Tag: English setting

Kazuo Ishiguro’s—The Remains of the Day

Mr. Stevens who has been the head butler for decades at Darlington Hall now works for the new owner, an American. With an opportunity to drive to Cornwall while his employer is away, he plans to visit Miss Keaton who was once a co-worker under Lord Darlington. Mr. Stevens begins his journey while his thoughts turn to the past. During the 1930s important meetings were held in Darlington Hall as well as incidents between himself and Miss Keaton that he dwells over.

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Maggie O’Farrell—The hand that first held mine *****

When Innes first spies Lexie in the 1950’s, he is enthralled. She’s desperate to escape her boring English village and her siblings. She heads to London and works in a department store, but Innes soon entices her to his office where they make an inseparable team writing articles for his magazine.

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Kate Grenville’s—A room made of leaves*****

At the death of Elizabeth’s father, she and her mother move in with her grandfather. And while Elizabeth’s mother doesn’t care for her daughter, her grandfather dotes on her and teaches her all he knows about farming and sheep. After her mother remarries and abandons her daughter, Elizabeth is taken in by her best friend, Bridie’s parents. They are close friends until Elizabeth makes the biggest mistake that will change her life forever.

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Lissa Evans’—Crooked heart *****

You might think this is yet another novel set in England during World War 11 and read no further. But don’t be fooled. This is a tale like no other I’ve read before, full of humour with an odd and dubious list of characters.

Ten-year-old Noel lives with his aging godmother until she dies, when he’s sent as an evacuee outside of London. There he’s paired with Vee, a single mother who is struggling to keep a roof over her head for herself, her helpless mother, and useless son, Donald. Nineteen-year-old Donald has a heart condition and can’t join up, but soon discovers an illegal way to make large sums of cash that he doesn’t share with his mother. Vee keeps failing at schemes to make money until she realizes that Noel isn’t the empty headed child she though he was. This well written novel is full of tongue-in-cheek laughs.