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The Travellers
Sofia Niklai, a reclusive exile, and Kate Milburn, locked in a stifling marriage, form a tentative friendship on a windswept beach in Northumbria. While Sofia forces herself to confront her father’s diaries, Kate must face half-remembered shadows from her childhood. Together they make an impulsive journey to Hungary, Sofia's homeland. It is a journey from which neither can return unaltered.
Their meeting in Hungary with István Rudnay, also marked by the dark experiences of his youth, leads them to a discovery of the warmth and love so lacking in their own lives, whilst he in turn comes to a reconciliation with the past and hope for the future.
Sharply observed and recounted with tenderness and wisdom, The Travellers delineates the intense joys and sorrows of individual lives upon a broad canvas of recent European history.
Their meeting in Hungary with István Rudnay, also marked by the dark experiences of his youth, leads them to a discovery of the warmth and love so lacking in their own lives, whilst he in turn comes to a reconciliation with the past and hope for the future.
Sharply observed and recounted with tenderness and wisdom, The Travellers delineates the intense joys and sorrows of individual lives upon a broad canvas of recent European history.
300 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1998
About the author
Ann Swinfen
33 books222 followersAnn Swinfen spent her childhood partly in England and partly on the east coast of America. She read Classics and Mathematics at Oxford, where she married a fellow undergraduate, the historian David Swinfen. While bringing up their five children and studying for an MSc in Mathematics and a BA and PhD in English Literature, she had a variety of jobs, including university lecturer, translator, freelance journalist and software designer.
She served for nine years on the governing council of the Open University and for five years worked as a manager and editor in the technical author division of an international computer company, but gave up her full-time job to concentrate on her writing, while continuing part-time university teaching. In 1995 she founded Dundee Book Events, a voluntary organisation promoting books and authors to the general public.
Her first three novels, The Anniversary, The Travellers, and A Running Tide, all with a contemporary setting but also an historical resonance, were published by Random House, with translations into Dutch and German. Her fourth novel, The Testament of Mariam, marked something of a departure. Set in the first century, it recounts, from an unusual perspective, one of the most famous and yet ambiguous stories in human history. At the same time it explores life under a foreign occupying force, in lands still torn by conflict to this day. Her latest novel, Flood, is set in the fenlands of East Anglia during the seventeenth century, where the local people fought desperately to save their land from greedy and unscrupulous speculators.
She now lives on the northeast coast of Scotland, with her husband (formerly vice-principal of the University of Dundee), a cocker spaniel and two Maine Coon cats.
She served for nine years on the governing council of the Open University and for five years worked as a manager and editor in the technical author division of an international computer company, but gave up her full-time job to concentrate on her writing, while continuing part-time university teaching. In 1995 she founded Dundee Book Events, a voluntary organisation promoting books and authors to the general public.
Her first three novels, The Anniversary, The Travellers, and A Running Tide, all with a contemporary setting but also an historical resonance, were published by Random House, with translations into Dutch and German. Her fourth novel, The Testament of Mariam, marked something of a departure. Set in the first century, it recounts, from an unusual perspective, one of the most famous and yet ambiguous stories in human history. At the same time it explores life under a foreign occupying force, in lands still torn by conflict to this day. Her latest novel, Flood, is set in the fenlands of East Anglia during the seventeenth century, where the local people fought desperately to save their land from greedy and unscrupulous speculators.
She now lives on the northeast coast of Scotland, with her husband (formerly vice-principal of the University of Dundee), a cocker spaniel and two Maine Coon cats.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 21, 2019
An old-fashioned, satisfying romance novel, dated in many ways but still enjoyable.
March 1, 2013
After a slow and moderately confusing start (the story kept switching to different characters and character's memories) the book soon settled down into a lovely gentle story.
March 1, 2022
This is one of the oldest unread books on my bookshelf. My mum used to run the book stall for her Church Fete for many, many years, and for months before November boxes and boxes of books would be donated and live in our garage, and then the spare room after I moved out of home. We got first run of the boxes if we paid Fete prices, with $1 for paperbacks and $2 hardbacks even before I got really back into reading, the bargain was too great! This was one of the first books I pulled out of those boxes.
I also started reading it for a speed dating challenge in 2014, and enjoyed it enough to not throw it out, but not enough to run back to it.
Which is a good summation of the book. The beginning was a bit slow to get going, mainly as it had to give you all the history and reasons why Kate was where she was and feeling like she was, and build up a spooky coincident that no one will work out before the end of the book (I saw it straight away), and build up friendships and motivations, etc.
The book picked up dramatically in Hungary. And I really enjoyed that part, as I felt I was a tourist seeing things for the first time that the English people were seeing. I am not sure at all it was a fair or realistic portrayal of Hungary, but how it was talked about has made me more interested in a visit one day. The last part of the book I found a bit dark and at times hard to read.
So while enjoyable in parts, not really one I would recommend.
I also started reading it for a speed dating challenge in 2014, and enjoyed it enough to not throw it out, but not enough to run back to it.
Which is a good summation of the book. The beginning was a bit slow to get going, mainly as it had to give you all the history and reasons why Kate was where she was and feeling like she was, and build up a spooky coincident that no one will work out before the end of the book (I saw it straight away), and build up friendships and motivations, etc.
The book picked up dramatically in Hungary. And I really enjoyed that part, as I felt I was a tourist seeing things for the first time that the English people were seeing. I am not sure at all it was a fair or realistic portrayal of Hungary, but how it was talked about has made me more interested in a visit one day. The last part of the book I found a bit dark and at times hard to read.
So while enjoyable in parts, not really one I would recommend.
August 4, 2018
Hey this is an enjoyable and informative read. I felt I learnt a lot and had good experiences along the way. So much knowledge is at the basis of the writing including knowledge of Hungary and some of its culture. Many of the people in the novel were quite striking too. This book stands out for me as the best of the author's work. I like much of her historical fiction too, but this one covers almost contemporary material at a lively pace.
Just a wee caution that there is some quite challenging material from Europe's war time past.
Just a wee caution that there is some quite challenging material from Europe's war time past.
September 4, 2019
A Book I Couldn’t Put Down
The author makes you believe you are there, living the life of the main character, Kate. I can’t wait to find out where this life takes her, so I’m hoping there is a sequel to this!!
The author makes you believe you are there, living the life of the main character, Kate. I can’t wait to find out where this life takes her, so I’m hoping there is a sequel to this!!
February 19, 2020
I love Ann Swinfen's books. This was not disappointing.
October 1, 2021
I loved this book!
I have read most of her other books, and this was just as great. I wish it had a sequel - I became invested in the characters and their lives.
I have read most of her other books, and this was just as great. I wish it had a sequel - I became invested in the characters and their lives.
August 1, 2023
A good story, well written and very interesting to learn about Hungary's recent past in WW2, slightly implausible events towards the end (to my mind anyway!) lost it a star.
December 22, 2013
A wonderful read. Just like The Anniversary I knew early on that it would be a 5 star book and going onto my Favorites shelf.
All the characters were interesting and very real people. I enjoyed the whole book but the travels in Hungary most of all. Really felt as though I were there as well.
I was so glad when this book was released for the Kindle. I had seen it on Ann's website and the cover attracted me each time I visited the site.
All the characters were interesting and very real people. I enjoyed the whole book but the travels in Hungary most of all. Really felt as though I were there as well.
I was so glad when this book was released for the Kindle. I had seen it on Ann's website and the cover attracted me each time I visited the site.
April 10, 2016
Consistently good writing
I'm always pleased when I discover a writer who keeps me engrossed in the story and leaves me better informed at the end. I've read seven of her books now and I'm looking forward to the next one.
I'm always pleased when I discover a writer who keeps me engrossed in the story and leaves me better informed at the end. I've read seven of her books now and I'm looking forward to the next one.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews