First published 1981
The protagonist finds themselves caught between competing loyalties as familiar relationships begin to fracture. Norman places his central character in situations where past choices collide with present realities, forcing difficult decisions about identity and belonging. The story moves through moments of conflict and reconciliation as characters struggle to communicate across growing distances. Personal histories surface to complicate current tensions, while external pressures threaten to overwhelm fragile connections. At its heart, the novel examines how people respond when the foundations of their lives shift unexpectedly, revealing both resilience and vulnerability in equal measure.
Genres: fiction, drama, literary-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
Period: 20th-Century, 21st-Century
Paperback · Hamish Hamilton