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delightfulread,Persephone, ever in a reading slump ?Pick up one of their classics in essence a story of unhappy relationships, a one sided community & the cruelty of gossip. Sometimes marriages and relationships just don‘t work out, “ I went away with you because I was as I was, I am going my way now alone because I am as I am. And what you don‘t see is this , the thing that made me go with you then is the thing that makes me go my way alone now ‘

Doreen is one of so many children evacuated from London during WWII, staying at a country house with a couple she doesn't know. While part of the story feels very "classic kid-lit" with Doreen discovering her new village, trying to find new friends, and taking a trip to Oxford with her wealthy caretakers, the lives and emotions of Doreen's adults (her actual parents and the couple who grow to love her) quickly become complicated. Beautifully done!

Sunny ☀️ but windy 🌬️ cooler afternoon, chores done , husband out , time to cosy on down with this little gem a pot of coffee and fur babies 🐶🐶Iv had a spate of ummmm 😑😐reads so I find turning to a Persephone you can‘t go wrong , I‘m there again next week in Bath 🛁 uk 🇬🇧 and can‘t wait 😝 happy 😊 reading you lovely 🥰 people x x

Another #PersephoneClub pick gobbled up! This one is rather melancholy, but the characters are so well drawn I felt like a fly on the wall to the family gossip. None of them are perfect or cardboard cutouts, which made them relatable. Belle was a real piece of work!

At the end, knowing the war was inevitable, left me feeling sad for them.

I loved this book. I can identify with both ladies—Mrs. Willoughby and her lists, and Mrs. Fowler “dipping into” her books. I just don‘t know how Belle got so many men to marry her. 🤷‍♀️

This is my first Richmal Crompton, but it definitely won‘t be my last.

#PersephoneClub

Realizing that I never posted about the #PersephoneClub book this month, which I quite liked a lot, despite being populated with so many unlikable people 😂. But it was so compelling and, as others have observed, such a strong picture of a particular time and class. I'll certainly read more Crompton in the future.

what a winner! Alongside highwages, to bed with grand music, the homemaker & someone from a distance this is in my favourite Persephone reads, actually I think it is my favourite. Iv tried to tag everyone in the group onto this and it wouldn‘t let me post came up with an error code … anyway the way the author captures the complexities of families , the different personalities the clashes the matriarchs of each clan -Mrs fowler & Mrs Willoughby 👇

I very much enjoyed this inter War story of two families and the widowed matriarchs who are very different with parenting styles that put each other at odds. The story of the impact on the children who, in the end, seem lost while the g/children appear to be a thriving new generation.
@quietjenn @Tamra @CarolynM @sisilia @Caryl @daena @elkeOriginal @Gissy @Aimeesue @Bookbuyingaddict @julieclair @willaful @LeahBergen #persephoneclub ⬇️

#PersephoneClub

I feel a bit guilty for enjoying this story so much since pretty much all the characters were unhappy one way or another. All those unhappy marriages! Did no one ever marry someone they actually liked? Widowed Mrs Fowler was the only one who seemed mostly contented, but even she was tinged with sadness about absent sons. Belle was quite a character - I thought she could be a grown up Violet Elizabeth from the Just William books 😆

I enjoyed our two widowed matriarchs , and both with five children. Helen was probably my favourite character. The title aptly describes family life and history repeating itself. It reminded me of Joni Mitchell‘s song The Circle Game. Great choice @CarolynM #PersephoneClub