Book description
The Death of the Heart is perhaps Elizabeth Bowen's best-known book. As she deftly and delicately exposes the cruelty that lurks behind the polished surfaces of conventional society, Bowen reveals herself as a masterful novelist who combines a sense of humor with a devastating gift for divining human motivations.
In…
Why read it?
1 author picked The Death of the Heart as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Many consider this book one of the finest modernist novels of the 20th century. However, it is still not read as widely as it deserves to be. I love the way Elizabeth Bowen fuses the intense spirit of modernism with observation that is as disarming as it is accurate. The novel follows the faltering progress of naive but plucky Portia, a sixteen-year-old orphan thrown upon the indifferent mercy of her half-brother and his wife.
There’s an unsuitable boyfriend, a stern but kind maid, a lively school friend and a seaside holiday that goes rather wrong. Throughout, we’re under the skin…
From John's list on get under the skin of 1930s Britain.
If you love The Death of the Heart...
A Particular Man
This book is a literary historical novel. It is set in Britain immediately after World War II, when people – gay, straight, young, and old - are struggling to get back on track with their lives, including their love lives. Because of the turmoil of the times, the number of…
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