This month, we have been reading and discussing Elizabeth Taylor’s eighth novel, “In A Summer Season”. Although this is one of her later works, which are not reckoned so good by some readers, the book has been received in a surprisingly positive manner! In fact, it’s turned out to be a favourite of many.

The novel features as always Elizabeth Taylor’s deceptively simple style. But her subjects, as we have seen, are quite complex ones and this book tackled a number of difficult areas – an older woman marrying a younger man; the importance of sex in marriage; how important mental and emotional compatibility is; the effect of a younger, sexually motivated character on a group of people; and dramatic and unexpected death.

The novel also picked up themes from earlier works, in particular the compromises and sacrifices in marriage, and it may be because of its subject matter that it has such resonance with women readers.

There have been some lovely reviews:

http://laura0218.livejournal.com/85464.html

http://heavenali.wordpress.com/2012/08/02/in-a-summer-season-elizabeth-taylor-1961/

http://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/book-reviews-22/

If you’ve read and reviewed the book, don’t forget to add your post to the Mr. Linky on Laura’s site here.

I have enjoyed hosting the read-along (thanks to Laura for asking me and arranging the lovely short story book).  I am very much looking forward to following next month’s with Heavenali here – don’t forget to join in too!