The Willow Cabin (original 1949; edition 2008)

Frankau tells the story of a young and gifted actress who turns her back on a promising career in order to devote herself to a much older, married lover. The setting, London in the 1930s and wartime Britain, is wonderfully done and the level of writing is very high. The story dragged for me a bit in the middle, but just as I was getting tired of all that dogged devotion on the young actress's part, Frankau shifts the story to the married lover's estranged wife. The real pay off is the relationship between the two women, who are far more vividly drawn characters than the male lover. This is a wonderful book for the right reader; i.e., one with lots of time and a taste for old-fashioned story-telling. ( )

I just finished, (and didn't want it to ever end), "The Willow Cabin" by Pamela Frankau. This is fairly nearly the 'perfect' book for me. I loved the entire book. I loved the characters, the building/development of them, the interaction of them, the plot and storyline, the very air about my head as I was reading this one.

"Then on my tongue the taste is sour
Of all I ever did."

"What will they give me when journey's done?
Your own room to be quiet in, Son!"

Andrew, I can never thank you enough for sending this particular book to this poor old woman. It has replaced so many others in my mind and heart. Oh, that all of you should feel about a book the way that I feel and felt as reading "The Willow Cabin".
It is definitely a 10/(5) for me.
I would really like to just ponder and revel upon "The Willow Cabin" but sad to say cannot. Too many books; not enough time so no time to linger but rest assured it will linger in my brain. ( )

http://www.lonelymountain.net/books/apr08.html#frankautwc ( )