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bsommers96 's review for:
The Summer Before the War
by Helen Simonson
Witty, sad, critical, this novel had many elements that I enjoyed.
I loved Beatrice’s banter and “out of line” comments for the time. Aunt Agatha quickly became a favorite character of mine. She was a really well done representation of a woman of her time who is “progressive but not a revolutionary” (I believe is how she described herself at one point). The complexity of her character being able to break social norms for certain things and not for others really highlighted the limitations on women at the time, and how quickly their reputations and futures could be changed.
There were many other characters who also highlighted the breaking of social norms for the time, some more subtle than others, but all well done.
I’ve seen negative reviews saying that this novel doesn’t compare to Simonson’s first. As someone who hasn’t read her other novel, I was not disappointed with this one. At times it did feel a little slow, and some story lines could have progressed quicker.
From the idyllic coastal summer, to the consequences of war, and all of the complexities in between, this was an enjoyable read.
I loved Beatrice’s banter and “out of line” comments for the time. Aunt Agatha quickly became a favorite character of mine. She was a really well done representation of a woman of her time who is “progressive but not a revolutionary” (I believe is how she described herself at one point). The complexity of her character being able to break social norms for certain things and not for others really highlighted the limitations on women at the time, and how quickly their reputations and futures could be changed.
There were many other characters who also highlighted the breaking of social norms for the time, some more subtle than others, but all well done.
I’ve seen negative reviews saying that this novel doesn’t compare to Simonson’s first. As someone who hasn’t read her other novel, I was not disappointed with this one. At times it did feel a little slow, and some story lines could have progressed quicker.
From the idyllic coastal summer, to the consequences of war, and all of the complexities in between, this was an enjoyable read.