Evvie and Geoffrey, a
bank manager, live in middle class comfort in a town house in Brighton with
their son, Philip. When the second world
war comes, an internment camp is opened on the hills above Brighton and Geoffrey
becomes the camps superintendent.
Geoffrey's new role puts increasing pressure on his relationship with
Evvie and they each start to question their love for each other. As his parents are distracted by their
complex relationship, Philip is free to roam around Brighton and he gets
manipulated by his friend into doing some uncomfortable things. I did enjoy this book which is easy to read
but not as heavyweight as you would expect from a Booker longlist novel. Philip was the most interesting character,
and the way he strives for love and a sense of belonging was very well
portrayed. I found the way Philip would
comply with his friend's direction often quite dark particularly as it mirrored
Geoffrey's compliance with orders regarding the treatment of the internees. This is a good book with good writing and a
readable plot, but it is not especially memorable.
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