The Summer Before the War

Vivid. Helen Simonson wrote everything so well in her novel titled, The Summer Before the War. Set in a small Sussex town in 1914, Simonson presents all the familiarity of village life with the separation of class, gender and expected behavior of that time. She draws the setting with vivid language, and develops each character with insight and skill. Readers know the change that all characters are likely to face after war arrives, but are willing to allow Simonson to bring us and the full cast along as events unfold. Readers looking for summer reading that includes fine writing and that takes one to another time and place should consider this novel. Rating: Five-star (I love it) Click here to purchase The Summer Before the War from amazon.com.