Going Back

Lively is fascinated with memory and remembering, and this short novel is a successful demonstration of both. A woman goes back to her rural childhood home, where tender and poignant memories seem to materialize. But it is as if the reader sees more than she, and therein lies the subtle power of Lively's book. Part antiwar tale, part indictment of the British stiff upper lip, and part illustration of WWII era England, it is a beautiful illustration of children's perceptions and lives. Reader follows along as protagonist suffers a combination of the ability to see underlying truths and the curse of being powerless to do anything about them. Full of good humor but equally tragic, with plenty of compelling details and delights. Originally conceived as a children's tale, Lively developed it into a novel for adults. But I imagine that many adolescent readers would find it equally engaging.