The Quiet War of Rebecca Sheldon

by Kathleen Rowntree

Rebecca Sheldon finds herself at war with her husband's grotesquely funny family as well as with the hypocrisy of the Edwardian society in which she lives. The Ludburys are an affluent Midlands farming clan - snobbish, possessive and malicious. By the author of Between Friends.

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Kathleen Rowntree was born in Northumberland, brought up in Lincolnshire, studied music and English at Hull University and is now living with her husband in Oxfordshire. She taught for some years before she began to write. When asked what her novels are about she usually replies with one word: 'relationships'. Her explorations of human foibles and tangles lead reviewers to use words like sharp, shrewd, witty, satirical, clever and hard-biting - as well as sympathetic, funny, warm, suspenseful and (fortunately) entertaining. She has many other interests besides reading and writing fiction, especially art, poetry and hill-walking. Among the UK writers she herself gets most from are Elizabeth Taylor, Julian Barnes and William Trevor while Anne Tyler and Alison Lurie are two of her US favourites.

Reviews

[Julie Dunnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

An odd book Rebecca marries George Ledbury of a dominating stultified Edwardian family. The story hinges on the relationship between Rebecca and her siSter in law Charlotte . I did not like the characters and I would not recommend even though well written

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable, well written period family drama. Characters (most of whom are amusing and entertaining) very convincingly depicted. Certainly a novel in which to become engrossed.
I began to read but was forced to abandon 'The Quiet War..' a couple of years ago at a the point where the protagonist Rebecca also gave birth. External factors perhaps made it difficult for me to 'get into' the early chapters. The novel to me seems to have a unique style and setting. I never got the chance to persevere, which was a pity as the story has - by my description- a lovely 'atmosphere'.
By chance, some time last year I started to read 'Brief Shining' not instantly aware this is the sequel to 'Quiet War'. It was my enjoyment of the former which inspired me to pick up the first book again. Having read novels by different authors in between, I was looking forward to this.
The two books should be best enjoyed in sequence, although everything fell into place easily. It became very obvious why Aunt Bunny is as peculiar as she is in 'Brief Shining'. This was a very sad part of the tale, I should warn.
Overall, I found this novel and its sequel very captivating and entertaining Grandmama Ludbury in particular and Meg in later life allow for laugh out loud moments.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set at the end of the 19th century, this is about Rebecca, whose in-laws disapprove of her. It's a family type novel, with ongoing situations rather than a clear plot, and several rather caricatured people. However I liked Rebecca, and it was overall a pleasant read.