Persephone Books discussion

Mollie Panter-Downes

From me: 5 stars.

Witty, charming, and with a wonderful ending sentence story written in wartime. The life, and thoughts of an ordinary man who wants to be unordinary.

(You can listen to it on YT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kBXU...)

Thanks, Mela!

I agree. Her prose is deliciously witty and psychologically acute. The story paints a telling picture of the nitty-gritty of middle class life on the WWII homefront in England where the daily routine has gotten harder and harder to keep up with. Neither the protagonist nor his wife who will be left to cope alone with his mother and the children has a real choice, but I wonder who the author thinks has the harder task.

I felt both sorry for, and exasperated by Janet. She was clearly struggling, but most of the pressure came from herself. Surely under the circumstances it's ok to let things slide a little.

First story I have read by Mollie Panter Downes. I liked it. Here’s Mark safe on the home front wanting to feel some danger in his life. And then his wife, coping with no help in their home. I thought she captured the changing society well. I’m no Janet- but I guess women at that time put such store in having their homes perfect.