The Long View is the story of Antonia and her marriage to Conrad, structured with a reverse chronology. Starting in 1950 and jumping back five times, it ends in 1926 when Antonia is 19 and has her eyes opened to the truth of her parents' marriage, following her first disasterous love affair. Rather than teaching her anything, it propels her forward into her own unhappy marriage. Don't read it if you're looking for something uplifting but do read it for character, detail, poignancy and superb writing.