The story begins as England is on the verge of war with Germany. We get an insight into Kit’s childhood and the personalities of her family, particularly her sister, Lily. Kit’s life is far from smooth going especially as she has to contend with the attitudes of the day following a traumatic experience.
It takes us through her young adult working life during the war and then her marriage, relationship with her daughter and her espionage work on the side.
The plot is intriguing, and I liked the way the author links the opening sections with the end of the book and the way Kit tells her daughter about her life.
The attitudes, background vistas and fashions of each decade don’t stand dormant. As the story moves forward Lokko’s descriptions move forward, accurately reflecting the time.
I enjoyed the characters who drew a variety of emotions from me – sympathy, anger, love – the full gamut.
There are some explicit sex scenes.
This is the first book I have read by this author but I will certainly be keeping a lookout for more.
Precis
A captivating family drama about sisters and long-held secrets spanning from the 1930s to the present day, perfect for fans of Downton Abbey.
1936, Chalfont Hall, Dorset.
As the dressmaker puts the last pins in her dress, thirteen-year-old Kit is wondering why she has to go through the charade of seeing her sister Lily presented at Court. With her waves of auburn hair and her piercing green eyes, Kit knows that her sister's place on the social scene is guaranteed regardless of her dress, and as the door to a life of parties and eligible young men opens for Lily, Kit must make do with tiptoeing around the gallery of Chalfont, eavesdropping on the conversations of the grown-ups.
But the arrival of a German visitor one evening soon sets in motion a chain of events that none of the family could have anticipated. Years later, the aftershock of events will be felt by a new generation . . .
My rating 4*
