
Chessie had never really been on good terms with her brother Gavin, who had emigrated to New Zealand some years before. But when his wife died she realised that she must go to him, to help him look after his children. What she found alarmed her. Gavin's graceless existence and his meanness had alienated him from the other farmers and Chessie's only reward was the affection shown to her by the children. Little did she realise that they were to become the millstones round her neck, halting her for long enough to look around and see what she had been unable to see before....
When Chessie travels to New Zealand to support her estranged brother following his wife's death, she discovers a domestic environment defined by isolation and hostility. Chessie arrives with the intention of providing stability for her nieces and nephews, only to find that her brother Gavin has cultivated a life of bitterness and social alienation. Her primary objective becomes the care of the children, who serve as the emotional anchor in a household otherwise devoid of warmth. The narrative follows her internal shift as she navigates the constraints of her brother's rigid, unyielding lifestyle while attempting to forge a new path for herself and the children.
Readers often note the quiet, introspective nature of the prose, which prioritizes character dynamics over high-stakes external plot points. Discussion frequently centers on the complex portrayal of Gavin, whose abrasive personality serves as a catalyst for Chessie's own self-reflection. Critics highlight the effective use of the rural setting to mirror the protagonist's sense of entrapment and eventual clarity. The narrative is generally viewed as a study of how personal obligations can both hinder and facilitate a deeper understanding of one's own life choices.
Page Count:
192
Publication Date:
1970-01-05
Publisher:
Arrow Bks.
ISBN-10:
0090027000
ISBN-13:
9780090027002
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