pickOh my God, #PersephoneClub ! I LOVED this book.
How can the story of a retired 1920s English couple, coming to terms with what their future holds, be such a compelling page-turner? 😆
I won‘t say anymore but do let me know what you thought of how their lives ended up (covered with a spoiler, please)!
BarbaraBB As always, you sold it! #stackedandonmywaytobuy 3y
CarolynM I kept expecting disaster to strike, probably financial disaster. Although I was very glad it didn't, I did wonder at the way the money problems just disappeared. And the cost of a live-in maid was never raised at all! 3y
LeahBergen @BarbaraBB I hope you like it as much as I did! It‘s a quiet story, but lovely. Have you read his![[tagged book]](https://image.librarything.com/pics/litsy_webpics/icon_taggedBook@3x.png)
The Fortnight in September 3y
The Fortnight in SeptemberSee All 15 Comments
LeahBergen @CarolynM I was TOTALLY expecting some horrid disaster to strike… shady builders or poor health or something! As to the maid issue: from what I‘ve read in other books, one maid was a given in the pre-WW2 period for middle-class families and their pay was pretty minor in relation to household expenses. There WAS that bit about the new neighbour “showing off” the fact that he had more than one maid, though. 😆 3y
Cathythoughts I‘ve only a small bit to go .. looking forward to chatting about it. I agree , it‘s so moving ❤️ 3y
Cathythoughts When they banged the door shut of their old house ... I was in horror at what they‘d done. I was scared for them. A bit of a fairytale ending , but I‘m so glad it worked out. Not a chance that I would take myself, I can‘t imagine selling our house at this time in our lives. The writing was superb 👌 3y
quietjenn @CarolynM @LeahBergen Yep - I was so nervous for them, thinking it would all fall through and that they'd be left with nothing and nowhere. So happy to be wrong about that. (edited) 3y
Tamra I loved the writing, it was so perceptive! I didn‘t enjoy the ending; the final chapter felt like a tag given the tension and suspense that had ramped up. The two racist passages were disappointing even though I understand the context. (edited) 3y
Tamra @LeahBergen I thought for sure they were being taken by the builder! 3y
Tamra @Cathythoughts not in this economy! 😅 But it‘s such human nature to see the grass as greener on the other side. I thought Sherriff captured that so well. (edited) 3y
LeahBergen @Cathythoughts I was so scared for them! 😆 And, like you, it was probably because I was putting myself into their shoes and imagining it for myself at his time. 😆😆 3y
LeahBergen @quietjenn I felt that I really needed that happy ending for them after all the anxiety I‘d felt. 😆 3y
LeahBergen @Tamra Yes! The use of those racist terms was so jarring and slammed me right out of the narrative (as it always does in books from this era 😬). And I agree about that final chapter: I appreciated the happy ending but the change in narrative voice was a little odd for me. 3y
Mitch Sounds like something I should read! 🤣🤣 3y
LeahBergen @Mitch Ha!! It IS you! 😆😆 They move to the country from the outskirts of London. (edited) 3y