This is the first summer that has felt like a summer in a while. I quit my job in February, and did some traveling in the spring.  The idea was to find a summer job, but that proved a difficult task, and by the time I was getting calls for interviews, it was too late for a “summer job.” I would have had to commit to working  during the semester, which I didn’t want to do.

So this summer actually felt like a summer.  A deep breath before I plunge back into full-time studentship. It seemed appropriate that I go ahead and read “The Summer Before the War” by Helen Simonson.

It was lovely.  It takes place in a small town in East Sussex, in the summer of 1914 before the start of WWI.  Beatrice Nash arrives in the small town to teach Latin–a controversial appointment, made more controversial by her other strange, progressive habits like riding a bicycle and refusing to marry.  Beatrice is a wonderful character, an independent, intelligent young woman who was not written too modern to be believable.  The characters that surround her are charming and dynamic, with histories and goals that propel the narrative forward and keep the reader engaged.

Even more compelling is the depiction of how a small community deals with very big issues–postponed dreams, sincere desires to help, deep sorrow–with limited means, and limited perspective. The town rallies behind the war efforts, welcoming refugees, organizing fund-raising events, forming committees, but the impact of these efforts is questionable (even to the characters) as they prepare to send their sons to a war they can’t imagine.

Side note: the romances and relationships feel genuine but secondary and not annoying. I should probably expand on this, because it is a large reason I like this book, but I don’t find many people as annoyed with the obligatory romance in historical fiction as I am.

Maybe in the future I will return to this story (there aren’t many books that I’ve liked and only read once) and write a more academic/thorough review, but for now, I am definitely recommending this lovely book.