Staring at the Sun
What starts off as a quiet novel about a young girl growing up in rural England during World War II turns out to be the story of a full and diverse life. An unusual and likeable heroine, Jean marries conventionally but 20 years later leaves her husband just before the birth of their son, not in a fit of pique but simply because she realizes she should. In middle age, she is befriended by her son's girlfriend, whose attempts to seduce her are in vain; Jean has always preferred "the sleeping part." Finally, at the age of 100, she remembers a young fighter pilot's description of flying up into the sun. Jean has managed to find answers to most of the questions she has considered during her long life, but why the pilot is fascinated by staring at the sun has eluded her until now. This is a gentle novel by the author of the acclaimed Flaubert's Parrot ( LJ 4/1/85). Recommended.Mary K. Prokop, CEL Regional Lib., Savannah, Ga.Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.