Persephone Books discussion

By Joanna Cannan

I really liked this one; I thought the ending was very much 'of its time', (view spoiler)[I would hope now that his relatives would be pleased that he was not a lonely exile all the time he was in China, he had a wife and child, and hopefully led a full and happy life. I suppose that Muriel was ashamed that he had 'gone native', and didn't want people back home to know. (hide spoiler)]

I agree, Tania. She was appalled at thinking he hadn’t let a solitary life, that he had taken a Chinese wife. Totally felt typical of the time.