The Summer Before the War
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The Summer Before the War
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Narrated by:
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Lucy Scott
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By:
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Helen Simonson
About this listen
East Sussex, 1914. It is the end of England's brief Edwardian summer, and everyone agrees that the weather has never been so beautiful. Hugh Grange, down from his medical studies, is visiting his aunt Agatha, who lives with her husband in the small, idyllic coastal town of Rye.
Agatha's husband works in the Foreign Office, and she is certain he will ensure that the recent sabre rattling over the Balkans won't come to anything. And Agatha has more immediate concerns; she has just risked her carefully built reputation by pushing for the appointment of a woman to replace the Latin master.
When Beatrice Nash arrives with one trunk and several large crates of books, it is clear she is significantly more freethinking and attractive than anyone believes a Latin teacher should be. For her part, mourning the death of her beloved father, who has left her penniless, Beatrice simply wants to be left alone to pursue her teaching and writing. But just as Beatrice comes alive to the beauty of the Sussex landscape and the colourful characters that populate Rye, the perfect summer is about to end.
For despite Agatha's reassurances, the unimaginable is coming. Soon the limits of progress and the old ways will be tested as this small Sussex town and its inhabitants go to war.
©2016 Helen Simonson (P)2016 Audible, LtdListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about The Summer Before the War
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 23-01-21
Quite a sad story
A lot of characters. Slow moving. But worth a read. Gives an insight in to life just before and start of WW1 , the injustice towards women and class structure.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 04-04-21
Beautifully read - well observed
Gentle slow start to set scene and introduce the characters. A pleasure to listen performance.
Good observation of class and status in England in 1914.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- wilmahatfit
- 18-05-21
Not my usual listen
I normally shy away from anything which involves wars, but having enjoyed another one by the same author I decided to give it a go. So pleased I did and will look out for more of hers
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 03-10-16
Excellent story
Really enjoyed listening to this, touched on the issues of social boundaries of ww1 and the pals battalions along with life back at home and England before the war.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- D Schofield
- 21-09-23
sad story
should be called during the war not before the war!! bright lovely cover and summer before implies a lovely story before the war but infact it was quite a sad story .
the story captured my empathy and imagination for what things were like then. Good characters and wonderful narration.
but wasn't quite the light hearted read I had hoped for - cover art and title misleading x
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Cosmia
- 22-10-22
Evocative, beautiful and perfectly narrated
A very moving and vivid portrait of the lives of a range of characters across different walks of life before, during and after the war. I’m in awe of the writing, characterisation and evocative portrayal of how the war interweaves through the lives of people from different backgrounds and the impact it has on them. Poignant, sometimes heartbreaking, thought provoking and relevant.
The magnificence of the writing is perfectly matched by the cadence of the narration which and comes alive vividly with respect of the different characters accents, personalities and nuances,
An impeccable blend of authorship and narration.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Jennifer Chennell
- 10-10-17
long winded
I prefer books with a somewhat faster pace. This was an OK book.. struggled in the middle to.jeep going but i did eventually finish it. I couldn't in all faith recommend tgus book to anyone nor will i be purchasing anymore from this Author but if you like a gentle meandering book that does eventually go somewhere then thus is for you.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 30-08-22
Splendid story
love listening to the voice of this narrator!! desperate to know if there's a follow-up to this title!!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sue
- 13-08-17
Good evocation of the endless summer of 1914
This is a story about class, morality and the changing role of women in the early twentieth century. The coming of the first world war changed everything for the people of Rye in Sussex.
The book is a charming evocation of an end of an era, and a great story about the impact of these changes on a number of families. The gentle life of the town and the early enthusiasm for the war contrasts with the horrors of the front and the changing attitudes of the women left at home.
The story is well narrated and well worth listening to.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Karen
- 04-03-17
Good ending, but oh sooooo slow...................
Is there anything you would change about this book?
Edit the first half by about 2 hours
What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?
The effect of the War on all the characters
What does Lucy Scott bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
I had to abandon this book x 2 as the start was so slow, I got there in the end, due to the narration. If i had been reading it I would never have made a 3rd attempt.
Do you think The Summer Before the War needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
No, the ending was just right.
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