The Past

Three adult sisters, and their brother return to their

granpee’s home in the English countryside for a summer holiday. The home is the crumbling sort that holds years of memories and idyllic beauty. Their mother grew up in this home and their grandfather was the preacher at the church next door. The children come back to discuss the possibility of selling as it is falling apart and would be very expensive to repair. Half of them agree it is too much money to even begin such projects and the others cannot imagine life without the annual gathering in the countryside and the precious memories they would walk away from. Harriet, the eldest was always the caretaker. Alice forever disappointed in the acting career that never materialized. Fran arrives with her two rather mischievous children and Roland with his exotic third wife and teenage daughter Molly. They immediately revert back to childhood ways and hurt feelings, hidden secrets and sharing dreams but always the love and connection the siblings hold is timeless and unwavering. This short trip down memory lane is partly painful but often helpful because your siblings may be the only people on earth you can be your true self with and they accept you for better or worse, no matter what. Even though I just finished The Children’s Crusade (by Ann Packer) with a very similar theme, I found myself entranced in the story of these intelligent characters who are thought provokingly chaotic and very much filled with love from a mother who sadly left them much too young. Highly recommend this easy quick read that is both enjoyable and extremely well written.