Jennifer Johnston has an amazing ability to convey to anyone who is not Irish just how complex and fascinating are her fellows. This book, set in the years after the First World War, captures the nature of teenagers and their idealism exactly. National conflict clashes headlong with the romantic secret ideas of Nancy, leading to ultimate tragedy. No character is superfluous, all are sparely delineated but in such a way that the reader is left with a clear idea of how they look and sound and think. Jennifer Johnston has never written a poor book and I treasure every one; reading them gives one mental stimulation of the highest and best kind.