Listening Valley

Raised in an uncaring and thoughtless family, the heroine develops confidence, self-esteem and courage to fight for her own life. Everything about the characters, the setting, and the plot, including the girl's marriage as a teenager to a man older than her father, reflects the culture and mores of this fascinating time. Pleasant, amusing, and a continuation of some of the characters from "Celia's House", it is one of D. E. Stevenson's more enjoyable books.

A very shy girl meets an older gentleman, a friend of her father's. Romance does not begin at once, but older man realizes she is not appreciated by her family. She has a younger, prettier sister who her parents tend to dote on, leaving the older girl feeling awkward and unwanted. Her marriage to this older man is successful. The young girl becomes a woman with the help of a caring, loving husband. He helps her to get to know herself and adquire self-esteem. The story is very touching.

Innocent, gentle story; spiritual overtones. The heroine is likeable, though shy. Gives the reader a feeling of what it was like to endure WWII in England and Scotland. I especially liked the historical aspects, getting inside the mind of someone who lived there.