There’s not that many books I’d force upon everyone and cudgel them with until it’s read, but this magnificent work is definitely one of them. For all the cover blurb about the impact of history on certain sections of post-Victorian society, this is essentially the tale of the doomed love of Soames for his wife Irene and the impact their actions have on each other, their family and then their children. Bitter, tense, heartbreaking and breathtakingly brilliant, it’s the kind of book that sticks with you a long, long time once done.
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