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The One I Was
Restless, troubled Rosamond Hunter has spent most of her life running away from the past, filled with guilt about her involuntary role in her mother’s death. When her nursing job brings her back to Fairfleet, her childhood home, to care for an elderly refugee, she is forced to confront the ghosts that have haunted her for so long.
Her patient, Benny Gault, first came to Fairfleet, England, in 1939, having fled Nazi Germany on a Kindertransport train.
As his health fails, he and Rosamond begin to confide in each other. At first their tentative friendship revolves around the love they both shared for Rosamond’s glamorous grandmother, Harriet, but as their trust in each other grows, guilty secrets are exposed and history is turned on its head.
From the acclaimed author of Playing with the Moon and Restitution comes a beautiful and haunting tale of friendship, redemption and forgiveness across generations.
Her patient, Benny Gault, first came to Fairfleet, England, in 1939, having fled Nazi Germany on a Kindertransport train.
As his health fails, he and Rosamond begin to confide in each other. At first their tentative friendship revolves around the love they both shared for Rosamond’s glamorous grandmother, Harriet, but as their trust in each other grows, guilty secrets are exposed and history is turned on its head.
From the acclaimed author of Playing with the Moon and Restitution comes a beautiful and haunting tale of friendship, redemption and forgiveness across generations.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 30, 2014
805 people are currently reading
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About the author
Eliza Graham
22 books243 followersEliza Graham is an Oxfordshire-based UK author whose adult novels reflect her fascination with how historical events affect families..
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 367 reviews
December 25, 2015
This book is yet another of those I am unsure how to rate.
The beginning was definitely interesting, and I found myself drawn towards the character of Benny almost immediately upon his intoroduction. However, this likeable character is not exactly the focus which was disappointing.
The main protagonist, Rosamond, was rather a predictable "heroine" with a backstory heard coming from around the corner and down the street. Her unprofessional and unrealistic behaviour really detracted from the novel. Not only that but her altogether too convenient oversights that barely fit with her previous characterization required too much suspension of disbelief to be dramatic irony.
Rosamond left me wondering is interesting enough to make a novel good? Does it make up for occasionally poor writing and somewhat frustrating characters? Frankly, I don't think it does. Sure, the book is pretty good, some parts are wonderful and the historical context is well used by Graham, but overall the modern day parts were corny and trite, tarnishing the rest of the novel for me.
Overall my three stars are based on enjoyment and effort. It's not a taxing book so it was probably an appropriate read for the busy lead up to Christmas.
The beginning was definitely interesting, and I found myself drawn towards the character of Benny almost immediately upon his intoroduction. However, this likeable character is not exactly the focus which was disappointing.
The main protagonist, Rosamond, was rather a predictable "heroine" with a backstory heard coming from around the corner and down the street. Her unprofessional and unrealistic behaviour really detracted from the novel. Not only that but her altogether too convenient oversights that barely fit with her previous characterization required too much suspension of disbelief to be dramatic irony.
Rosamond left me wondering is interesting enough to make a novel good? Does it make up for occasionally poor writing and somewhat frustrating characters? Frankly, I don't think it does. Sure, the book is pretty good, some parts are wonderful and the historical context is well used by Graham, but overall the modern day parts were corny and trite, tarnishing the rest of the novel for me.
Overall my three stars are based on enjoyment and effort. It's not a taxing book so it was probably an appropriate read for the busy lead up to Christmas.
May 16, 2014
For Benjamin Goldman, 11, the Kindertransport is a life-saver. Oh, sure, he's homesick, but the people in England are nice and there is always plenty to eat at the refugee camp. No one seemed interested in fostering Benny, though, except one nicely dressed man, but then, all he does is give him a chocolate bar and leave.
Nevertheless, next thing Benny knows is that his name is being called, and he is told that he and some other boys would be living at Fairfleet, the estate of Lord and Lady Dorner. And life at Fairfleet is pretty good, with private tutoring lessons for the boys, plenty of good food and even time for recreation and dreaming. But, Benny, who always keeps his distance from the other boys, is still haunted by things that had happened in Germany, and he just can't forget about his best friend, Rudi Lange.
The boys' benefactress, Lady Harriet Dorner, is a pilot who is often away, flying planes in the Air Transport Auxiliary. Still, when she was at Fairfleet, it seems she and Benny shared some kind of connection, which, as the years go by, becomes a deeper mutual attraction. Nothing comes of it and after the war, Benny leaves Fairfleet and goes on to a successful career as a journalist.
Now, many years later, Benny is one his deathbed, and a hospice nurse has come to care for him - at Fairfleet, which Benny had purchased after a forced sale. Little does he know at first that his nurse, Rose Madison, is really Rosamond Hunter, granddaughter of Lady Dorner and a person haunted by her own ghosts of the past at Fairfleet. But, as the days go by, Benny begins to sense something about Rose that doesn't feel right.
When a threat from Rose's childhood at Fairfleet shows up again, and begins make new threats, Rose finds she must confess her own secret in order to keep everyone safe.
And as Benny comes closer to death, it becomes clear to Rose that he needs to make his own confession of something regarding his life in Germany as a young boy. And when he finally does, it is a stunner!
There is a lot going on in Eliza Graham's novel The One I Was. It moves between three time periods that connect Benny and Rosamond's individual stories to each other, though they are strangers when they meet. The red thread that ties them together is, of course, Lady Harriet Dorner. And though I would classify this novel as historical fiction, it is also a mystery and a thriller.
Benny's story gives the reader lots of interesting, realistic background into life in Nazi Germany in 1939, as well as life in England both during and after WWII. Graham has done her research on both early time periods and so there is an authentic blending together of events that keeps the continuity of the storyline going nicely, and framed by the present time.
Each of the characters are drawn with such depth and personality that you feel a compelling need to keep reading their story. The overriding theme of The One I Was is the idea of reinventing oneself and why that may be done. In the end, after reading Benny's confession, you may even find yourself in a bit of a moral dilemma regarding his actions. There is no denying that Benny's story is thought provoking, but remember, hard times call for hard decisions and Benny was only a child when he made his fateful decision.
This is the kind of crossover novel I would have read and loved when I was about 15 years old and still straddling the worlds of young adult and adult novels. It has some mild violence and equally mild sexual content, but nothing a young adult reader hasn't come across already.
I One I Was is a nice meaty novel that is sure to leave you feeling satisfied.
This book is recommended for readers age 15+
This book was received from the author
This review was originally posted at The Children's War
Nevertheless, next thing Benny knows is that his name is being called, and he is told that he and some other boys would be living at Fairfleet, the estate of Lord and Lady Dorner. And life at Fairfleet is pretty good, with private tutoring lessons for the boys, plenty of good food and even time for recreation and dreaming. But, Benny, who always keeps his distance from the other boys, is still haunted by things that had happened in Germany, and he just can't forget about his best friend, Rudi Lange.
The boys' benefactress, Lady Harriet Dorner, is a pilot who is often away, flying planes in the Air Transport Auxiliary. Still, when she was at Fairfleet, it seems she and Benny shared some kind of connection, which, as the years go by, becomes a deeper mutual attraction. Nothing comes of it and after the war, Benny leaves Fairfleet and goes on to a successful career as a journalist.
Now, many years later, Benny is one his deathbed, and a hospice nurse has come to care for him - at Fairfleet, which Benny had purchased after a forced sale. Little does he know at first that his nurse, Rose Madison, is really Rosamond Hunter, granddaughter of Lady Dorner and a person haunted by her own ghosts of the past at Fairfleet. But, as the days go by, Benny begins to sense something about Rose that doesn't feel right.
When a threat from Rose's childhood at Fairfleet shows up again, and begins make new threats, Rose finds she must confess her own secret in order to keep everyone safe.
And as Benny comes closer to death, it becomes clear to Rose that he needs to make his own confession of something regarding his life in Germany as a young boy. And when he finally does, it is a stunner!
There is a lot going on in Eliza Graham's novel The One I Was. It moves between three time periods that connect Benny and Rosamond's individual stories to each other, though they are strangers when they meet. The red thread that ties them together is, of course, Lady Harriet Dorner. And though I would classify this novel as historical fiction, it is also a mystery and a thriller.
Benny's story gives the reader lots of interesting, realistic background into life in Nazi Germany in 1939, as well as life in England both during and after WWII. Graham has done her research on both early time periods and so there is an authentic blending together of events that keeps the continuity of the storyline going nicely, and framed by the present time.
Each of the characters are drawn with such depth and personality that you feel a compelling need to keep reading their story. The overriding theme of The One I Was is the idea of reinventing oneself and why that may be done. In the end, after reading Benny's confession, you may even find yourself in a bit of a moral dilemma regarding his actions. There is no denying that Benny's story is thought provoking, but remember, hard times call for hard decisions and Benny was only a child when he made his fateful decision.
This is the kind of crossover novel I would have read and loved when I was about 15 years old and still straddling the worlds of young adult and adult novels. It has some mild violence and equally mild sexual content, but nothing a young adult reader hasn't come across already.
I One I Was is a nice meaty novel that is sure to leave you feeling satisfied.
This book is recommended for readers age 15+
This book was received from the author
This review was originally posted at The Children's War
August 12, 2016
I absolutely loved this book. It was well-written, well-researched, and kept me on my toes. I could never have imagined the turns it was about to take, each twist was a shock. My heart ached with joy, distress, and longing as I watched Benny's life come to an end. But it was so much more than that - it was also watching his entire life and the lives of three generations of Fairfleet residents. It was a story of triumph, of failure, and of accepting in order to let go.
Rosamond's employer knew that she'd be the perfect match for Benny Gault, but probably didn't know how perfect. Not only were there a myriad of secrets for Benny to reveal before he could die in peace, there were many more to be revealed by Rosamond before she could live in peace. The two are perfect soul-bearers for each other, each able to understand each other more than anyone else alive could.
Rosamond's employer knew that she'd be the perfect match for Benny Gault, but probably didn't know how perfect. Not only were there a myriad of secrets for Benny to reveal before he could die in peace, there were many more to be revealed by Rosamond before she could live in peace. The two are perfect soul-bearers for each other, each able to understand each other more than anyone else alive could.
July 28, 2015
This is a really original and wonderful story of guilty secrets, worth all five stars. Set in 3 different periods: 1939-1945, 1981 and the present day, but don't let that put you off, because it is very easy to read and very difficult to put down. There are lots of delightful twists to the tale, and I'd recommend it to anyone.
March 2, 2017
Complex story that weaves in and out of different time zones, through different voices to unravel the past of various characters, to finally bring truth and peace and some justice to a young woman and an old man. I found this intriguing and compelling reading.
August 8, 2015
This book was a pleasant surprise. It started off well enough, but then really picked up to an "I can't put this book down" pace. The story begins in 1938 with a young German refugee being taken in, along with 7 other boys, by an English couple to live and study and to avoid the perils the Jews were beginning to experience in Nazi Germany. But what seems to be in this book, turns out not be, and this becomes a story of how secrets, and burdens, and guilt can take on a life of their own. I really enjoyed this book and feel like I found a shiny gem to keep!
April 24, 2014
I loved this novel, and it stayed with me long after I finished reading. Moody and evocative with a dramatic twist, and such a convincing sense of time and place. I was completely sucked into the early WW2 era, despite coming to the story knowing nothing of this part of British/German history.
The main characters are richly drawn, and the deeper I delved into their lives, the more I cared about them, and the more I wanted to know.
A compelling read, and beautifully written.
The main characters are richly drawn, and the deeper I delved into their lives, the more I cared about them, and the more I wanted to know.
A compelling read, and beautifully written.
May 24, 2014
All the world's a stage.
(Full disclosure: I received a free electronic copy of this book for review through Library Thing's Member Giveaways program.)
Germany, December 1938. Only weeks after Kristallnacht ("The Night of Broken Glass," an orgy of organized violence against Jews in Germany and Austria), eleven-year-old Benjamin Goldman boards a Kindertransport train for England. Carrying just his school satchel and his cherished leather football, Benny is traveling light; with his father long since imprisoned by the Nazis, and a mother who lay dying of diphtheria, Benny has no one to see him off, and is eager to put his life in Germany behind him.
Once in England, Benny is "adopted" by Lord Sidney Dorner and his young wife Harriet. The wealthy couple pledged to sponsor twenty Jewish refugees; the best and brightest six boys are to stay at their Fairfleet estate, where they'll receive a top-notch education from university professor Dr. Dawes. For the next six and a half years, Benny tries his best to assimilate into his new, adopted country. Having always felt an outsider, he's determined to shed his German roots and become a "proper" Englishman. From day one at Fairfleet, Benny struggles to speak in English rather than German, even outside of the classroom. He excels in his studies and forms tentative friendships with his dorm mates.
And he falls in love with Harriet, his benefactor's wife. An aviatrix who flies auxiliary air transport for the Allies, Harriet is as beautiful as she is charming and enigmatic. Happiest when piloting her beloved Spitfire planes, Harriet is rarely present during Benny's formative years. Yet he finds himself pulled to her almost as strongly as she's drawn to her prized Fairfleet.
But even as he builds a life for himself in England - graduating from Fairfleet to national service, university, and eventually a storied career in journalism - Benny Gault (as he's now known) feels an outsider, weighed down by a devastating and shocking secret he's been carrying since his last days in Germany.
Summer, 1981. When Clarissa's husband suddenly leaves her for another woman, she and her two children - twelve-year-old Rose and brother Andrew - seek refuge with Clarissa's socialite mum. The trio moves back to Clarissa's childhood home: Fairfleet.
Plagued by the same mental illness that claimed her father James, Clarissa's mental state begins to devolve - that is, until Harriet convinces her daughter to see a psychiatrist. While on lithium, her mood stabilizes; and, though the medication makes her feel slow and sluggish, and not at all herself, Clarissa promises her mother that she'll stay the course - for her family's sake. Life begins to fall into a calm, steady rhythm. And then Harriet is unexpectedly struck down by a ruptured appendix (of all things!).
In the wake of their loss, a wanderer named Cathal Pearse enters the picture. Slowly but surely he worms his way into the Madisons' lives: starting with odd jobs, he soon becomes a full-time employee, eventually convincing Clarissa to school the children at Fairfleet under his tutelage. He seduces the vulnerable Clarissa, drugs her with sleeping pills, and withholds her medication. Longtime housekeeper Alice "Smithy" Smith - who might love the old bricks and mortar of Fairfleet as much as Harriet - remains suspicious of Cathal's intentions, and is eventually driven from the home for her trouble.
In six short months, Cathal has manipulated the family so that they're completely under his control; isolated and dependent. Tensions come to a head one snowy winter night and, thirty years later, Rose still shoulders the guilt for her role in the events that led to her mother's death.
Present day. When hospice nurse Rosamond Hunter is offered a job at Fairfleet, her boyfriend and brother beg her not to take it. What good can come of revisiting the traumatic events that unfolded at the Fairfleet estate more than thirty years ago? But Rosamond - known as Rose all those years ago - is desperate to prove to Andrew that their mother really did love them, that in her more lucid moments she tried her best to protect them from the monster known as Cathal. Rosamond needs to find a letter: the letter that Clarissa wrote to her lawyer. The letter that was never posted, but instead stashed in the drawer of an old bureau in the basement. The one that will prove Clarissa's redemption.
When she takes the job, neither Rosamond nor Benny is aware of the ties binding them: to Fairfleet, to Harriet, and ultimately to one another. As Benny draws closer to the end, his desire for forgiveness and understanding overwhelm the shame that's engulfed him for the past seventy years - and both their secrets come rushing to the surface.
I expected The One I Was to be "just" another piece of historical Holocaust fiction, maybe with a little thread of mystery woven in. (Scare quotes because such novels are anything but ordinary; there's nothing "just" about them. And yet another qualifier escapes me.) I couldn't have been more wrong. The One I Was is like no other Holocaust fiction I've ever read: equal parts mystery, suspense, romance, coming of age, and - yes - historical fiction, The One I Was is a unique animal. Captivating, well-written (and professionally edited! I don't always expect this of ebooks!), and full of tension, I can't say enough good things about it. On more than one night I stayed up entirely too late, repeating the mantra "just one more chapter!" before bedtime.
While all the characters are convincingly rendered and multidimensional, I especially loved Harriet. Through her wartime activities, we get a sense of the opportunities that opened up to women during World War II - and the crippling sense of disappointment, unfairness, and (yes) stifling captivity when some of them were later forced to return to the domestic sphere. And yet she's not without her flaws: her would-be affair with 17-year-old Benny is problematic at best, since she and Lord Dorner are his guardians - for a third of his short life, in fact - even as Harriet was rarely present at Fairfleet to provide the boys with comfort or guidance.
Two fractured people, Benny and Rose are kindred spirits - one trapped by a decades-old lie, the other living a life stunted by the things done to her in childhood. Graham expertly weaves their narratives together, providing a poignant look at the dynamics of interpersonal violence, as well as the confusion and chaos of wartime and the absurdity of stereotypes and prejudice. Five stars.
http://www.easyvegan.info/2014/06/04/...
(Full disclosure: I received a free electronic copy of this book for review through Library Thing's Member Giveaways program.)
Germany, December 1938. Only weeks after Kristallnacht ("The Night of Broken Glass," an orgy of organized violence against Jews in Germany and Austria), eleven-year-old Benjamin Goldman boards a Kindertransport train for England. Carrying just his school satchel and his cherished leather football, Benny is traveling light; with his father long since imprisoned by the Nazis, and a mother who lay dying of diphtheria, Benny has no one to see him off, and is eager to put his life in Germany behind him.
Once in England, Benny is "adopted" by Lord Sidney Dorner and his young wife Harriet. The wealthy couple pledged to sponsor twenty Jewish refugees; the best and brightest six boys are to stay at their Fairfleet estate, where they'll receive a top-notch education from university professor Dr. Dawes. For the next six and a half years, Benny tries his best to assimilate into his new, adopted country. Having always felt an outsider, he's determined to shed his German roots and become a "proper" Englishman. From day one at Fairfleet, Benny struggles to speak in English rather than German, even outside of the classroom. He excels in his studies and forms tentative friendships with his dorm mates.
And he falls in love with Harriet, his benefactor's wife. An aviatrix who flies auxiliary air transport for the Allies, Harriet is as beautiful as she is charming and enigmatic. Happiest when piloting her beloved Spitfire planes, Harriet is rarely present during Benny's formative years. Yet he finds himself pulled to her almost as strongly as she's drawn to her prized Fairfleet.
But even as he builds a life for himself in England - graduating from Fairfleet to national service, university, and eventually a storied career in journalism - Benny Gault (as he's now known) feels an outsider, weighed down by a devastating and shocking secret he's been carrying since his last days in Germany.
Summer, 1981. When Clarissa's husband suddenly leaves her for another woman, she and her two children - twelve-year-old Rose and brother Andrew - seek refuge with Clarissa's socialite mum. The trio moves back to Clarissa's childhood home: Fairfleet.
Plagued by the same mental illness that claimed her father James, Clarissa's mental state begins to devolve - that is, until Harriet convinces her daughter to see a psychiatrist. While on lithium, her mood stabilizes; and, though the medication makes her feel slow and sluggish, and not at all herself, Clarissa promises her mother that she'll stay the course - for her family's sake. Life begins to fall into a calm, steady rhythm. And then Harriet is unexpectedly struck down by a ruptured appendix (of all things!).
In the wake of their loss, a wanderer named Cathal Pearse enters the picture. Slowly but surely he worms his way into the Madisons' lives: starting with odd jobs, he soon becomes a full-time employee, eventually convincing Clarissa to school the children at Fairfleet under his tutelage. He seduces the vulnerable Clarissa, drugs her with sleeping pills, and withholds her medication. Longtime housekeeper Alice "Smithy" Smith - who might love the old bricks and mortar of Fairfleet as much as Harriet - remains suspicious of Cathal's intentions, and is eventually driven from the home for her trouble.
In six short months, Cathal has manipulated the family so that they're completely under his control; isolated and dependent. Tensions come to a head one snowy winter night and, thirty years later, Rose still shoulders the guilt for her role in the events that led to her mother's death.
Present day. When hospice nurse Rosamond Hunter is offered a job at Fairfleet, her boyfriend and brother beg her not to take it. What good can come of revisiting the traumatic events that unfolded at the Fairfleet estate more than thirty years ago? But Rosamond - known as Rose all those years ago - is desperate to prove to Andrew that their mother really did love them, that in her more lucid moments she tried her best to protect them from the monster known as Cathal. Rosamond needs to find a letter: the letter that Clarissa wrote to her lawyer. The letter that was never posted, but instead stashed in the drawer of an old bureau in the basement. The one that will prove Clarissa's redemption.
When she takes the job, neither Rosamond nor Benny is aware of the ties binding them: to Fairfleet, to Harriet, and ultimately to one another. As Benny draws closer to the end, his desire for forgiveness and understanding overwhelm the shame that's engulfed him for the past seventy years - and both their secrets come rushing to the surface.
I expected The One I Was to be "just" another piece of historical Holocaust fiction, maybe with a little thread of mystery woven in. (Scare quotes because such novels are anything but ordinary; there's nothing "just" about them. And yet another qualifier escapes me.) I couldn't have been more wrong. The One I Was is like no other Holocaust fiction I've ever read: equal parts mystery, suspense, romance, coming of age, and - yes - historical fiction, The One I Was is a unique animal. Captivating, well-written (and professionally edited! I don't always expect this of ebooks!), and full of tension, I can't say enough good things about it. On more than one night I stayed up entirely too late, repeating the mantra "just one more chapter!" before bedtime.
While all the characters are convincingly rendered and multidimensional, I especially loved Harriet. Through her wartime activities, we get a sense of the opportunities that opened up to women during World War II - and the crippling sense of disappointment, unfairness, and (yes) stifling captivity when some of them were later forced to return to the domestic sphere. And yet she's not without her flaws: her would-be affair with 17-year-old Benny is problematic at best, since she and Lord Dorner are his guardians - for a third of his short life, in fact - even as Harriet was rarely present at Fairfleet to provide the boys with comfort or guidance.
Two fractured people, Benny and Rose are kindred spirits - one trapped by a decades-old lie, the other living a life stunted by the things done to her in childhood. Graham expertly weaves their narratives together, providing a poignant look at the dynamics of interpersonal violence, as well as the confusion and chaos of wartime and the absurdity of stereotypes and prejudice. Five stars.
http://www.easyvegan.info/2014/06/04/...
September 17, 2017
Benny Gault first came to the grand English estate of Fairfleet as a German refugee on a Kindertransport train. As an adult, he returned to purchase the home that sheltered him during the war. He needs comfort and security - he has a terminal illness and only a short time left to live.
Rosamund Hunter comes to Fairfleet as a nurse, to care for Benny in his last days. However, this isn't the first time she's been to the great home. She also lived here as a child. In fact, her grandparents were well known in the area for opening their home to a group of young German refugees during World War II. Rosamund is still haunted by the memories of her last days at Fairfleet, but she hopes she will at last be able to find closure and peace if she returns one last time.
As Rosemund and Benny get to know each other and being to share confidences, they realize that their lives are actually incredibly intertwined.
This was an enjoyable read, although at times it felt disjointed and a bit scattered. Each of the plotlines was very interesting and engaging, but it almost felt like there were too many branches to the story. I loved the historical/WW II era story and wish that had been fleshed out a bit more. I also would have loved to dive a bit more into the Kindertransport, which was itself only really mentioned in passing. I also enjoyed the story of Rosamund's childhood, although it was heartbreaking. I really didn't get engaged with the piece that took place during present-day; for some reason it felt much weaker and the writing seemed more loose. All in all, a solid three stars for me.
Rosamund Hunter comes to Fairfleet as a nurse, to care for Benny in his last days. However, this isn't the first time she's been to the great home. She also lived here as a child. In fact, her grandparents were well known in the area for opening their home to a group of young German refugees during World War II. Rosamund is still haunted by the memories of her last days at Fairfleet, but she hopes she will at last be able to find closure and peace if she returns one last time.
As Rosemund and Benny get to know each other and being to share confidences, they realize that their lives are actually incredibly intertwined.
This was an enjoyable read, although at times it felt disjointed and a bit scattered. Each of the plotlines was very interesting and engaging, but it almost felt like there were too many branches to the story. I loved the historical/WW II era story and wish that had been fleshed out a bit more. I also would have loved to dive a bit more into the Kindertransport, which was itself only really mentioned in passing. I also enjoyed the story of Rosamund's childhood, although it was heartbreaking. I really didn't get engaged with the piece that took place during present-day; for some reason it felt much weaker and the writing seemed more loose. All in all, a solid three stars for me.
June 6, 2014
Totally engrossing book that I did not want to end.
This is a multi-generational saga centering around an old house, 'Fairfleet', the sort of old pile we would all want to have been left in a will. It is to this house that Benny, a young german boy, is billeted when he arrives as an evacuee on the kindertransport in WWII. But Benny has a secret, and it haunts him until his deathbed, where he is nursed by Rosamond. But Rosamond too is not all she seems; unknown to Benny, she too has hidden 'history' with the house.
This is a tightly-written and plotted book with layers of revelation to please the reader. Believable characters, lots of suspense and a theme that encourages us all to look back and see who we really are. Really enjoyed this one - a classy and entertaining read.
This is a multi-generational saga centering around an old house, 'Fairfleet', the sort of old pile we would all want to have been left in a will. It is to this house that Benny, a young german boy, is billeted when he arrives as an evacuee on the kindertransport in WWII. But Benny has a secret, and it haunts him until his deathbed, where he is nursed by Rosamond. But Rosamond too is not all she seems; unknown to Benny, she too has hidden 'history' with the house.
This is a tightly-written and plotted book with layers of revelation to please the reader. Believable characters, lots of suspense and a theme that encourages us all to look back and see who we really are. Really enjoyed this one - a classy and entertaining read.
August 9, 2014
Rosamond Hunter is a nurse specialising in the care of the terminally ill. When a job comes up at Fairfleet, the house where she once lived with her grandmother, she is drawn to accept, even though the house holds many secrets both for Rosamond and her patient.
This is a skilfully constructed novel with events that move smoothly between the 1940s the 1980s and the present day. The characters are beautifully drawn as is the house which almost becomes a character in itself.
There are a smattering of minor errors which a sharp proofreader ought to have picked up, but these don't detract from the story. A story which will stay with you long after you've turned the last page - probably with a tear in your eye.
This is a skilfully constructed novel with events that move smoothly between the 1940s the 1980s and the present day. The characters are beautifully drawn as is the house which almost becomes a character in itself.
There are a smattering of minor errors which a sharp proofreader ought to have picked up, but these don't detract from the story. A story which will stay with you long after you've turned the last page - probably with a tear in your eye.
August 14, 2015
Granted, I am coming off of a streak of bad suspense novels, but I thought this book was engrossing, if somewhat small. Rosamund, a forty-year-old nurse, gets a position caring for Benny, an elderly gentleman, and, through the two of them, we unspool seventy years of history and hidden identity. Benny arrived in England from Germany just as World War II was beginning, part of a shipment of young Jewish refugees who were to be protected from German aggression and educated by a benefactor; Rosamund is in some way connected to him and to the benefactor, and we discover what that connection is in flashback over the course of the book. Persuasive and atmospheric, with themes of being accepted for oneself and of forgiveness,
July 1, 2015
Excellent read
This book was so emotionally stressful at times that I had to take breaks. I suppose that is the mark of a book worth reading.
This book was so emotionally stressful at times that I had to take breaks. I suppose that is the mark of a book worth reading.
July 6, 2016
A wonderfully written story of secrets that span half a century. This is the first novel I've read by this author and wouldn't hesitate to read another.
June 6, 2020
An enjoyable read set in 3 different time periods about a young boy transported from Germany in 1939 who is one of 6 lucky boys taken to a country estate in Oxfordshire, a young girl being brought up on the same estate in 1981 and in 2009 or so the boy has grown to buy the same estate and is on his deathbed with the girl, now a palliative care nurse, there to see out his final days. Several twists as the narrative moves between the time periods and builds the two main characters, this novel kept a good pace throughout.
September 26, 2017
Great idea, but...
I wasn't thrilled with the plot and it seemed rather disjointed. Oh well, it was pretty enjoyable in a 'what if' scenario
I wasn't thrilled with the plot and it seemed rather disjointed. Oh well, it was pretty enjoyable in a 'what if' scenario
April 30, 2018
I listened to the audio version of this on a long car drive. Kept my interest with several subplots and twists.
April 10, 2019
3.5 stars. Good, easy read.
July 28, 2014
This book grew on me with every page. For the first 10% or so on my kindle, I kept thinking about putting it down because the author's writing style wasn't particularly up my alley (short sentences, little description, etc.) but the STORY kept drawing me in, and before I knew it I was reading it constantly, eventually finishing it in 2 days flat! I still don't love the writing style ... while the pacing of the plot was perfection, the pacing of the prose within scenes was sometimes too quick and choppy for my tastes. And if, say, Daphne Du Maurier, or Mary Stewart had written this book, I think the atmosphere and imagery would have been every bit as captivating as the plot and depth of character. But, this being said, the plot was SO tight and so strong and so expertly crafted that I soon found myself unbothered by my typical preferences. For this reason, I think it is safe to say that anyone would love this book. Everyone will be able to find something to connect with –– some emotion, some experience ... The deeply-layered characters will draw you in with their story, and will leave you wanting to know everything about them. Even the less admirable characters are not completely unsympathetic. And don't be put off thinking "Oh, it's just another Nazi-Germany book". Yes, it deals with issues and situations from that time period, and some of the characters were influenced and affected by this, but it is not simply another Holocaust book! Like The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne, it takes something we've all learned and read about, and weaves it through our hearts and minds with a fresh perspective –– it makes us think. I should also mention this isn't a depressing book, so if you're worried about it being too heavy or dark –– don't. At its heart, it's mostly a feel-good story, but without any of the overly saccharine tactics put to use by the Hallmark movie channel. It is REAL. Enjoy!
February 11, 2016
I loved the premise of this book and wanted to love the book as well, but I didn't. The main character, Rosamund, isn't fleshed out and she comes across very flat. The telling of her backstory, which had great potential, felt unrealistic and unlikely.
Also, character reactions to certain information/plot points were stilted and unbelievable. To be honest, none of the characters felt well thought-out and the plot twists were obvious from the beginning.
The best part of this novel was the historical information - that part was well-researched and enjoyable.
WWII is one of my favorite time periods and I'm sad this book, which could have been fantastic, failed to impress.
Also, character reactions to certain information/plot points were stilted and unbelievable. To be honest, none of the characters felt well thought-out and the plot twists were obvious from the beginning.
The best part of this novel was the historical information - that part was well-researched and enjoyable.
WWII is one of my favorite time periods and I'm sad this book, which could have been fantastic, failed to impress.
January 7, 2016
Beautiful story...
...of love and loss, past and present, of truth and secrets. Graham does a terrific job of blending the stories of two seemingly unrelated people and brings them together in a heart-tugging experience of facing your past to let go and let the future do the mending. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to see how the circle of life can help one person resolve the past while another finally lives for the future.
...of love and loss, past and present, of truth and secrets. Graham does a terrific job of blending the stories of two seemingly unrelated people and brings them together in a heart-tugging experience of facing your past to let go and let the future do the mending. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to see how the circle of life can help one person resolve the past while another finally lives for the future.
May 8, 2014
I won this in a goodread giveaway. Not my usual choice of book but will be in the future .Thoroughly enjoyable with a feel good message on not dwelling on past guilts but looking forward to the future many thanks
May 22, 2015
Loved this book - far more than I thought I would. It was easy to get into and the characters were pitched just right - even the nasty ones! The sort of story that leaves you wanting more - always the best type. Provided by netgalley and publisher.
July 15, 2015
Potential
I think that this book should have been either much shorter or much longer. There were too few characters for any surprises and several missed opportunities for character development--the house, for instance.
I think that this book should have been either much shorter or much longer. There were too few characters for any surprises and several missed opportunities for character development--the house, for instance.
June 27, 2017
Something and nothing
I only finished this book as I felt there was going to be a dramatic reveal. That couldn't be further from the truth. A flat finnish left me wondering why I had bothered to waste my energy on such a predictable book.
I only finished this book as I felt there was going to be a dramatic reveal. That couldn't be further from the truth. A flat finnish left me wondering why I had bothered to waste my energy on such a predictable book.
September 11, 2016
A moving and poignant literary novel about identity
October 15, 2015
3.5 stars
October 16, 2015
An interesting storyline, however the last chapter seemed very childlike and irrelevant, somewhat reflecting the lack of depth throughout.
June 3, 2017
I was left a little disappointed by this book. I expected more at the end. The so called secret about the past really wasn't that exciting.
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