I was hooked in early with the combination of France and a period of history I don't often read about. The novel kept me reading through many a twist and turn. You certainly learn that nothing is as is seems. I'm not sure the ending was quite satisfactory.
A wonderful collection of anecdotes, collected around the themes that Winton finds important. He makes links between experiences from all through his life and weaves them together.
This book tells how Perry learned about the lasting effects of childhood trauma. It tells of the tragic circumstances these children suffered, and how he helped them to overcome the effects. Amazing to think that it was the 1990s.
Fascinating to read about the lives of women in the Middle Ages in Europe. I wouldn't want to swap, but I was pleased to see that they were able to work within the constraints of the times to live full and varied lives.