the reader of books

Probably more of a 3.5 but I feel bad giving Elizabeth Bowen less than four stars because she is awesome and I think more people should read her.

But seriously...what is happening here? I love passionate yet unspoken love affairs where two people express their fervent love for one another solely by exchanging tortured looks. Preferably while wearing dinner jackets and evening gowns. But this was just a little too unspoken in that there were significant portions where I could only guess at what was happening. BUT! Maybe Elizabeth Bowen is a genius and the book is emulating the repressed emotions of its characters and the confusion I felt trying to understand the plot mirrors Sydney's struggle with the opacity of life.

So be forewarned - there is MUCH left unsaid here and EB hates Italian people, but she is a beautiful and wise writer and its always fun to read about the torturous love affairs of the idle rich. And - bonus! - since its EB, you know it's going to all end with heartbreak and shame.