A son visits his dying father, Louis, with burning questions about his childhood. Who was his mother and why was he taken away from her? But Louis wants to tell the story in his own way… Readers’ reactions: tender, engaging, effortless.
such a powerful relationship between Louis and his son…. a lovely writer
a touching and thought-provoking read, full of atmosphere and emotion.
Julian Gray is an absolutely lovely writer, and there is so much humanity and illumination in this novel.
I’m so happy I had a chance to read it…. and so enjoyed watching this tender love story unfold.
It is quickly apparent when a reader finds themselves in capable hands. I found the writing assured and with just the right combination of pace and context.
…a perspective that really deserves to be heard. Julian Gray is an excellent writer of character - they all felt so vivid and nuanced; each with their own demons, but all treated with such a tender touch that the reader was able to find redemptive qualities in all of them. The development of Louis and Ruth’s relationship and how each of them is shaped by their widely differing experiences of war and family, was particularly well done. Parenthood is so intricately explored - from the mixture of liberations and oppressions experienced by Vita’s free-love approach and the conservative quiet of Louis’ parents, to the tenderness of Louis and his son’s relationship in the present. I really enjoyed the forays into psychoanalysis and art, and the wide scope of locations and stages of war across which Louis’ story played out. The explorations of masculinity, vulnerability, and the multiple forms that love can take make for a powerful read. I very much enjoyed it.