Book description
Set largely on the Essex coast before the war, Matt, Guy, and their
young cousin Lizzie meet up for holidays and bum around in an old
boat. Guy is the eldest, handsome, skilled at everything, a tad
selfish. Matt is quieter and has a crippled right arm. Lizzie adores
them both, to the extent of putting up with being sea-sick everytime
they go out in the old boat and continually getting bashed on the head
by the sail. These are idyllic days of sun, and sea, the golden era of
the thirties.
Lizzie's father is a doctor and, as the thirties progress, they take
the daughter of a Viennese colleague into their home, a Jewish girl
called Anna, who is miserable and hates England, and misses her Jewish
family and friends. The fifth child to join them is Otto, son of a
German diplomat, reared in the best traditions of the Hitler doctrine
and destined for the army. These five have a tense and highly involved
relationship as they grow up. Anna is resented by the English boys but
one of them eventually comes to love her. Otto's relationship with her
is more complicated. She is, after all, a Jew. They have one wonderful
day together when somehow their rivalries are forgotten as they fight
the sea in the little ship, and when they all write their names on the
mast. Then the world explodes into war and they all go their separate
ways. They all meet again at Dunkirk. Anna getting out from France at
the last moment with the help of Guy, Otto as part of the victorious
Reich, and Lizzie and Matt taking the little ship over to save them
from the beaches.
It is strong, wonderful, atmospheric, romantic with intriguing
characters, all involved with each other in love/hate relationships.
Margaret Mayhew was born in London and her earliest childhood
memories were of the London Blitz. She began writing in her mid-thirties
and had her first novel published in 1976. She is married to American
aviation author, Philip Kaplan, and lives in Gloucestershire. Her
novels, Bluebirds, The Crew, The Little Ship, Our Yanks, The Pathfinder
and Those In Peril are all published by Corgi Books.
