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A Winter's Love
A lonely woman is torn between the bonds of family and the potential of new love in this moving novel from the author of A Wrinkle in Time.
Caught somewhere between love, hate, and indifference, Emily Bowen’s marriage is hanging on by a thread. After being let go from his job, her husband pulled away from her, and the distance continues to grow during their family’s sabbatical in Switzerland.
With their relationship as cold as the wind baying outside, Emily finds unexpected warmth in a man from her past. As she contemplates seizing the connection she’s been craving, Emily must decide if she’s willing to sacrifice the life she’s built for an unseen future.
Poignant and powerful, this is a timeless tale of the turmoil that comes with falling in—and out—of love, and “a convincing story of mixed loyalties and divided affections” (Kirkus Reviews).
This ebook features an illustrated biography of Madeleine L’Engle including rare images from the author’s estate.
Caught somewhere between love, hate, and indifference, Emily Bowen’s marriage is hanging on by a thread. After being let go from his job, her husband pulled away from her, and the distance continues to grow during their family’s sabbatical in Switzerland.
With their relationship as cold as the wind baying outside, Emily finds unexpected warmth in a man from her past. As she contemplates seizing the connection she’s been craving, Emily must decide if she’s willing to sacrifice the life she’s built for an unseen future.
Poignant and powerful, this is a timeless tale of the turmoil that comes with falling in—and out—of love, and “a convincing story of mixed loyalties and divided affections” (Kirkus Reviews).
This ebook features an illustrated biography of Madeleine L’Engle including rare images from the author’s estate.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 1957
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About the author
Madeleine L'Engle
174 books9,229 followersMadeleine L'Engle was an American writer of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young adult fiction, including A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels: A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time. Her works reflect both her Christian faith and her strong interest in modern science.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
June 17, 2017
After Courtney resigns from his job in New York the family moves to Switzerland, where they were originally planning to go during Courtney's sabbatical anyways. While there Emily and her husbands relationship starts to become strained because Courtney pulls into himself, upset about the events leading up to him having to resign. Emily gets closer to their friend Abe and becomes torn about staying in her marriage or leaving to go with Abe. The writing was excellent but I don't think the plot line did much for me. I honestly didn't feel sympathetic towards any of the characters, mostly because they were all behaving so melodramatically. It's really well written though and I almost rounded up to four just for the writing. I think if you like well written stories about people in the middle of transitory periods in their life, having to make big decisions about where to go then you may enjoy this one. Probably more so if you're looking for something about midlife crisis and marriages becoming so ingrained in ones life after so many years that it becomes hard to think outside of it.
April 22, 2017
A WINTER'S LOVE BY MADELEINE L'ENGLE
Have you ever been in love with two people at the same time? This gorgeously written novel features a woman named Emily Bowen whose marriage to Courtney hits a rough patch. Emily loves her husband but he has just been replaced in his teaching position and he shuts down emotionally and physically. You get the feeling that this job loss makes Courtney feel less of a man. The story seems to take place in a period of a week before Christmas in the Swiss Alp's. Courtney has taken his wife Emily and his two daughter's on sabbatical to stay in this small picturesque village in Switzerland where he is concentrating on writing but is getting very little done.
Courtney is brusque in his interactions with his wife Emily who tries to do everything she can to melt her frozen husband and get him to open up to her. The marriage is clearly failing and Courtney is always shut out in his study or reading a book. Abe K. Fielding is a mutual friend that this couple has known for years back when they all lived in New York. Abe is staying in the little village of the only hotel with his son Sam in Switzerland also. Sam is a friend to Emily's and Courtney's daughter Virginia and a budding romance with Virginia's friend Mimi is starting to get off the ground. Mimi is staying with the Bowen's home from boarding school but is from Paris.
Before to long a strong friendship develops between Emily and Abe. At first they are getting reacquainted through Gertrude who is a holocaust survivor who worked helping during the French Resistance during World War II. Abe is almost always at Gertrude's chalet when Emily and Courtney get invited to go out for drinks at the hotel or just spend time listening to phonographs at Gertrude's home. Courtney who is usually in one of his moods encourages Emily to go without him. Emily is a good friend of Gertrude's and always seems to be joining up with the group by herself.
Abe is the opposite of Courtney with the way he treats Emily. He treats her with kindness and respect and soon the two of them are developing a close romantic relationship. They have dinner together at Abe's hotel. Emily is invited up to Abe's hotel room alone. Abe walks Emily home after her invitations out. A passionate romance is what they find themselves involved in although nothing beyond kissing has happened yet.
You can feel the frozen wind and temperatures and see the beautiful colors of the Swiss Alps in the background with the beautiful descriptive prose. It has a 1950's feel to the time period. Emily is very conflicted because although she has grown to love Abe she is still in love with Courtney. He is the father of their two children. She wants to be with Abe, but she doesn't want to hurt her husband. Therein lies the conflict that Emily has gotten herself into. There is conflict with all of the flawed characters that I have mentioned including the teenagers. Who does Emily choose her husband Courtney or Abe?
I have not read the much acclaimed novel "A Wrinkle in Time," so I can not comment on that other than I know it has won many awards and has also been a banned book in the United States. It is worthy of mention that President George Bush awarded L'Engle a National Humanities Medal in 2004. Madeleine L'Engle was an award-winning author of more than sixty books. A comprehensive body of work that includes both children's and adult fiction, poetry, plays, memoirs and books on prayer. Her best known work is the classic children's novel "A Wrinkle in Time," won the Newbery Medal for distinguished children's literature and has sold fourteen million copies worldwide. L'Engle was born on November 29, 1918 in New York City. She died on September 6, 2007 at the age of eighty-eight. I wasn't expecting to love this novel as much as I did. I loved everything about it, from it's 1950's feel of a time of innocence. I loved the flawed, conflicted characters. I loved the lovely setting of the frozen Swiss Alps and the little quaint village this novel takes place in. I am looking forward to reading more from this author. Highly Recommended Five Plus Big Stars.
Thank you to Net Galley, Madeleine L'Engle and Open Road Media Publishing for the pleasure of reading and reviewing this timeless novel. I was provided a digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Have you ever been in love with two people at the same time? This gorgeously written novel features a woman named Emily Bowen whose marriage to Courtney hits a rough patch. Emily loves her husband but he has just been replaced in his teaching position and he shuts down emotionally and physically. You get the feeling that this job loss makes Courtney feel less of a man. The story seems to take place in a period of a week before Christmas in the Swiss Alp's. Courtney has taken his wife Emily and his two daughter's on sabbatical to stay in this small picturesque village in Switzerland where he is concentrating on writing but is getting very little done.
Courtney is brusque in his interactions with his wife Emily who tries to do everything she can to melt her frozen husband and get him to open up to her. The marriage is clearly failing and Courtney is always shut out in his study or reading a book. Abe K. Fielding is a mutual friend that this couple has known for years back when they all lived in New York. Abe is staying in the little village of the only hotel with his son Sam in Switzerland also. Sam is a friend to Emily's and Courtney's daughter Virginia and a budding romance with Virginia's friend Mimi is starting to get off the ground. Mimi is staying with the Bowen's home from boarding school but is from Paris.
Before to long a strong friendship develops between Emily and Abe. At first they are getting reacquainted through Gertrude who is a holocaust survivor who worked helping during the French Resistance during World War II. Abe is almost always at Gertrude's chalet when Emily and Courtney get invited to go out for drinks at the hotel or just spend time listening to phonographs at Gertrude's home. Courtney who is usually in one of his moods encourages Emily to go without him. Emily is a good friend of Gertrude's and always seems to be joining up with the group by herself.
Abe is the opposite of Courtney with the way he treats Emily. He treats her with kindness and respect and soon the two of them are developing a close romantic relationship. They have dinner together at Abe's hotel. Emily is invited up to Abe's hotel room alone. Abe walks Emily home after her invitations out. A passionate romance is what they find themselves involved in although nothing beyond kissing has happened yet.
You can feel the frozen wind and temperatures and see the beautiful colors of the Swiss Alps in the background with the beautiful descriptive prose. It has a 1950's feel to the time period. Emily is very conflicted because although she has grown to love Abe she is still in love with Courtney. He is the father of their two children. She wants to be with Abe, but she doesn't want to hurt her husband. Therein lies the conflict that Emily has gotten herself into. There is conflict with all of the flawed characters that I have mentioned including the teenagers. Who does Emily choose her husband Courtney or Abe?
I have not read the much acclaimed novel "A Wrinkle in Time," so I can not comment on that other than I know it has won many awards and has also been a banned book in the United States. It is worthy of mention that President George Bush awarded L'Engle a National Humanities Medal in 2004. Madeleine L'Engle was an award-winning author of more than sixty books. A comprehensive body of work that includes both children's and adult fiction, poetry, plays, memoirs and books on prayer. Her best known work is the classic children's novel "A Wrinkle in Time," won the Newbery Medal for distinguished children's literature and has sold fourteen million copies worldwide. L'Engle was born on November 29, 1918 in New York City. She died on September 6, 2007 at the age of eighty-eight. I wasn't expecting to love this novel as much as I did. I loved everything about it, from it's 1950's feel of a time of innocence. I loved the flawed, conflicted characters. I loved the lovely setting of the frozen Swiss Alps and the little quaint village this novel takes place in. I am looking forward to reading more from this author. Highly Recommended Five Plus Big Stars.
Thank you to Net Galley, Madeleine L'Engle and Open Road Media Publishing for the pleasure of reading and reviewing this timeless novel. I was provided a digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 14, 2017
Madeleine L'Engle is best known for her ever popular children's book A Wrinkle in Time. A Winter's Love has a similar tone but is a difficult book to describe. L'Engle's tone seems sad to me even when her character's are at their happiest and happiness is a roller coaster in Winter's Love. The book was first published in 1957 and as Open Road is known for they've republished it for the benefit of current readers and I'm glad they did because there's a lot of interest here. The book is told through Emily's eyes and she's the mother of a teenager and a four year old and is married to an academic writer who's recently lost his university post and has lost his direction and self confidence, worst of all he's emotionally distanced himself from his family.
Emily herself, after twenty something years of a marriage and family life that's been rewarding up to now, has also drawn away from her traditional role. The family is spending a year in Switzerlandand the Second World War isn't so distant, there are still collaborators and resistance fighters living side by side with their feud only slightly simmering. Emily's teenage daughter and her friend are busy entering adulthood including meeting potential suitors but Emily also finds herself attractive to local men and with a husband who's pulled away she finds herself attracted to others' sttention.
I loved the setting of Switzerland at Christmas time in the late 50's. Even though the family is going through a hard time it's apparent how much they care for one another. It's hard not to wish the best for them especially since they're emotions are undeniably real though often painful.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an e-copy.
Emily herself, after twenty something years of a marriage and family life that's been rewarding up to now, has also drawn away from her traditional role. The family is spending a year in Switzerlandand the Second World War isn't so distant, there are still collaborators and resistance fighters living side by side with their feud only slightly simmering. Emily's teenage daughter and her friend are busy entering adulthood including meeting potential suitors but Emily also finds herself attractive to local men and with a husband who's pulled away she finds herself attracted to others' sttention.
I loved the setting of Switzerland at Christmas time in the late 50's. Even though the family is going through a hard time it's apparent how much they care for one another. It's hard not to wish the best for them especially since they're emotions are undeniably real though often painful.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an e-copy.
December 12, 2011
This came to my attention when I asked Pamela Dean (in a comment to a post on her LiveJournal) how she came to name the character Con from The Dubious Hills. This book was half of the answer.
As I was awake far too late last night reading this, I found myself in awe at the breadth of what L'Engle was capable of as a writer. Also I experienced a small illumination: this book made me think that literature is separated from other reading material by its requirement of sensitivity (or awareness, or perception) on the part of the reader.
My most influential English teacher was someone who -- while he loved literature -- I think liked to challenge people to broaden that category. One of the things that's stuck with me was him pointing out that at its most basic level, literature means things that are read.
But he also taught us (or tried to - I think there were many of us, myself frequently included, who didn't appreciate him) how to look for things like motifs and symbols and little tip-offs that yes, there's another layer to this story beyond the events that are described. This book has that extra layer.
I could also (I think) see the influence of this style on Pamela Dean - this book is very dialogue- and internal monologue-driven.
Re-read 12 December 2011: while this is probably not L'Engle's strongest work, I enjoy how believably human and flawed the characters are. While the resolution makes me sad, I don't think that any other one was possible for this author, writing in this time for mainstream audiences. Or, well, at all likely.
As I was awake far too late last night reading this, I found myself in awe at the breadth of what L'Engle was capable of as a writer. Also I experienced a small illumination: this book made me think that literature is separated from other reading material by its requirement of sensitivity (or awareness, or perception) on the part of the reader.
My most influential English teacher was someone who -- while he loved literature -- I think liked to challenge people to broaden that category. One of the things that's stuck with me was him pointing out that at its most basic level, literature means things that are read.
But he also taught us (or tried to - I think there were many of us, myself frequently included, who didn't appreciate him) how to look for things like motifs and symbols and little tip-offs that yes, there's another layer to this story beyond the events that are described. This book has that extra layer.
I could also (I think) see the influence of this style on Pamela Dean - this book is very dialogue- and internal monologue-driven.
Re-read 12 December 2011: while this is probably not L'Engle's strongest work, I enjoy how believably human and flawed the characters are. While the resolution makes me sad, I don't think that any other one was possible for this author, writing in this time for mainstream audiences. Or, well, at all likely.
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June 13, 2016Can you believe that I never really finished this book of my grandmother's published in 1957 until the other day? It was too "adult" for me to read when I was at the age when I was devouring all of her books. "Adult" in the way that it is about the temptation of adultery, something that didn't interest me as a kid and still doesn't interest me today. So I'm not rating it!
But oh! What she does with setting and sentence structure is just masterful. The French Alps of Chamonix really BECOME another character - you really feel as if you are there!
But oh! What she does with setting and sentence structure is just masterful. The French Alps of Chamonix really BECOME another character - you really feel as if you are there!
April 13, 2017
I really enjoyed this quiet and persuasive tale of domestic life, first published in 1957 but with themes and conflicts that are timeless. Courtney Bowen has lost his job in academia and takes his wife and two daughters to spend a year in the French Alps where he hopes to be able to concentrate on his writing. But his failure to do so causes him to withdraw from family life and the strains this puts on his marriage causes his wife Emily to doubt her relationship with him and find herself increasingly drawn to an old friend Abe Fielding. Nothing very original in such a scenario but it is deftly and convincingly handled. Not exactly Anna Karenina but a love story on a small scale – which after all is the most any of us experience in real life. It’s an insightful exploration of marriage, desire, fidelity and temptation, a convincing portrait of motherhood and the divided loyalties of a good woman sorely tempted by an alternative life. It all takes place not long after WWII and there are still echoes, with one of the characters having been in the Resistance and a concentration camp, and another having hosted German officers. But essentially it’s a love story, a story of a marriage and domesticity and a gentle and compelling read.
December 15, 2018
I am happy to have finished this, just wasn't for me. Didn't like the flow, it was choppy & I felt like I was missing a chunk of the story....
November 19, 2018
L'engle's "A Wrinkle In Time" has long been one of my favorite books. I immensely enjoy her two series about the Austin family and the O'keefe/Murray family. As often happens, I've spent several decades collecting her works (the joys of used book store browsing). L'engle is a prolific writer of poetry, novels, memoirs/journals and spiritual writing. Occasionally, I return to my L'engle bookshelf and pull off one to randomly reread.
I first read "A Winter's love" 15-20 years ago, and didn't remember much about it. I'm still muddling in my mind what I think of it. For the first 50 pages I kept thinking it didn't age well, but then as I let myself be caught up in the emotions and less the details, I think I changed my mind.
Emily and Courtney are in a valley of their marriage. Some family hardships and some job challenges have left them both isolated and not connecting. So they are spending a sabbatical year in a villa in the Alps. Sounds nice and cozy, until an old friend enters the picture, and Emily must determine what love really is. Is it the passion and excitement of stolen kisses and wondering what could be? Or is forging ahead with a life already made and the uncertainty that brings.
I couldn't really relate to Emily, but I believe that is partially as with most of L'engle's female protagonist, she writes a lot of herself into her characters. And while I like her reading, I'm not sure we would have had much in common in real life. And I could never really understand the appeal of the new guy, other than he was 'not her husband'. Which maybe in these situations, that's what it is.
I did enjoy seeing how Emily's actions and inaction affect the rest of her family - something that is often easy to forget.
I'm not sure I'll ever revisit this book, but for now, I'll put my yellowing paperback back with the L'engle collection, where it belongs.
I first read "A Winter's love" 15-20 years ago, and didn't remember much about it. I'm still muddling in my mind what I think of it. For the first 50 pages I kept thinking it didn't age well, but then as I let myself be caught up in the emotions and less the details, I think I changed my mind.
Emily and Courtney are in a valley of their marriage. Some family hardships and some job challenges have left them both isolated and not connecting. So they are spending a sabbatical year in a villa in the Alps. Sounds nice and cozy, until an old friend enters the picture, and Emily must determine what love really is. Is it the passion and excitement of stolen kisses and wondering what could be? Or is forging ahead with a life already made and the uncertainty that brings.
I couldn't really relate to Emily, but I believe that is partially as with most of L'engle's female protagonist, she writes a lot of herself into her characters. And while I like her reading, I'm not sure we would have had much in common in real life. And I could never really understand the appeal of the new guy, other than he was 'not her husband'. Which maybe in these situations, that's what it is.
I did enjoy seeing how Emily's actions and inaction affect the rest of her family - something that is often easy to forget.
I'm not sure I'll ever revisit this book, but for now, I'll put my yellowing paperback back with the L'engle collection, where it belongs.
December 27, 2014
It's about time I got some Madeleine on here -- she is one of my favorite authors and I was greatly saddened at her passing in 2007. Every now and then I take down a book of hers and read it again. It's like being with an old friend.
A Winter's Love is one of her earlier works and should be read with a warm blanket surrounding you -- it is indeed a winter story, taking place just before Christmas in the French Alps back in the years after WWII, with people skiing everywhere, lots of smoking, and everyone calling everyone else "darling". Emily and her husband Courtney are spending a sabbatical in Europe so that he can write (he's just been let go from his teaching job). Emily herself falls in love with another man. How she deals with this and the difficult situation she and Courtney are in is dealt with beautifully and kindly by L'Engle. Some of her characters seem strikingly familiar -- tell me that Snider Bean is not an early version of Zachary Gray -- so Madeleine L'Engle fans will definitely want to enjoy this. They will certainly recognize Virginia Bowen Porcher (House Like A Lotus) and Mimi Oppenheimer (Severed Wasp).
A Winter's Love is one of her earlier works and should be read with a warm blanket surrounding you -- it is indeed a winter story, taking place just before Christmas in the French Alps back in the years after WWII, with people skiing everywhere, lots of smoking, and everyone calling everyone else "darling". Emily and her husband Courtney are spending a sabbatical in Europe so that he can write (he's just been let go from his teaching job). Emily herself falls in love with another man. How she deals with this and the difficult situation she and Courtney are in is dealt with beautifully and kindly by L'Engle. Some of her characters seem strikingly familiar -- tell me that Snider Bean is not an early version of Zachary Gray -- so Madeleine L'Engle fans will definitely want to enjoy this. They will certainly recognize Virginia Bowen Porcher (House Like A Lotus) and Mimi Oppenheimer (Severed Wasp).
September 9, 2018
Two and a half stars.
I started out really liking the story but oh my goodness it just went on and on and on and on and there was so much dithering over whether or not to stay or go or stay or go. Also the daughter was too angsty and I couldn't figure out what her problem was and the sick friend went off the rails and it just seemed as though none of these people really liked each other or were likable themselves.
L'Engle sure can write about winter and the Alps and make you feel the frosty air and the warm fireside. I loved those parts.
I started out really liking the story but oh my goodness it just went on and on and on and on and there was so much dithering over whether or not to stay or go or stay or go. Also the daughter was too angsty and I couldn't figure out what her problem was and the sick friend went off the rails and it just seemed as though none of these people really liked each other or were likable themselves.
L'Engle sure can write about winter and the Alps and make you feel the frosty air and the warm fireside. I loved those parts.
January 13, 2018
Finally.
August 6, 2017
What I love most about Madeleine L'Engle is the relationship she develops between the characters and the reader. There is a sense of connection there, a familiarity that so many authors just don't quite form. It's the way you can listen to a best friend or lover talk about the mundane and every word, while a casual acquaintance can prattle on and you just can't be bothered to care. Madeleine L'Engle makes you bother to care!
There were so many layers woven throughout this book, that it was difficult to choose which character was right, or which was wrong. They all had weaknesses, and those, coupled with a harsh change in lifestyle had led them to what was starting to seem like a path of self destruction. Having insight into the minds of so many of the parties involved made it almost painful to read. It was an all to common tale of classic miscommunication, where so many things could be solved if one person would just open up to the other.
This book touches on some very sensitive subjects, from adultery to antisemitism. It delves deeply into the possible ramifications of these subjects, and on how simple it can be to combat them. It also gives an insight into how they grow to be commonplace and accepted.
A common theme of Madeleine L'Engle is how one person's actions can spiral outwards and affect the others around them. This was no exception. A mother's unhappiness, a father's frustration, all culminating in a winter of overall discontent, yet not quite unhappiness.
A Winter's Love wraps itself around you like a worn blanket, never quite finishing, just leaving you with a vague sense of "it's all going to be ok". And that was more than enough.
~ George
There were so many layers woven throughout this book, that it was difficult to choose which character was right, or which was wrong. They all had weaknesses, and those, coupled with a harsh change in lifestyle had led them to what was starting to seem like a path of self destruction. Having insight into the minds of so many of the parties involved made it almost painful to read. It was an all to common tale of classic miscommunication, where so many things could be solved if one person would just open up to the other.
This book touches on some very sensitive subjects, from adultery to antisemitism. It delves deeply into the possible ramifications of these subjects, and on how simple it can be to combat them. It also gives an insight into how they grow to be commonplace and accepted.
A common theme of Madeleine L'Engle is how one person's actions can spiral outwards and affect the others around them. This was no exception. A mother's unhappiness, a father's frustration, all culminating in a winter of overall discontent, yet not quite unhappiness.
A Winter's Love wraps itself around you like a worn blanket, never quite finishing, just leaving you with a vague sense of "it's all going to be ok". And that was more than enough.
~ George
April 3, 2024
I was not entranced by this book, as I was by "The Other Side of the Sun." There wasn't as much going on beneath the surface in this story, which was mainly about a woman of middle years agonizing over how far to take the love she has for a man who is not her husband and father of her children.
Her husband is going through difficulties of his own which make him less receptive to her, her teenage daughter is struggling with realizing her beloved parents have feet of clay and the people around her may not be as good and pure as she needs them to be.
A perfect set up for a marriage to collapse, and the type of story I despair of. But I stuck with it.
L'Engle had a different take on it, a gentler feminist grasp on the situation that gave me perspective I hadn't had before with my strict moral code about the sacred bonds of marriage.
I was never tempted to stray. The one time a man tried to make me carry an extra marital flirtation further, I ran so fast the other way I left a wake.
I have a few more of L'Engle's novels to read, then her essays and her spiritual writings. I wonder if I will ever be close to knowing her.
Her husband is going through difficulties of his own which make him less receptive to her, her teenage daughter is struggling with realizing her beloved parents have feet of clay and the people around her may not be as good and pure as she needs them to be.
A perfect set up for a marriage to collapse, and the type of story I despair of. But I stuck with it.
L'Engle had a different take on it, a gentler feminist grasp on the situation that gave me perspective I hadn't had before with my strict moral code about the sacred bonds of marriage.
I was never tempted to stray. The one time a man tried to make me carry an extra marital flirtation further, I ran so fast the other way I left a wake.
I have a few more of L'Engle's novels to read, then her essays and her spiritual writings. I wonder if I will ever be close to knowing her.
December 20, 2024
Thoughtful and insightful, this book held my interest more tightly than I expected, but with a kind rope, I could let it lie for an hour or two without regret. The point of view—unapologetically all-knowing, as books of this era often are—kept tripping me up. However, I was glad to see the thoughts of the various main characters, all deeply flawed, all loveable (except the landlady, who was unfortunately also the fattest. One can never wholly trust these skinny writers.) Redemptive reading, with a realistic number of messy ends left untucked by narrative's end.
This is a great winter story about all the things we keep from each other in marriage, all the things we share, all that we suffer, alone or together. I recommend.
This is a great winter story about all the things we keep from each other in marriage, all the things we share, all that we suffer, alone or together. I recommend.
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March 20, 2021If I had read a synopsis of the book before I read it, I probably would have skipped it. But I saw Madeleine L'engle's name, so I picked it up.
Love triangles usually make me roll my eyes. When anyone involved is married, I start mentally yelling at all three characters.
The writing was good. The plot was about the inner life. I didn't particularly care for it. I found most of the characters were either angsty or unlikeable. I guess I'll have to go back to her YA stuff.
Love triangles usually make me roll my eyes. When anyone involved is married, I start mentally yelling at all three characters.
The writing was good. The plot was about the inner life. I didn't particularly care for it. I found most of the characters were either angsty or unlikeable. I guess I'll have to go back to her YA stuff.
December 1, 2018
3.5
The main storyline didn't do much for me. I understood why Emily's marriage was troubled, but I'm not sure I understand why she was in love with Abe.
I did, however, like some of the subplots a lot. Everything with the teenagers and Gertrude.
The main storyline didn't do much for me. I understood why Emily's marriage was troubled, but I'm not sure I understand why she was in love with Abe.
I did, however, like some of the subplots a lot. Everything with the teenagers and Gertrude.
December 2, 2019
I’m trying to read more by this author, but should have passed on this one. It felt too contrived and dated for me.
April 11, 2018
Excellent character study of a marriage and the two individuals who make it.
April 20, 2017
I read this book with conflicted feelings: on the one hand, I was impressed by what a talented and insightful writer L'Engle was even so early in her career, and on the other, compared with her later works, it's clear here that L'Engle hadn't quite hit her stride. What for another writer would be a magnum opus, is for L'Engle a mere test of the pen. Almost all the things that would make "A Wrinkle in Time" and later works so outstanding are present here, but still only in semi-developed form.
It's the 1950s (the book was released in 1957) and the Bowen family is overwintering in the French Alps. It should have been a fun holiday while Courtney, the husband, is on sabbatical, but instead he has lost his teaching job and is trying to get some writing done while wrestling with the decision of whether or not to accept the one job offer he has received, and move the whole family from New York City to small-town Indiana. Meanwhile, Emily, the main viewpoint character, who is Courtney's wife and more than ten years his junior, is wrestling with her own attraction to an old family friend, who is also overwintering with his teenage son in the same town. Everyone is trying to watch out for Gertrude, an American woman and a hero of the resistance, whose health was ruined in the camps.
The setting is marvelously realized, and feels both real and charmingly vintage. The characters bathe in a hip-bath in the kitchen, use hot water bottles instead of central heating, and only have one phone, which hangs from the wall. This may have been particularly striking to me because I originally thought this was a more recent release and I was struggling to place the period details, but in any case the book feels very naturally and authentically 50s, which is either a plus or a minus, depending on your point of view. WWII is still very much on everyone's minds, with Gertrude and her camp tattoo, Madame Peridot's history of collaborating with the occupiers, and the disagreement explodes between the young people over the discovery that one of them is technically Jewish. That particular facet of the story feels peculiarly quaint, and yet...not. The racism and prejudice the characters are trying to confront are still very much in evidence today, sixty years later.
The relationships within and between the characters are where L'Engle's magic is most clearly evident. Everyone is conflicted, everyone is questing, everyone is well-intentioned and striving to understand the universe and their place in it. This could be tedious or preachy, but L'Engle makes everyone sympathetic and well-rounded, especially in the interactions between mothers and daughters. Although Emily and her daughter Virginia are not just early prototypes for Meg Murry of "A Wrinkle in Time" and her relationships with her own mother and then later with her daughter Poly, the richness and delicacy is already there, as is the emphasis on women as having thoughts, feelings, and stories of their own. I have to admit that I didn't like Emily and Virginia *as much* as I did the protagonists of the later, YA books, and the plot lacks some of the same urgency, not to mention the presence of magic, but "A Winter's Love" is definitely worth reading for anyone interested in L'Engle's work, or anyone who just wants to curl up with something warm and read about a chilly winter and an impossible love in the Alps.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
It's the 1950s (the book was released in 1957) and the Bowen family is overwintering in the French Alps. It should have been a fun holiday while Courtney, the husband, is on sabbatical, but instead he has lost his teaching job and is trying to get some writing done while wrestling with the decision of whether or not to accept the one job offer he has received, and move the whole family from New York City to small-town Indiana. Meanwhile, Emily, the main viewpoint character, who is Courtney's wife and more than ten years his junior, is wrestling with her own attraction to an old family friend, who is also overwintering with his teenage son in the same town. Everyone is trying to watch out for Gertrude, an American woman and a hero of the resistance, whose health was ruined in the camps.
The setting is marvelously realized, and feels both real and charmingly vintage. The characters bathe in a hip-bath in the kitchen, use hot water bottles instead of central heating, and only have one phone, which hangs from the wall. This may have been particularly striking to me because I originally thought this was a more recent release and I was struggling to place the period details, but in any case the book feels very naturally and authentically 50s, which is either a plus or a minus, depending on your point of view. WWII is still very much on everyone's minds, with Gertrude and her camp tattoo, Madame Peridot's history of collaborating with the occupiers, and the disagreement explodes between the young people over the discovery that one of them is technically Jewish. That particular facet of the story feels peculiarly quaint, and yet...not. The racism and prejudice the characters are trying to confront are still very much in evidence today, sixty years later.
The relationships within and between the characters are where L'Engle's magic is most clearly evident. Everyone is conflicted, everyone is questing, everyone is well-intentioned and striving to understand the universe and their place in it. This could be tedious or preachy, but L'Engle makes everyone sympathetic and well-rounded, especially in the interactions between mothers and daughters. Although Emily and her daughter Virginia are not just early prototypes for Meg Murry of "A Wrinkle in Time" and her relationships with her own mother and then later with her daughter Poly, the richness and delicacy is already there, as is the emphasis on women as having thoughts, feelings, and stories of their own. I have to admit that I didn't like Emily and Virginia *as much* as I did the protagonists of the later, YA books, and the plot lacks some of the same urgency, not to mention the presence of magic, but "A Winter's Love" is definitely worth reading for anyone interested in L'Engle's work, or anyone who just wants to curl up with something warm and read about a chilly winter and an impossible love in the Alps.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
April 26, 2017
(Thanks to Netgalley and Open Road for providing a free advance copy in return for an honest review.)
This was my first foray into the writing of Madeleine L'Engle, as such I can't contextualise this within the wider scope of her work and many other will be able . I understand that it is one of her earlier works and that her talents are not quite as matured or in evidence in A Winter's Love than in her later and more famous novels but if things are only going to get better from here all I can say is I cannot wait to read more. L'Engle has huge talent and her writing is both thoughtful and effortless, easily beautiful and elegant enough to excuse some minor flaws of plot and character.
Emily and Courtney have relocated their family to the Swiss Alps after Courtney was edged out of his professorship at a US university. Courtney has retreated into himself, disappointed, angry and ashamed but unable to open up to his wife leaving them both feeling isolated and anxious about their marriage. Abe Fielding, an old friend of the family, has also recently arrived, unearthing old, half-acknowledged feelings and possibilities for Emily. Caught in this poignant triangle they grapple with loss and grief, their morals and their desires. These flawed characters are written with beautiful, credible fragility and my heart ached for all three.
In addition to these fraught relationships we come to know the Bowen children, young Connie and adolescent Virginia and Virginia's friend Mimi as well as Abe's teenage son Sam. While still described in gorgeous prose this younger generation is less compelling and their relationships less convincing. Perhaps it is my own age but my connection to them was not as profound.
A Winter's Love is a complex love story about many types of love, marriage, passion, filial love and friendship and L'Engle's quiet, graceful prose reveals the imperfections of all of them and the mistakes and sacrifices they can engender.
This was my first foray into the writing of Madeleine L'Engle, as such I can't contextualise this within the wider scope of her work and many other will be able . I understand that it is one of her earlier works and that her talents are not quite as matured or in evidence in A Winter's Love than in her later and more famous novels but if things are only going to get better from here all I can say is I cannot wait to read more. L'Engle has huge talent and her writing is both thoughtful and effortless, easily beautiful and elegant enough to excuse some minor flaws of plot and character.
Emily and Courtney have relocated their family to the Swiss Alps after Courtney was edged out of his professorship at a US university. Courtney has retreated into himself, disappointed, angry and ashamed but unable to open up to his wife leaving them both feeling isolated and anxious about their marriage. Abe Fielding, an old friend of the family, has also recently arrived, unearthing old, half-acknowledged feelings and possibilities for Emily. Caught in this poignant triangle they grapple with loss and grief, their morals and their desires. These flawed characters are written with beautiful, credible fragility and my heart ached for all three.
In addition to these fraught relationships we come to know the Bowen children, young Connie and adolescent Virginia and Virginia's friend Mimi as well as Abe's teenage son Sam. While still described in gorgeous prose this younger generation is less compelling and their relationships less convincing. Perhaps it is my own age but my connection to them was not as profound.
A Winter's Love is a complex love story about many types of love, marriage, passion, filial love and friendship and L'Engle's quiet, graceful prose reveals the imperfections of all of them and the mistakes and sacrifices they can engender.
February 9, 2011
In her fourth novel, the one just preceding her breakout, A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle takes a common plot and creates a moving story. Emily is a wife and mother of two daughters. Her husband, Courtney, a Classics professor, has lost his teaching position at an Eastern American college, causing the family to follow him into a "sabbatical" in a French Alpine resort town. Courtney is suffering from depression, loss of confidence and midlife crisis. He has retreated emotionally and left Emily adrift.
She tries to be an understanding and dutiful wife but an old friend shows up in town, a man who has always seemed to understand her better than anyone. Passion flares up between them and for the two weeks before Christmas, Emily is torn betwen her family and this man.
As I said, it is an old and overworked tale. But though this is not Anna Karenina nor Madame Bovary, the novel has special qualities, its own share of tragedy, as well as joy. The setting is part of it: winter, snow, the Alps, are all brought to life with spare but lovely description. The characters are also alive and real, especially the daughter and their friends. Most of all, Emily's story contains much truth about how it is for a woman and that is what I liked best.
November 26, 2017
A Winter's Love is written by Madeleine L'Engle, the author of A Wrinkle in Time. A Winter's Love is an adult novel about Bowen family who are going through tough times. Emily and Courtney's relationship is under tremendous strain after Court lost his teaching job. They are spending the winter in the French Alps but amid the majestic setting they are growing apart and Emily is falling in love with Abe, a close family friend.
The book is very much character driven and slow paced. I was taking my time to read it and savor the beautiful prose. Because the book was written in 1950's a lot of characters' actions and beliefs felt old-fashioned and outdated. I liked Emily but I found it a little jarring when she was saying things like "Before I married Courtney I wasn't anybody." She couldn't imagine herself as her own person, she could only see herself as part of Courtney's or Abe's world. For me the exquisite writing was the best part of the story. I can see why Madeleine L'Engle became such an acclaimed writer.
*Free e-copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley
The book is very much character driven and slow paced. I was taking my time to read it and savor the beautiful prose. Because the book was written in 1950's a lot of characters' actions and beliefs felt old-fashioned and outdated. I liked Emily but I found it a little jarring when she was saying things like "Before I married Courtney I wasn't anybody." She couldn't imagine herself as her own person, she could only see herself as part of Courtney's or Abe's world. For me the exquisite writing was the best part of the story. I can see why Madeleine L'Engle became such an acclaimed writer.
*Free e-copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley
March 28, 2015
3.5 stars!
I like this book. It's not my favorite Madeleine L'Engle, and it's obviously an earlier work. In some ways, it's good that her themes weren't fully developed yet because they were more subtle but still present. Her writing is beautiful and reminded me of F. Scott Fitzgerald's, particularly in Tender is the Night. It's strange to think he wrote that only 20 or so years before L'Engle wrote A Winter's Love.
I like the characters in this book. They're all well-done and realistic. The plot is okay. It moves quickly, at least. It's contemporary realism, so it's not anything new, but it does feel realistic. I'm sure it's a story that's happened many times to many people in many places.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes contemporary realism, Madeleine L'Engle, and/or books that takes place in different countries (this one takes place in Switzerland).
I like this book. It's not my favorite Madeleine L'Engle, and it's obviously an earlier work. In some ways, it's good that her themes weren't fully developed yet because they were more subtle but still present. Her writing is beautiful and reminded me of F. Scott Fitzgerald's, particularly in Tender is the Night. It's strange to think he wrote that only 20 or so years before L'Engle wrote A Winter's Love.
I like the characters in this book. They're all well-done and realistic. The plot is okay. It moves quickly, at least. It's contemporary realism, so it's not anything new, but it does feel realistic. I'm sure it's a story that's happened many times to many people in many places.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes contemporary realism, Madeleine L'Engle, and/or books that takes place in different countries (this one takes place in Switzerland).
April 17, 2017
Although an early work by L'Engle, the writing is still beautiful. Some of the characters in this story show up in some of her later works. This is a story of love and conflict and morality. Emily has a tough choice to make and much time is spent examining her feelings. The story flowed well and the characters were interesting. This story is being republished as I understand it was out of print and difficult to find. I wanted to read it because I loved L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time.
Thanks to Open Road Integrated Media through NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Open Road Integrated Media through NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 10, 2017
I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, the family of Madeleine L'Engle, and Open Road Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This novel was formerly published in 1984 by Ballantine Books. Thank you all, for sharing your hard work with me. This ebook contains a biography of Madeleine L'Engle's life and rare photos from her estate.
An interesting an well-defined look at the moral and religious approaches to relationships, dated only by the lack of cell phones. I found this novel delightful despite or perhaps because of the social lessons contained within. The biographical information concerning the author is extensive and very touching.
Pub date May 02, 2017
An interesting an well-defined look at the moral and religious approaches to relationships, dated only by the lack of cell phones. I found this novel delightful despite or perhaps because of the social lessons contained within. The biographical information concerning the author is extensive and very touching.
Pub date May 02, 2017
November 18, 2025
Well, certainly not my favourite L’Engle I’ve ever read. But not entirely terrible and slightly redeemed by the ending, as I was hoping would be the case. Spoilers for this one may follow, so read further at your peril if that kind of thing will bother you. So. This was a book I saw mentioned in one of L’Engle’s memoirs (she mentioned writing it during a certain period of her life) and I had never heard of it so decided to pick it up. An adult novel, it’s one that feels both very real and also a bit surreal and dreamy at the same time. Like the best of L’Engle’s fiction, she interweaves the spiritual and the real together in such dreamy spirals and writes about characters that feel so real you believe they simply must exist in some reality somewhere. There is a solidity in her writing and yet also a floaty dreamlike sense to the whole thing as she attempts to understand the emotions inside us that we so often don’t understand ourselves. This story is a story grasping at what makes a person breathe and love and step forward once again, and as always, L’Engle’s prose is beautiful to behold, a masterpiece in and of itself. But the story. Ah well, the story is one of my least favourite kinds of stories, the kind that I winced at once I realised what would take up the bulk of this book. It’s the story of a woman (one Emily Bowen) who has lived many years with her husband and young children (Virginia and Connie and the ghost of wee sweet Alice) but now in a fraught time for their family, her heart pulls her in another direction and she begins to yearn after an old family friend who seems so much more solid and real and desirable than her husband. Oh joy. This is a real story though. And as L’Engle weaves in and around the lives of the various characters – as I mentioned, all of them seem so real in their own rights! – we begin to understand a bit of this moment that we have been dropped into and find ourselves seeing how the puzzle pieces of these people fit together. Gertrude and Kaarlo and Abe and Sam and Mimi and Virginia and Connie and Emily and Courtney and all the side characters (even Beanie who somehow L’Engle manages to humanize and make me wonder if I can forgive and understand him) bring this tale to life and I am frankly still awash in the emotions this one stirred up. I was even a bit amused to find a flashback sequence in which Courtney rages against Kempis’ Imitation of Christ, a book I just finished reading a bare few weeks ago!! While I wasn’t the hugest fan of it, I found myself amused to see that I disagreed with Courtney (and likely L’Engle) in the thrust of this one, and wondered if it’s partly the framework and perspective from which I sit. L’Engle has a bit more of a humanistic and individualistic outlook at times and of course this would clash against the humble servitude which Kempis preaches. Anyways! Just one of those happy little coincidences. That all being said? I was very prepared to loathe this book in its entirety, depending how it ended. I suppose I should have had faith in L’Engle though. The book does not end with Emily running to her lover, as much as she makes many decisions that made me wince and shake my head, even to the end. No, in the end, Emily chooses to stay true to her vows and oaths and press forward in her marriage to Courtney and her life with her family. A sigh of relief.
There is much in this book I haven’t talked about and many characters who I’ve barely mentioned in all their richness. But I’m grateful for L’Engle using her exquisite skill to bring forth themes that frankly sing in their brilliance and truth.
There is much in this book I haven’t talked about and many characters who I’ve barely mentioned in all their richness. But I’m grateful for L’Engle using her exquisite skill to bring forth themes that frankly sing in their brilliance and truth.
May 6, 2018
It is always interesting to read different types of books from the same author. I first encountered Madeleine l'Engle in, of course, A Wrinkle in Time, a book that grapples with adult themes but is aimed towards children. So how does she do in a book with adult themes for adults? I never should have wondered, of course L'Engle would deliver a stunning novel. Thanks to Netgalley and Open Road Integrated Media for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In many ways the plot of A Winter's Love is very straightforward and quite simple. A family in something of a crisis reunites for winter in the Swiss mountains, only for all the crises that had been brewing under the surface to erupt. The magic of A Winter's Love, in my opinion, is how gently and softly L'Engle explores these crises. The pace and tone of the novel are quite restrained, but purposefully so. The plot moves slowly, almost as if every second, every decision no matter how small, counts. It is this tension that also gives the novel its beauty since despite the relative normality of the plot I still found myself holding my breath at the turn of a page. What will Emily Bowen do about the distance between her and her husband, and what about her sudden feelings for this other man? Will Courtney Bowen overcome the crippling issues holding him back from embracing his current life? Will Virginia, the Bowen's oldest daughter, cope with the sudden changes in herself and her life as she enters her teenage years?And what about the host of side-characters, each with their own internal life just begging to be explored?
Madeline L'Engle is a master at crafting characters and that is exactly what she does in A Winter's Love. It is not the plot that keeps you hooked to the pages, but rather it is the way in which L'Engle brings all her characters to such immediate life. L'Engle shows that there is something happening behind each closed door, on every face turned away at the end of a sentence, inside every head. There is some tension within the book as L'Engle seems conflicted between making Emily's love affair passionate while also not too much of a temptation. After all, it was written in the 50s. But on the other hand, the ordinariness of it all works in its own way, since the grand passion we sometimes read of in novels is often overly dramatic. The emotions of the novel are also balanced out by L'Engle placing her story in a distinct time period, just after the Second World War. There are other tensions at play in this small Swiss village, remnants of anti-Semitism and Nazi collaboration. In the shadow of the mountains and the Second World War, L'Engle's characters battle with their inner demons and their desire for love and happiness. Although not a happy book, it does feel like a true one.
For full review: http://universeinwords.blogspot.com/2...
In many ways the plot of A Winter's Love is very straightforward and quite simple. A family in something of a crisis reunites for winter in the Swiss mountains, only for all the crises that had been brewing under the surface to erupt. The magic of A Winter's Love, in my opinion, is how gently and softly L'Engle explores these crises. The pace and tone of the novel are quite restrained, but purposefully so. The plot moves slowly, almost as if every second, every decision no matter how small, counts. It is this tension that also gives the novel its beauty since despite the relative normality of the plot I still found myself holding my breath at the turn of a page. What will Emily Bowen do about the distance between her and her husband, and what about her sudden feelings for this other man? Will Courtney Bowen overcome the crippling issues holding him back from embracing his current life? Will Virginia, the Bowen's oldest daughter, cope with the sudden changes in herself and her life as she enters her teenage years?And what about the host of side-characters, each with their own internal life just begging to be explored?
Madeline L'Engle is a master at crafting characters and that is exactly what she does in A Winter's Love. It is not the plot that keeps you hooked to the pages, but rather it is the way in which L'Engle brings all her characters to such immediate life. L'Engle shows that there is something happening behind each closed door, on every face turned away at the end of a sentence, inside every head. There is some tension within the book as L'Engle seems conflicted between making Emily's love affair passionate while also not too much of a temptation. After all, it was written in the 50s. But on the other hand, the ordinariness of it all works in its own way, since the grand passion we sometimes read of in novels is often overly dramatic. The emotions of the novel are also balanced out by L'Engle placing her story in a distinct time period, just after the Second World War. There are other tensions at play in this small Swiss village, remnants of anti-Semitism and Nazi collaboration. In the shadow of the mountains and the Second World War, L'Engle's characters battle with their inner demons and their desire for love and happiness. Although not a happy book, it does feel like a true one.
For full review: http://universeinwords.blogspot.com/2...
June 14, 2017
I stumbled upon this book while browsing through the vast collection on NetGalley because of its cover and blurb. It is a tribute to my ignorance that the first thing which drew me to A Winter’s Love was not its acclaimed author but the cover. I had neither heard of Madeline L’Engle nor A Wrinkle in Time hence I approached this book like a regular read . Although the story was turbulent the book in itself was an easy read. A bit dragging at some places and with a clichéd plot, the novel stood out for me because of its characters. All of them were charismatic and original irrespective of their prominance in the story .Many of the seasoned L’Engle fans have opined that the characters remind them of a first draft version of many of the more popular L’Engle characters. As I am an L’Engle novice, I really loved the characters as I did not have any benchmark to compare them with.
Emily Bowen and her husband Courtney moves to Switzerland after Courtney gets fired from his job. They are joined by Emily’s daughter Virginia and her friend Mimi Oppenheimer for their Christmas break. Losing the job has a great impact on Courtney who gradually withdraws into himself, spending time studying and writing papers completely disconnecting from his family. Emily is lost and forlorn in this new place without anyone to talk to, neither her husband nor friends. Soon, she runs into Abe Fielding, a mutual friend and widower who provides Emily with emotional support. A dormant attraction between them arises and starts complicating the already turbulent life of the Bowens. It doesn’t help matters when Virginia and Mimi accidentally glimpses Abe and Emily kissing. In parallel, there is a love story brewing between Mimi and Sam, Abe’s son, to whom Virginia also feels slightly attracted. The other characters are Gertrude, a WWII survivor who feels her lover Kaarlo is having an affair with Emily.
Read more here : https://bookescapadeblog.wordpress.co...
Emily Bowen and her husband Courtney moves to Switzerland after Courtney gets fired from his job. They are joined by Emily’s daughter Virginia and her friend Mimi Oppenheimer for their Christmas break. Losing the job has a great impact on Courtney who gradually withdraws into himself, spending time studying and writing papers completely disconnecting from his family. Emily is lost and forlorn in this new place without anyone to talk to, neither her husband nor friends. Soon, she runs into Abe Fielding, a mutual friend and widower who provides Emily with emotional support. A dormant attraction between them arises and starts complicating the already turbulent life of the Bowens. It doesn’t help matters when Virginia and Mimi accidentally glimpses Abe and Emily kissing. In parallel, there is a love story brewing between Mimi and Sam, Abe’s son, to whom Virginia also feels slightly attracted. The other characters are Gertrude, a WWII survivor who feels her lover Kaarlo is having an affair with Emily.
Read more here : https://bookescapadeblog.wordpress.co...
June 19, 2017
Originally published in January 1957, this book features the lives and loves of Emily Bowen, married to Courtney and yet finding herself falling in love with Abe Fielding whilst juggling the demands of motherhood, loss of a child and her place in the world.
This book has a dream like quality to it, written in a daydream manner. Nothing is ever direct, crude or cruel, but rather it weaves a spell around the reader who becomes caught up in the magical time of falling head over heels in love and also yet the discomfort of knowingly cheating on the one who you made vows to.
Emily is a confused woman living within a strained marriage, not quite sure of her place in the world now that she is no longer fulfilling the role of the supportive wife to her husband Courtney, who has lost his teaching job at a prestigious New York school and now finds himself at a loose end, wondering where to go to provide for his family and regain his battered ego.
"…she could see, staring and wondering, wondering what it was she felt about the man who lay there, what beyond the habit of love. It was a deeply ingrained habit and there was nothing to have changed it, but she stared with a sort of horror as though daylight would reveal a stranger."
Having previously planned on a sabbatical in Switzerland, they go live in a cosmopolitan town up in the Alps where the extramarital affair begins. Abe and Emily have always had an attraction to each other, but now that Courtney is becoming difficult and aloof as he deals with his wounded ego, it is easier for Emily to justify falling for the overtures of Abe. And the reality is she is a beautiful woman, who wins the attentions of more than just one man in this bustling town.
Emily is also the busy mother to both Virginia, a teenager and a young four year old daughter Connie. To complete the household, Virginia’s friend Mimi Oppenheimer has come to spend the holidays with the Bowen family, the Jewish friend who unexpectedly finds herself dealing with the racist undertones of a Europe that has the Second World War still fresh in its memory.
The affair is only ever described in the earliest stages, with almost nothing more than kissing and a quick fondle in the dark, a welcome change from more modern down and dirty stories. The novel is written in an almost ethereal manner, too beautiful for this world, set in the enchanted reality of the Swiss Alps in the winter time.
"For suddenly she realised that there was no decision to be made. Once the dream was over, once the eyes opened to the daylight, there was no choice except to leave the world of the dream. "
This is a glorious book, simple and kind, exploring what marriage and love means in a modern world.
February 2, 2024
This is the story of a difficult time in the marriage of Court and Emily Bowen. The family has moved to Switzerland because Court lost his teaching job and is spending this time reading and writing and will have, hopefully, something to publish. Since moving into a very old and very big house with a very poor
heating system in a mountain community, Court becomes isolated from his wife and daughters. The distance between Court and Emily continues to grow. Emily and a friend (Abe) from the past meet in the village and there is an immediate connection.
Both are captivated by the other. Emily finds the warmth and affection she had been missing in her marriage. Abe and Emily meet as often as possible although they never have sex because Emily cannot bring herself to betray Court in that way. Both Abe and Emily love each other. However Emily is torn between leaving Court and the life they have made and starting a new life with Abe. An age old dilemma…the author does a great job of describing the mental agony Emily goes through in making a decision. Excellent writing style. I am going to try a couple more of this author’s books!
heating system in a mountain community, Court becomes isolated from his wife and daughters. The distance between Court and Emily continues to grow. Emily and a friend (Abe) from the past meet in the village and there is an immediate connection.
Both are captivated by the other. Emily finds the warmth and affection she had been missing in her marriage. Abe and Emily meet as often as possible although they never have sex because Emily cannot bring herself to betray Court in that way. Both Abe and Emily love each other. However Emily is torn between leaving Court and the life they have made and starting a new life with Abe. An age old dilemma…the author does a great job of describing the mental agony Emily goes through in making a decision. Excellent writing style. I am going to try a couple more of this author’s books!
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