Product Description
It is war-time Britain and seduced by her brother-in-law, Frances, 16, becomes pregnant and is banished to a lonely farm. She gives birth to twins, a boy and a girl, whom her mother heartlessly wrenches from her. And when told her baby daughter has died, Frances is overcome with grief. After years of loneliness and yearning, Frances sets out full of determination to be reunited with her son, Michael, and tell him the truth of his birth. Michael however has grown up believing Frances' sister Isabel is his mother. She has taken him on his dream adventure to live in Australia with her new husband. Could Frances shatter her son's joy?
This is Frances story, a young girl easily manipulated by her brother-in-law, becomes pregnant. Her Mother treats her horribly, I can't even imagine how a woman can act the way she did to her daughter.
She is made to go and live with distant relatives who live in very primitive conditions. She works hard and her Mother makes arrangements for her to have her baby...babies. When the time comes the Mother books her in as her Sister, who is married to the babies Father. She is thrilled to have them and names them Michael and Christine. Now the babies have her Sister's name listed as their Mother. Frances is sent back to the relatives home, and the babies are taken by her Mother. Her Mother then informs her that Christine has died, and Michael will be staying with her Sister.
Frances goes through the grief of loosing Christine, and not being allowed to see Michael. She has an agreement to see him when he turns 16, and decides to throw him a big party and tell him the truth.
It was hard to think of Frances as being only 32 when Michael turns 16. The story does take several twists and turns. Including some really heartwarming and heartbreaking times.
While I really disliked the Mother Agnes, I enjoyed her Dad Will. Her Sister leaves a lot to be desired, Isabel, seems she has one nasty disposition. Although it could be she is afraid to loose Michael, you really take a dislike to her.
This is definitely a British story, there are some things referred to in the book that I didn't know what they were talking about, but I did enjoy reading this book.