyed this book.
Eight plus years ago i gave four stars to "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand." Helen Simonson's latest book, "The Summer Before the War" is getting strong reviews, but it may have been the wrong time for me to read it. I loved the central character, Beatrice Nash, Latin teacher and would-be writer, mourning her father's death, arriving early for her first teaching position in Rye, East Sussex. The summer ends abruptly with England's entry into World War I, and Rye and its lovely quiet life are upended. In the 2020-21 pandemic, even with hopes of our re-entry into life, it was too much. So I read the first 200-some pages (before the war) and the last several chapters (out of 473 pp.).
It took a bit to get into it, but it is really a good story with great characters.