This was my book group read for December and I have copied and pasted the review I wrote from the ‘My Book Group Reads’ page of my website:
The girls all liked the book and found it easy to read in style but also thought provoking and raised deep issues. Set after the first world war, a young man (Freddie) who suffered from depression after losing his brother in the war (in an era when people, especially men, were just supposed to bury their feelings and show a stiff upper lip) is travelling through France when his car spins off the road during a snowstorm.
He seeks refuge in a small town that is celebrating a winter festival of remembrance and Freddie meets a captivating young woman with whom he shares a deep connection. The following morning, however she cannot be found and nobody seems to know who she is. Can Freddie find her again and what is her connection to the underground caverns that have been sealed since the conflicts with the Cathars?
I always like a bit of magical realism, but it was interesting that the other girls from the book group all liked it when they don’t usually go for that type of thing.
Sarah Wray Writer 