Absolutely and forever
£16.99
Marianne Clifford, 15, only child of a peppery army colonel and his vain wife, Lal, falls helplessly and absolutely for Simon Hurst, 18, whose cleverness and physical beauty suggest that he will go forward into a successful and monied future, helped on by doting parents. But fate intervenes. Simon’s plans are blown off course, and Marianne is forced to bury her dreams of a future together. Narrating her own story, characterising herself as ignorant and unworthy, Marianne’s telling use of irony and smart thinking gradually suggest to us that she has underestimated her own worth. We begin to believe that – in the end, supported by her courageous Scottish friend, Petronella – she will find the life she never stops craving. But what we can’t envisage is that beneath his blithe exterior, Simon Hurst has been nursing a secret which will alter everything.
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Description
‘Funny, piercing and singular? I can’t fathom the reason why you wouldn’t rush straight out to buy it‘ Observer
Determined, rebellious Marianne Clifford is searching for love and freedom in 1960s London
How do you find the courage to make your own life?
Marianne Clifford, teenage daughter of a peppery army colonel and his vain wife, falls helplessly and absolutely for eighteen-year-old Simon Hurst, whose cleverness and physical beauty suggest that he will go forward into a successful and monied future, helped on by doting parents. But fate intervenes. Simon’s plans are blown off course, he leaves for Paris and Marianne is forced to bury her dreams of a future together.
It is Marianne who tells this piercing story of first love, characterising herself as ignorant and unworthy, whilst her smart, ironic narration tellingly reveals so much more. Finding her way in 1960s Chelsea, and supported by her courageous Scottish friend, Petronella, she continues to seek the life she never stops craving. And in Paris, beneath his blithe exterior, Simon Hurst continues to nurse the secret which will alter everything.
”Lively and emotional … Not many novelists of this calibre are so easy to read and hard to put down‘ Sunday Times
‘Masterly and profoundly moving’ Financial Times
‘Moving, evocative and mesmerising in its acuity’ Mail on Sunday
‘[A] delicate, generous-hearted novel’ Spectator
READERS LOVE ABSOLUTELY AND FOREVER…
‘Heartrending, funny, unputdownable‘ 5*****
‘Rose Tremain has once again delivered an undoubted modern classic‘ 5*****
‘Marianne will remain with me as a friend‘ 5*****
‘A masterclass in character and world building … the writing is just sublime‘ 5*****
Additional information
| Weight | 0.316 kg |
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| Dimensions | 22.2 × 14.4 × 2.2 cm |
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