reviewed live on bookshow by Babs Simpson January 2014
This is based on true events that happened in the artists' colony at
Lamorna Cove, Cornwall, in the golden age of the early 1900's before the 1st
WW.
The main characters are Alfred Munnings, celebrated painter of horses as
well as beautiful women, his glorious young wife Florence, also an artist, and
Gilbert Evans, Manager at the Boskenna Estate.
The story opens 40yrs after the events, with Sir Alfred Munnings outgoing
president of the Royal Academy, making his final speech to that body at the
end of which he launches into a tirade against Modern Art. The speech is
rambling and dissolves into incoherence and when he says a particular word that
takes him back to 1916 and Lamorna, he is unable to continue. The speech was
broadcast live by the BBC and must have been dreadfully embarrassing for all
concerned.
The story unfolds slowly and inexorably to its sad conclusion. It is
beautifully written, West Cornwall is faithfully described in sunshine and storm
and the love affair between the main characters is vividly drawn.
My only quibble is that I couldn't imagine why Florence ever married
Alfred. But perhaps the author couldn't either so was unable to make that part
believable. But the fact remains that she did and it's all true, so there we
are.
Summer in February has recently been made into a film and I shall be
interested to see it. I really enjoyed the book and hope the film does such an
extraordinary story full justice.
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