![]() ![]() She has a fairly happy childhood doing okay at school but really revelling in the vacations spent at her grandparents’ country home Charbury House, where she and her cousins, including the handsome and domineering Denys (to whom she considers herself engaged) fill their time with games and dares. Young Mary had lost her own father (whom she hardly knew) to the Great War and was brought up by her mother Mrs Shannon whose chose to earn her own living (first teaching dressmaking and then joining, partnering in and eventually taking over a dress shop) rather than rely on her wealthy father-in-law who offered help, and uncle Geoffrey Payne, an actor, initially on the stage and who later makes his way to Hollywood. But news of a ship that has been sunk sends her into a spiral of anxiety causing her to reflect on the paths her life has taken so far. ![]() A coming-of-age story and a story of finding love, with plenty of humour, a range of interesting (some the slightest bit eccentric) characters, and some wonderful writing, Mariana (1940) by Monica Dickens was an engaging and delightful read all through.Īs the book opens, we meet Mary as a young woman who has come away from London to Little Creek End (with Bingo the dog) for a weekend of solitude as her husband is away at the war. ![]()
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