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The Night of the Flood
An atmospheric literary thriller set in north Norfolk in the shadow of the Cold War, in which a love triangle turns murderous.
Her heart beat hard. There was a crazed beauty to the storm. It was almost miraculous, the way it took away the mess of life, sweeping all in its path...
No-one could have foreseen the changes the summer of 1952 would bring. Cramming for her final exams on her family's farm on the Norfolk coast, Verity Frost feels trapped between past and present: the devotion of her childhood friend Arthur, just returned from National Service, and her strange new desire to escape.
When Verity meets Jack, a charismatic American pilot, he seems to offer the glamour and adventure she so craves, and Arthur becomes determined to uncover the dirt beneath his rival's glossy sheen.
As summer turns to winter, a devastating storm hits the coast, flooding the land and altering everything in its path. In this new, watery landscape, Verity's tangled web of secrets, lies and passion will bring about a crime that will change all their lives forever.
Her heart beat hard. There was a crazed beauty to the storm. It was almost miraculous, the way it took away the mess of life, sweeping all in its path...
No-one could have foreseen the changes the summer of 1952 would bring. Cramming for her final exams on her family's farm on the Norfolk coast, Verity Frost feels trapped between past and present: the devotion of her childhood friend Arthur, just returned from National Service, and her strange new desire to escape.
When Verity meets Jack, a charismatic American pilot, he seems to offer the glamour and adventure she so craves, and Arthur becomes determined to uncover the dirt beneath his rival's glossy sheen.
As summer turns to winter, a devastating storm hits the coast, flooding the land and altering everything in its path. In this new, watery landscape, Verity's tangled web of secrets, lies and passion will bring about a crime that will change all their lives forever.
352 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2020
10 people are currently reading
350 people want to read
About the author
Zoë Somerville
2 books17 followersZoë is a writer and English teacher. Her debut novel, The Night of the Flood, was published in September 2020 by Head of Zeus. It is inspired by her home county, Norfolk and the devastating flood of the 1950s. Her second novel, The Marsh House is set in the same austere seascape of the Norfolk coast and is about mothers, daughters and ghosts. It will be published in March, 2022, also by Head of Zeus.
Zoë has worked as an English teacher all over the world. This has included teaching English in Hagi, Japan, the Loire Atlantique, France and the Basque Country; several years in comprehensive schools in South London, Bath and Bristol; four years for the Hospital Education Rehabilitation Service in Somerset; and an international school in Washington, D.C. After completing a creative writing MA at Bath Spa University in 2016, she now combines writing and tutoring, and is settled in Bath with her family.
Zoë has worked as an English teacher all over the world. This has included teaching English in Hagi, Japan, the Loire Atlantique, France and the Basque Country; several years in comprehensive schools in South London, Bath and Bristol; four years for the Hospital Education Rehabilitation Service in Somerset; and an international school in Washington, D.C. After completing a creative writing MA at Bath Spa University in 2016, she now combines writing and tutoring, and is settled in Bath with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
March 3, 2022
Published today 3-3-22
The book is set in North Norfolk in 1952-53 and has a small cast of characters – all of a similar age.
Verity Frost and her brother Peter live with their Father on the family’s pastoral and arable farm (on the Holkham side of Wells I think) : the family haunted by the recent loss of Verity/Peter’s mother – drowned in what seems to have been either suicide or at nest recklessness.
Peter, sent down from Gresham’s (a school itself struggling with the recent revelations about one of its alumni – Donald Maclean) is taking on the family business but struggling with his latent homosexuality and increasingly taking consolation in alcohol.
Verity is determined to try to win a place at Oxford – despite her father wanting her to marry the son of a local farmer so as to secure the family’s future.
Arthur – son of a Jewish father from London, he lives above a general store in Wells with his widowed mother in Wells. He was a childhood friend of Peter and Verity (to who he is increasingly attracted) despite their difference in class – and was supported by their father to go to Gresham’s. Having returned from a rather unfulfilling national service stationed in the North of England – he is determined to make a career in London as a journalist and sees his breakthrough as investigating the American air force bases in North Norfolk (confusingly identified as RAF Holkham – although I think, and the acknowledgements seem to confirm that this is in fact Sculthorpe – where but for a recalcitrant seller I would have bought a barn) – bases which he is convinced are both sheltering nuclear weapons and engaging in spying on the Soviet Union.
Muriel – from an even more determinedly working class background, something of a longshore-woman and scavenger, finely tuned to the weather and tides.
Jack – a charismatic US airman albeit one with a not entirely convincing (to the other characters) back-story.
Most combinations of characters have some kind of one or two way attraction – leading (as another review cleverly comments) to not so much a love triangle but a love polygon – with the biggest tension between Jack and Arthur over their mutual attraction to Verity, which is magnified by Arthur’s increasingly paranoid suspicions that Jack is a Soviet Spy.
The chapters are set out with weather and sea conditions – all of which points towards a cataclysmic real-life event which will leave both Wells and the fates and relationships of the protagonists forever altered.
This overall is a book I enjoyed more for its sense of time (the post War/early cold-war ear), event (the East Coast Floods of 1953 are something I can remember my Mum talking about from when I was very young), place (my favourite coastal town of Wells and favourite beach of Holkham; a school only a few miles from my own Norfolk residence and in the same town as the bookshop where I purchased this book) and contemporary detail (I felt the book captured rather well changing and clashing class, sex, nationality and generational differences in the post War years – and with characters that felt genuinely off their time) than for its actual plot and writing style.
The book is set in North Norfolk in 1952-53 and has a small cast of characters – all of a similar age.
Verity Frost and her brother Peter live with their Father on the family’s pastoral and arable farm (on the Holkham side of Wells I think) : the family haunted by the recent loss of Verity/Peter’s mother – drowned in what seems to have been either suicide or at nest recklessness.
Peter, sent down from Gresham’s (a school itself struggling with the recent revelations about one of its alumni – Donald Maclean) is taking on the family business but struggling with his latent homosexuality and increasingly taking consolation in alcohol.
Verity is determined to try to win a place at Oxford – despite her father wanting her to marry the son of a local farmer so as to secure the family’s future.
Arthur – son of a Jewish father from London, he lives above a general store in Wells with his widowed mother in Wells. He was a childhood friend of Peter and Verity (to who he is increasingly attracted) despite their difference in class – and was supported by their father to go to Gresham’s. Having returned from a rather unfulfilling national service stationed in the North of England – he is determined to make a career in London as a journalist and sees his breakthrough as investigating the American air force bases in North Norfolk (confusingly identified as RAF Holkham – although I think, and the acknowledgements seem to confirm that this is in fact Sculthorpe – where but for a recalcitrant seller I would have bought a barn) – bases which he is convinced are both sheltering nuclear weapons and engaging in spying on the Soviet Union.
Muriel – from an even more determinedly working class background, something of a longshore-woman and scavenger, finely tuned to the weather and tides.
Jack – a charismatic US airman albeit one with a not entirely convincing (to the other characters) back-story.
Most combinations of characters have some kind of one or two way attraction – leading (as another review cleverly comments) to not so much a love triangle but a love polygon – with the biggest tension between Jack and Arthur over their mutual attraction to Verity, which is magnified by Arthur’s increasingly paranoid suspicions that Jack is a Soviet Spy.
The chapters are set out with weather and sea conditions – all of which points towards a cataclysmic real-life event which will leave both Wells and the fates and relationships of the protagonists forever altered.
This overall is a book I enjoyed more for its sense of time (the post War/early cold-war ear), event (the East Coast Floods of 1953 are something I can remember my Mum talking about from when I was very young), place (my favourite coastal town of Wells and favourite beach of Holkham; a school only a few miles from my own Norfolk residence and in the same town as the bookshop where I purchased this book) and contemporary detail (I felt the book captured rather well changing and clashing class, sex, nationality and generational differences in the post War years – and with characters that felt genuinely off their time) than for its actual plot and writing style.
August 28, 2020
The Night of the Flood involves not one but several love triangles. And we all know that three into two doesn’t go, that there’s always one left over.
The four main characters all to some extent feel as if they are outsiders. Arthur arrived at Howe Farm, home of the Frost family, as a child evacuee but feels he no longer belongs there. Peter Frost feels isolated by his inability to express his true nature and his sister, Verity, finds the expectations that she will marry and start a family alien to her nature. The most obvious outsider is Jack Doherty, a pilot stationed at the nearby American air base. However, he exudes a confidence and easy charm that enables him to be absorbed into local society in a way someone like Arthur can only dream of. A fifth character, Muriel, floats on the periphery. Once a playmate of the Frost children, she now feels distanced from them by her family’s poverty and social status.
Many of the characters also share a sense of thwarted ambition. Arthur has returned from National Service disappointed with the experience. He has aspirations to be a writer or journalist but finds himself instead acting as delivery boy in his mother’s grocery shop. It doesn’t help that he harbours doubts about his relationship with Verity, his childhood sweetheart. His frustration at times manifests itself in violent thoughts. Peter finds himself landed with the task of trying to rescue the family farm from financial ruin caused by his father’s profligacy, unwillingness to embrace change and descent into despair following a family tragedy. Verity’s hopes of studying and travel seem likely to be thwarted at the first hurdle.
In creating such a complex web of relationships, the author has skilfully created the ingredients for a dramatic and enthralling story. At the centre of the web is Verity, although she seems unaware of this and the effect she has on men who, as one character puts it, circle her like dogs on heat.
Starting the story in the months before the flood creates a sense of tension and expectation. Added to this is the backdrop of fear of nuclear war and the beginnings of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. When the flood does finally occur it is both actual and metaphorical. There are dramatic scenes as people try to escape the rising seawater, rescue others and salvage homes and possessions. But the night of the flood also sees events that will have long-lasting repercussions. Like an ebb tide, it leaves Peter and others trying to piece together what, if anything, is left from the wreckage and come to terms with what has lost been forever.
The Night of the Flood is an absorbing story of secrets, obsession and thwarted desire.
The four main characters all to some extent feel as if they are outsiders. Arthur arrived at Howe Farm, home of the Frost family, as a child evacuee but feels he no longer belongs there. Peter Frost feels isolated by his inability to express his true nature and his sister, Verity, finds the expectations that she will marry and start a family alien to her nature. The most obvious outsider is Jack Doherty, a pilot stationed at the nearby American air base. However, he exudes a confidence and easy charm that enables him to be absorbed into local society in a way someone like Arthur can only dream of. A fifth character, Muriel, floats on the periphery. Once a playmate of the Frost children, she now feels distanced from them by her family’s poverty and social status.
Many of the characters also share a sense of thwarted ambition. Arthur has returned from National Service disappointed with the experience. He has aspirations to be a writer or journalist but finds himself instead acting as delivery boy in his mother’s grocery shop. It doesn’t help that he harbours doubts about his relationship with Verity, his childhood sweetheart. His frustration at times manifests itself in violent thoughts. Peter finds himself landed with the task of trying to rescue the family farm from financial ruin caused by his father’s profligacy, unwillingness to embrace change and descent into despair following a family tragedy. Verity’s hopes of studying and travel seem likely to be thwarted at the first hurdle.
In creating such a complex web of relationships, the author has skilfully created the ingredients for a dramatic and enthralling story. At the centre of the web is Verity, although she seems unaware of this and the effect she has on men who, as one character puts it, circle her like dogs on heat.
Starting the story in the months before the flood creates a sense of tension and expectation. Added to this is the backdrop of fear of nuclear war and the beginnings of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. When the flood does finally occur it is both actual and metaphorical. There are dramatic scenes as people try to escape the rising seawater, rescue others and salvage homes and possessions. But the night of the flood also sees events that will have long-lasting repercussions. Like an ebb tide, it leaves Peter and others trying to piece together what, if anything, is left from the wreckage and come to terms with what has lost been forever.
The Night of the Flood is an absorbing story of secrets, obsession and thwarted desire.
January 17, 2021
The Night of the Flood is a wonderful, immersive read. Set in the early 1950's, it is the story of Verity and her brother, Peter, and their tangled relationships with Arthur, an old friend and Jack, an American pilot from the nearby US air base. Unrequited love, secrets and suspicions, betrayals and rivalry drive the protagonists deeper and deeper into a mire, reflected perfectly in the marshy landscape and tempestuous weather conditions so vividly drawn by the author. Everything culminates into a terrible event the night of a devastating flood which destroys everything in its path. Beautifully written, atmospheric and heartbreaking, I was sad to have finished this book. Somerville is a talented writer and I look forward to reading her next book!
February 14, 2021
Beautifully written debut novel that centres on a small town located on the bleak marshy East Anglian coastline, between 1952 and 1954. Key elements include a love triangle, a failing family farm, a nearby US airbase, the beginnings of the Cold War, oh and a significant flood. It's a wonderfully atmospheric setting, and you can practically feel the cold Winter wind blowing in from the sea, but I may be biased as have been a sucker for marshy landscapes since reading The Famous Five as a kid.
It's a story full of hope and optimism, mingled with the constant thwarting and reshaping of both. Dreams are shattered and reborn. Reality etc. C'est la vie.
Highly recommended!
It's a story full of hope and optimism, mingled with the constant thwarting and reshaping of both. Dreams are shattered and reborn. Reality etc. C'est la vie.
Highly recommended!
September 4, 2020
I love reading historical fiction, and regularly read books set in World War II. I found The Night of the Flood, set during the Cold War a refreshing novel to read, with atmosphere, and the hint of a spy story, set amidst the rise of the Cold War. The backdrop to the story is the North Sea Flood of 1953, on the night of 31st January 1953, which was caused by the combination of a high spring tide and a storm and which affected multiple counties in the United Kingdom, as well as areas of the Netherlands and Belgium.
The story focuses on five main characters. Verity and Peter are siblings living on their father’s farm. Verity wants to go to university, and is not ready to settle down, but her father wants to arrange a marriage for her with a wealthy farmer’s son. Peter is trying to find ways to keep the family farm financially afloat, whilst denying his own feelings about his sexuality. When the siblings were young, their family took in an evacuee from London, Arthur, who grew up with them, before his mother joined him in the village. Having returned from doing his national service, he wants nothing more than to settle down with his childhood sweetheart Verity, and leave Norfolk as soon as possible to become a journalist, and is looking for a big story to help him make his getaway. Muriel grew up with them, the oldest child of a large and impoverished family, happiest when she is out on the water. In amongst them is the mysterious Jack, a pilot from the local American air force base, who is never quite what he seems.
The connections between them all is complex and there are a number of love triangles amongst them, with communication seriously lacking between all them. The secrets and lies between them all are interwoven so seamlessly into the story, adding to the tension and atmosphere. The story builds gradually over the months before the flood, raising the tension to the point where the events of the night of the flood are so gripping. This is not a racy thriller, it is a subtle thriller that ebbs and flows in much the same way as the flood waters that night. Against the rising tensions between the Americans and the Soviets, this was a perfectly tempered novel in which the secrets and lies have you questioning whether any of the characters are what they seem, or even what they themselves think they are. This was an excellent debut by Zoe Somerville, which had me turning every page in anticipation.
The story focuses on five main characters. Verity and Peter are siblings living on their father’s farm. Verity wants to go to university, and is not ready to settle down, but her father wants to arrange a marriage for her with a wealthy farmer’s son. Peter is trying to find ways to keep the family farm financially afloat, whilst denying his own feelings about his sexuality. When the siblings were young, their family took in an evacuee from London, Arthur, who grew up with them, before his mother joined him in the village. Having returned from doing his national service, he wants nothing more than to settle down with his childhood sweetheart Verity, and leave Norfolk as soon as possible to become a journalist, and is looking for a big story to help him make his getaway. Muriel grew up with them, the oldest child of a large and impoverished family, happiest when she is out on the water. In amongst them is the mysterious Jack, a pilot from the local American air force base, who is never quite what he seems.
The connections between them all is complex and there are a number of love triangles amongst them, with communication seriously lacking between all them. The secrets and lies between them all are interwoven so seamlessly into the story, adding to the tension and atmosphere. The story builds gradually over the months before the flood, raising the tension to the point where the events of the night of the flood are so gripping. This is not a racy thriller, it is a subtle thriller that ebbs and flows in much the same way as the flood waters that night. Against the rising tensions between the Americans and the Soviets, this was a perfectly tempered novel in which the secrets and lies have you questioning whether any of the characters are what they seem, or even what they themselves think they are. This was an excellent debut by Zoe Somerville, which had me turning every page in anticipation.
October 3, 2023
Set during the summer of 1952, Zoe Somerville’s The Night of the Flood focuses on protagonist Verity Frost, who is on the cusp of going to University. Verity, ‘stranded on her family farm on the Norfolk coast’, is utterly beloved by Arthur, her childhood friend, whom she has a strange new desire’ to escape from. Arthur, whom she has known since ‘he was a skinny eight-year-old evacuee, brought home by her mother’, also longs to escape from his similar existence, ‘but only with Verity by his side’. The Night of the Flood centres around something of a love triangle, when ‘charismatic American pilot’ Jack is stationed at an airbase in the local area.
I found Somerville’s scenes to be well evoked, and effective in capturing this particular period in time: ‘Pollen caught in her nose, making her sneeze. It had been a day like this then too, the day her mother died. The same sudden heat and sunlight. The same grass-green and dazzling white sprung up on all sides. The same tang of manure from the fields. Everything erupting, spilling over with life. It had been the wrong kind of day to die.’ Somerville focuses on the landscapes of Norfolk, her home county, very well, and infuses so many of the scenes with its landscapes. For me, this was a real strength of the novel; for instance, the way in which Somerville evokes the flood: ‘Breathing heavily, they looked at the water, ruining the winter-sown crops. She could smell it too – the smarting salt of the sea. Saltwater… glistening in the moonlight, beautiful and destructive.’
The character dynamics are interesting here. During their first meeting, Somerville writes that Arthur finds Jack has ‘a litheness and swagger that spoke of complex confidence’, and feels ‘a shiver of something close to dislike’. I also liked how Somerville explored Verity’s inner world: ‘I have all these separate boxes inside me, she thought. And in all of them are bits of me but I don’t know in which one is the important bit. I don’t know how to choose the right box.’ I did find there was a lot of depth to Verity, but perhaps the same cannot be said about the other protagonists here.
I found The Night of the Flood very readable, and found the omniscient perspective worked well. However, I perhaps would not have remembered a great deal about the minutiae of the story had I not made extensive notes for this review. In terms of the historical novel genre, I would not say the novel is entirely gripping at any point. The historical setting also became a little unmoored at times; it felt as though the characters could have been transported to a different decade without too much trouble on the author’s part. Perhaps, in hindsight, The Night of the Flood is more of a three-star read for me, but I did very much enjoy the reading experience.
I found Somerville’s scenes to be well evoked, and effective in capturing this particular period in time: ‘Pollen caught in her nose, making her sneeze. It had been a day like this then too, the day her mother died. The same sudden heat and sunlight. The same grass-green and dazzling white sprung up on all sides. The same tang of manure from the fields. Everything erupting, spilling over with life. It had been the wrong kind of day to die.’ Somerville focuses on the landscapes of Norfolk, her home county, very well, and infuses so many of the scenes with its landscapes. For me, this was a real strength of the novel; for instance, the way in which Somerville evokes the flood: ‘Breathing heavily, they looked at the water, ruining the winter-sown crops. She could smell it too – the smarting salt of the sea. Saltwater… glistening in the moonlight, beautiful and destructive.’
The character dynamics are interesting here. During their first meeting, Somerville writes that Arthur finds Jack has ‘a litheness and swagger that spoke of complex confidence’, and feels ‘a shiver of something close to dislike’. I also liked how Somerville explored Verity’s inner world: ‘I have all these separate boxes inside me, she thought. And in all of them are bits of me but I don’t know in which one is the important bit. I don’t know how to choose the right box.’ I did find there was a lot of depth to Verity, but perhaps the same cannot be said about the other protagonists here.
I found The Night of the Flood very readable, and found the omniscient perspective worked well. However, I perhaps would not have remembered a great deal about the minutiae of the story had I not made extensive notes for this review. In terms of the historical novel genre, I would not say the novel is entirely gripping at any point. The historical setting also became a little unmoored at times; it felt as though the characters could have been transported to a different decade without too much trouble on the author’s part. Perhaps, in hindsight, The Night of the Flood is more of a three-star read for me, but I did very much enjoy the reading experience.
March 13, 2022
I feel like this book didn't know what it wanted to be. It felt chaotically organised and marketed completely wrong. The characters feel flat and was basically just one big messy tale about an uninteresting love triangle.
March 1, 2022
It's the early 1950s in Norfolk and a storm is brewing. Verity is torn between her childhood friend Arthur and dashing American airman Jack. As their lives become more entangled and emotional, the weather is building towards a flood that will devastate all and lead to murder. This was an engaging story that was so well-written. I was initially drawn to it because of it being set in Norfolk but stayed for the writing.
January 4, 2021
A snapshot of postwar life in a floodplain. Hard to put down. The descriptions are vivid, sometimes a bit bleak. But England is bleak, so...
The romance is tragic, young, lots of sex with ambiguous consent where I'm not sure Somerville is trying to make a point about relationships in that time. Everyone is growing up into love polygons.
I felt for Peter the most, he has the worst luck. Muriel felt like a bit of an afterthought... Verity steals the spotlight and all the attention to the point that other characters notice it, but there's nothing wrong with that, except it felt like The Flood was trying really hard to include everyone else. Maybe that's just because Verity's storyline was more interesting? Or more racy.
Go on, you know you want to read it.
The romance is tragic, young, lots of sex with ambiguous consent where I'm not sure Somerville is trying to make a point about relationships in that time. Everyone is growing up into love polygons.
I felt for Peter the most, he has the worst luck. Muriel felt like a bit of an afterthought... Verity steals the spotlight and all the attention to the point that other characters notice it, but there's nothing wrong with that, except it felt like The Flood was trying really hard to include everyone else. Maybe that's just because Verity's storyline was more interesting? Or more racy.
Go on, you know you want to read it.
May 2, 2022
i think i would’ve really enjoyed this if i was like an adult idk
August 9, 2022
Quite gripping! Good imagery of the Norfolk coast, especially the 'flooding chapter's' which are quite haunting. I changed how I felt about each character as I was reading and a good detailed plot including some twists. Definitely worth a read.
Read
June 27, 2021“A kind of cleansing. She wondered if her mother had thought that when she’d swum into the sea for the last time”.
November 17, 2020
This is a beautifully written story centred around the devastating flood that happened on the Norfolk coast in the early 1950s. Having spent a few days in this area earlier in the year, and previously having no knowledge of the flood, or its effects, I found this both fascinating, educational and a wonderful story.
The story revolves around four main characters and each one is perfectly created; from Arthur, recently returned from National Service, but who has never felt himself to be a real part of this small Norfolk community, and Peter, whose sense of responsibility toward the family farm is exhausting him. There's Jack, the American airman; who appears to add a touch of glamour and mystery, and then there's Verity; Peter's sister. Verity finds herself trapped. Trapped by circumstances, expectation and by love.
The reader also learns about Muriel, a fifth character who has less page space, but whose observations of others is astute and adds a depth to the plotting.
These are a colourful bunch of characters, each one crafted with care, each one flawed and each one complex.
The author builds the tension of the story as the flood approaches. There's certainly a feeling of underlying menace that builds, along with questions raised about the reliability of the main players. This is a story of secrets, some potentially dangerous for the world, as the risk of Cold War increases.
The Night of the Flood is a story that builds slowly. The author's evocative description of the landscape and era is extremely well done. It's a rich blend of historical fact, led by strong characters, particular the females. It's a story filled with atmosphere and tension, shining a light on social issues of the time, with a complex and intricate love story threaded throughout.
An impressive debut from an author to watch.
The story revolves around four main characters and each one is perfectly created; from Arthur, recently returned from National Service, but who has never felt himself to be a real part of this small Norfolk community, and Peter, whose sense of responsibility toward the family farm is exhausting him. There's Jack, the American airman; who appears to add a touch of glamour and mystery, and then there's Verity; Peter's sister. Verity finds herself trapped. Trapped by circumstances, expectation and by love.
The reader also learns about Muriel, a fifth character who has less page space, but whose observations of others is astute and adds a depth to the plotting.
These are a colourful bunch of characters, each one crafted with care, each one flawed and each one complex.
The author builds the tension of the story as the flood approaches. There's certainly a feeling of underlying menace that builds, along with questions raised about the reliability of the main players. This is a story of secrets, some potentially dangerous for the world, as the risk of Cold War increases.
The Night of the Flood is a story that builds slowly. The author's evocative description of the landscape and era is extremely well done. It's a rich blend of historical fact, led by strong characters, particular the females. It's a story filled with atmosphere and tension, shining a light on social issues of the time, with a complex and intricate love story threaded throughout.
An impressive debut from an author to watch.
January 17, 2021
I wanted to like this book. The setting was fascinating, the cover was beautiful, and the combination of mystery and romance is always a good start to a novel.
Yet, as many other reviewers have noticed, this book is an incredibly slow burn. Once the flood actually comes then things speed up, but until then it was a bit of a slog working through it. The build-up to the flood was a combination of mundane and melodramatic, with characters alternating between a series of relatively dull conversations, followed but accusations of attempted murder. (Slight spoiler, but one of the characters claims that another character tried to kill him by crashing a motorbike that they were both riding. Seriously... if I wanted someone dead I feel like I'd find a way that wouldn't surely injure me, too!)
The love triangle (or, rather, series of love triangles) was just frustrating. The book constantly pushed Arthur and Verity together, claiming that they were in love... yet, if they actually were in love, there is literally nothing stopping them from getting together, other than the rather annoying American soldier. I was so frustrated by Verity's infatuation with Jack, as it was just so clear that he was up to no good (though, of course, it was always going to be a different "no good" than what Arthur suspected) and when she finally discovers his betrayal, I had no sympathy for her whatsoever.
I've given this book three stars because there was a lot to like: the setting, the array of characters, the fascinating historical event... etc... I enjoyed a lot about this book, which simply made it all the more frustrating when the romance plots were just rather contrived.
Yet, as many other reviewers have noticed, this book is an incredibly slow burn. Once the flood actually comes then things speed up, but until then it was a bit of a slog working through it. The build-up to the flood was a combination of mundane and melodramatic, with characters alternating between a series of relatively dull conversations, followed but accusations of attempted murder. (Slight spoiler, but one of the characters claims that another character tried to kill him by crashing a motorbike that they were both riding. Seriously... if I wanted someone dead I feel like I'd find a way that wouldn't surely injure me, too!)
The love triangle (or, rather, series of love triangles) was just frustrating. The book constantly pushed Arthur and Verity together, claiming that they were in love... yet, if they actually were in love, there is literally nothing stopping them from getting together, other than the rather annoying American soldier. I was so frustrated by Verity's infatuation with Jack, as it was just so clear that he was up to no good (though, of course, it was always going to be a different "no good" than what Arthur suspected) and when she finally discovers his betrayal, I had no sympathy for her whatsoever.
I've given this book three stars because there was a lot to like: the setting, the array of characters, the fascinating historical event... etc... I enjoyed a lot about this book, which simply made it all the more frustrating when the romance plots were just rather contrived.
September 20, 2023
There was a real sense of dread and drama in the telling of this story but I felt it lost it’s way a bit towards the end , which seemed a tad tawdry and anticlimactic. I felt there was a bigger story to tell which only got alluded to in the closing sequence.
September 1, 2020
Verity has ambitions beyond her small town life in Norfolk; she wants to study at university, but her Father has other ideas. With her Mother’s tragic and somewhat suspicious death still fresh and raw her Father’s drinking has spiralled out of control, leaving the fate of the families failing farm in the hands of her brother Peter. However, Verity’s Father believes marrying her off to a rich local is the answer to all their financial woes, but she will do anything to avoid it.
Peter has the weight of the world on his shoulders, the grief of his Mother’s untimely death, the dire financial situation of his family farm and the constant battles with his Father. He is in a rut that he can’t see a way out of, trying to keep everything afloat, but he has a secret, one which cannot be revealed for fear of the past repeating itself.
Arthur has recently returned from National Service, but longs for much more than working in his Mother’s shop and living in the cramped flat above. He dreams of running away with Verity and solidifying their romance, forging a career and building a life for them before they are consumed by the town by the sea, just as Verity’s Mother was. But, his dreams are thwarted by the smooth talking, slick American Pilot Jack who seems to appear out of thin air and Arthur knows he is hiding something he just has to figure out what…
The Night Of The Flood is one of those books that I found extremely difficult to summarise in a few short paragraphs due it’s complex web of family and romantic relationships. It’s also hard to fit this story into a single genre as it offers a little of everything; romance, historical fiction, mystery and thriller within it’s pages.
Set on the precipice of the Cold War The Night Of The Flood is a character driven, atmospheric glimpse into the lives of the a handful of young adults living in a small seaside town in Norfolk. From the get-go Somerville’s descriptive writing style paints a dark tension filled story, drip feeding information from the character’s past and present to eventually come together to complete the full picture at it’s dramatic conclusion.
The character’s are well-written, fully rounded and humanly flawed making them not only intriguing, but enthralling to read. The battles they all endure with themselves between their expectations and dreams is something I’m sure many readers will be able to relate to. There are multiple love triangles within this story which kept me hanging on and wondering what the outcome would ultimately be, it added an extra dimension to the usual love triangle ‘romance’ story. It was also nice to have the inclusion of a queer character and to see how different being gay was perceived back in the 1950’s.
I really enjoyed reading and learning more about this period of history, one which I’ll admit I was completely clueless about previously. The devastation of the North Sea flood was far reaching and whilst the focus of this story was on the relationships of it’s characters the information about the actual flood did compel me to do my own research into the event afterwards.
This is a dark tension filled book about love, obsession, secrets and lies with a real-life historical twist that is certain to keep you guessing. It’s quite a slow paced story, but this allows the ominous atmosphere to build gradually, which gave me some really creepy vibes – great for the Autumn when creepy books are everything! The strength of this book for me though is most certainly the character’s who are written perfectly, each with their own distinct identity.
If this book takes your fancy please be aware there are some trigger warnings : drowning, violence, voyeurism, death, animal death.
Peter has the weight of the world on his shoulders, the grief of his Mother’s untimely death, the dire financial situation of his family farm and the constant battles with his Father. He is in a rut that he can’t see a way out of, trying to keep everything afloat, but he has a secret, one which cannot be revealed for fear of the past repeating itself.
Arthur has recently returned from National Service, but longs for much more than working in his Mother’s shop and living in the cramped flat above. He dreams of running away with Verity and solidifying their romance, forging a career and building a life for them before they are consumed by the town by the sea, just as Verity’s Mother was. But, his dreams are thwarted by the smooth talking, slick American Pilot Jack who seems to appear out of thin air and Arthur knows he is hiding something he just has to figure out what…
The Night Of The Flood is one of those books that I found extremely difficult to summarise in a few short paragraphs due it’s complex web of family and romantic relationships. It’s also hard to fit this story into a single genre as it offers a little of everything; romance, historical fiction, mystery and thriller within it’s pages.
Set on the precipice of the Cold War The Night Of The Flood is a character driven, atmospheric glimpse into the lives of the a handful of young adults living in a small seaside town in Norfolk. From the get-go Somerville’s descriptive writing style paints a dark tension filled story, drip feeding information from the character’s past and present to eventually come together to complete the full picture at it’s dramatic conclusion.
The character’s are well-written, fully rounded and humanly flawed making them not only intriguing, but enthralling to read. The battles they all endure with themselves between their expectations and dreams is something I’m sure many readers will be able to relate to. There are multiple love triangles within this story which kept me hanging on and wondering what the outcome would ultimately be, it added an extra dimension to the usual love triangle ‘romance’ story. It was also nice to have the inclusion of a queer character and to see how different being gay was perceived back in the 1950’s.
I really enjoyed reading and learning more about this period of history, one which I’ll admit I was completely clueless about previously. The devastation of the North Sea flood was far reaching and whilst the focus of this story was on the relationships of it’s characters the information about the actual flood did compel me to do my own research into the event afterwards.
This is a dark tension filled book about love, obsession, secrets and lies with a real-life historical twist that is certain to keep you guessing. It’s quite a slow paced story, but this allows the ominous atmosphere to build gradually, which gave me some really creepy vibes – great for the Autumn when creepy books are everything! The strength of this book for me though is most certainly the character’s who are written perfectly, each with their own distinct identity.
If this book takes your fancy please be aware there are some trigger warnings : drowning, violence, voyeurism, death, animal death.
October 26, 2020
This book is based on a real event which happened in the 1950s when the “North Sea Flood” caused widespread damage as coastal areas were swamped by a deluge of diluvian proportions (tautological?) which caused devastating damage to land, property, coastal defences and the human and animal populations. This particular story is set in Norfolk and follows the lives of four young people in the aftermath of WW2. Peter and Verity are siblings who have had a privileged upbringing on a landed estate. The recent death of their mother has thrown the whole family into disarray. The estate is struggling financially and Verity’s father is determined that Verity will marry into money to save the family heritage. Arthur is a war refugee who moved to the area as a child and grew up with Peter and Verity but has, to some extent, been alienated from the inner family circle since their mother died. Peter and Arthur are very good friends and Arthur is besotted with Verity but she is not sure how she feels about him now that they are older. Floating on the sidelines is another local character Muriel, who used to play with Peter and Verity when they were children but whose family’s poverty stricken existence has created a distance between them now that they have grown older. Enter Jack, an American airman who is stationed at a nearby airbase and whose arrival seems destined to throw a spanner in the works, disrupting fragile relationships and creating a number of complex love triangles which are fraught with jealousy and potential violence. And then there is the flood, a backdrop against which almost anything could happen.
This book is well written with some atmospheric and descriptive prose. It is also well constructed with intricate relationship dynamics in play which have been well thought out and are believable, despite their complexity. There is an air of expectation as the eponymous “night of the flood” approaches which the reader knows is coming but the protagonists obviously don’t. The tensions build as the climax draws nearer and the author has handled this aspect of the book particularly well. There is a hint of espionage lurking in the background against of the backdrop of American/Soviet mistrust, and the main characters are all harbouring secrets, lies or obsessions which are in danger of being exposed as the pressures mount.
Having said all of that (and the book does have a lot of good points), it is definitely a slow-burner, with a particularly laboured start. So much so that I found it dull in places. Things became more interesting as I got to know the characters and their motivations but for me it was still not quite enough.
Personally I prefer a faster pace so hesitate to recommend this book unconditionally. Overall I would say that it is worth a read but if you are looking for an action-packed storyline then this book is not for you.
This book is well written with some atmospheric and descriptive prose. It is also well constructed with intricate relationship dynamics in play which have been well thought out and are believable, despite their complexity. There is an air of expectation as the eponymous “night of the flood” approaches which the reader knows is coming but the protagonists obviously don’t. The tensions build as the climax draws nearer and the author has handled this aspect of the book particularly well. There is a hint of espionage lurking in the background against of the backdrop of American/Soviet mistrust, and the main characters are all harbouring secrets, lies or obsessions which are in danger of being exposed as the pressures mount.
Having said all of that (and the book does have a lot of good points), it is definitely a slow-burner, with a particularly laboured start. So much so that I found it dull in places. Things became more interesting as I got to know the characters and their motivations but for me it was still not quite enough.
Personally I prefer a faster pace so hesitate to recommend this book unconditionally. Overall I would say that it is worth a read but if you are looking for an action-packed storyline then this book is not for you.
September 29, 2020
Set in the early 1950’s on the North Norfolk Coast, there is a heady sense of change and tension from the off. Verity Frost is a young woman grieving her mother’s death; a death officially logged as an accident but silently accepted as suicide. Her father is cocooned in his own grief and her brother, Peter is struggling to keep their once prosperous farm afloat.
Arthur, a childhood friend and ex evacuee has just returned from his National Service and is looking to make his mark on the world. Trying to pull himself away from his ailing mother and her shop, he has dreams of a career in journalism and marriage to Verity. Verity herself is straining at the leash of her own life, working feverishly to secure a place at Oxford. The social gulf between the pair is wide and their own ambitions seem to be at odds with their relationship.
Into this world that seems to be crushing all three young people; Verity, Arthur and Peter, bursts Jack. A charismatic American airman, based at the rather mysterious US airforce base outside of the village. All three are drawn to and equally horrified by his dominant presence; a presence which will change their world forever.
The US Base is the site of much speculation and intrigue. Arthur in particular is suspicious of what maybe happening there and sets out to expose it’s secrets. Aware that Jack is a threat to his own personal happiness with Verity, he allows this to feed a wider threat, encompassing the base as a whole.
Tensions increase throughout the novel, driven forward by the atmospheric sense of time and place. There is a feeling of change, of a post war world that is shifting on an axis, unsettling those within it, forcing things and people to change too. From the failure of the farm, to the arrival of the Americans, nothing in this coastal town is quite the same.
The real life and devastating North Sea Flood provides the flash point for the novel. Both as a catalyst and a climax which takes everyone’s lives to a point of no return.
The Night of The Flood is a stunning debut. A novel with pace, atmosphere and a true sense of character. It has important things to say about social change within Britain, particularly in relation to women and the class structure. Verity, for instance, is an intelligent women attempting to resist being trapped in a middle class role of social expectation and domesticity, a role that may well have killed her beautiful, talented mother. This is the kind of novel that pushes you to learn more about the events and circumstances that frame it’s narrative. This novel should be winking at you from September’s mammoth publication lists like a jewel. I am hugely grateful to Lauren Tavella at Head of Zeus for my proof copy, thank you.
Arthur, a childhood friend and ex evacuee has just returned from his National Service and is looking to make his mark on the world. Trying to pull himself away from his ailing mother and her shop, he has dreams of a career in journalism and marriage to Verity. Verity herself is straining at the leash of her own life, working feverishly to secure a place at Oxford. The social gulf between the pair is wide and their own ambitions seem to be at odds with their relationship.
Into this world that seems to be crushing all three young people; Verity, Arthur and Peter, bursts Jack. A charismatic American airman, based at the rather mysterious US airforce base outside of the village. All three are drawn to and equally horrified by his dominant presence; a presence which will change their world forever.
The US Base is the site of much speculation and intrigue. Arthur in particular is suspicious of what maybe happening there and sets out to expose it’s secrets. Aware that Jack is a threat to his own personal happiness with Verity, he allows this to feed a wider threat, encompassing the base as a whole.
Tensions increase throughout the novel, driven forward by the atmospheric sense of time and place. There is a feeling of change, of a post war world that is shifting on an axis, unsettling those within it, forcing things and people to change too. From the failure of the farm, to the arrival of the Americans, nothing in this coastal town is quite the same.
The real life and devastating North Sea Flood provides the flash point for the novel. Both as a catalyst and a climax which takes everyone’s lives to a point of no return.
The Night of The Flood is a stunning debut. A novel with pace, atmosphere and a true sense of character. It has important things to say about social change within Britain, particularly in relation to women and the class structure. Verity, for instance, is an intelligent women attempting to resist being trapped in a middle class role of social expectation and domesticity, a role that may well have killed her beautiful, talented mother. This is the kind of novel that pushes you to learn more about the events and circumstances that frame it’s narrative. This novel should be winking at you from September’s mammoth publication lists like a jewel. I am hugely grateful to Lauren Tavella at Head of Zeus for my proof copy, thank you.
December 5, 2020
ᴛʜᴇ 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ 𝗙𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗗 by Zoë Somerville is a truly beautiful book. I didn't realise until I read the acknowledgements that the story was based on true events of a flood, and I'm intrigued to know more. This really is historical fiction at its finest.
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𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗶𝘁. 𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴, 𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗲.
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Though the story was set in a time shortly after World War 2, what struck me was the timelessness of the issues the young characters experience.
There are tender love stories, and jealousies. There are families impacted by grief, loss and heartbreak in multiple ways.
The way the characters feel about their families is very honest. No matter how old people get, or how much experience they gain in life, they are still bound by their familial ties whether they want them or not.
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**TRIGGER WARNING** - Suicide.
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𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵, 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱, 𝘀𝗵𝗲'𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺, 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆. 𝗡𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝗳 𝘀𝗵𝗲'𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗮, 𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗳 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.
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The characters yearn for something more than their rural life in Norfolk, and dream of experiencing more.
They are all enamoured with Jack, the young American in the midst of their village, because of the other-worldlyness he represents. But he harbors many secrets, and when the truths are revealed it becomes clear that he isn't the glamorous hero they believe him to be.
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𝗛𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗶𝘁.
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The significance of the lives of each character is depicted in parallel to the destruction of the flood. The microcosm and macrocosm intertwine, with time and nature prevailing over the characters and their village.
Each of us leaves a legacy behind us, but we pale in comparison to the destruction and power of nature, which will outlast us all.
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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺, 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲.
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𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗶𝘁. 𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴, 𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗲.
-
Though the story was set in a time shortly after World War 2, what struck me was the timelessness of the issues the young characters experience.
There are tender love stories, and jealousies. There are families impacted by grief, loss and heartbreak in multiple ways.
The way the characters feel about their families is very honest. No matter how old people get, or how much experience they gain in life, they are still bound by their familial ties whether they want them or not.
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**TRIGGER WARNING** - Suicide.
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𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵, 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱, 𝘀𝗵𝗲'𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺, 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆. 𝗡𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝗳 𝘀𝗵𝗲'𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗮, 𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗳 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.
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The characters yearn for something more than their rural life in Norfolk, and dream of experiencing more.
They are all enamoured with Jack, the young American in the midst of their village, because of the other-worldlyness he represents. But he harbors many secrets, and when the truths are revealed it becomes clear that he isn't the glamorous hero they believe him to be.
-
𝗛𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗶𝘁.
-
The significance of the lives of each character is depicted in parallel to the destruction of the flood. The microcosm and macrocosm intertwine, with time and nature prevailing over the characters and their village.
Each of us leaves a legacy behind us, but we pale in comparison to the destruction and power of nature, which will outlast us all.
-
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺, 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲.
May 3, 2022
I was so lucky to meet this author at Tasting Notes Live in April 2022 and after hearing her talk about this book, I brought it at the event and devoured it in two days!
Atmospheric, intriguing, deadly and heart breaking. This is a brilliant debut novel from this author, and I have pre-ordered her next novel, The Marsh House already.
This book is based on a real event which happened in January 1953 when the North Sea Flood caused widespread damage as coastal areas were swamped by a deluge of water with waves over 20ft. A combination of a high spring tide and a severe European windstorm over the North Sea caused a storm tide. This was a catastrophic event which caused devastating damage to land, property, coastal defences and the human and animal populations. This is a great basis for the book, but there is also a love triangle, a failing family farm, a nearby US airbase that the locals suspect is more than just an airbase; the beginnings of the Cold War and the worries and ignorance of the 1950s.
The North Norfolk coast, where this book is set, holds fond memories for me, so this made this book that bit more special too, and as the story unfolded, I really felt like I was there alongside Verity, Jack, Arthur and Peter and as I read, at times I felt that I could actually feel the cold Winter wind blowing in from the sea, even now a couple of days after finishing the book, I am sure that I can still feel that cold easterly breeze, with the tang of the sea air and fish and chips wafting by too.
For me, this was an immersive plot, I loved the historical fiction too, as this was a real event, and I liked the way that the author interspersed that narrative with the trials and tribulations of families in the early 1950s in a small coastal town. Lots of twists and turns and a real page turner for me, particularly in the second part of the novel, after the flood. The ending was thought provoking, but it did tie things up too. As I mentioned above, I can’t wait for the author’s next book.
Atmospheric, intriguing, deadly and heart breaking. This is a brilliant debut novel from this author, and I have pre-ordered her next novel, The Marsh House already.
This book is based on a real event which happened in January 1953 when the North Sea Flood caused widespread damage as coastal areas were swamped by a deluge of water with waves over 20ft. A combination of a high spring tide and a severe European windstorm over the North Sea caused a storm tide. This was a catastrophic event which caused devastating damage to land, property, coastal defences and the human and animal populations. This is a great basis for the book, but there is also a love triangle, a failing family farm, a nearby US airbase that the locals suspect is more than just an airbase; the beginnings of the Cold War and the worries and ignorance of the 1950s.
The North Norfolk coast, where this book is set, holds fond memories for me, so this made this book that bit more special too, and as the story unfolded, I really felt like I was there alongside Verity, Jack, Arthur and Peter and as I read, at times I felt that I could actually feel the cold Winter wind blowing in from the sea, even now a couple of days after finishing the book, I am sure that I can still feel that cold easterly breeze, with the tang of the sea air and fish and chips wafting by too.
For me, this was an immersive plot, I loved the historical fiction too, as this was a real event, and I liked the way that the author interspersed that narrative with the trials and tribulations of families in the early 1950s in a small coastal town. Lots of twists and turns and a real page turner for me, particularly in the second part of the novel, after the flood. The ending was thought provoking, but it did tie things up too. As I mentioned above, I can’t wait for the author’s next book.
November 2, 2023
‘The Night of the Flood’ is Zoe Somerville’s first novel. Set in North Norfolk during the floods of January 1953 during which many of the coastal towns and villages suffered tremendous damage and because of which a hundred deaths were recorded, Somerville’s re-telling of the night does justice to the panic and confusion suffered by the inhabitants of Wells-next-the-Sea. Whilst the novel’s title suggests that this is the main focus, most of the narrative covers the time before and after the natural catastrophe.
Peter and Verity are young adults struggling to find their place in a post-war world. From a farming family, they have little parental guidance to rely on. Their father is increasingly ‘in his cups’ whilst their mother drowned a couple of years earlier. Verity’s secret is her embryonic relationship with former evacuee and childhood friend, Arthur, whilst Peter is mesmerised by American pilot, Jack, based at nearby Holkham. However, Arthur looks on Jack as a rival for Verity. An aspiring journalist and very interested in exploring the nuclear threat, he convinces himself that Jack is involved in the secret testing of these weapons. Throughout the novel in whatever permutation, it’s a case of two’s company and three’s a crowd.
Whilst the story of the flood and the depiction of North Norfolk will definitely hook readers who have roots in or have grown to love this area of the country, it is debatable whether or not the characters or plot will fully convince. At times, Somerville’s writing style feels unnecessarily amplified and I found it difficult to believe in the three central characters. Local girl Muriel, playing a minor part, feels more authentic. In a post war time of turmoil and uncertainty, there is much of universal interest that could have been explored further through the personal. Perhaps we’ll see this development in her second novel.
My thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.
Peter and Verity are young adults struggling to find their place in a post-war world. From a farming family, they have little parental guidance to rely on. Their father is increasingly ‘in his cups’ whilst their mother drowned a couple of years earlier. Verity’s secret is her embryonic relationship with former evacuee and childhood friend, Arthur, whilst Peter is mesmerised by American pilot, Jack, based at nearby Holkham. However, Arthur looks on Jack as a rival for Verity. An aspiring journalist and very interested in exploring the nuclear threat, he convinces himself that Jack is involved in the secret testing of these weapons. Throughout the novel in whatever permutation, it’s a case of two’s company and three’s a crowd.
Whilst the story of the flood and the depiction of North Norfolk will definitely hook readers who have roots in or have grown to love this area of the country, it is debatable whether or not the characters or plot will fully convince. At times, Somerville’s writing style feels unnecessarily amplified and I found it difficult to believe in the three central characters. Local girl Muriel, playing a minor part, feels more authentic. In a post war time of turmoil and uncertainty, there is much of universal interest that could have been explored further through the personal. Perhaps we’ll see this development in her second novel.
My thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.
September 7, 2020
I loved this exquisitely written debut novel from Zoe Somerville. It was a pleasure to read and I found myself swept along with the wonderful characters’ lives leading up to the dreadful flood in January 1953.
In May 1952, Arthur has just come back from National Service after the war. He feels suffocated by his home town in Norfolk and has ambitions to move to London to become a journalist, but he is hopelessly in love with Verity and longs for her to leave with him.
Verity has her heart set on studying at Oxford University and has no desire to be a wife and mother. She loves Arthur, as her family took him in as an evacuee during the war, but she’s not sure whether she wants to take their relationship further. So, when her head is turned by charming American pilot Jack, the three become involved in a heartbreaking love triangle.
The complex atmosphere of Norfolk in the post war era comes across brilliantly through the young characters in this story. The effects of the war are still being felt with a new threat of nuclear warfare hanging over them whilst at the same time hope for the future shines through and the need to have fun and expand their horizons. There were many different threads of this story that dealt with the characters’ struggles against the societal limitations of that time period, (which I won’t delve into for fear of spoilers), that were beautifully written and very emotional to read.
The tension is maintained throughout this ominous story until the climax of the devastating flood and this is when the heartbreaking effects of the love triangle all come to a head in a terrible night of darkness, fear and loss.
I was gripped by this love story from start to finish and I was fascinated by the inspiration behind the novel of the real-life North Sea flood of 1953. It is definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year.
In May 1952, Arthur has just come back from National Service after the war. He feels suffocated by his home town in Norfolk and has ambitions to move to London to become a journalist, but he is hopelessly in love with Verity and longs for her to leave with him.
Verity has her heart set on studying at Oxford University and has no desire to be a wife and mother. She loves Arthur, as her family took him in as an evacuee during the war, but she’s not sure whether she wants to take their relationship further. So, when her head is turned by charming American pilot Jack, the three become involved in a heartbreaking love triangle.
The complex atmosphere of Norfolk in the post war era comes across brilliantly through the young characters in this story. The effects of the war are still being felt with a new threat of nuclear warfare hanging over them whilst at the same time hope for the future shines through and the need to have fun and expand their horizons. There were many different threads of this story that dealt with the characters’ struggles against the societal limitations of that time period, (which I won’t delve into for fear of spoilers), that were beautifully written and very emotional to read.
The tension is maintained throughout this ominous story until the climax of the devastating flood and this is when the heartbreaking effects of the love triangle all come to a head in a terrible night of darkness, fear and loss.
I was gripped by this love story from start to finish and I was fascinated by the inspiration behind the novel of the real-life North Sea flood of 1953. It is definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year.
October 11, 2021
This was a wonderfully intoxicating novel, set around the real life flood that hit the East coast of England in 1953. It merges the before, during and after of the events while looking at the lives of local characters who are all dealing with their own issues and insecurities.
It's set in Norfolk, and centres around the goings on of a family living on a farm. Verity lives there with her father and brother, Peter, and they are all still coming to terms with a loss that impacted on them dreadfully. You get the impression that they all feel trapped by past events, and seem unable to fully move on and dream of a life away from the area. Verity especially has ideas of going to University, but that dream is always squashed by her father who wants her married off to a neighbours' son as times are tough and the financial standing of the farm is more important.
The Americans are in town due to the local airbase, and when Jack shows up in all their lives it seems to shake things up. He's a character not short of confidence and makes them all sit up and take notice - in good and bad ways!
I loved how the story plays out - the build up to the night of the flood showing life carrying on as normal, with the characters having no idea what was just around the corner for them all and that would impact the area so devastatingly.
I found all the characters so interesting to read about - the secrets, the emotions - and the impact that a change of personality added to the mix had on them all! It was a very atmospheric read and I was totally captivated by the setting, the impending disaster awaiting them and the angst they were all feeling due to their lives not being what their hearts desired and had left them feeling unsettled and regretful, but aware of responsibilities that were holding them back.
It's set in Norfolk, and centres around the goings on of a family living on a farm. Verity lives there with her father and brother, Peter, and they are all still coming to terms with a loss that impacted on them dreadfully. You get the impression that they all feel trapped by past events, and seem unable to fully move on and dream of a life away from the area. Verity especially has ideas of going to University, but that dream is always squashed by her father who wants her married off to a neighbours' son as times are tough and the financial standing of the farm is more important.
The Americans are in town due to the local airbase, and when Jack shows up in all their lives it seems to shake things up. He's a character not short of confidence and makes them all sit up and take notice - in good and bad ways!
I loved how the story plays out - the build up to the night of the flood showing life carrying on as normal, with the characters having no idea what was just around the corner for them all and that would impact the area so devastatingly.
I found all the characters so interesting to read about - the secrets, the emotions - and the impact that a change of personality added to the mix had on them all! It was a very atmospheric read and I was totally captivated by the setting, the impending disaster awaiting them and the angst they were all feeling due to their lives not being what their hearts desired and had left them feeling unsettled and regretful, but aware of responsibilities that were holding them back.
May 22, 2022
It's 1953 on the Norfolk coast and farmer's daughter, Verity is keen to escape her quiet life for university; brother Peter bears most of the responsibility of the failing farm because their father struggles and drinks, since the death of their mother. Childhood friend, and sweetheart of Verity's, Arthur has returned from National Service keen to prove he is worthy of Verity, but worried about the beginnings of the Cold War. Their lives are interrupted by the arrival of charming and dashing American pilot, Jack, from the nearby US airbase. As he becomes involved in their lives, fragile relationships shift, climaxing in a terrible flood, which silently creeps inland one night and which will change all their lives forever.
Based on the floods of this period, which impacted the East Anglian coast terribly, leading to much damage and loss of life, the author's focus is on the characters, their lives, hopes, fears and tangled relationships. The landscape and community of the relatively isolated rural setting, post second World War, creates a nostalgic atmosphere of yearning and an air of expectation. I admit I was expecting to enjoy this debut novel, having a soft spot for both Norfolk (I attended university there), mid-twentieth century historic fiction and of course mystery fiction and I'm pleased to report that I did; I also enjoyed the author drawing on the factual and tragic events of the floods. Perhaps slow to start, with a trickle of events, focusing on the character, the title may not be the most accurate. However, it is very atmospheric and beautifully written. The characters' desperation for better, coupled with pervading dread, as their lives go further astray, culminates in tragedy, as despair drives deadly decisions. This is an astute and accomplished debut novel.
Based on the floods of this period, which impacted the East Anglian coast terribly, leading to much damage and loss of life, the author's focus is on the characters, their lives, hopes, fears and tangled relationships. The landscape and community of the relatively isolated rural setting, post second World War, creates a nostalgic atmosphere of yearning and an air of expectation. I admit I was expecting to enjoy this debut novel, having a soft spot for both Norfolk (I attended university there), mid-twentieth century historic fiction and of course mystery fiction and I'm pleased to report that I did; I also enjoyed the author drawing on the factual and tragic events of the floods. Perhaps slow to start, with a trickle of events, focusing on the character, the title may not be the most accurate. However, it is very atmospheric and beautifully written. The characters' desperation for better, coupled with pervading dread, as their lives go further astray, culminates in tragedy, as despair drives deadly decisions. This is an astute and accomplished debut novel.
September 10, 2020
Verity wanted to flee her small town and go to Oxford, go and discover more of the world than her family farm can offer. Arthur has returned from National Service with little experience of actual war but wants to expose the threat to his home. Peter wants nothing more than for the family farm to succeed but he and Verity's hot-headed father will not see sense. Jack appears as if from no where and threatens to pull apart the family bonds cemented in this town - will he succeed?
A big thank you to Head of Zeus and Zoe Somerville for letting me take part in this blog tour and for providing me with a gorgeous proof to read! My dalliances with historical fiction are few and far between but this was a great addition to my portfolio. There are some other wonderful bloggers taking part, see below:
I was more tempted by the thriller aspect of this novel than anything else and I was a little disheartened to see that this wasn't a strong theme whilst romance soared above all else. There is some mystery surrounding the foursome and Jack's intentions with not only Verity but the town itself and his connection with the US Air Force but I definitely wanted something stronger than that. Whilst the slow burn romance builds throughout this book there is no doubt a fire throughout. Somerville beautifully executes hidden feelings, blatant crushes and burning passion all at once, crossing a barrier into authorship I've rarely seen. It was thoroughly enjoyable seeing the relationships develop further into the novel.
My main fear with historical fiction is that I won't usually understand the reference points that add some depth to the story. It turns out I had no reason to be afraid! References are made and a running story is Jack's US connections and spying on the Soviet Union but it doesn't play majorly into the narrative, you definitely do not need the background to be able to enjoy this. Another point I would make is that the 'historical' part of this fiction reads so easily that as a reader you do not need to struggle to create the image in your mind of fair ladies in their gowns and manor houses, Somerville lays it out clear and simple without dressing it up.
Somerville has a way of capturing the reader from page one, I love to see this, especially after a series of reading the same thriller story over and over. I had forgotten how different thrillers could be and whilst this wasn't a "shock, wow, ka-blam" thriller, it was subtle and sneaky throughout and made you doubt who you trusted, fear for the characters and beg for their well-being.
A truly wonderful read front to back, definitely deserves it's place on my bookshelf forevermore.
A big thank you to Head of Zeus and Zoe Somerville for letting me take part in this blog tour and for providing me with a gorgeous proof to read! My dalliances with historical fiction are few and far between but this was a great addition to my portfolio. There are some other wonderful bloggers taking part, see below:
I was more tempted by the thriller aspect of this novel than anything else and I was a little disheartened to see that this wasn't a strong theme whilst romance soared above all else. There is some mystery surrounding the foursome and Jack's intentions with not only Verity but the town itself and his connection with the US Air Force but I definitely wanted something stronger than that. Whilst the slow burn romance builds throughout this book there is no doubt a fire throughout. Somerville beautifully executes hidden feelings, blatant crushes and burning passion all at once, crossing a barrier into authorship I've rarely seen. It was thoroughly enjoyable seeing the relationships develop further into the novel.
My main fear with historical fiction is that I won't usually understand the reference points that add some depth to the story. It turns out I had no reason to be afraid! References are made and a running story is Jack's US connections and spying on the Soviet Union but it doesn't play majorly into the narrative, you definitely do not need the background to be able to enjoy this. Another point I would make is that the 'historical' part of this fiction reads so easily that as a reader you do not need to struggle to create the image in your mind of fair ladies in their gowns and manor houses, Somerville lays it out clear and simple without dressing it up.
Somerville has a way of capturing the reader from page one, I love to see this, especially after a series of reading the same thriller story over and over. I had forgotten how different thrillers could be and whilst this wasn't a "shock, wow, ka-blam" thriller, it was subtle and sneaky throughout and made you doubt who you trusted, fear for the characters and beg for their well-being.
A truly wonderful read front to back, definitely deserves it's place on my bookshelf forevermore.
September 2, 2020
An atmospheric and beautifully written mystery set during the North Sea flood of 1953!
I was kindly gifted this copy of the book from Head of Zeus in exchange for an honest review.
I'll be honest I was expecting this to be about a crime, with a who-dunnit style investigation but there was so much more to this book that took me totally by surprise!
The story begins nine months before the flood, where we are introduced to an array of characters, with each one bringing a new depth and surprises to the story. The landscape and characters were beautifully detailed and I could just picture each of them perfectly, as though I was right there with them.
Verity is our main character who has a complicated relationship with Arthur, her brother Peter and her Father. You can feel the pain she is dealing with and the confusion at not knowing exactly what it is she wants from life. She know's she wants to go to University and travel, but her Father wants her to marry a local boy whose family are rich.
Once we meet Jack the American pilot, the story picks up even more pace and I couldn't put it down. There were secrets he was keeping that I was desperate to find out and not only that, but along the way there are some interesting revelations about Peter that surface and I just was not expecting it in the slightest.
Once the flood happens the mystery of the crime appears and more secrets are revealed which tie up all the unanswered questions nicely.
Overall it's so much more than a crime thriller. It's about the journey these young characters go on at a time of uncertainty and devastation.
I was kindly gifted this copy of the book from Head of Zeus in exchange for an honest review.
I'll be honest I was expecting this to be about a crime, with a who-dunnit style investigation but there was so much more to this book that took me totally by surprise!
The story begins nine months before the flood, where we are introduced to an array of characters, with each one bringing a new depth and surprises to the story. The landscape and characters were beautifully detailed and I could just picture each of them perfectly, as though I was right there with them.
Verity is our main character who has a complicated relationship with Arthur, her brother Peter and her Father. You can feel the pain she is dealing with and the confusion at not knowing exactly what it is she wants from life. She know's she wants to go to University and travel, but her Father wants her to marry a local boy whose family are rich.
Once we meet Jack the American pilot, the story picks up even more pace and I couldn't put it down. There were secrets he was keeping that I was desperate to find out and not only that, but along the way there are some interesting revelations about Peter that surface and I just was not expecting it in the slightest.
Once the flood happens the mystery of the crime appears and more secrets are revealed which tie up all the unanswered questions nicely.
Overall it's so much more than a crime thriller. It's about the journey these young characters go on at a time of uncertainty and devastation.
January 20, 2022
This was the January read for my book club. It's not a book I would have picked up otherwise, as it's pretty much a tangled mess of attractions and lust, with a bit of cold war suspicion in there for good measure. I wasn't particularly interested in the love lives mess - it just didn't engage me as it felt like it could be summed up as young adult making silly choices in the first grip of love/lust - and not having a clue what to do with their feelings.
The Cold War suspicion was my favourite part of it - the edge of uncertainty and tension that meant it wasn't just "I don't like the guy who fancies you from jealously." It adds a mystery element to the book to work out exactly what Jack is up to (and the answer was quiet surprising, but also perfectly in keeping for the character, who I never liked!)
It also wasn't the typical Cold War suspicion of "this person might be a Russian spy." Instead it's about whether he's spying for the Americans and if letting him/them into the country is a good thing. Are they letting the Americans turn their quiet countryside into a danger zone with bombs and increasing the threat of Soviet attack? That helped make this book different.
The flood sequence was also good. Just all that terrifying water flooding the place, the loss of life and general ruination of everything. It was so horribly real.
There's a character, Muriel, who is a very minor POV character, and I honestly don't know why. She isn't really involved in the story at all, just watches on the outskirts, or occasionally goes fishing. She doesn't impact the love mess, doesn't do anything at the climax to help/hinder. She's just there.
The Cold War suspicion was my favourite part of it - the edge of uncertainty and tension that meant it wasn't just "I don't like the guy who fancies you from jealously." It adds a mystery element to the book to work out exactly what Jack is up to (and the answer was quiet surprising, but also perfectly in keeping for the character, who I never liked!)
It also wasn't the typical Cold War suspicion of "this person might be a Russian spy." Instead it's about whether he's spying for the Americans and if letting him/them into the country is a good thing. Are they letting the Americans turn their quiet countryside into a danger zone with bombs and increasing the threat of Soviet attack? That helped make this book different.
The flood sequence was also good. Just all that terrifying water flooding the place, the loss of life and general ruination of everything. It was so horribly real.
There's a character, Muriel, who is a very minor POV character, and I honestly don't know why. She isn't really involved in the story at all, just watches on the outskirts, or occasionally goes fishing. She doesn't impact the love mess, doesn't do anything at the climax to help/hinder. She's just there.
October 21, 2020
// The Night of the Flood 🌊 // Zoe Somerville // Book Review 4✨//
•
Big thanks to @headofzeus & @zoesomervillewrites for the gifted proof, I am honoured that I got to read before it was released.
•
“But the time after a flood was always strangely full, teeming with life. Life had been undone, unmade, taken away by the sea. But what was left in its place?”
•
1952, Norfolk. Set in the backdrop of the Cold War, Verity meets Jack, American Pilot flying reconnaissance missions off the North Sea Coast. Verity is taken by his charisma, adventure and secrets. Verity’s friend Arthur has just returned from National Service, desperate to be close to her, he is incredibly wary of Jack. The night of the flood will wash away the world they knew, as a crime is committed that will swamp destruction on all of their lives.
•
I’m a sucker for a good historical fiction and this really hit the mark. Awash with mystery and a dark swirl of deception. We know a body has been found at the start, but here spans a tale of ‘three’s a crowd’, the loss of innocence and a dangerous tryst. Based loosely around the time of the North Sea Flood of 1953, it gripped me throughout.
•
Historical fiction fans - this came out on Super Thursday! Grab yourself a copy and enjoy 🌊
•
Big thanks to @headofzeus & @zoesomervillewrites for the gifted proof, I am honoured that I got to read before it was released.
•
“But the time after a flood was always strangely full, teeming with life. Life had been undone, unmade, taken away by the sea. But what was left in its place?”
•
1952, Norfolk. Set in the backdrop of the Cold War, Verity meets Jack, American Pilot flying reconnaissance missions off the North Sea Coast. Verity is taken by his charisma, adventure and secrets. Verity’s friend Arthur has just returned from National Service, desperate to be close to her, he is incredibly wary of Jack. The night of the flood will wash away the world they knew, as a crime is committed that will swamp destruction on all of their lives.
•
I’m a sucker for a good historical fiction and this really hit the mark. Awash with mystery and a dark swirl of deception. We know a body has been found at the start, but here spans a tale of ‘three’s a crowd’, the loss of innocence and a dangerous tryst. Based loosely around the time of the North Sea Flood of 1953, it gripped me throughout.
•
Historical fiction fans - this came out on Super Thursday! Grab yourself a copy and enjoy 🌊
September 3, 2020
Set on the Norfolk coast in the early 1950s The Night of the Flood is an atmospheric and at times claustrophobic historical story. Centred around a historic natural disaster, the author interweaves a believable fiction of complex emotional relationships and secrets.
It focuses on the five young adults all inexorably changed by WW2 and railing against their allotted roles in life. Peter, shackled to the failing family farm. Verity, an ambitious woman who wants more from life than marriage and domesticity. Arthur, a former evacuee who has journalistic ambitions he may never realise. Muriel is a less distinct character known to all whose role increases with the story's progression. Finally, there is Jack, an American stationed at the local airbase, who is the catalyst that forever alters the young lives.
The story is sad and suspenseful, the protagonists'victims of society's expectations and individual flaws. The coastal historical setting reinforces the story's authenticity. Relatable characters engage the reader's emotions in this insightful story.
I received a copy of this book from Head of Zeus in return for an honest review.
This is an insight
It focuses on the five young adults all inexorably changed by WW2 and railing against their allotted roles in life. Peter, shackled to the failing family farm. Verity, an ambitious woman who wants more from life than marriage and domesticity. Arthur, a former evacuee who has journalistic ambitions he may never realise. Muriel is a less distinct character known to all whose role increases with the story's progression. Finally, there is Jack, an American stationed at the local airbase, who is the catalyst that forever alters the young lives.
The story is sad and suspenseful, the protagonists'victims of society's expectations and individual flaws. The coastal historical setting reinforces the story's authenticity. Relatable characters engage the reader's emotions in this insightful story.
I received a copy of this book from Head of Zeus in return for an honest review.
This is an insight
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December 30, 2021I read this book as much for its setting as anything else - pandemic-isolated from Norfolk, I seek out books that take me there. Atmospheric and descriptive, set against post-war Britain with its slow social change, the influence of the Americans and their air bases in Norfolk still present, the story follows siblings Verity and Peter, their friend Arthur, and a glamourous American pilot, Jack. Tensions of class and sexual attraction and societal/family expectations exist for all three Norfolk-bred characters, and in different ways Jack seems to offer each of them more. The problems facing the young people are realistic for the times and location, and I can attest in my own family to the glamour American servicemen had. But is Jack who he says he is?
The climax of the story corresponds with the deadly floods of 1953, the destruction of land and property paralleling the emotional forces that also prove life-changing for all the characters. I read The Night of the Flood in two sittings, and I look forward to Ms. Somerville's next book.
The climax of the story corresponds with the deadly floods of 1953, the destruction of land and property paralleling the emotional forces that also prove life-changing for all the characters. I read The Night of the Flood in two sittings, and I look forward to Ms. Somerville's next book.
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