The Summer Before the War by Helen Simsonson
Simonson, who wrote the delightful Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, has now turned her attention to England before the start of--and during--World War I. Beatrice Nash, a bright and independent woman, has just lost her beloved father and come to the town of Rye to work as the new Latin teacher. She becomes friends with the wealthy Kents--John, who works for the government, his feisty wife Agatha, and Agatha's nephews Hugh and Daniel.
Daniel is a poet. Hugh is studying to be a surgeon and is immediately taken by Beatrice's intelligence and spirit. But alas, he is semi-engaged to his mentor's daughter (who truthfully is a little self-absorbed. I give Hugh credit for realizing that Beatrice was the better choice).
Beatrice settles in to her new life but it is not easy being an independent woman in the early 1900s. Her relatives control the trust fund left by her father and they go to extremes to control her life. They also mess with her dream of becoming a writer--she was planning on editing her father's letters into a book but they give the assignment to someone else--and demand that she turn over her personal letters from her father. (You really feel for the girl.)
When war does break out, a number of Belgian refugees settle in Rye--including the beautiful but tragic Celeste, who moves in with Beatrice. Many of the town's young men either eagerly join up--or are shamed into enlisting, often by women (including Hugh's flighty semi-fiancee).
Summer is a good picture of small-town English life in the early 1900s and a good view of life at war for the men in the trenches. The book starts off a little slowly but persevere because it is a good story with endearing characters.
Daniel is a poet. Hugh is studying to be a surgeon and is immediately taken by Beatrice's intelligence and spirit. But alas, he is semi-engaged to his mentor's daughter (who truthfully is a little self-absorbed. I give Hugh credit for realizing that Beatrice was the better choice).
Beatrice settles in to her new life but it is not easy being an independent woman in the early 1900s. Her relatives control the trust fund left by her father and they go to extremes to control her life. They also mess with her dream of becoming a writer--she was planning on editing her father's letters into a book but they give the assignment to someone else--and demand that she turn over her personal letters from her father. (You really feel for the girl.)
When war does break out, a number of Belgian refugees settle in Rye--including the beautiful but tragic Celeste, who moves in with Beatrice. Many of the town's young men either eagerly join up--or are shamed into enlisting, often by women (including Hugh's flighty semi-fiancee).
Summer is a good picture of small-town English life in the early 1900s and a good view of life at war for the men in the trenches. The book starts off a little slowly but persevere because it is a good story with endearing characters.
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