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Ein Nachmittag im Mai (rororo Entdeckungen 9)
Ein bislang noch nicht ins Deutsche übersetzter Klassiker der walisischen Siân James führt uns in die ländlich-britische Idylle, verzaubert mit bestem englischem Humor und skizziert das sozialpolitische Klima der späten 1960er-, frühen 1970er-Jahre gekonnt.
Anna ist Mitte dreißig, verwitwet, und lebt mit ihren drei Töchtern in der walisischen countryside in einem kleinen Haus, das sie über alles liebt. Als sie sich verliebt – zum ersten Mal wirklich richtig, wie ihr klar wird –, bringt der junge Schauspieler Charlie ihr Leben nicht nur nach und nach ziemlich durcheinander. Anna beginnt auch, sich Fragen über ihr bisheriges Leben und ihre Ehe zu stellen. «Ein Nachmittag im Mai» erzählt klug und unterhaltsam davon, was es bedeutet, in den 1960er- und 1970er-Jahren Frau zu sein, alleinerziehnde Mutter noch dazu, welchen Wert weibliche Solidarität hat, wie herausfordernd es ist, Töchtern ein Vorbild zu sein – und von der großen Aufgabe der Selbstliebe.
Ein warmherziger und verywitty Roman über Verluste und Neuanfänge, über vergangene und neue Lieben der großen walisischen Autorin Siân James.
Anna ist Mitte dreißig, verwitwet, und lebt mit ihren drei Töchtern in der walisischen countryside in einem kleinen Haus, das sie über alles liebt. Als sie sich verliebt – zum ersten Mal wirklich richtig, wie ihr klar wird –, bringt der junge Schauspieler Charlie ihr Leben nicht nur nach und nach ziemlich durcheinander. Anna beginnt auch, sich Fragen über ihr bisheriges Leben und ihre Ehe zu stellen. «Ein Nachmittag im Mai» erzählt klug und unterhaltsam davon, was es bedeutet, in den 1960er- und 1970er-Jahren Frau zu sein, alleinerziehnde Mutter noch dazu, welchen Wert weibliche Solidarität hat, wie herausfordernd es ist, Töchtern ein Vorbild zu sein – und von der großen Aufgabe der Selbstliebe.
Ein warmherziger und verywitty Roman über Verluste und Neuanfänge, über vergangene und neue Lieben der großen walisischen Autorin Siân James.
279 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1975
About the author
Siân James
63 books8 followersSiân James was a Welsh novelist who wrote in English.
James attended the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. She was a Fellow of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Glamorgan. She was a Fellow of the Welsh Academy. She twice won the Yorkshire Post Prize, and her third novel, A Small Country, has come to be regarded as a classic of Anglo-Welsh literature. In 2006, A Small Country was made into a Welsh-language TV series (Calon Gaeth), which won the 2007 Bafta Cymru award for Best Drama/Drama Serial for Television.
(from Wikipedia)
James attended the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. She was a Fellow of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Glamorgan. She was a Fellow of the Welsh Academy. She twice won the Yorkshire Post Prize, and her third novel, A Small Country, has come to be regarded as a classic of Anglo-Welsh literature. In 2006, A Small Country was made into a Welsh-language TV series (Calon Gaeth), which won the 2007 Bafta Cymru award for Best Drama/Drama Serial for Television.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
January 26, 2024
This is a lovely story of an accidental meeting “one afternoon” and subsequently falling in love. We meet Anna, a widow with three daughters. Since her husband’s death, she has led a sedate life caring for her daughters. The afternoon she bumps into Charlie, a former associate of her husband, causes a major shift in her life.
Anna is a good woman-she is honest with herself. Her self reflection on her marriage and her current relationship were very astute. Through her we explore her relationships to her daughters, her father and her mother in law. Anna is a quiet, gentle soul who learns to move forward in her life.
The 1970’s were a time of change for women and this is definitely reflected in this novel. The pressures to conform were still present, but change was definitely coming. This is well explored in this book, but in a very subtle way.
This is billed as a romance- it is, but it is so much more. It’s the exploration of a woman, Anna, and her coming to terms with what is right for her.
I love quiet, reflective books! This book was perfect for me!
Published: 1975
Anna is a good woman-she is honest with herself. Her self reflection on her marriage and her current relationship were very astute. Through her we explore her relationships to her daughters, her father and her mother in law. Anna is a quiet, gentle soul who learns to move forward in her life.
The 1970’s were a time of change for women and this is definitely reflected in this novel. The pressures to conform were still present, but change was definitely coming. This is well explored in this book, but in a very subtle way.
This is billed as a romance- it is, but it is so much more. It’s the exploration of a woman, Anna, and her coming to terms with what is right for her.
I love quiet, reflective books! This book was perfect for me!
Published: 1975
June 7, 2026
What I loved most about this novel was Anna's voice. Her assumption that things would be okay if she just followed what she thought of as the right direction for her. Her relationship with her three daughters was warm , she answered their questions honestly, only holding back a few things because of their age.
One afternoon she runs into an actor she had known slightly a few years before, and accepts an invitation to his new play. Her producer husband has been dead for 4 years and she had devoted her life to her girls since then. Charlie is a bit younger than her but she is immediately caught up in his charm and enthusiasm for life. He comes back to her home after the evening and stays for weeks, charming her girls and her housekeeper. She knows it won't last but it's the 1970's, the rules are changing in London, so she falls hopelessly in love and throws caution to the winds.
The 70's were a time of change all over, after the uproar of the 60's and the Vietnam War, demonstrations, evolving morals and women becoming more independent. I remember telling my mother in the late 70's that if I weren't married by the time I turned 30 that I would have a baby anyway and raise it alone. Poor woman, she was already a bit ashamed of having an old maid on her hands, an illegitimate grandchild would have finished her off. As it turned out, I did get married first, so she relaxed. But the times they were a-changin'.
Anna was changing too and knew that some things just had to be endured, including the breakup of a love affair and all that followed. This was a quiet novel that was a lovely journey through a family's acceptance of Anna's decision to do as she thought fit. Persephone really knows how to pick them.
One afternoon she runs into an actor she had known slightly a few years before, and accepts an invitation to his new play. Her producer husband has been dead for 4 years and she had devoted her life to her girls since then. Charlie is a bit younger than her but she is immediately caught up in his charm and enthusiasm for life. He comes back to her home after the evening and stays for weeks, charming her girls and her housekeeper. She knows it won't last but it's the 1970's, the rules are changing in London, so she falls hopelessly in love and throws caution to the winds.
The 70's were a time of change all over, after the uproar of the 60's and the Vietnam War, demonstrations, evolving morals and women becoming more independent. I remember telling my mother in the late 70's that if I weren't married by the time I turned 30 that I would have a baby anyway and raise it alone. Poor woman, she was already a bit ashamed of having an old maid on her hands, an illegitimate grandchild would have finished her off. As it turned out, I did get married first, so she relaxed. But the times they were a-changin'.
Anna was changing too and knew that some things just had to be endured, including the breakup of a love affair and all that followed. This was a quiet novel that was a lovely journey through a family's acceptance of Anna's decision to do as she thought fit. Persephone really knows how to pick them.
July 31, 2025
I read this book in two days because I could not put it down. It was compulsively readable about a young widow, Anna, with three young daughters and her love affair with a younger man. I had heard this compared to a Rosamunde Pilcher novel (and in some ways that is true) though I actually think it’s more of a cross between Pilcher and one of my other favorite authors, Laurie Colwin. It’s no wonder I loved this. A little bit melancholy and none of the men were particularly likable but it is so well-written and Anna is a protagonist I absolutely loved.
May 24, 2026
I do not feel up to writing reviews just now but I owe it to this quiet unassuming novel to write a few words of praise as it is one of the best Persephone books I have had the pleasure of reading. It took a completely different direction to the one I was expecting but its first person narration was of a kind that had you so completely absorbed from the outset. I was so taken with our protagonist Anna for her open, self deprecating manner, convinced she had no special attributes or beauty - whereas the world around her could see her honest, selfless and open kind nature that made others fall in love with her. A most perfect ending to a beautiful story- Highly recommended 4.5*
June 18, 2025
Aquella tarde, de Siân James, comienza con un encuentro fortuito: Anna se cruza con un conocido al que no veía desde hacía meses. Una conversación breve, casi trivial… pero esa escena aparentemente inofensiva da inicio a un movimiento interior silencioso pero persistente.
Anna, viuda joven y madre de tres hijas, ha construido una vida basada en la estabilidad y el deber. Pero tras esa tarde, algo comienza a agrietarse suavemente: no de forma dramática, sino como una rendija por la que entra una nueva luz. Es entonces cuando reaparece Charlie, un joven actor, espontáneo y libre, que encarna todo lo que Anna había aprendido a reprimir. Lo que comienza como un vínculo improbable se convierte en una relación que la enfrenta consigo misma: con su deseo, con su miedo, con su necesidad de vivir algo propio más allá del rol de madre o esposa ausente.
A la vez, Anna mira hacia atrás. La distancia le permite ver su matrimonio anterior con otros ojos: el amor no desaparece, pero se redefine. Entiende que lo que recordaba como plenitud también estaba lleno de silencios, de gestos no dichos, de elecciones hechas por costumbre. Incluso el matrimonio de sus padres, alguna vez ejemplo indiscutido, aparece ahora bajo una luz más realista, menos idealizada. La madurez le regala perspectiva, pero también responsabilidad emocional.
Siân James escribe con una sobriedad impecable. Su prosa es clara, introspectiva, y tremendamente humana. No necesita alzar la voz: basta con observar. Aquella tarde no trata sobre grandes eventos, sino sobre esos pequeños desplazamientos que cambian una vida. Es una novela que invita a detenerse, a pensar, a sentir sin estridencias.
Me conmovió por su verdad tranquila, por su comprensión de lo íntimo, por su modo de narrar lo cotidiano con profundidad. Una lectura que se queda. 🌿
4,0⭐️
Anna, viuda joven y madre de tres hijas, ha construido una vida basada en la estabilidad y el deber. Pero tras esa tarde, algo comienza a agrietarse suavemente: no de forma dramática, sino como una rendija por la que entra una nueva luz. Es entonces cuando reaparece Charlie, un joven actor, espontáneo y libre, que encarna todo lo que Anna había aprendido a reprimir. Lo que comienza como un vínculo improbable se convierte en una relación que la enfrenta consigo misma: con su deseo, con su miedo, con su necesidad de vivir algo propio más allá del rol de madre o esposa ausente.
A la vez, Anna mira hacia atrás. La distancia le permite ver su matrimonio anterior con otros ojos: el amor no desaparece, pero se redefine. Entiende que lo que recordaba como plenitud también estaba lleno de silencios, de gestos no dichos, de elecciones hechas por costumbre. Incluso el matrimonio de sus padres, alguna vez ejemplo indiscutido, aparece ahora bajo una luz más realista, menos idealizada. La madurez le regala perspectiva, pero también responsabilidad emocional.
Siân James escribe con una sobriedad impecable. Su prosa es clara, introspectiva, y tremendamente humana. No necesita alzar la voz: basta con observar. Aquella tarde no trata sobre grandes eventos, sino sobre esos pequeños desplazamientos que cambian una vida. Es una novela que invita a detenerse, a pensar, a sentir sin estridencias.
Me conmovió por su verdad tranquila, por su comprensión de lo íntimo, por su modo de narrar lo cotidiano con profundidad. Una lectura que se queda. 🌿
4,0⭐️
January 24, 2024
4.5
A slow start, but once I had time to devote to it, I just whizzed through it.
A slow start, but once I had time to devote to it, I just whizzed through it.
May 17, 2025
I read this novel because it had been favourably compared to Dorothy Whipple, and since she's my baseline for comparison anyway when it comes to Persephone Books, that seemed like a good sign. Honestly, though, I don't see it.
Whipple created complex, memorable characters and wrote lilting slice-of-life fiction, whereas James fails to develop her characters beyond cliches or thematic symbols-- regret, aging, domestic discontent. The secondary characters are surface level, barely sketched, while even the protagonist, Laura, feels muted and frustratingly opaque. We're told that her memories haunt her, yet from beginning to end I never got a sense that it was true.
Everything that happens-- even the titular "one afternoon" --is rendered with such dispassionate prose and a sense of detachment that I simply couldn't bring myself to care about it. I couldn’t stand the love interest and, as with everyone else, the author made no attempts to develop him into an interesting character.
Possibly the strongest area of the novel is the significance of the time period-- it shows the bridging of two generations and how old stigmas still existed but new attitudes were emerging. Abortion is seen as normal by Laura, as is the idea of a child being born without a father present.
Whipple created complex, memorable characters and wrote lilting slice-of-life fiction, whereas James fails to develop her characters beyond cliches or thematic symbols-- regret, aging, domestic discontent. The secondary characters are surface level, barely sketched, while even the protagonist, Laura, feels muted and frustratingly opaque. We're told that her memories haunt her, yet from beginning to end I never got a sense that it was true.
Everything that happens-- even the titular "one afternoon" --is rendered with such dispassionate prose and a sense of detachment that I simply couldn't bring myself to care about it. I couldn’t stand the love interest and, as with everyone else, the author made no attempts to develop him into an interesting character.
Possibly the strongest area of the novel is the significance of the time period-- it shows the bridging of two generations and how old stigmas still existed but new attitudes were emerging. Abortion is seen as normal by Laura, as is the idea of a child being born without a father present.
March 18, 2026
A book marketed as romance that makes you wish the heroine ends up alone is never good news. My weakest Persephone to date?
I’m between confused and annoyed. What does James want the reader to think exactly? Surely not that the immature, emotionally-challenged, completely uninteresting Charlie is someone we should be rooting for? He’s described almost as Anna’s fourth child, that she has to take care of, appease, and cater to. Not to mention his violent outbursts (actually, the whole scene around Jane’s teacher was completely bizarre). The cherry on the cake was the last drunken scene - one of the most unromantic and frustrating 'happy endings' I’ve ever read, the type that makes you want to scream at the heroine to RUN! So few pages, so many red flags.
Now I need a Dorothy Whimple as a palate cleanser.
I’m between confused and annoyed. What does James want the reader to think exactly? Surely not that the immature, emotionally-challenged, completely uninteresting Charlie is someone we should be rooting for? He’s described almost as Anna’s fourth child, that she has to take care of, appease, and cater to. Not to mention his violent outbursts (actually, the whole scene around Jane’s teacher was completely bizarre). The cherry on the cake was the last drunken scene - one of the most unromantic and frustrating 'happy endings' I’ve ever read, the type that makes you want to scream at the heroine to RUN! So few pages, so many red flags.
Now I need a Dorothy Whimple as a palate cleanser.
March 16, 2026
Not sure what the purpose of this novel was, and I can't say I enjoyed it that much. The summary says it should be a love story, but it definitely didn't feel like one. The main characters were not very likeable (especially the men !) and the writing style felt quite superficial and detached, even when dealing with heavier issues like abortion, so it just didn't evoke many feelings in me. The part I enjoyed the most was probably the conversation between Anna and her father, which felt a bit more real than the rest.
January 7, 2026
Das war toll. Eine RomCom, aber realistisch und mit greifbaren Frauenfiguren, die sich gegenseitig unterstützen. Es geht um Selbstwirksamkeit, Entschlossenheit, um das Finden des eigenen Weges, um das Abschütteln gesellschaftlicher Fesseln.
"Charlie, glaubst du, wir werden glücklich sein?"
"Natürlich. Ab und zu zumindest."
"Charlie, glaubst du, wir werden glücklich sein?"
"Natürlich. Ab und zu zumindest."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2021
A novel that starts by promising very little – and ends up delivering it.
One Afternoon is a competently written romance involving a young widow with horse-riding children in a Georgian house swept off her feet by an impetuous but improbable young thespian. For a Welsh-speaking author, it’s all very English and comfortable. There is a dull, dewy-eyed vet. An aged, lovable help. A larger-than-life actress. There are daydreams and plucky determination. Everything turns out well.
Possibly the nearest I have ever come to Mills & Boon…
One Afternoon is a competently written romance involving a young widow with horse-riding children in a Georgian house swept off her feet by an impetuous but improbable young thespian. For a Welsh-speaking author, it’s all very English and comfortable. There is a dull, dewy-eyed vet. An aged, lovable help. A larger-than-life actress. There are daydreams and plucky determination. Everything turns out well.
Possibly the nearest I have ever come to Mills & Boon…
September 26, 2023
So good - I cried!
July 3, 2025
Nota: 4 sobre 5
Premisa:
Anna lleva tiempo enfrentándose a su día a día con tres niñas pequeñas y la ausencia eterna de su marido. Charlie irrumpe en su vida para hacer que su presente se transforme y se replantee su concepción del amor.
Opinión:
Hay novelas que te trasportan a estados emocionales diferentes con una facilidad asombrosa. Consiguen que tu contexto se vuelva irrelevante y que tu corazón palpite al son que el autor quiera marcar. Lograr esto de forma momentánea puede ser relativamente asequible, pero si la hipnosis se mantiene de forma constante y sus efectos perduran en el tiempo, se vuelve obligatorio reseñarlo como una cualidad excepcional.
La autora pone a la cotidianidad en el punto de mira y provee a la novela de un equilibrio exquisito respecto a su tono narrativo. Ágil, ligero y reflexivo, ideal para reflejar una historia personal compleja y dolorosa desde una perspectiva a priori inconexa con la carga dramática de los acontecimientos. La protagonista es una mujer que ha tenido que esculpir la resiliencia a contrarreloj, enfrentándose a una maternidad solitaria y a una vida de exigencias.
La aparición del amor en esta rutina inaplacable es como un catalizador, un punto de inflexión en lo conductual y también en lo interno. Se convierte en el espacio para la conexión con el valor inesperado y la pasión inadvertida, a pesar de haberla considerado una vieja compañera. Sus efectos secundarios no tardan en llegar, y podemos advertirlos gracias a una narración introspectiva y sedienta de comprensión.
La trama que parece que puede generar momentos de intensidad y rotura sorprende sembrando sosiego y equilibrio. Un valor añadido al mensaje que promueve de fortaleza y determinación, ya que ensalza esa pretensión de mejora personal que todos deberíamos tener. Siempre consiguiendo poner distancia entre lo experimentado y lo pretendido.
He sentido que acompañaba a una amiga en su torbellino interior sin ningún tipo de filtro, como si fuese un testigo oculto de su realidad. Terminé el libro y sentí añoranza, menos mal que su huella aún sigue perdurando.
Premisa:
Anna lleva tiempo enfrentándose a su día a día con tres niñas pequeñas y la ausencia eterna de su marido. Charlie irrumpe en su vida para hacer que su presente se transforme y se replantee su concepción del amor.
Opinión:
Hay novelas que te trasportan a estados emocionales diferentes con una facilidad asombrosa. Consiguen que tu contexto se vuelva irrelevante y que tu corazón palpite al son que el autor quiera marcar. Lograr esto de forma momentánea puede ser relativamente asequible, pero si la hipnosis se mantiene de forma constante y sus efectos perduran en el tiempo, se vuelve obligatorio reseñarlo como una cualidad excepcional.
La autora pone a la cotidianidad en el punto de mira y provee a la novela de un equilibrio exquisito respecto a su tono narrativo. Ágil, ligero y reflexivo, ideal para reflejar una historia personal compleja y dolorosa desde una perspectiva a priori inconexa con la carga dramática de los acontecimientos. La protagonista es una mujer que ha tenido que esculpir la resiliencia a contrarreloj, enfrentándose a una maternidad solitaria y a una vida de exigencias.
La aparición del amor en esta rutina inaplacable es como un catalizador, un punto de inflexión en lo conductual y también en lo interno. Se convierte en el espacio para la conexión con el valor inesperado y la pasión inadvertida, a pesar de haberla considerado una vieja compañera. Sus efectos secundarios no tardan en llegar, y podemos advertirlos gracias a una narración introspectiva y sedienta de comprensión.
La trama que parece que puede generar momentos de intensidad y rotura sorprende sembrando sosiego y equilibrio. Un valor añadido al mensaje que promueve de fortaleza y determinación, ya que ensalza esa pretensión de mejora personal que todos deberíamos tener. Siempre consiguiendo poner distancia entre lo experimentado y lo pretendido.
He sentido que acompañaba a una amiga en su torbellino interior sin ningún tipo de filtro, como si fuese un testigo oculto de su realidad. Terminé el libro y sentí añoranza, menos mal que su huella aún sigue perdurando.
Read
December 7, 2023A complete 180* from my last read because this one is squarely about a woman unapologetically preoccupied with uniquely feminine concerns. There's another Goodreads review that describes it as the "closest [they] would ever get to a Mills & Boon," which I guess was meant to be disparaging, but would actually be its selling point to me. Sign me up! Haha. A widow falls in love with a "dish" - a handsome actor still in the midst of sowing his wild oats, younger, an altogether bad idea. The woman's quiet life with her 3 girls - Jane, Elizabeth, and Mary (yes, it's what you're thinking haha) - becomes upended, sometimes for worse, mostly for better. I enjoyed this book, as an antidote to Alejandro Zambra's male-centric Chilean Poet (it is, god, sorry) and as a nice pick-me-up as the depressing holiday season begins. In my Persephone edition, the end papers feature a "kazak" pattern and, now having read the book, I have to raise a glass to the cheekiness of it. That kazak rug after that one afternoon. Hahaha.
September 17, 2024
1.5 stars. Look maybe I will have a more sophisticated review in the future, but to me this wasn't a romance. I hated every single man in this novel, but most of all the supposed love Charlie. They can all get out of the MC's life.
The best bits were after Charlie left. The discovering of self and thoughts on what love is were poignant and well written but I am too frustrated to take that into account.
The best bits were after Charlie left. The discovering of self and thoughts on what love is were poignant and well written but I am too frustrated to take that into account.
November 16, 2025
i’m v sad to say i found this completely boring
April 28, 2025
picked this up in persephone books after reading the bookseller's note accompanying it which described it as like eva ibbotson's quote about writing for intelligent women who have the flu and it wasn't quite eva but it was still really wonderful and very romantic in a laurie colwin-esque way
March 10, 2025
3'5
«Es mejor hablar las cosas. Si no, se te meten muy dentro y pueden hacerte mucho daño».
Cuando vi que Muñeca Infinita iba a publicar esta novela, me la apunté sin dudarlo porque estoy en un momento en el que —sin saber por qué— me apetece leer historias de amor. Del tipo que sea, felices e infelices, pero historias de amor al fin y al cabo.
Y, ahora que la he acabado, me alegro de que no haya sido la novela que me imaginaba, sino que haya ido mucho más allá. Esta editorial siempre me termina sorprendiendo porque publica historias con crítica social o que ponen en entredicho algún problema del sistema, ya sea actual o del último siglo.
En este caso, la novela se centra en Anna, una mujer viuda que vive con tres hijas, que se encuentra con un joven actor al que apenas conoce y que trabajaba con su marido. Lo que empieza con un reencuentro casual e inesperado se convierte en una aventura que va a transformar, completamente y sin esperarlo, a Anna.
En un inicio, esta historia me recordó a la que se relata en la película «An education», que también empieza con una mujer que deja de estudiar al entablar una relación con un hombre que la seduce. Tanto esta historia como la que nos ocupa tienen algo en común: su contexto. Sin tener esto en cuenta es imposible entender lo que va a suceder. Los años 60 fue una época de cambios, pero las mujeres seguían teniendo un papel en la sociedad indivisible del hombre, ya que solo se desarrollaban y ocupaban un espacio en la sociedad a través del matrimonio.
Pero, Anna, como muchas otras mujeres de la época, va entendiendo su posición dentro de este contexto, en su 1ª relación, tras la muerte de su marido, y va a enfrentarse a él en su 2ª relación. Y no solo conoce el amor y la pasión verdaderas sino que va a sobreponerse a la pérdida, en todos los sentidos, mientras la sociedad —incluso, personas muy cercanas y de su familia— le da la espalda por lo que ha hecho.
Me ha encantado la gran evolución de este personaje, sobre todo en la segunda parte de la novela, en la que creo que tiene mayor fuerza. También, la relación con sus hijas y su fortaleza como madre, así como sus esfuerzos por seguir desempeñándose profesionalmente. No os quiero revelar más, pero hay una sorpresa hacia la mitad que no solo transforma al personaje sino que nos hace pensar —y crecer, enamorarnos y soñar con algo más— junto a ella.
«Es mejor hablar las cosas. Si no, se te meten muy dentro y pueden hacerte mucho daño».
Cuando vi que Muñeca Infinita iba a publicar esta novela, me la apunté sin dudarlo porque estoy en un momento en el que —sin saber por qué— me apetece leer historias de amor. Del tipo que sea, felices e infelices, pero historias de amor al fin y al cabo.
Y, ahora que la he acabado, me alegro de que no haya sido la novela que me imaginaba, sino que haya ido mucho más allá. Esta editorial siempre me termina sorprendiendo porque publica historias con crítica social o que ponen en entredicho algún problema del sistema, ya sea actual o del último siglo.
En este caso, la novela se centra en Anna, una mujer viuda que vive con tres hijas, que se encuentra con un joven actor al que apenas conoce y que trabajaba con su marido. Lo que empieza con un reencuentro casual e inesperado se convierte en una aventura que va a transformar, completamente y sin esperarlo, a Anna.
En un inicio, esta historia me recordó a la que se relata en la película «An education», que también empieza con una mujer que deja de estudiar al entablar una relación con un hombre que la seduce. Tanto esta historia como la que nos ocupa tienen algo en común: su contexto. Sin tener esto en cuenta es imposible entender lo que va a suceder. Los años 60 fue una época de cambios, pero las mujeres seguían teniendo un papel en la sociedad indivisible del hombre, ya que solo se desarrollaban y ocupaban un espacio en la sociedad a través del matrimonio.
Pero, Anna, como muchas otras mujeres de la época, va entendiendo su posición dentro de este contexto, en su 1ª relación, tras la muerte de su marido, y va a enfrentarse a él en su 2ª relación. Y no solo conoce el amor y la pasión verdaderas sino que va a sobreponerse a la pérdida, en todos los sentidos, mientras la sociedad —incluso, personas muy cercanas y de su familia— le da la espalda por lo que ha hecho.
Me ha encantado la gran evolución de este personaje, sobre todo en la segunda parte de la novela, en la que creo que tiene mayor fuerza. También, la relación con sus hijas y su fortaleza como madre, así como sus esfuerzos por seguir desempeñándose profesionalmente. No os quiero revelar más, pero hay una sorpresa hacia la mitad que no solo transforma al personaje sino que nos hace pensar —y crecer, enamorarnos y soñar con algo más— junto a ella.
October 21, 2025
Es una historia sencilla pero interesante, quizás por la forma de escribirla o por la forma que va evolucionando esta mujer viuda, madre de tres hijas, ha tenido un matrimonio tranquilo, feliz hasta donde siente. Pero un encuentro una tarde la hace ir cambiando hasta darse cuenta de que muchas cosas no eran como creía y a partir de ahí quiere vivir distinto y sentir distinto, quiere amar de verdad y vivir cosas que no había vivido. Me ha gustado, la he disfrutado, aunque al final me faltó algo, me faltaron cosas.
January 25, 2024
Kevin gave me the recently-republished Persephone version of this novel, and I really enjoyed it. James’s style reminds me a bit of Dorothy Whipple’s—subtle but powerful depictions of everyday relationships and how they change. Definitely interested in reading more of her novels.
August 26, 2024
Not the kind of book I would usually pick up but I was pleasantly surprised. The style of writing for this one felt very ahead of its time and the last page really stuck with me. A tone that blended the mundane with a sense of hope in a really readable way.
March 30, 2026
3.5
I enjoyed her writing and the characters. Found her situation interesting, but didn't feel enough depth or connection to it. Last 40 pages were tough bc piper peed on my bag and it got on the book a bit so I speed read while covering my nose 3
I enjoyed her writing and the characters. Found her situation interesting, but didn't feel enough depth or connection to it. Last 40 pages were tough bc piper peed on my bag and it got on the book a bit so I speed read while covering my nose 3
May 12, 2025
4.25*
August 18, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this slightly unusual Persephone Books reissue. It’s a romance, and was first published in 1975, decades later than most Persephone titles. It felt 1970s “modern” and, at the same time, it was a gentle, comforting read. It made me happy. 4.5 stars.
May 10, 2024
Wow 🤩 Persephone do it again what a beautifully written story this is,sad to say I’d never heard of Sian James Iv since googled to death and loved the preface by Emma Schofield. Thank goodness for Persephone highlighting these forgotten wonderful beautiful authors so their work will never ever be forgotten
January 26, 2024
A Persephone reprint One Afternoon was published in 1975. It focuses on Anna and her three daughters. Anna is a widow and assiduously attentive to her girls. But when Charlie turns up in her life is disrupted but kn a very pleasant way
Charlie eventually departs but Anna, finding she is pregnant, chooses to have her baby.
This, in the UK, was key Women's Lib time and Anna's decision not to have an abortion but to keep the baby, feels redolent of the independent thinking women were acquiring at that time.
Charlie does in fact come back and promises marriage which Anna accepts. If the novel had been written today I suspect she would have opted to continue on her own.
Charlie eventually departs but Anna, finding she is pregnant, chooses to have her baby.
This, in the UK, was key Women's Lib time and Anna's decision not to have an abortion but to keep the baby, feels redolent of the independent thinking women were acquiring at that time.
Charlie does in fact come back and promises marriage which Anna accepts. If the novel had been written today I suspect she would have opted to continue on her own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2024
This novel written in 1975 has recently been republished by Persephone, and is a worthy addition to their wonderful catalogue of 'domestic fiction'. It is narrated in the first person by Anna, a young widowed mother of three daughters, as she recalls the afternoon that youthful actor Charlie burst into her life. It is a first and foremost a love story, but also a novel of self-discovery and unfolding relationships within her wider family. It is cleverly structured so that one experiences with Anna the emotional revelations of discovering real passion and claiming a sense of personal agency for the first time, and of discovering one's parents and one's former marriage are not exactly as we thought they were. The dialogue is effortless and the prose delivers profound truths with a light touch. It is also an interesting insight into the social context of the time in terms of the varied reactions to an extra-marital relationship in the 70s. It also, to me, spoke of an underlying misogyny that continued to exist even as women like Anna were considered 'liberated' - I disliked some of Charlie's comments and assumptions which Anna seems to accept unquestioningly, despite him being otherwise a very convincing love interest!
June 19, 2026
I can’t really remember what prompted me to order this from the library, but it’s published by Persephone Books, who specialise in republishing women authors of the twentieth century who may no longer be in print. I get the Persephone newsletter by email so perhaps I saw something in that. Anyway I’m very glad to have read it, which I did in three or four days, mostly in the wee small hours, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The book was published in 1975, and was named a winner of the Yorkshire Post Book Award for a first book. As I was 25 in that year, about 10 years younger than the protagonist Anna, it was easy to identify both with her and with the era and the position of women in society at that time - the main focus of the story. This was a compulsive read as other reviewers have mentioned, but not just that - James writes beautifully and I enjoyed and admired her style. I would like to read her third novel ‘A Small Country’ but unfortunately it’s not in stock in my county library, so will have to go on my ‘presents I would like’ list.
The book was published in 1975, and was named a winner of the Yorkshire Post Book Award for a first book. As I was 25 in that year, about 10 years younger than the protagonist Anna, it was easy to identify both with her and with the era and the position of women in society at that time - the main focus of the story. This was a compulsive read as other reviewers have mentioned, but not just that - James writes beautifully and I enjoyed and admired her style. I would like to read her third novel ‘A Small Country’ but unfortunately it’s not in stock in my county library, so will have to go on my ‘presents I would like’ list.
Read
March 19, 2024This 1975 novel features a widow, Anna, who is rearing three young girls whilst having a passionate relationship with a charming actor. Charlie is younger, very entertaining, and happens to get along quite well (and very appropriately) with Anna’s daughters.
Alas, just as we grow very fond of Charlie, he walks away — thinking he’s doing our heroine a favor — and Anna is devastated. She has no choice but to pull herself together, seeing as she has young children, a dying mother, and an unexpected pregnancy. Sounds a wee bit grim, doesn’t it? Honestly, this is one of the most delightful books I’ve read in a long time. There’s so much humor, warmth, and wisdom in One Afternoon, and I am completely smitten by this story. (In the photo below you’ll note all the pages I flagged while reading.) I missed the characters so much that I read the book again!
Alas, just as we grow very fond of Charlie, he walks away — thinking he’s doing our heroine a favor — and Anna is devastated. She has no choice but to pull herself together, seeing as she has young children, a dying mother, and an unexpected pregnancy. Sounds a wee bit grim, doesn’t it? Honestly, this is one of the most delightful books I’ve read in a long time. There’s so much humor, warmth, and wisdom in One Afternoon, and I am completely smitten by this story. (In the photo below you’ll note all the pages I flagged while reading.) I missed the characters so much that I read the book again!
June 5, 2026
3.5-4 stars. This was a quick read and a fascinating view of single mothering and romance in the 1970s. Anna is a widow with 3 daughters. One afternoon she meets a younger man, Charlie, and has a love affair. I was fascinated that she so brazenly brought him into her home, and her children and mother-in-law got to know him. Was that bravery or apathy? She reflects on her earlier marriage as one that she fell into, but it clearly was not filled with love or passion. Both of which she finds with Charlie. She and Charlie kept describing Anna as so much older, but later we find out he is 30 and she is 36. This is a "love story," but I don't really want Anna and Charlie to stay together. I like her better when she is independent of him. I am sure this reads very differently from when published. It may have been shocking and strange to read such a thing. Today it seems mild and a little sad.
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