Edwina is a woman in her seventies who leads a very lonely life.
It is at this point in her life that she decides to sell her house and move to Cornwall. As Edwina shows the travel agent all the rooms in her house, memories overwhelm her and we get to know about her life little by little.
Edwina has been married twice. The first time she married Ollie, and they had twin children, a boy they named Charlie, and a girl they named Rowena. The twins were born in 1860. Edwina was deeply in love with Ollie, but their happiness ended abruptly when Ollie died unexpectedly one day when they were on the beach with the children. They were still babies. Ollie had a heart condition they knew nothing about. Edwine had to raise her children alone, and she hired Alice, a black woman, who she met once in a park. Alice was her lifesaver domestically.
Edwina's second husband was Dickie, who worked in politics. Dickie was not a free man when they started their relationship. Edwina knows that she came between him and his wife, Barbara, who never forgave her. The relationship Edwina had with his son, Lucas, was difficult as the boy was influenced by his mother's opinion of Edwina, and Edwina never liked. Now in her seventies she wishes she had made the effort.
As the children grew up, Edwina became aware of the differences between the twins. Rowena was gifted academically, but Charlie struggled but he was a exceptional singer. That is why Rowena agreed to send him to a boarding school so that he could exploit his talent to the fullest. Yet, when his voice changed, he was asked to leave as his academic performance left much to be desired. Dickie talked to one of his friends, Robbins, to get Charlie into the school where he taught. Two weeks later Edwina vented all her anger against Dickie because Charlie had reported that Robbins had abused him. Dickie did not think it was serious as it was something that all boys had to go through. Edwina was totally outraged, and his wife took him out of the school. Next she sent the boy to a school where the focus was on the arts, and discipline was not so strict. Dickie did not agree as it was a coeducational school, but Edwina ignored his protests. Charlie bloomed there, but Edwina had a few complaints because Charlie fraternised with the girls too much. After that, Charlie went to an art school.
Edwina also had problems with Rowena who had an eating disorder. The girl started eating less and less and threw up what she ate. Even when she turned twenty-one and recovered, the way she ate was methodical and restricted. Rowena was a good student and went to Oxford, which upset Dickie as Lucas failed the entry exam.
Dickie is also dead at present, and Edwina has been alone for years. I am curious to know where her children are and why in the part I have read there is no reference to the present of Charlie and Rowena.
The second part of the book focuses on Fern, who in 1981 is a student of drama in Manchester. She would have liked to have gone to London, but she was not accepted. Fern lives in a small flat with Felicity and her lover, Dee. These living arrangements are a mistake of the accommodation officer who apparently messed up with her application. I think that Fern connects with Edwina through the Landreth family, who were friends of Dickie and his first wife, Barbara. Fern and Elise Landreth are cousins.
I love how the narration in this book is done. Instead of a linear narration we get to discover chunks of Edvwina's past gradually. That is quite original.
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