I really enjoyed this and am so glad I finally picked it up (*cough* listened to the audiobook despite the paperback being on my shelf for literally years at this point *cough*). 

In this novel we follow Violet, one of the ‘surplus women after WW1’. I was intrigued with the differences between the way Violet was treated in the novel and some of the norms of today – I got a real sense of how things have changed for women in the intervening years, while still spotting some parallels, and I was really interested in her story (and those of women like her). 

I found myself rooting for Violet, cheering the moments when she really questioned the expectations she was raised with. I also really appreciated that it didn’t have the easy and traditionally satisfying ending I might have expected but instead one that was a bit more open ended and really made me think. 

Having really enjoyed both this and Girl with a Pearl Earring, I am excited to delve into more of Tracy Chevalier’s works.