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Upon coming home from the expedition, Leah seems to want to replicate part of her underwater experience. Finding comfort with the sound machine, bath tub and viscous material which feels like gritty bath salts.

Myri and Leah split the narration. Leah back from a long submarine trip and the unknown Centre leading to the two navigating their renewed lives together. Myri escapes by meeting with her old friend Carmen.
Narratives flit easily between present day and past memories of how and when L and M met.

Up to part 2.
Following Christopher 'Fluke' Kelso who hopes to revive his failing career at the Soviet Archives where he meets Rapuva. After Rapuva's disappearance, Kelso find his daughter, Zinaida, a prostitute with a rampant lifestyle. With a journalist and the KGB hot on his tails, Kelso finds himself tangled up in an unexpect web of historical significance taking him next to Archangel

Upon news of a collapsing financial market Asquith “groped for the least alarming adjective he could think of- ‘unhelpful’
Optimism is one quality of two needed to be PM.

Despite all of the chaos Asquith finds solace and hope with Venetia. He says “there was no such a thing in politics as true friendship… he is careful not to give away all that was in his mind. Only with Venetia was he completely unguarded.”

Part one of a triology, Crossroads is a great start. Franzen lays on a lavish spread of self-doubt, family tensions and dysfunctional relationships in a somewhat comical way. Despite the lack of cohesion within the lead family, the reader gets an in depth analysis of each of them throughout the 500+ page novel. The length of the novel should not deter anyone, each page is well worth the time.

Thanks to my Aunt, I have read my first Mary Renault novel set in the Hellenic age and by no means it will not be the last.
Renault clearly knows her stuff - she uses her intimate knowledge of the subject and culture by using accurate details without it feeling forced or over-researched. A great sense of realism develop between the character's relationships and interactions, undulating throughout.