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Jun 05, 2018carlosgil rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Ms. Lively offers a captivating and sentimental story of a young English couple that makes a life together on the most minimum of material circumstances, in a remote English countryside in the 1930s. He, a wood engraver and she, an avid and ingenious house maker join to create a family that survives the decades. The author renders a convincing portrayal of Matt and Lorna, the main characters, and Lucas, a family friend whose role grows with the story. The fine detailing of emotions and facial and other physical gestures is captivating, heartening, and convincing. Matt and Lorna’s time together captures the most idyllic and poignant moments in the book, especially after Matt becomes a soldier and is killed fighting the Germans. Lorna’s loss is described with singular compassion. Lively’s story, however, extends to about four generations and I must confess I lost interest when I got to the third generation.