MICHELLE MAGORIANTHREE STARS
When I read this at fourteen I couldn't put it down; I was completely enthralled. Re-reading the book over a decade later and it's not the riveting read I remember, but there's certainly enough there to keep it interesting. Whilst the main plot of the novel is centered upon Ralph's aspirations for the theatre, there are a myriad of sub plots exploring family relationships, politics within the workplace, and the constraints associated with class.
Far from being a novel revolving around one lead protagonist. the pages are packed with characters who each have their own struggles and their own challenge to piece together their lives after the war; each character brings a new dimension, and a more emotional element, to the tale.
For me, the amount of dialogue detracted from the overall flow of the story. Nonetheless, a sweeping, detailed novel that paints a striking picture of post war England, one that is carefully suited to the younger readers it is intended for.
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