Description
The quartet at the heart of this delightful novel are the four Gainsborough siblings: beautiful but vain Lorna, ultra-sensitive Adrian, nature-loving Laurence and thoughtful, strange little Jenifer.
We join them in 1900 - four happy children at the heart of a loving family, idolizing their strikingly beautiful mother, shrinking from their emotionally damaged Aunt Lena and ill-tempered governess, Miss Marchant. As their world widens on the journey to adulthood - through the advent of the motor car, the horrors of the First World War, the trials and tribulations of unrequited love and unfulfilled dreams - they must fight to keep that happiness. But with Lorna compelled to make everyone love her, Adrian's artistic genius crippled by over-sensitivity to criticism, and Laurence so intent on success in business that he forgets to really live, will Jenifer's clear-sighted pragmatism be enough to save them?
A beautiful exploration of love and family, Quartet has a vivid cast of characters worthy of Elizabeth Gaskell and paints a wonderful, affectionate portrait of childhood to rival Richmal Crompton's Just William.
A classic novel from the author of Just William.
About the Author
Richmal Crompton (1890-1969) is best known for her thirty-eight children's books featuring William Brown, which were published between 1922 and 1970. Born in Lancashire, Crompton won a scholarship to Royal Holloway in London, where she trained as a schoolteacher, graduating in 1914, before turning to writing full-time in 1923. Alongside the William stories, Crompton wrote forty-one novels for adults, including Family Roundabout, Portrait of a Family, and The Holiday, as well as nine collections of short stories.
Reviews
It is beautifully done, full of invention and sympathy. -- A. G. Macdonell * The Bystander *
Miss Crompton is a master-hand at child characterisation * The Star *
Book Information
ISBN 9781509859481
Author Richmal Crompton
Format Paperback
Page Count 350
Imprint Macmillan Bello
Publisher Pan Macmillan
Weight(grams) 399g
Dimensions(mm) 203mm * 133mm * 20mm
