I was completely absorbed in this book and read through it quickly. The larger part of the book is set in the period just before the Second World War, and tells the story of an upper middle class family who are a solid part of the establishment.
Everything changes for Hugh and Phyllis Forrester when they return to England after years abroad and they move to Sussex to be near Phyllis's sisters. One sister, Patricia, has married a very weathy man and they live in a substantial house; while the other sister, Nina, has married a man who is in business and runs a garage, so not really the kind of man her parents envisaged for her. Hugh's social status falls somewhere in between, but the family are still very comfortably off and fit in easily with Patricia's circle of friends.
Nina and her husband Eric have become very active in a political movement and they help organise local talks and summer camps to allow people to come and find out more for themselves. As Phyllis has not yet established any kind of social routine for herself, she accepts Nina's offer to bring her three children along to one of the camps and they quickly make friends and enjoy all the actiivities.
The right-wing movement increases its members nationally, and Hugh quickly moves into the higher levels of the organisation because of his understanding of world affairs. Both Phyllis and Hugh feel very much aligned with the policies of the movement which they consider to not only be patriotic but common sense, and both are card carrying members.
The writer, Cressida Connolly, brilliantly captures life during this pre-war period and the book demonstrates how quite ordinary families can become aligned with doctrine that history looks back on with a more critical eye. I found it fascinating to see how quickly lives can be altered forever, and it is clear that much research has gone into the historical background. It's the kind of book that will stick in the mind long after the final page is turned.
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