THIS IS A VERY ENJOYABLE FIRST NOVEL BY SH WHOSE AUTOBIOGRAPHY, THE TWO OF
US, ABOUT HER LIFE WITH HER LATE HUSBAND JOHN THAW, WAS A MOST DESERVED HUGE
SUCCESS.
THE EPONYMOUS HEROINE, MARGUERITE CARTER, IS HALF FRENCH AND WE JOIN HER AS
A YOUNG WOMAN JUST STARTING OUT ON HER CAREER AS AN ENGLISH TEACHER IN A LONDON
GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL NOT LONG AFTER THE END OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR. WE LEARN
THAT SHE WAS IN SPECIAL OPS EXECUTIVE THROUGH A ERIES OF FLASHBACKS, THAT THEIR
PARENTS HAD BEEN KILLED BY THE NAZIS AND THAT SHE HAD A BRIEF PASSIONATE AFFAIR
WITH ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF A FRENCH RESISTANCE GROUP SHE HAD BEEN SENT IN TO
HELP.
MARGUERITE ENJOYS HER NEW JOB AND MAKES A FRIEND OF A FELLOW TEACHER, TONY,
FALLING IN LOVE WITH HIM BEFORE HE ADMITS TO BEING GAY - THIS AT THE TIME WHEN
IT IS A CRIMES AND HE COULD BE IMPRISONED IF THE TRUTH CAME OUT. SO A CLOSE
FRIENDSHIP DEVELOPS AND TONY INVOLVES MARGUERITE IN HIS QUEST FOR JUSTICE AND
FAIRNESS IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE IN THE 50'S WHERE NONE EXISTS. TONY AND
MARGUERITE ARE PASSIONATE SOCIALISTS AND EVENTUALLY MOVE TO A NEW COMPREHENSIVE
SCHOOL TO PURSUE THEIR CAREERS WORKING UNDER A VISIONARY HEADMASTER WHOSE
RADICAL IDEAS ARE MOST UNPOPULAR WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT.
THEN MARGUERITE MEETS JIMMY, A FORMER RAF BOMBER COMMAND PILOT ON A CND
MARCH AND TONY FALLS IN LOVE WITH DONALD, A PRINCIPAL DANCER WITH THE ROYAL
BALLET BUT THEY REMAIN CLOSE FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES.
THE BOOK EXPLORES ALL THE FAMOUS POLITICAL CAUSES AND CONFLICTS OF THE MID
20TH CENTURY ONWARDS AND ALTHOUGH IT COULD NOT BE DESCRIBED AS POLITICALLY
IMPARTIAL IT IS TOTALLY ACCURATE IN ITS DEPICTION OF HOW THINGS WERE, HOW OUR
LIVES GRADUALLY CHANGED WHAT WE DID AND WHAT WE WORE - EVERYTHING.
SHEILA HANCOCK HAS GOT A WONDERFUL EYE FOR DETAIL AND EAR FOR VOICES AND
THE STORY IS ABSORBING. I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT MARGUERITE AND TONY AND WHAT
HAPPENED TO THEM
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS HANCOCK
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