In the summer of 1913, George Sawle, a student at Cambridge, goes back home to spend some time with his family, accompanied by his friendCecil Balance, an aristocrat and poet. The two friends are lovers, but their affair is secret to avoid offending the sensibilities of the times. Before leaving, Cecile writes a poem in the diary of one of Georges sisters, which is destined to become legendary for a generation. Butwas the poem inspired by the young Daphne or by George? The secrets and intimacies of that weekend are the foundation on which this fascinating story is built. A story told from different points of view throughout the century by critics and biographers; a taleof seduction, Cecils hidden secret and the enigmas inherent in desire and literature. This novel was on the Man Booker Prize shortlist 2011 and won the Galaxy National Book Prize.