A Mislaid Magic - Hardcover

A Mislaid Magic

Hardcover. Zustand: Good. 235 pages. Dj wornIn pre-World War II England, a handsome young actor organizes a summer arts f estival in a gloomy, stodgy village, kindling the spirit of the villagers and th e bemusement of the plain but spirited daughter of an earl Editorial Reviews F rom Publishers Weekly Since Windsor's first novel finds an assured voice only ab out halfway through, its title is ironically appropriate. The plot, set between the two world wars, concerns the struggles of a lonely, motherless English girl, daughter of an earl, to forge her own identity amid insular surroundings. In 19 26, eight-year-old Amy Savernake is desperately hoping for some excitement at he r family's solemn Dorset estate. Her wish is granted when Rudi, an arts promoter and acquaintance of her stepmother, Sonia, offers to stage a theater festival t here. The festival brings thrilling outsiders into the girl's world and irrevoca bly changes it as, under Rudi's tutelage, Amy for the first time experiences a s ense of belonging. Windsor's storytelling is marred by thin characterizations an d stiff dialogue, but she captivates through her use of symbols-for example, evo catively melding Sonia's longings for a child of her own with the mythic powers of a giant fertility figure carved into a nearby hillside. Though the novel seem s episodic and disjointed at times, it finally coheres around a moment when Amy grasps that fulfillment grows out of charting one's personal destiny: Life as it passes seems a muddle, all unconnected bits and pieces, but they come together when we get things right. Windsor seems likely to get things right with her next effort. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Booklist The earl of Osmington, father of five children, marries his secretary after the death of. Artikel-Nr. 1199l

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