A. S.1936 Byatt

Yorkshire 1952. As the inhabitants of the area set about celebrating the accession of a new Queen, this is the story of an eccentric family fatefully divided. It is an entertaining tale, in which enlightenment and sexuality, Elizabethan drama and comedy intersect richly and unpredictably.

Recently evacuated to the British countryside and with World War II raging around her, one young girl is struggling to make sense of her life. Then she is given a book of ancient Norse legends and her inner and outer worlds are transformed.

As Maggie Tulliver approaches maturity she enters into conflict with family and community over her desire to be more than just average. Eliot's exploration of Maggie's dilemma makes this novel as relevant today as it was in the 19th century. This edition contains a new chronology, and updated further reading.