The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson.

Are you wishing for new episodes of Downton Abbey? If so, be sure to read The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson.  She wrote Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand (a personal favorite) about five years ago.  Similarly, The Summer Before the War is an introspective, relatively gentle read, but it will surprise readers as values and morals of Edwardian era England are cleverly questioned.    

Simonson sets her latest novel in Rye, Sussex during 1914 and battles the constraints of the time regarding gender, same-sex relationships, social class, and foreign refugees through the eyes of characters like:

• Beatrice Nash, young schoolteacher forced to flee a stifling family situation after her professor father’s death;
• Hugh Grange, medical student, hopeful for a Harley Street practice and marriage to his mentor’s daughter;
• Daniel Bookham, Hugh’s cousin, an aspiring poet who adores Craigmore, son of Lord North;
• Celeste, young and beautiful, but troubled, refugee from Belgium;
• Agatha Kent, Beatrice’s patron, local committee woman and planner extraordinaire
• Bettina Fothergill, wife of Rye’s mayor and Agatha’s frequent nemesis

Simonson’s caustic observations, though often subtle, are beautifully written and, again, reminiscent of the droll wit exhibited on Downton Abbey: “cheerful company is as welcome to melancholy as lemon juice on a burn” or “Cook gave Lady Emily’s footman two jars [of preserves] large enough to appear gracious but not so large as to suggest an abundant larder able to supple jars every time someone paid a compliment.”

As war builds, Simonson explores the motivations and methods to recruit soldiers, takes major characters to the front lines and describes the fighting in addition to the stratified treatment of officers and enlisted men.  Overall, The Summer Before the War is an excellently written book, full of social commentary: “’I avoid the papers altogether,’ said Daniel. ‘I am pretty sure wars would be shorter if we weren’t all so eager to read about them.’” Do read The Summer Before the War; it was recommended by Library Reads and received a starred review from Kirkus.