Complex, moving, full of insight, and harrowing in places, this novel haunts the reader with its rich, expressive prose and its comprehensive depiction of its characters. Set mostly in Ireland and Africa, it uses the emergence of Eire as a republic and the difficulties that separation from mainland Britain imposes on that society during the Second World War as its background to both romance and conflict.

There is a deep understanding of the Irish situation, some of which was new to me as a reader, but its influence on personal decisions and the building of personalities is evident throughout the book. Written with a good understanding of the times in which it is set, it reflects the unconscious racial, religious, and political prejudices of the time and deals well with the developing sense of freedoms felt by women.

The relationship between Jack and his extraordinary wife, Mai, is presented with such empathy and understanding that the tensions of their love and conflicts spring fully formed from the pages.
The background of the times and locations manages to inform without ever getting in the way of the story. And it’s a story that remains long with the reader after the last page has been consumed.

[Any review is a personal opinion. No reviewer can represent the view of anyone else. The best we can manage is an honest reaction to any given book.]