A tense, evocative, portrait of love and deceit set during one long hot summer in France, The Greengage Summer is a hauntingly beautiful coming-of-age story by from Rumer Godden, the author of Black Narcissus, now a major BBC drama series. When their mother is suddenly taken ill on holiday, five siblings are left to fend for themselves at the elegant, faded hotel, Les Oeillets. Under the increasingly jealous gaze of the glamorous patronne, Mademoiselle Zizi, the children gravitate towards her mysterious and charming ...
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A tense, evocative, portrait of love and deceit set during one long hot summer in France, The Greengage Summer is a hauntingly beautiful coming-of-age story by from Rumer Godden, the author of Black Narcissus, now a major BBC drama series. When their mother is suddenly taken ill on holiday, five siblings are left to fend for themselves at the elegant, faded hotel, Les Oeillets. Under the increasingly jealous gaze of the glamorous patronne, Mademoiselle Zizi, the children gravitate towards her mysterious and charming lover, Eliot, for comfort. And, amongst the gnarled trees of the old orchards, thirteen-year-old Cecil watches from the sidelines as her achingly beautiful sister, Joss, is drawn into the heart of a toxic affair. Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.
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Even if you've seen the movie (LOSS OF INNOCENCE, 1961), don't skip reading the book! You'll miss a very special experience.
Joss (Joanna), Cecil, Hester, Wilmouse (William, like his uncle), and Vicky (Victoria) Grey live in Southstone, England with their mother full-time while their botanist father's expeditions last years at a time. The year the siblings are 16, 13, 10, 7, and 4, Mother decides that what they need most is to tour war cemeteries in France. Just before they get there Mother becomes very ill, so the youngsters have to get her to the hospital and check themselves into their chosen hotel, whose name is the French for "carnations." The proprietor won't accept unchaperoned minors at first, but her gentleman friend, Eliot, vouches for them. She still doesn't really want them around, especially once Eliot gets a good look at Joss. Joss was also sidelined by illness for their first few days, but one evening she comes down all dressed up for supper, and Eliot just flips! (As do other men who see her.) Maybe Cecil wishes he'd notice her. But she controls herself better than Mademoiselle Zizi does....right?....
(Zizi: are you up on your French slang? "Zizi" is...well, quite the nickname!) There's a lot of French language, but most of it is translated or explained. You shouldn't have any trouble enjoying the wonderful atmosphere Godden creates.
