Back Home

Rusty, evacuated from England to America for five years, returns to find that it is not just her environment which provides surprises. She faces antagonism from her younger brother, Charlie and shyness from her mother which she interprets as which she interprets as indifference. Sent away by her military father to a rigidly disciplined girls' boarding school, she becomes increasingly unhappy and alienated until her friendship with a boy from the neighbouring school and her creation of a refuge in the woods bring events to a conclusion. The end of this long and enjoyable book is rather too heavily interleaved with sentimentality for my taste: events are somewhat predictable and idealised. However, the book has very many fine qualities and I would certainly recommend it --- possibly as a third-year class text; certainly as Lower School book box or library material.