Delightful and engaging, 26 Jul 2008
This is one of those novels that I will definitely be reading again in the future, although this is more of a book to be read in winter by the fire than in summer on the beach. The characters are all so fully developed, from the two women at the centre of the story, Dido and Georgia, to the more peripheral characters - I didn't care that they were 'middle-class stereotypes', as some reviewers have complained. I just wanted to follow them on their journeys through their various losses to find out what their destinations might be. Although the events of the novel are dark at times, they are always tempered by a quiet humour and one never feels dragged down by them.

Highly recommended.

Bedtime book, 26 Jun 2008
This wasn't the lighthearted read that I was expecting but Gee's writing pulled me into the lives of the characters and held me there. This is a book about life and death, bereavement, romance and of course, books. Whenever it showed signs of getting a little dark for me, Gee turned it around and lightened it up with her gentle humour. The opening pages take part in Hay on Wye, which is a Mecca for serious book lovers and immediately I was hooked. In this book we meet several characters and families whose lives are all in some way enriched by literature. Gee writes with a great sense of compassion and observation making this book a comforting read - in fact, it would make an ideal bedtime book.

The educated middle class life, 02 Jun 2008
Georgia and Henry, Dido and Jeffrey have been friends since University. Now Georgia is a widow and Dido and Jeffrey are encountering problems which are likely to test their relationship to its limits. What goes unsaid in this story is as potent as those things which are discussed openly. Georgia is trying to rebuild her life but is not sure exactly how to do it and daughter Chloe is causing her some anxiety. All charcters are carefully and convincingly drawn. People have principles and find them at odds with things which are happening in their lives. Georgia's late husband's cousin is on the point of dementia and Georgia must deal with the situation even though Maud is no relation of hers, forcing her to confront her own fears about living alone.
I enjoyed the book, but found the layout - a dash to introduce dialogue - irritating and confusing as I had to go back and re-read some sections to see which was speech and which was narrative. I found I did care about the characters even though occasionally I wanted to shake Georgia because she kept expecting Henry to return to her. Apart from these comparatively minor issues I found the book worth reading.

Reading In Bed, 20 May 2008
This was an OK read, but fairly predictable and not a patch on The Hours of The Night. I do have to agree with some of the other reviews - firstly, the middle class stereotypes are getting a bit wearing and secondly, the writing style is becoming quite smug. I found the lack of speech marks particularly distracting and I don't really see how the book got such rave reviews.

Enjoyable if slightly cliched., 10 May 2008
I am a Sue Gee fan, but having said that, I sometimes tire of the stereotypical characters - not only in her novels but many of those portraying the educated middle classes. Think Penelope Lively, Susan Hill and even Ian McKewan. It would be so refreshing to have them eating baked beans or a burger and chips now and then, instead of wholesome soup, cheese and rustic bread! Similarly, the choice of names- how many Didos, Georgias and Jezs do you know? Many sixty year olds tend to be called Sue or Maureen, or Jean or Patricia.

These are details - but they do irritate at times. It is as if the writer chooses every facet of an educated middle-class lifestyle- Radio 4, the Archers, the Hay Festival, cottages in the Lakes, good universities, and piles them on, and on. Now and then, it would be nice to have a slightly more quirky middle class character!

However, Gee writes well. Sometimes her two-word sentences have terrific impact. She is excellent at conveying emotions with few words. There is a carefully observed portrayal of mother-daughter relationships, of young love and love in late middle age.

Delightful and engaging, 26 Jul 2008
This is one of those novels that I will definitely be reading again in the future, although this is more of a book to be read in winter by the fire than in summer on the beach. The characters are all so fully developed, from the two women at the centre of the story, Dido and Georgia, to the more peripheral characters - I didn't care that they were 'middle-class stereotypes', as some reviewers have complained. I just wanted to follow them on their journeys through their various losses to find out what their destinations might be. Although the events of the novel are dark at times, they are always tempered by a quiet humour and one never feels dragged down by them.

Highly recommended.

Bedtime book, 26 Jun 2008
This wasn't the lighthearted read that I was expecting but Gee's writing pulled me into the lives of the characters and held me there. This is a book about life and death, bereavement, romance and of course, books. Whenever it showed signs of getting a little dark for me, Gee turned it around and lightened it up with her gentle humour. The opening pages take part in Hay on Wye, which is a Mecca for serious book lovers and immediately I was hooked. In this book we meet several characters and families whose lives are all in some way enriched by literature. Gee writes with a great sense of compassion and observation making this book a comforting read - in fact, it would make an ideal bedtime book.

The educated middle class life, 02 Jun 2008
Georgia and Henry, Dido and Jeffrey have been friends since University. Now Georgia is a widow and Dido and Jeffrey are encountering problems which are likely to test their relationship to its limits. What goes unsaid in this story is as potent as those things which are discussed openly. Georgia is trying to rebuild her life but is not sure exactly how to do it and daughter Chloe is causing her some anxiety. All charcters are carefully and convincingly drawn. People have principles and find them at odds with things which are happening in their lives. Georgia's late husband's cousin is on the point of dementia and Georgia must deal with the situation even though Maud is no relation of hers, forcing her to confront her own fears about living alone.
I enjoyed the book, but found the layout - a dash to introduce dialogue - irritating and confusing as I had to go back and re-read some sections to see which was speech and which was narrative. I found I did care about the characters even though occasionally I wanted to shake Georgia because she kept expecting Henry to return to her. Apart from these comparatively minor issues I found the book worth reading.

Reading In Bed, 20 May 2008
This was an OK read, but fairly predictable and not a patch on The Hours of The Night. I do have to agree with some of the other reviews - firstly, the middle class stereotypes are getting a bit wearing and secondly, the writing style is becoming quite smug. I found the lack of speech marks particularly distracting and I don't really see how the book got such rave reviews.

Enjoyable if slightly cliched., 10 May 2008
I am a Sue Gee fan, but having said that, I sometimes tire of the stereotypical characters - not only in her novels but many of those portraying the educated middle classes. Think Penelope Lively, Susan Hill and even Ian McKewan. It would be so refreshing to have them eating baked beans or a burger and chips now and then, instead of wholesome soup, cheese and rustic bread! Similarly, the choice of names- how many Didos, Georgias and Jezs do you know? Many sixty year olds tend to be called Sue or Maureen, or Jean or Patricia.

These are details - but they do irritate at times. It is as if the writer chooses every facet of an educated middle-class lifestyle- Radio 4, the Archers, the Hay Festival, cottages in the Lakes, good universities, and piles them on, and on. Now and then, it would be nice to have a slightly more quirky middle class character!

However, Gee writes well. Sometimes her two-word sentences have terrific impact. She is excellent at conveying emotions with few words. There is a carefully observed portrayal of mother-daughter relationships, of young love and love in late middle age.





Don't judge this book by its insipid blue cover ..., 20 Sep 2008
Because it is hauntingly, beautifully written, a story of forbidden love and Victorian hypocrisy. Sue Gee's descriptions of the passing seasons in a Herefordshire country parish are exquisite, and although I am far from being a religious person, I was moved by her description of the young curate's palpable love of God and his struggles when he finds himself overwhelmed by love for a married woman. Indeed, Sue Gee has the rare gift of writing movingly, sparely, without mawkishness or awkwardness about those difficult subjects ... love, God, and sex .

A beautiful story, 15 Aug 2008
This is a charming book, the characters come to life from the page and the love story is gentle and incredibly romantic. I would recommend it thoroughly.

Beautiful, lyrical story of restrained love and old-fashioned values., 28 Feb 2008
Sue Gee has created here a love story with true depth of feeling, displaying the sometimes darker side of country life in Victorian England. A melody of prose surrounds her central character, a young curate sent to assist an ailing vicar at a Herefordshire parish in the winter of 1860.

The young Richard Allen, still mourning his father's recent death, displays a genuine love for his God, his family whom he has left behind, the rural community he is to serve, and the countryside around his new basic and rustic home. However, all of his simple and profound ideals are challenged when he falls helplessly in love with a young married woman of important social standing. There is a wonderful purity and innocence to this love, and yet the young curate clearly also has a geniune talent for his vocation serving God... a very difficult predicament to be in and you can only feel sympathy for this young idealistic man.

The story is beautifully told; a compelling read. You cannot rush this book - you simply have to go with it at its own pace and I slowed my, usually quick, reading pace to appreciate this novel at its best. So much more than just another historical romance, I can recommended this novel highly.

A wonderful, lyrical book, 19 Oct 2007
This is the first book I had read by Sue Gee and it won't be the last. I loved it. From the first page I was hooked and everything was so beautifully described that I immediately felt that I had stepped into the time and place in which it is set. The relationship between the two main characters is built up beautifully. To be honest, rather that not being able to put it down I found myself reading it slowly, chapter by chapter, in order to enjoy it all the more. It stayed with me for ages afterwards.

Beautiful, lyrical writing, 12 Jun 2007
Sue Gee writes so well and so lyrically that I found myself feeling deeply for her characters. The sense of place is very strong and I loved the way she described the seasons and their changing. A lovely book.

Delightful and engaging, 26 Jul 2008
This is one of those novels that I will definitely be reading again in the future, although this is more of a book to be read in winter by the fire than in summer on the beach. The characters are all so fully developed, from the two women at the centre of the story, Dido and Georgia, to the more peripheral characters - I didn't care that they were 'middle-class stereotypes', as some reviewers have complained. I just wanted to follow them on their journeys through their various losses to find out what their destinations might be. Although the events of the novel are dark at times, they are always tempered by a quiet humour and one never feels dragged down by them.

Highly recommended.

Bedtime book, 26 Jun 2008
This wasn't the lighthearted read that I was expecting but Gee's writing pulled me into the lives of the characters and held me there. This is a book about life and death, bereavement, romance and of course, books. Whenever it showed signs of getting a little dark for me, Gee turned it around and lightened it up with her gentle humour. The opening pages take part in Hay on Wye, which is a Mecca for serious book lovers and immediately I was hooked. In this book we meet several characters and families whose lives are all in some way enriched by literature. Gee writes with a great sense of compassion and observation making this book a comforting read - in fact, it would make an ideal bedtime book.

The educated middle class life, 02 Jun 2008
Georgia and Henry, Dido and Jeffrey have been friends since University. Now Georgia is a widow and Dido and Jeffrey are encountering problems which are likely to test their relationship to its limits. What goes unsaid in this story is as potent as those things which are discussed openly. Georgia is trying to rebuild her life but is not sure exactly how to do it and daughter Chloe is causing her some anxiety. All charcters are carefully and convincingly drawn. People have principles and find them at odds with things which are happening in their lives. Georgia's late husband's cousin is on the point of dementia and Georgia must deal with the situation even though Maud is no relation of hers, forcing her to confront her own fears about living alone.
I enjoyed the book, but found the layout - a dash to introduce dialogue - irritating and confusing as I had to go back and re-read some sections to see which was speech and which was narrative. I found I did care about the characters even though occasionally I wanted to shake Georgia because she kept expecting Henry to return to her. Apart from these comparatively minor issues I found the book worth reading.

Reading In Bed, 20 May 2008
This was an OK read, but fairly predictable and not a patch on The Hours of The Night. I do have to agree with some of the other reviews - firstly, the middle class stereotypes are getting a bit wearing and secondly, the writing style is becoming quite smug. I found the lack of speech marks particularly distracting and I don't really see how the book got such rave reviews.

Enjoyable if slightly cliched., 10 May 2008
I am a Sue Gee fan, but having said that, I sometimes tire of the stereotypical characters - not only in her novels but many of those portraying the educated middle classes. Think Penelope Lively, Susan Hill and even Ian McKewan. It would be so refreshing to have them eating baked beans or a burger and chips now and then, instead of wholesome soup, cheese and rustic bread! Similarly, the choice of names- how many Didos, Georgias and Jezs do you know? Many sixty year olds tend to be called Sue or Maureen, or Jean or Patricia.

These are details - but they do irritate at times. It is as if the writer chooses every facet of an educated middle-class lifestyle- Radio 4, the Archers, the Hay Festival, cottages in the Lakes, good universities, and piles them on, and on. Now and then, it would be nice to have a slightly more quirky middle class character!

However, Gee writes well. Sometimes her two-word sentences have terrific impact. She is excellent at conveying emotions with few words. There is a carefully observed portrayal of mother-daughter relationships, of young love and love in late middle age.





Don't judge this book by its insipid blue cover ..., 20 Sep 2008
Because it is hauntingly, beautifully written, a story of forbidden love and Victorian hypocrisy. Sue Gee's descriptions of the passing seasons in a Herefordshire country parish are exquisite, and although I am far from being a religious person, I was moved by her description of the young curate's palpable love of God and his struggles when he finds himself overwhelmed by love for a married woman. Indeed, Sue Gee has the rare gift of writing movingly, sparely, without mawkishness or awkwardness about those difficult subjects ... love, God, and sex .

A beautiful story, 15 Aug 2008
This is a charming book, the characters come to life from the page and the love story is gentle and incredibly romantic. I would recommend it thoroughly.

Beautiful, lyrical story of restrained love and old-fashioned values., 28 Feb 2008
Sue Gee has created here a love story with true depth of feeling, displaying the sometimes darker side of country life in Victorian England. A melody of prose surrounds her central character, a young curate sent to assist an ailing vicar at a Herefordshire parish in the winter of 1860.

The young Richard Allen, still mourning his father's recent death, displays a genuine love for his God, his family whom he has left behind, the rural community he is to serve, and the countryside around his new basic and rustic home. However, all of his simple and profound ideals are challenged when he falls helplessly in love with a young married woman of important social standing. There is a wonderful purity and innocence to this love, and yet the young curate clearly also has a geniune talent for his vocation serving God... a very difficult predicament to be in and you can only feel sympathy for this young idealistic man.

The story is beautifully told; a compelling read. You cannot rush this book - you simply have to go with it at its own pace and I slowed my, usually quick, reading pace to appreciate this novel at its best. So much more than just another historical romance, I can recommended this novel highly.

A wonderful, lyrical book, 19 Oct 2007
This is the first book I had read by Sue Gee and it won't be the last. I loved it. From the first page I was hooked and everything was so beautifully described that I immediately felt that I had stepped into the time and place in which it is set. The relationship between the two main characters is built up beautifully. To be honest, rather that not being able to put it down I found myself reading it slowly, chapter by chapter, in order to enjoy it all the more. It stayed with me for ages afterwards.

Beautiful, lyrical writing, 12 Jun 2007
Sue Gee writes so well and so lyrically that I found myself feeling deeply for her characters. The sense of place is very strong and I loved the way she described the seasons and their changing. A lovely book.

The hours of the night Sue Gee, 16 Sep 2008
There is little doubt that Sue Gee writes memorably about farming and the art of gardening. Her characters are memorable if lacking in substance. But when she writes about feelings of love particularly the physical love between her characters the book descends into farce. These scenes particularly those between Edward and Roland and also the attempted seducing of Phil by Roland made me laugh out loud and I don't think this was how it was intended to be.

The Hours of The Night, 30 Apr 2008
This is a beautifully written book, with many layers. The descriptions of the changing seasons and the countryside in general are particularly evocative. I had some sympathy for all the characters (except Rowland), but I particularly liked Nesta and Edward. Gillian was a very complex character, and I actually found her quite unpleasant most of the time - not sure whether this was the author's intention. Overall, a very good read - only losing out on 5 stars because I didn't like all the poetry - I suppose it is considered an integral part of the book, but I skimmed through it all and still enjoyed it.

Lyrical and moving account of four seasons, 16 Oct 2006
I picked this book up on a whim, liking the blurb on the back. It is one of the best analyses of country life that I have ever read in fiction. The story focuses on four main characters: Gillian, a sheltered poet who has never left the Welsh valley where she was born; Phoebe, her terse English mother, who expresses herself better in embroidery and gardening than in words; Nesta, a Londoner who has come to seek peace from her grief in teaching mentally handicapped children; and Edward, another newcomer to the valley, starting out as a farmer. The reader follows them throughout the course of the year. Love and friendship change Gillian's sheltered existence, while Edward finds that combining farming life and a long distance relationship is not exactly easy. Gee's descriptions of the country and rural life are intense and lyrical, while Gillian's poetry and pantheistic beliefs are woven throughout the novel as a underlying thread.

For anyone who wants a novel about the inner lives of people, what they believe and feel and think, this cannot be beaten.

Magical Storytelling, 06 Jan 2005
A friend left this book behind when she holidayed with me and it was the first by Sue Gee I had read. it certainly won't be the last. I was drawn in from the first by her wonderful ability to empathise with the characters and have you live the story with them. Each person was totally believable and I didn't want the book to finish, buy it and wallow in a hugely enjoyable read.

read it for the landscape, 03 Oct 2000
I bought this for the location, and was not disappointed. The author has a deft and sensitive descriptive ability. The characters, however, I found somewhat inauthentic, not in the least when they are involved in romantic or sexual situations. Do gay men really ask each other, "make love to me?" Not the ones I know. All the same, a noble effort, and often successful.

Delightful and engaging, 26 Jul 2008
This is one of those novels that I will definitely be reading again in the future, although this is more of a book to be read in winter by the fire than in summer on the beach. The characters are all so fully developed, from the two women at the centre of the story, Dido and Georgia, to the more peripheral characters - I didn't care that they were 'middle-class stereotypes', as some reviewers have complained. I just wanted to follow them on their journeys through their various losses to find out what their destinations might be. Although the events of the novel are dark at times, they are always tempered by a quiet humour and one never feels dragged down by them.

Highly recommended.

Bedtime book, 26 Jun 2008
This wasn't the lighthearted read that I was expecting but Gee's writing pulled me into the lives of the characters and held me there. This is a book about life and death, bereavement, romance and of course, books. Whenever it showed signs of getting a little dark for me, Gee turned it around and lightened it up with her gentle humour. The opening pages take part in Hay on Wye, which is a Mecca for serious book lovers and immediately I was hooked. In this book we meet several characters and families whose lives are all in some way enriched by literature. Gee writes with a great sense of compassion and observation making this book a comforting read - in fact, it would make an ideal bedtime book.

The educated middle class life, 02 Jun 2008
Georgia and Henry, Dido and Jeffrey have been friends since University. Now Georgia is a widow and Dido and Jeffrey are encountering problems which are likely to test their relationship to its limits. What goes unsaid in this story is as potent as those things which are discussed openly. Georgia is trying to rebuild her life but is not sure exactly how to do it and daughter Chloe is causing her some anxiety. All charcters are carefully and convincingly drawn. People have principles and find them at odds with things which are happening in their lives. Georgia's late husband's cousin is on the point of dementia and Georgia must deal with the situation even though Maud is no relation of hers, forcing her to confront her own fears about living alone.
I enjoyed the book, but found the layout - a dash to introduce dialogue - irritating and confusing as I had to go back and re-read some sections to see which was speech and which was narrative. I found I did care about the characters even though occasionally I wanted to shake Georgia because she kept expecting Henry to return to her. Apart from these comparatively minor issues I found the book worth reading.

Reading In Bed, 20 May 2008
This was an OK read, but fairly predictable and not a patch on The Hours of The Night. I do have to agree with some of the other reviews - firstly, the middle class stereotypes are getting a bit wearing and secondly, the writing style is becoming quite smug. I found the lack of speech marks particularly distracting and I don't really see how the book got such rave reviews.

Enjoyable if slightly cliched., 10 May 2008
I am a Sue Gee fan, but having said that, I sometimes tire of the stereotypical characters - not only in her novels but many of those portraying the educated middle classes. Think Penelope Lively, Susan Hill and even Ian McKewan. It would be so refreshing to have them eating baked beans or a burger and chips now and then, instead of wholesome soup, cheese and rustic bread! Similarly, the choice of names- how many Didos, Georgias and Jezs do you know? Many sixty year olds tend to be called Sue or Maureen, or Jean or Patricia.

These are details - but they do irritate at times. It is as if the writer chooses every facet of an educated middle-class lifestyle- Radio 4, the Archers, the Hay Festival, cottages in the Lakes, good universities, and piles them on, and on. Now and then, it would be nice to have a slightly more quirky middle class character!

However, Gee writes well. Sometimes her two-word sentences have terrific impact. She is excellent at conveying emotions with few words. There is a carefully observed portrayal of mother-daughter relationships, of young love and love in late middle age.





Don't judge this book by its insipid blue cover ..., 20 Sep 2008
Because it is hauntingly, beautifully written, a story of forbidden love and Victorian hypocrisy. Sue Gee's descriptions of the passing seasons in a Herefordshire country parish are exquisite, and although I am far from being a religious person, I was moved by her description of the young curate's palpable love of God and his struggles when he finds himself overwhelmed by love for a married woman. Indeed, Sue Gee has the rare gift of writing movingly, sparely, without mawkishness or awkwardness about those difficult subjects ... love, God, and sex .

A beautiful story, 15 Aug 2008
This is a charming book, the characters come to life from the page and the love story is gentle and incredibly romantic. I would recommend it thoroughly.

Beautiful, lyrical story of restrained love and old-fashioned values., 28 Feb 2008
Sue Gee has created here a love story with true depth of feeling, displaying the sometimes darker side of country life in Victorian England. A melody of prose surrounds her central character, a young curate sent to assist an ailing vicar at a Herefordshire parish in the winter of 1860.

The young Richard Allen, still mourning his father's recent death, displays a genuine love for his God, his family whom he has left behind, the rural community he is to serve, and the countryside around his new basic and rustic home. However, all of his simple and profound ideals are challenged when he falls helplessly in love with a young married woman of important social standing. There is a wonderful purity and innocence to this love, and yet the young curate clearly also has a geniune talent for his vocation serving God... a very difficult predicament to be in and you can only feel sympathy for this young idealistic man.

The story is beautifully told; a compelling read. You cannot rush this book - you simply have to go with it at its own pace and I slowed my, usually quick, reading pace to appreciate this novel at its best. So much more than just another historical romance, I can recommended this novel highly.

A wonderful, lyrical book, 19 Oct 2007
This is the first book I had read by Sue Gee and it won't be the last. I loved it. From the first page I was hooked and everything was so beautifully described that I immediately felt that I had stepped into the time and place in which it is set. The relationship between the two main characters is built up beautifully. To be honest, rather that not being able to put it down I found myself reading it slowly, chapter by chapter, in order to enjoy it all the more. It stayed with me for ages afterwards.

Beautiful, lyrical writing, 12 Jun 2007
Sue Gee writes so well and so lyrically that I found myself feeling deeply for her characters. The sense of place is very strong and I loved the way she described the seasons and their changing. A lovely book.

The hours of the night Sue Gee, 16 Sep 2008
There is little doubt that Sue Gee writes memorably about farming and the art of gardening. Her characters are memorable if lacking in substance. But when she writes about feelings of love particularly the physical love between her characters the book descends into farce. These scenes particularly those between Edward and Roland and also the attempted seducing of Phil by Roland made me laugh out loud and I don't think this was how it was intended to be.

The Hours of The Night, 30 Apr 2008
This is a beautifully written book, with many layers. The descriptions of the changing seasons and the countryside in general are particularly evocative. I had some sympathy for all the characters (except Rowland), but I particularly liked Nesta and Edward. Gillian was a very complex character, and I actually found her quite unpleasant most of the time - not sure whether this was the author's intention. Overall, a very good read - only losing out on 5 stars because I didn't like all the poetry - I suppose it is considered an integral part of the book, but I skimmed through it all and still enjoyed it.

Lyrical and moving account of four seasons, 16 Oct 2006
I picked this book up on a whim, liking the blurb on the back. It is one of the best analyses of country life that I have ever read in fiction. The story focuses on four main characters: Gillian, a sheltered poet who has never left the Welsh valley where she was born; Phoebe, her terse English mother, who expresses herself better in embroidery and gardening than in words; Nesta, a Londoner who has come to seek peace from her grief in teaching mentally handicapped children; and Edward, another newcomer to the valley, starting out as a farmer. The reader follows them throughout the course of the year. Love and friendship change Gillian's sheltered existence, while Edward finds that combining farming life and a long distance relationship is not exactly easy. Gee's descriptions of the country and rural life are intense and lyrical, while Gillian's poetry and pantheistic beliefs are woven throughout the novel as a underlying thread.

For anyone who wants a novel about the inner lives of people, what they believe and feel and think, this cannot be beaten.

Magical Storytelling, 06 Jan 2005
A friend left this book behind when she holidayed with me and it was the first by Sue Gee I had read. it certainly won't be the last. I was drawn in from the first by her wonderful ability to empathise with the characters and have you live the story with them. Each person was totally believable and I didn't want the book to finish, buy it and wallow in a hugely enjoyable read.

read it for the landscape, 03 Oct 2000
I bought this for the location, and was not disappointed. The author has a deft and sensitive descriptive ability. The characters, however, I found somewhat inauthentic, not in the least when they are involved in romantic or sexual situations. Do gay men really ask each other, "make love to me?" Not the ones I know. All the same, a noble effort, and often successful.

A novel full of sadness and loss., 08 Jul 2005
This story spans the era between the 1st and 2nd world wars.
We join the characters reeling from losses sustained during WWI, trying to pull their lives together and start again.
This is followed by an interesting period set amongst students of art at a London college.
The main characters then move down to rural Kent, an idylic existence marred by the struggle to make ends meet and then by another tragic loss.
The remainder of the novel deals with the effects of this loss and the struggle of the characters to drag themselves back from the brink caused by the trauma.
The subject is dealt with compassionately and with feeling, but it is definately not a feel-good book.
The end I predicted half way through, soon after 'the lover' was introduced, and the language I found overly descriptive and flowery.
I regret I was not as enthusiastic about this book as other readers. However, if you enjoyed this book, I would recommend The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard : set after the end of WWII and written in similar descriptive style, and also Isobel Allende's Paula : A touching story of loss based on Ms Allende's real life in Chile, told to her dying daughter.

A sweet and gentle love story of an aspiring artist., 06 Jun 2001
I thoroughly recommend this book. It is a sweet and gentle love story, which is slow to unfold, but develops into a satisfying read right up to the closing words.

It is the story of an impecunious artist and his life and loves, during the years between the 1st and 2nd World Wars. It is also the story of the changing world of art, as Europe emerges after the destruction of the 1st World War and artists begin to experiment and create, and the criticism and skepticism with which this new emerging art is regarded. Vivid images of paints and paintings, oils and watercolors, sculpture and woodcarvings are all splashed throughout the book, like live canvases at an exhibition.

Walter's artistic talent is recognized early, and he enrolls at The Slade School of Art to learn to draw and paint professionally. The details of his art classes are fascinating, and the stories of "Terrible Tonks", the President of the School and other faculty members, are all factually correct and very interesting. Walter meets Sarah studying wood engraving at the school and they soon marry, and have a family.

They struggle as artists - recognition doesn't come with the passing years. But with love and trust they build a warm and welcoming home until tragedy enters their lives, and twists the beauty and harmony of their existence into something frightening and ghostly. Something between Earth and Heaven.

The author's style, although sparse and crisp, is evocative and lyrical. The book is full of contrasts. The softness of rural Kent, where Walter lives with his family, and the harshness of grimy London where he studies, winter winds and summer breezes, busy streets and quiet country lanes, sorrow and happiness, reality and imagination, all described with clarity and conciseness.

It has been a long time since a book has been powerful enough to make me weep so profusely. I immediately ordered more of Sue Gee's books!

Nice read if a little 'affected', 04 Sep 2000
Very enjoyable book, but I found the language at times a bit 'cute' eg Euan asks the young 4 year old 'What are you making?' the boy replies'A mess' and there was a lot of 'Of course' - it sounded like one voice coming out of the same head and the children don't sound like children at all. However for all that it was very absorbing and illuminating about art and WW1 - though the eventual relationship between Euan and Meredith lay a bit uncomfortably - what sort of love was it between an old man and very young girl? Hmmmm....well worth the read

Sue Gee equals her achievement of"The Hours of the Night", 06 Aug 2000
In this generous, leisurely novel, Sue Gee shows her ability to create character and place - London after the First World War, the hop-fields of Kent. As with "The Hours of the Night", she deals with loss - for Walter, who has lost his brother in the First World War; for his friend Euan, who is grieving for his comrades killed at Passchendaele... Sue Gee excels at the tensions of relationships, and at evoking the textures and pleasures of daily life. Also, this carefully-researched novel gives insights into various art movements of the period between the wars and up to the rise of Nazism - showing how some artists responded to the conflicts while others ignored them. A long and absorbing read, confirming Sue Gee's status as one of the best novelists writing today.

Delightful and engaging, 26 Jul 2008
This is one of those novels that I will definitely be reading again in the future, although this is more of a book to be read in winter by the fire than in summer on the beach. The characters are all so fully developed, from the two women at the centre of the story, Dido and Georgia, to the more peripheral characters - I didn't care that they were 'middle-class stereotypes', as some reviewers have complained. I just wanted to follow them on their journeys through their various losses to find out what their destinations might be. Although the events of the novel are dark at times, they are always tempered by a quiet humour and one never feels dragged down by them.

Highly recommended.

Bedtime book, 26 Jun 2008
This wasn't the lighthearted read that I was expecting but Gee's writing pulled me into the lives of the characters and held me there. This is a book about life and death, bereavement, romance and of course, books. Whenever it showed signs of getting a little dark for me, Gee turned it around and lightened it up with her gentle humour. The opening pages take part in Hay on Wye, which is a Mecca for serious book lovers and immediately I was hooked. In this book we meet several characters and families whose lives are all in some way enriched by literature. Gee writes with a great sense of compassion and observation making this book a comforting read - in fact, it would make an ideal bedtime book.

The educated middle class life, 02 Jun 2008
Georgia and Henry, Dido and Jeffrey have been friends since University. Now Georgia is a widow and Dido and Jeffrey are encountering problems which are likely to test their relationship to its limits. What goes unsaid in this story is as potent as those things which are discussed openly. Georgia is trying to rebuild her life but is not sure exactly how to do it and daughter Chloe is causing her some anxiety. All charcters are carefully and convincingly drawn. People have principles and find them at odds with things which are happening in their lives. Georgia's late husband's cousin is on the point of dementia and Georgia must deal with the situation even though Maud is no relation of hers, forcing her to confront her own fears about living alone.
I enjoyed the book, but found the layout - a dash to introduce dialogue - irritating and confusing as I had to go back and re-read some sections to see which was speech and which was narrative. I found I did care about the characters even though occasionally I wanted to shake Georgia because she kept expecting Henry to return to her. Apart from these comparatively minor issues I found the book worth reading.

Reading In Bed, 20 May 2008
This was an OK read, but fairly predictable and not a patch on The Hours of The Night. I do have to agree with some of the other reviews - firstly, the middle class stereotypes are getting a bit wearing and secondly, the writing style is becoming quite smug. I found the lack of speech marks particularly distracting and I don't really see how the book got such rave reviews.

Enjoyable if slightly cliched., 10 May 2008
I am a Sue Gee fan, but having said that, I sometimes tire of the stereotypical characters - not only in her novels but many of those portraying the educated middle classes. Think Penelope Lively, Susan Hill and even Ian McKewan. It would be so refreshing to have them eating baked beans or a burger and chips now and then, instead of wholesome soup, cheese and rustic bread! Similarly, the choice of names- how many Didos, Georgias and Jezs do you know? Many sixty year olds tend to be called Sue or Maureen, or Jean or Patricia.

These are details - but they do irritate at times. It is as if the writer chooses every facet of an educated middle-class lifestyle- Radio 4, the Archers, the Hay Festival, cottages in the Lakes, good universities, and piles them on, and on. Now and then, it would be nice to have a slightly more quirky middle class character!

However, Gee writes well. Sometimes her two-word sentences have terrific impact. She is excellent at conveying emotions with few words. There is a carefully observed portrayal of mother-daughter relationships, of young love and love in late middle age.





Don't judge this book by its insipid blue cover ..., 20 Sep 2008
Because it is hauntingly, beautifully written, a story of forbidden love and Victorian hypocrisy. Sue Gee's descriptions of the passing seasons in a Herefordshire country parish are exquisite, and although I am far from being a religious person, I was moved by her description of the young curate's palpable love of God and his struggles when he finds himself overwhelmed by love for a married woman. Indeed, Sue Gee has the rare gift of writing movingly, sparely, without mawkishness or awkwardness about those difficult subjects ... love, God, and sex .

A beautiful story, 15 Aug 2008
This is a charming book, the characters come to life from the page and the love story is gentle and incredibly romantic. I would recommend it thoroughly.

Beautiful, lyrical story of restrained love and old-fashioned values., 28 Feb 2008
Sue Gee has created here a love story with true depth of feeling, displaying the sometimes darker side of country life in Victorian England. A melody of prose surrounds her central character, a young curate sent to assist an ailing vicar at a Herefordshire parish in the winter of 1860.

The young Richard Allen, still mourning his father's recent death, displays a genuine love for his God, his family whom he has left behind, the rural community he is to serve, and the countryside around his new basic and rustic home. However, all of his simple and profound ideals are challenged when he falls helplessly in love with a young married woman of important social standing. There is a wonderful purity and innocence to this love, and yet the young curate clearly also has a geniune talent for his vocation serving God... a very difficult predicament to be in and you can only feel sympathy for this young idealistic man.

The story is beautifully told; a compelling read. You cannot rush this book - you simply have to go with it at its own pace and I slowed my, usually quick, reading pace to appreciate this novel at its best. So much more than just another historical romance, I can recommended this novel highly.

A wonderful, lyrical book, 19 Oct 2007
This is the first book I had read by Sue Gee and it won't be the last. I loved it. From the first page I was hooked and everything was so beautifully described that I immediately felt that I had stepped into the time and place in which it is set. The relationship between the two main characters is built up beautifully. To be honest, rather that not being able to put it down I found myself reading it slowly, chapter by chapter, in order to enjoy it all the more. It stayed with me for ages afterwards.

Beautiful, lyrical writing, 12 Jun 2007
Sue Gee writes so well and so lyrically that I found myself feeling deeply for her characters. The sense of place is very strong and I loved the way she described the seasons and their changing. A lovely book.

The hours of the night Sue Gee, 16 Sep 2008
There is little doubt that Sue Gee writes memorably about farming and the art of gardening. Her characters are memorable if lacking in substance. But when she writes about feelings of love particularly the physical love between her characters the book descends into farce. These scenes particularly those between Edward and Roland and also the attempted seducing of Phil by Roland made me laugh out loud and I don't think this was how it was intended to be.

The Hours of The Night, 30 Apr 2008
This is a beautifully written book, with many layers. The descriptions of the changing seasons and the countryside in general are particularly evocative. I had some sympathy for all the characters (except Rowland), but I particularly liked Nesta and Edward. Gillian was a very complex character, and I actually found her quite unpleasant most of the time - not sure whether this was the author's intention. Overall, a very good read - only losing out on 5 stars because I didn't like all the poetry - I suppose it is considered an integral part of the book, but I skimmed through it all and still enjoyed it.

Lyrical and moving account of four seasons, 16 Oct 2006
I picked this book up on a whim, liking the blurb on the back. It is one of the best analyses of country life that I have ever read in fiction. The story focuses on four main characters: Gillian, a sheltered poet who has never left the Welsh valley where she was born; Phoebe, her terse English mother, who expresses herself better in embroidery and gardening than in words; Nesta, a Londoner who has come to seek peace from her grief in teaching mentally handicapped children; and Edward, another newcomer to the valley, starting out as a farmer. The reader follows them throughout the course of the year. Love and friendship change Gillian's sheltered existence, while Edward finds that combining farming life and a long distance relationship is not exactly easy. Gee's descriptions of the country and rural life are intense and lyrical, while Gillian's poetry and pantheistic beliefs are woven throughout the novel as a underlying thread.

For anyone who wants a novel about the inner lives of people, what they believe and feel and think, this cannot be beaten.

Magical Storytelling, 06 Jan 2005
A friend left this book behind when she holidayed with me and it was the first by Sue Gee I had read. it certainly won't be the last. I was drawn in from the first by her wonderful ability to empathise with the characters and have you live the story with them. Each person was totally believable and I didn't want the book to finish, buy it and wallow in a hugely enjoyable read.

read it for the landscape, 03 Oct 2000
I bought this for the location, and was not disappointed. The author has a deft and sensitive descriptive ability. The characters, however, I found somewhat inauthentic, not in the least when they are involved in romantic or sexual situations. Do gay men really ask each other, "make love to me?" Not the ones I know. All the same, a noble effort, and often successful.

A novel full of sadness and loss., 08 Jul 2005
This story spans the era between the 1st and 2nd world wars.
We join the characters reeling from losses sustained during WWI, trying to pull their lives together and start again.
This is followed by an interesting period set amongst students of art at a London college.
The main characters then move down to rural Kent, an idylic existence marred by the struggle to make ends meet and then by another tragic loss.
The remainder of the novel deals with the effects of this loss and the struggle of the characters to drag themselves back from the brink caused by the trauma.
The subject is dealt with compassionately and with feeling, but it is definately not a feel-good book.
The end I predicted half way through, soon after 'the lover' was introduced, and the language I found overly descriptive and flowery.
I regret I was not as enthusiastic about this book as other readers. However, if you enjoyed this book, I would recommend The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard : set after the end of WWII and written in similar descriptive style, and also Isobel Allende's Paula : A touching story of loss based on Ms Allende's real life in Chile, told to her dying daughter.

A sweet and gentle love story of an aspiring artist., 06 Jun 2001
I thoroughly recommend this book. It is a sweet and gentle love story, which is slow to unfold, but develops into a satisfying read right up to the closing words.

It is the story of an impecunious artist and his life and loves, during the years between the 1st and 2nd World Wars. It is also the story of the changing world of art, as Europe emerges after the destruction of the 1st World War and artists begin to experiment and create, and the criticism and skepticism with which this new emerging art is regarded. Vivid images of paints and paintings, oils and watercolors, sculpture and woodcarvings are all splashed throughout the book, like live canvases at an exhibition.

Walter's artistic talent is recognized early, and he enrolls at The Slade School of Art to learn to draw and paint professionally. The details of his art classes are fascinating, and the stories of "Terrible Tonks", the President of the School and other faculty members, are all factually correct and very interesting. Walter meets Sarah studying wood engraving at the school and they soon marry, and have a family.

They struggle as artists - recognition doesn't come with the passing years. But with love and trust they build a warm and welcoming home until tragedy enters their lives, and twists the beauty and harmony of their existence into something frightening and ghostly. Something between Earth and Heaven.

The author's style, although sparse and crisp, is evocative and lyrical. The book is full of contrasts. The softness of rural Kent, where Walter lives with his family, and the harshness of grimy London where he studies, winter winds and summer breezes, busy streets and quiet country lanes, sorrow and happiness, reality and imagination, all described with clarity and conciseness.

It has been a long time since a book has been powerful enough to make me weep so profusely. I immediately ordered more of Sue Gee's books!

Nice read if a little 'affected', 04 Sep 2000
Very enjoyable book, but I found the language at times a bit 'cute' eg Euan asks the young 4 year old 'What are you making?' the boy replies'A mess' and there was a lot of 'Of course' - it sounded like one voice coming out of the same head and the children don't sound like children at all. However for all that it was very absorbing and illuminating about art and WW1 - though the eventual relationship between Euan and Meredith lay a bit uncomfortably - what sort of love was it between an old man and very young girl? Hmmmm....well worth the read

Sue Gee equals her achievement of"The Hours of the Night", 06 Aug 2000
In this generous, leisurely novel, Sue Gee shows her ability to create character and place - London after the First World War, the hop-fields of Kent. As with "The Hours of the Night", she deals with loss - for Walter, who has lost his brother in the First World War; for his friend Euan, who is grieving for his comrades killed at Passchendaele... Sue Gee excels at the tensions of relationships, and at evoking the textures and pleasures of daily life. Also, this carefully-researched novel gives insights into various art movements of the period between the wars and up to the rise of Nazism - showing how some artists responded to the conflicts while others ignored them. A long and absorbing read, confirming Sue Gee's status as one of the best novelists writing today.

Delightful and engaging, 26 Jul 2008
This is one of those novels that I will definitely be reading again in the future, although this is more of a book to be read in winter by the fire than in summer on the beach. The characters are all so fully developed, from the two women at the centre of the story, Dido and Georgia, to the more peripheral characters - I didn't care that they were 'middle-class stereotypes', as some reviewers have complained. I just wanted to follow them on their journeys through their various losses to find out what their destinations might be. Although the events of the novel are dark at times, they are always tempered by a quiet humour and one never feels dragged down by them.

Highly recommended.

Bedtime book, 26 Jun 2008
This wasn't the lighthearted read that I was expecting but Gee's writing pulled me into the lives of the characters and held me there. This is a book about life and death, bereavement, romance and of course, books. Whenever it showed signs of getting a little dark for me, Gee turned it around and lightened it up with her gentle humour. The opening pages take part in Hay on Wye, which is a Mecca for serious book lovers and immediately I was hooked. In this book we meet several characters and families whose lives are all in some way enriched by literature. Gee writes with a great sense of compassion and observation making this book a comforting read - in fact, it would make an ideal bedtime book.

The educated middle class life, 02 Jun 2008
Georgia and Henry, Dido and Jeffrey have been friends since University. Now Georgia is a widow and Dido and Jeffrey are encountering problems which are likely to test their relationship to its limits. What goes unsaid in this story is as potent as those things which are discussed openly. Georgia is trying to rebuild her life but is not sure exactly how to do it and daughter Chloe is causing her some anxiety. All charcters are carefully and convincingly drawn. People have principles and find them at odds with things which are happening in their lives. Georgia's late husband's cousin is on the point of dementia and Georgia must deal with the situation even though Maud is no relation of hers, forcing her to confront her own fears about living alone.
I enjoyed the book, but found the layout - a dash to introduce dialogue - irritating and confusing as I had to go back and re-read some sections to see which was speech and which was narrative. I found I did care about the characters even though occasionally I wanted to shake Georgia because she kept expecting Henry to return to her. Apart from these comparatively minor issues I found the book worth reading.

Reading In Bed, 20 May 2008
This was an OK read, but fairly predictable and not a patch on The Hours of The Night. I do have to agree with some of the other reviews - firstly, the middle class stereotypes are getting a bit wearing and secondly, the writing style is becoming quite smug. I found the lack of speech marks particularly distracting and I don't really see how the book got such rave reviews.

Enjoyable if slightly cliched., 10 May 2008
I am a Sue Gee fan, but having said that, I sometimes tire of the stereotypical characters - not only in her novels but many of those portraying the educated middle classes. Think Penelope Lively, Susan Hill and even Ian McKewan. It would be so refreshing to have them eating baked beans or a burger and chips now and then, instead of wholesome soup, cheese and rustic bread! Similarly, the choice of names- how many Didos, Georgias and Jezs do you know? Many sixty year olds tend to be called Sue or Maureen, or Jean or Patricia.

These are details - but they do irritate at times. It is as if the writer chooses every facet of an educated middle-class lifestyle- Radio 4, the Archers, the Hay Festival, cottages in the Lakes, good universities, and piles them on, and on. Now and then, it would be nice to have a slightly more quirky middle class character!

However, Gee writes well. Sometimes her two-word sentences have terrific impact. She is excellent at conveying emotions with few words. There is a carefully observed portrayal of mother-daughter relationships, of young love and love in late middle age.

Delightful and engaging, 26 Jul 2008
This is one of those novels that I will definitely be reading again in the future, although this is more of a book to be read in winter by the fire than in summer on the beach. The characters are all so fully developed, from the two women at the centre of the story, Dido and Georgia, to the more peripheral characters - I didn't care that they were 'middle-class stereotypes', as some reviewers have complained. I just wanted to follow them on their journeys through their various losses to find out what their destinations might be. Although the events of the novel are dark at times, they are always tempered by a quiet humour and one never feels dragged down by them.

Highly recommended.

Bedtime book, 26 Jun 2008
This wasn't the lighthearted read that I was expecting but Gee's writing pulled me into the lives of the characters and held me there. This is a book about life and death, bereavement, romance and of course, books. Whenever it showed signs of getting a little dark for me, Gee turned it around and lightened it up with her gentle humour. The opening pages take part in Hay on Wye, which is a Mecca for serious book lovers and immediately I was hooked. In this book we meet several characters and families whose lives are all in some way enriched by literature. Gee writes with a great sense of compassion and observation making this book a comforting read - in fact, it would make an ideal bedtime book.

The educated middle class life, 02 Jun 2008
Georgia and Henry, Dido and Jeffrey have been friends since University. Now Georgia is a widow and Dido and Jeffrey are encountering problems which are likely to test their relationship to its limits. What goes unsaid in this story is as potent as those things which are discussed openly. Georgia is trying to rebuild her life but is not sure exactly how to do it and daughter Chloe is causing her some anxiety. All charcters are carefully and convincingly drawn. People have principles and find them at odds with things which are happening in their lives. Georgia's late husband's cousin is on the point of dementia and Georgia must deal with the situation even though Maud is no relation of hers, forcing her to confront her own fears about living alone.
I enjoyed the book, but found the layout - a dash to introduce dialogue - irritating and confusing as I had to go back and re-read some sections to see which was speech and which was narrative. I found I did care about the characters even though occasionally I wanted to shake Georgia because she kept expecting Henry to return to her. Apart from these comparatively minor issues I found the book worth reading.

Reading In Bed, 20 May 2008
This was an OK read, but fairly predictable and not a patch on The Hours of The Night. I do have to agree with some of the other reviews - firstly, the middle class stereotypes are getting a bit wearing and secondly, the writing style is becoming quite smug. I found the lack of speech marks particularly distracting and I don't really see how the book got such rave reviews.

Enjoyable if slightly cliched., 10 May 2008
I am a Sue Gee fan, but having said that, I sometimes tire of the stereotypical characters - not only in her novels but many of those portraying the educated middle classes. Think Penelope Lively, Susan Hill and even Ian McKewan. It would be so refreshing to have them eating baked beans or a burger and chips now and then, instead of wholesome soup, cheese and rustic bread! Similarly, the choice of names- how many Didos, Georgias and Jezs do you know? Many sixty year olds tend to be called Sue or Maureen, or Jean or Patricia.

These are details - but they do irritate at times. It is as if the writer chooses every facet of an educated middle-class lifestyle- Radio 4, the Archers, the Hay Festival, cottages in the Lakes, good universities, and piles them on, and on. Now and then, it would be nice to have a slightly more quirky middle class character!

However, Gee writes well. Sometimes her two-word sentences have terrific impact. She is excellent at conveying emotions with few words. There is a carefully observed portrayal of mother-daughter relationships, of young love and love in late middle age.





Don't judge this book by its insipid blue cover ..., 20 Sep 2008
Because it is hauntingly, beautifully written, a story of forbidden love and Victorian hypocrisy. Sue Gee's descriptions of the passing seasons in a Herefordshire country parish are exquisite, and although I am far from being a religious person, I was moved by her description of the young curate's palpable love of God and his struggles when he finds himself overwhelmed by love for a married woman. Indeed, Sue Gee has the rare gift of writing movingly, sparely, without mawkishness or awkwardness about those difficult subjects ... love, God, and sex .

A beautiful story, 15 Aug 2008
This is a charming book, the characters come to life from the page and the love story is gentle and incredibly romantic. I would recommend it thoroughly.

Beautiful, lyrical story of restrained love and old-fashioned values., 28 Feb 2008
Sue Gee has created here a love story with true depth of feeling, displaying the sometimes darker side of country life in Victorian England. A melody of prose surrounds her central character, a young curate sent to assist an ailing vicar at a Herefordshire parish in the winter of 1860.

The young Richard Allen, still mourning his father's recent death, displays a genuine love for his God, his family whom he has left behind, the rural community he is to serve, and the countryside around his new basic and rustic home. However, all of his simple and profound ideals are challenged when he falls helplessly in love with a young married woman of important social standing. There is a wonderful purity and innocence to this love, and yet the young curate clearly also has a geniune talent for his vocation serving God... a very difficult predicament to be in and you can only feel sympathy for this young idealistic man.

The story is beautifully told; a compelling read. You cannot rush this book - you simply have to go with it at its own pace and I slowed my, usually quick, reading pace to appreciate this novel at its best. So much more than just another historical romance, I can recommended this novel highly.

A wonderful, lyrical book, 19 Oct 2007
This is the first book I had read by Sue Gee and it won't be the last. I loved it. From the first page I was hooked and everything was so beautifully described that I immediately felt that I had stepped into the time and place in which it is set. The relationship between the two main characters is built up beautifully. To be honest, rather that not being able to put it down I found myself reading it slowly, chapter by chapter, in order to enjoy it all the more. It stayed with me for ages afterwards.

Beautiful, lyrical writing, 12 Jun 2007
Sue Gee writes so well and so lyrically that I found myself feeling deeply for her characters. The sense of place is very strong and I loved the way she described the seasons and their changing. A lovely book.

The hours of the night Sue Gee, 16 Sep 2008
There is little doubt that Sue Gee writes memorably about farming and the art of gardening. Her characters are memorable if lacking in substance. But when she writes about feelings of love particularly the physical love between her characters the book descends into farce. These scenes particularly those between Edward and Roland and also the attempted seducing of Phil by Roland made me laugh out loud and I don't think this was how it was intended to be.

The Hours of The Night, 30 Apr 2008
This is a beautifully written book, with many layers. The descriptions of the changing seasons and the countryside in general are particularly evocative. I had some sympathy for all the characters (except Rowland), but I particularly liked Nesta and Edward. Gillian was a very complex character, and I actually found her quite unpleasant most of the time - not sure whether this was the author's intention. Overall, a very good read - only losing out on 5 stars because I didn't like all the poetry - I suppose it is considered an integral part of the book, but I skimmed through it all and still enjoyed it.

Lyrical and moving account of four seasons, 16 Oct 2006
I picked this book up on a whim, liking the blurb on the back. It is one of the best analyses of country life that I have ever read in fiction. The story focuses on four main characters: Gillian, a sheltered poet who has never left the Welsh valley where she was born; Phoebe, her terse English mother, who expresses herself better in embroidery and gardening than in words; Nesta, a Londoner who has come to seek peace from her grief in teaching mentally handicapped children; and Edward, another newcomer to the valley, starting out as a farmer. The reader follows them throughout the course of the year. Love and friendship change Gillian's sheltered existence, while Edward finds that combining farming life and a long distance relationship is not exactly easy. Gee's descriptions of the country and rural life are intense and lyrical, while Gillian's poetry and pantheistic beliefs are woven throughout the novel as a underlying thread.

For anyone who wants a novel about the inner lives of people, what they believe and feel and think, this cannot be beaten.

Magical Storytelling, 06 Jan 2005
A friend left this book behind when she holidayed with me and it was the first by Sue Gee I had read. it certainly won't be the last. I was drawn in from the first by her wonderful ability to empathise with the characters and have you live the story with them. Each person was totally believable and I didn't want the book to finish, buy it and wallow in a hugely enjoyable read.

read it for the landscape, 03 Oct 2000
I bought this for the location, and was not disappointed. The author has a deft and sensitive descriptive ability. The characters, however, I found somewhat inauthentic, not in the least when they are involved in romantic or sexual situations. Do gay men really ask each other, "make love to me?" Not the ones I know. All the same, a noble effort, and often successful.

A novel full of sadness and loss., 08 Jul 2005
This story spans the era between the 1st and 2nd world wars.
We join the characters reeling from losses sustained during WWI, trying to pull their lives together and start again.
This is followed by an interesting period set amongst students of art at a London college.
The main characters then move down to rural Kent, an idylic existence marred by the struggle to make ends meet and then by another tragic loss.
The remainder of the novel deals with the effects of this loss and the struggle of the characters to drag themselves back from the brink caused by the trauma.
The subject is dealt with compassionately and with feeling, but it is definately not a feel-good book.
The end I predicted half way through, soon after 'the lover' was introduced, and the language I found overly descriptive and flowery.
I regret I was not as enthusiastic about this book as other readers. However, if you enjoyed this book, I would recommend The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard : set after the end of WWII and written in similar descriptive style, and also Isobel Allende's Paula : A touching story of loss based on Ms Allende's real life in Chile, told to her dying daughter.

A sweet and gentle love story of an aspiring artist., 06 Jun 2001
I thoroughly recommend this book. It is a sweet and gentle love story, which is slow to unfold, but develops into a satisfying read right up to the closing words.

It is the story of an impecunious artist and his life and loves, during the years between the 1st and 2nd World Wars. It is also the story of the changing world of art, as Europe emerges after the destruction of the 1st World War and artists begin to experiment and create, and the criticism and skepticism with which this new emerging art is regarded. Vivid images of paints and paintings, oils and watercolors, sculpture and woodcarvings are all splashed throughout the book, like live canvases at an exhibition.

Walter's artistic talent is recognized early, and he enrolls at The Slade School of Art to learn to draw and paint professionally. The details of his art classes are fascinating, and the stories of "Terrible Tonks", the President of the School and other faculty members, are all factually correct and very interesting. Walter meets Sarah studying wood engraving at the school and they soon marry, and have a family.

They struggle as artists - recognition doesn't come with the passing years. But with love and trust they build a warm and welcoming home until tragedy enters their lives, and twists the beauty and harmony of their existence into something frightening and ghostly. Something between Earth and Heaven.

The author's style, although sparse and crisp, is evocative and lyrical. The book is full of contrasts. The softness of rural Kent, where Walter lives with his family, and the harshness of grimy London where he studies, winter winds and summer breezes, busy streets and quiet country lanes, sorrow and happiness, reality and imagination, all described with clarity and conciseness.

It has been a long time since a book has been powerful enough to make me weep so profusely. I immediately ordered more of Sue Gee's books!

Nice read if a little 'affected', 04 Sep 2000
Very enjoyable book, but I found the language at times a bit 'cute' eg Euan asks the young 4 year old 'What are you making?' the boy replies'A mess' and there was a lot of 'Of course' - it sounded like one voice coming out of the same head and the children don't sound like children at all. However for all that it was very absorbing and illuminating about art and WW1 - though the eventual relationship between Euan and Meredith lay a bit uncomfortably - what sort of love was it between an old man and very young girl? Hmmmm....well worth the read

Sue Gee equals her achievement of"The Hours of the Night", 06 Aug 2000
In this generous, leisurely novel, Sue Gee shows her ability to create character and place - London after the First World War, the hop-fields of Kent. As with "The Hours of the Night", she deals with loss - for Walter, who has lost his brother in the First World War; for his friend Euan, who is grieving for his comrades killed at Passchendaele... Sue Gee excels at the tensions of relationships, and at evoking the textures and pleasures of daily life. Also, this carefully-researched novel gives insights into various art movements of the period between the wars and up to the rise of Nazism - showing how some artists responded to the conflicts while others ignored them. A long and absorbing read, confirming Sue Gee's status as one of the best novelists writing today.

Delightful and engaging, 26 Jul 2008
This is one of those novels that I will definitely be reading again in the future, although this is more of a book to be read in winter by the fire than in summer on the beach. The characters are all so fully developed, from the two women at the centre of the story, Dido and Georgia, to the more peripheral characters - I didn't care that they were 'middle-class stereotypes', as some reviewers have complained. I just wanted to follow them on their journeys through their various losses to find out what their destinations might be. Although the events of the novel are dark at times, they are always tempered by a quiet humour and one never feels dragged down by them.

Highly recommended.

Bedtime book, 26 Jun 2008
This wasn't the lighthearted read that I was expecting but Gee's writing pulled me into the lives of the characters and held me there. This is a book about life and death, bereavement, romance and of course, books. Whenever it showed signs of getting a little dark for me, Gee turned it around and lightened it up with her gentle humour. The opening pages take part in Hay on Wye, which is a Mecca for serious book lovers and immediately I was hooked. In this book we meet several characters and families whose lives are all in some way enriched by literature. Gee writes with a great sense of compassion and observation making this book a comforting read - in fact, it would make an ideal bedtime book.

The educated middle class life, 02 Jun 2008
Georgia and Henry, Dido and Jeffrey have been friends since University. Now Georgia is a widow and Dido and Jeffrey are encountering problems which are likely to test their relationship to its limits. What goes unsaid in this story is as potent as those things which are discussed openly. Georgia is trying to rebuild her life but is not sure exactly how to do it and daughter Chloe is causing her some anxiety. All charcters are carefully and convincingly drawn. People have principles and find them at odds with things which are happening in their lives. Georgia's late husband's cousin is on the point of dementia and Georgia must deal with the situation even though Maud is no relation of hers, forcing her to confront her own fears about living alone.
I enjoyed the book, but found the layout - a dash to introduce dialogue - irritating and confusing as I had to go back and re-read some sections to see which was speech and which was narrative. I found I did care about the characters even though occasionally I wanted to shake Georgia because she kept expecting Henry to return to her. Apart from these comparatively minor issues I found the book worth reading.

Reading In Bed, 20 May 2008
This was an OK read, but fairly predictable and not a patch on The Hours of The Night. I do have to agree with some of the other reviews - firstly, the middle class stereotypes are getting a bit wearing and secondly, the writing style is becoming quite smug. I found the lack of speech marks particularly distracting and I don't really see how the book got such rave reviews.

Enjoyable if slightly cliched., 10 May 2008
I am a Sue Gee fan, but having said that, I sometimes tire of the stereotypical characters - not only in her novels but many of those portraying the educated middle classes. Think Penelope Lively, Susan Hill and even Ian McKewan. It would be so refreshing to have them eating baked beans or a burger and chips now and then, instead of wholesome soup, cheese and rustic bread! Similarly, the choice of names- how many Didos, Georgias and Jezs do you know? Many sixty year olds tend to be called Sue or Maureen, or Jean or Patricia.

These are details - but they do irritate at times. It is as if the writer chooses every facet of an educated middle-class lifestyle- Radio 4, the Archers, the Hay Festival, cottages in the Lakes, good universities, and piles them on, and on. Now and then, it would be nice to have a slightly more quirky middle class character!

However, Gee writes well. Sometimes her two-word sentences have terrific impact. She is excellent at conveying emotions with few words. There is a carefully observed portrayal of mother-daughter relationships, of young love and love in late middle age.





Doomed from the very first page, 03 Sep 2006
They say that the first page makes or breaks a novel; and I found that the first page of this novel included something written in Czech-with mistakes!!!
Okay, so the average reader can't be expected to have a clue about the Czech language, and I suppose the author doesn't either, but it got the novel off to a bad start for me and I was then inclined to mistrust everything else about it.
The whole effort seems a bit amateurish in terms of plot and character development. There were several elements of the author's writing style that I eventually found irritating, in particular the habit of repeating key phrases ("Everyone smokes in Prague" being a favourite). There were two mildly interesting plot twists, but in all the story creaked along as sluggishly as a Soviet-era "express" train.
On top of that, the reader must share 300-odd pages with a cast of somewhat dull and/or unattractive (and not even in an interesting way) main characters.
This book tries to be a romance with a political conscience, but I felt that it would have been better if the author had forgotten about the politics and just concentrated on it being a romance, because in the form it is now it fails to fulfil either as a romance or as a literary novel concerned with contemporary political issues.
On the up side, I found the description of Prague from a tourist's perspective to be fairly realistic- it is obvious that the author either knows someone from or has at least visited someone, in Prague. It is also clear that she likes the city very much and I found the description of the tourist centre of Prague quite pretty.
Let's just conclude that, while reading the book, I repeatedly found reasons to confirm the conclusion that I had come to on the very first page- that I would not be left with the feeling that my life had been enriched in the reading of it.

Can you like a book if you hate all the characters?, 30 Apr 2002
This is a book that could have been so much better. I hoped for a novel that would tell me something of Prague, give me some kid of flavour of the events of the 60s and the present day Prague. This gave me neither. (If you want a flavour of Prague, you would be better reading Milan Kundera.

This was a mushy, slushy read. The only thing that distinguishes it from the average Mills & Boon is the fact that the writer does not allow the two main characters from melting into each others arms.

The main problem is the central character. It seems almost impossible to find any sympathy for her at all. She is wet, she is ignorant, full of cliches about Mother-love, single parenthood, "radical" (supposedly!) politics. If I had met her I am certain that I would wish to forget her asap. I read the book willing both male characters to escape from her, and her awful child. Feminism is not a condition that should as a rule render a woman helpless, boring and unattractive. (this is what seems to have happened to this one)

The only worse character in the novel was the child Marsha, who seemed to have no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

I have read many novels and found the characters unlikeable. This is an interesting experience if the characters are interesting. None of the characters in this book are! Their suffering, their dreams are made banal by cliche.

Delightful and engaging, 26 Jul 2008
This is one of those novels that I will definitely be reading again in the future, although this is more of a book to be read in winter by the fire than in summer on the beach. The characters are all so fully developed, from the two women at the centre of the story, Dido and Georgia, to the more peripheral characters - I didn't care that they were 'middle-class stereotypes', as some reviewers have complained. I just wanted to follow them on their journeys through their various losses to find out what their destinations might be. Although the events of the novel are dark at times, they are always tempered by a quiet humour and one never feels dragged down by them.

Highly recommended.

Bedtime book, 26 Jun 2008
This wasn't the lighthearted read that I was expecting but Gee's writing pulled me into the lives of the characters and held me there. This is a book about life and death, bereavement, romance and of course, books. Whenever it showed signs of getting a little dark for me, Gee turned it around and lightened it up with her gentle humour. The opening pages take part in Hay on Wye, which is a Mecca for serious book lovers and immediately I was hooked. In this book we meet several characters and families whose lives are all in some way enriched by literature. Gee writes with a great sense of compassion and observation making this book a comforting read - in fact, it would make an ideal bedtime book.

The educated middle class life, 02 Jun 2008
Georgia and Henry, Dido and Jeffrey have been friends since University. Now Georgia is a widow and Dido and Jeffrey are encountering problems which are likely to test their relationship to its limits. What goes unsaid in this story is as potent as those things which are discussed openly. Georgia is trying to rebuild her life but is not sure exactly how to do it and daughter Chloe is causing her some anxiety. All charcters are carefully and convincingly drawn. People have principles and find them at odds with things which are happening in their lives. Georgia's late husband's cousin is on the point of dementia and Georgia must deal with the situation even though Maud is no relation of hers, forcing her to confront her own fears about living alone.
I enjoyed the book, but found the layout - a dash to introduce dialogue - irritating and confusing as I had to go back and re-read some sections to see which was speech and which was narrative. I found I did care about the characters even though occasionally I wanted to shake Georgia because she kept expecting Henry to return to her. Apart from these comparatively minor issues I found the book worth reading.

Reading In Bed, 20 May 2008
This was an OK read, but fairly predictable and not a patch on The Hours of The Night. I do have to agree with some of the other reviews - firstly, the middle class stereotypes are getting a bit wearing and secondly, the writing style is becoming quite smug. I found the lack of speech marks particularly distracting and I don't really see how the book got such rave reviews.

Enjoyable if slightly cliched., 10 May 2008
I am a Sue Gee fan, but having said that, I sometimes tire of the stereotypical characters - not only in her novels but many of those portraying the educated middle classes. Think Penelope Lively, Susan Hill and even Ian McKewan. It would be so refreshing to have them eating baked beans or a burger and chips now and then, instead of wholesome soup, cheese and rustic bread! Similarly, the choice of names- how many Didos, Georgias and Jezs do you know? Many sixty year olds tend to be called Sue or Maureen, or Jean or Patricia.

These are details - but they do irritate at times. It is as if the writer chooses every facet of an educated middle-class lifestyle- Radio 4, the Archers, the Hay Festival, cottages in the Lakes, good universities, and piles them on, and on. Now and then, it would be nice to have a slightly more quirky middle class character!

However, Gee writes well. Sometimes her two-word sentences have terrific impact. She is excellent at conveying emotions with few words. There is a carefully observed portrayal of mother-daughter relationships, of young love and love in late middle age.





Don't judge this book by its insipid blue cover ..., 20 Sep 2008
Because it is hauntingly, beautifully written, a story of forbidden love and Victorian hypocrisy. Sue Gee's descriptions of the passing seasons in a Herefordshire country parish are exquisite, and although I am far from being a religious person, I was moved by her description of the young curate's palpable love of God and his struggles when he finds himself overwhelmed by love for a married woman. Indeed, Sue Gee has the rare gift of writing movingly, sparely, without mawkishness or awkwardness about those difficult subjects ... love, God, and sex .

A beautiful story, 15 Aug 2008
This is a charming book, the characters come to life from the page and the love story is gentle and incredibly romantic. I would recommend it thoroughly.

Beautiful, lyrical story of restrained love and old-fashioned values., 28 Feb 2008
Sue Gee has created here a love story with true depth of feeling, displaying the sometimes darker side of country life in Victorian England. A melody of prose surrounds her central character, a young curate sent to assist an ailing vicar at a Herefordshire parish in the winter of 1860.

The young Richard Allen, still mourning his father's recent death, displays a genuine love for his God, his family whom he has left behind, the rural community he is to serve, and the countryside around his new basic and rustic home. However, all of his simple and profound ideals are challenged when he falls helplessly in love with a young married woman of important social standing. There is a wonderful purity and innocence to this love, and yet the young curate clearly also has a geniune talent for his vocation serving God... a very difficult predicament to be in and you can only feel sympathy for this young idealistic man.

The story is beautifully told; a compelling read. You cannot rush this book - you simply have to go with it at its own pace and I slowed my, usually quick, reading pace to appreciate this novel at its best. So much more than just another historical romance, I can recommended this novel highly.

A wonderful, lyrical book, 19 Oct 2007
This is the first book I had read by Sue Gee and it won't be the last. I loved it. From the first page I was hooked and everything was so beautifully described that I immediately felt that I had stepped into the time and place in which it is set. The relationship between the two main characters is built up beautifully. To be honest, rather that not being able to put it down I found myself reading it slowly, chapter by chapter, in order to enjoy it all the more. It stayed with me for ages afterwards.

Beautiful, lyrical writing, 12 Jun 2007
Sue Gee writes so well and so lyrically that I found myself feeling deeply for her characters. The sense of place is very strong and I loved the way she described the seasons and their changing. A lovely book.

The hours of the night Sue Gee, 16 Sep 2008
There is little doubt that Sue Gee writes memorably about farming and the art of gardening. Her characters are memorable if lacking in substance. But when she writes about feelings of love particularly the physical love between her characters the book descends into farce. These scenes particularly those between Edward and Roland and also the attempted seducing of Phil by Roland made me laugh out loud and I don't think this was how it was intended to be.

The Hours of The Night, 30 Apr 2008
This is a beautifully written book, with many layers. The descriptions of the changing seasons and the countryside in general are particularly evocative. I had some sympathy for all the characters (except Rowland), but I particularly liked Nesta and Edward. Gillian was a very complex character, and I actually found her quite unpleasant most of the time - not sure whether this was the author's intention. Overall, a very good read - only losing out on 5 stars because I didn't like all the poetry - I suppose it is considered an integral part of the book, but I skimmed through it all and still enjoyed it.

Lyrical and moving account of four seasons, 16 Oct 2006
I picked this book up on a whim, liking the blurb on the back. It is one of the best analyses of country life that I have ever read in fiction. The story focuses on four main characters: Gillian, a sheltered poet who has never left the Welsh valley where she was born; Phoebe, her terse English mother, who expresses herself better in embroidery and gardening than in words; Nesta, a Londoner who has come to seek peace from her grief in teaching mentally handicapped children; and Edward, another newcomer to the valley, starting out as a farmer. The reader follows them throughout the course of the year. Love and friendship change Gillian's sheltered existence, while Edward finds that combining farming life and a long distance relationship is not exactly easy. Gee's descriptions of the country and rural life are intense and lyrical, while Gillian's poetry and pantheistic beliefs are woven throughout the novel as a underlying thread.

For anyone who wants a novel about the inner lives of people, what they believe and feel and think, this cannot be beaten.

Magical Storytelling, 06 Jan 2005
A friend left this book behind when she holidayed with me and it was the first by Sue Gee I had read. it certainly won't be the last. I was drawn in from the first by her wonderful ability to empathise with the characters and have you live the story with them. Each person was totally believable and I didn't want the book to finish, buy it and wallow in a hugely enjoyable read.

read it for the landscape, 03 Oct 2000
I bought this for the location, and was not disappointed. The author has a deft and sensitive descriptive ability. The characters, however, I found somewhat inauthentic, not in the least when they are involved in romantic or sexual situations. Do gay men really ask each other, "make love to me?" Not the ones I know. All the same, a noble effort, and often successful.

A novel full of sadness and loss., 08 Jul 2005
This story spans the era between the 1st and 2nd world wars.
We join the characters reeling from losses sustained during WWI, trying to pull their lives together and start again.
This is followed by an interesting period set amongst students of art at a London college.
The main characters then move down to rural Kent, an idylic existence marred by the struggle to make ends meet and then by another tragic loss.
The remainder of the novel deals with the effects of this loss and the struggle of the characters to drag themselves back from the brink caused by the trauma.
The subject is dealt with compassionately and with feeling, but it is definately not a feel-good book.
The end I predicted half way through, soon after 'the lover' was introduced, and the language I found overly descriptive and flowery.
I regret I was not as enthusiastic about this book as other readers. However, if you enjoyed this book, I would recommend The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard : set after the end of WWII and written in similar descriptive style, and also Isobel Allende's Paula : A touching story of loss based on Ms Allende's real life in Chile, told to her dying daughter.

A sweet and gentle love story of an aspiring artist., 06 Jun 2001
I thoroughly recommend this book. It is a sweet and gentle love story, which is slow to unfold, but develops into a satisfying read right up to the closing words.

It is the story of an impecunious artist and his life and loves, during the years between the 1st and 2nd World Wars. It is also the story of the changing world of art, as Europe emerges after the destruction of the 1st World War and artists begin to experiment and create, and the criticism and skepticism with which this new emerging art is regarded. Vivid images of paints and paintings, oils and watercolors, sculpture and woodcarvings are all splashed throughout the book, like live canvases at an exhibition.

Walter's artistic talent is recognized early, and he enrolls at The Slade School of Art to learn to draw and paint professionally. The details of his art classes are fascinating, and the stories of "Terrible Tonks", the President of the School and other faculty members, are all factually correct and very interesting. Walter meets Sarah studying wood engraving at the school and they soon marry, and have a family.

They struggle as artists - recognition doesn't come with the passing years. But with love and trust they build a warm and welcoming home until tragedy enters their lives, and twists the beauty and harmony of their existence into something frightening and ghostly. Something between Earth and Heaven.

The author's style, although sparse and crisp, is evocative and lyrical. The book is full of contrasts. The softness of rural Kent, where Walter lives with his family, and the harshness of grimy London where he studies, winter winds and summer breezes, busy streets and quiet country lanes, sorrow and happiness, reality and imagination, all described with clarity and conciseness.

It has been a long time since a book has been powerful enough to make me weep so profusely. I immediately ordered more of Sue Gee's books!

Nice read if a little 'affected', 04 Sep 2000
Very enjoyable book, but I found the language at times a bit 'cute' eg Euan asks the young 4 year old 'What are you making?' the boy replies'A mess' and there was a lot of 'Of course' - it sounded like one voice coming out of the same head and the children don't sound like children at all. However for all that it was very absorbing and illuminating about art and WW1 - though the eventual relationship between Euan and Meredith lay a bit uncomfortably - what sort of love was it between an old man and very young girl? Hmmmm....well worth the read

Sue Gee equals her achievement of"The Hours of the Night", 06 Aug 2000
In this generous, leisurely novel, Sue Gee shows her ability to create character and place - London after the First World War, the hop-fields of Kent. As with "The Hours of the Night", she deals with loss - for Walter, who has lost his brother in the First World War; for his friend Euan, who is grieving for his comrades killed at Passchendaele... Sue Gee excels at the tensions of relationships, and at evoking the textures and pleasures of daily life. Also, this carefully-researched novel gives insights into various art movements of the period between the wars and up to the rise of Nazism - showing how some artists responded to the conflicts while others ignored them. A long and absorbing read, confirming Sue Gee's status as one of the best novelists writing today.

Delightful and engaging, 26 Jul 2008
This is one of those novels that I will definitely be reading again in the future, although this is more of a book to be read in winter by the fire than in summer on the beach. The characters are all so fully developed, from the two women at the centre of the story, Dido and Georgia, to the more peripheral characters - I didn't care that they were 'middle-class stereotypes', as some reviewers have complained. I just wanted to follow them on their journeys through their various losses to find out what their destinations might be. Although the events of the novel are dark at times, they are always tempered by a quiet humour and one never feels dragged down by them.

Highly recommended.

Bedtime book, 26 Jun 2008
This wasn't the lighthearted read that I was expecting but Gee's writing pulled me into the lives of the characters and held me there. This is a book about life and death, bereavement, romance and of course, books. Whenever it showed signs of getting a little dark for me, Gee turned it around and lightened it up with her gentle humour. The opening pages take part in Hay on Wye, which is a Mecca for serious book lovers and immediately I was hooked. In this book we meet several characters and families whose lives are all in some way enriched by literature. Gee writes with a great sense of compassion and observation making this book a comforting read - in fact, it would make an ideal bedtime book.

The educated middle class life, 02 Jun 2008
Georgia and Henry, Dido and Jeffrey have been friends since University. Now Georgia is a widow and Dido and Jeffrey are encountering problems which are likely to test their relationship to its limits. What goes unsaid in this story is as potent as those things which are discussed openly. Georgia is trying to rebuild her life but is not sure exactly how to do it and daughter Chloe is causing her some anxiety. All charcters are carefully and convincingly drawn. People have principles and find them at odds with things which are happening in their lives. Georgia's late husband's cousin is on the point of dementia and Georgia must deal with the situation even though Maud is no relation of hers, forcing her to confront her own fears about living alone.
I enjoyed the book, but found the layout - a dash to introduce dialogue - irritating and confusing as I had to go back and re-read some sections to see which was speech and which was narrative. I found I did care about the characters even though occasionally I wanted to shake Georgia because she kept expecting Henry to return to her. Apart from these comparatively minor issues I found the book worth reading.

Reading In Bed, 20 May 2008
This was an OK read, but fairly predictable and not a patch on The Hours of The Night. I do have to agree with some of the other reviews - firstly, the middle class stereotypes are getting a bit wearing and secondly, the writing style is becoming quite smug. I found the lack of speech marks particularly distracting and I don't really see how the book got such rave reviews.

Enjoyable if slightly cliched., 10 May 2008
I am a Sue Gee fan, but having said that, I sometimes tire of the stereotypical characters - not only in her novels but many of those portraying the educated middle classes. Think Penelope Lively, Susan Hill and even Ian McKewan. It would be so refreshing