The Norchester sisters, Charlotte, Annie and Phyllis, intellectuals and life-long suffragettes*, are surprised to discover that Charlotte's daughter doesn't share their passions. When she expresses interest in the domestic arts and sciences, they are somewhat dismayed. But they are a loving and supportive family, and they want Ellen to be happy. After graduating summa cum laude from the Lucy Hatton School of Cookery, Ellen leaves England for Austria, where she takes up a domestic post at the Hallendorf School:
A tangle of creepers seemed to be all that held up the boathouse; a shutter flapped on its hinges on an upstairs window; the yew hedges were fuzzy and overgrown. And this of course made it only lovelier, for who could help thinking of the Sleeping Beauty and a castle in a fairy tale? Except that, as they came in to land, Ellen saw the words EURYTHMICS IS CRAP painted on the walls of a small Greek temple by the water's edge.
"The children are wild," hissed the old woman into her ear. "They're like wild animals."
The old woman wasn't exaggerating. The children are wild, as are most of the teachers. But they're also willing to love, desperate to be loved, and the gentle order Ellen brings to Hallendorf is welcomed by almost everyone, including Marek, the handsome handyman/fencing master.
For a time, life at Hallendorf is close to idyllic, if a bit eccentric. But WWII looms.
Ellen isn't the usual sparky/witty/feisty/somewhat selfish heroine who usually wins my immediate adoration -- she's very nice and sweet and placid and self-sacrificing** -- but she has such strength and courage that it'd be impossible to not at least admire her and root for her.
Suffragettes and a musical genius, a tortoise on wheels, nude sunbathing and poor little rich kids, longing and loss and love and defenestration and a Russian ballerina (sort of) and so much food it made me hungry.
I wasn't immediately won over by A Song For Summer the way I was by A Countess Below Stairs, but, when the time came, I found myself boo-hooing like a champ. Just the right sort of book to read now that the lilacs are blooming -- almost too sweet, maybe, but I missed it when it was over.
*Twenty years after women gained the vote, their parlor is still decked out in purple, green and white.
**She does have a mostly secret, almost invisible streak of snark (it's very well hidden, but I swear it's there) that appears every so often. Watch for it.
I loved it too. (Interesting, the edition the library sent me has a different cover.) "I am the proletariat."
It was kind of two or three books in one, mind you.
Any idea if they're reissuing The Morning Gift?
Posted by: Electric Landlady | 08 June 2007 at 12:18 PM
Yep -- and Company of Swans. I have ARCs of both, and I'm hoping to read 'em during the Book Challenge this weekend!
Posted by: Leila | 08 June 2007 at 12:23 PM
I really loved that she bucked the trend of spunky, witty, disaffected, blah, blah, blah. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love them too, but not all the freaking time.
EL, At LEAST three.
Leila, you should reread Journey to the River Sea before CoS, a lot of characters make reappearences.
Posted by: cc | 11 June 2007 at 12:27 PM