From Goodreads
Claudia Hampton, a beautiful, famous writer, lies dying in hospital. But, as the nurses tend to her with quiet condescension, she is plotting her greatest work: 'a history of the world ... and in the process, my own'. Gradually she re-creates the rich mosaic of her life and times, conjuring up those she has known. There is Gordon, her adored brother; Jasper, the charming, untrustworthy lover and father of Lisa, her cool, conventional daughter; and Tom, her one great love, both found and lost in wartime Egypt. Penelope Lively's Booker Prize-winning novel weaves an exquisite mesh of memories, flashbacks and shifting voices, in a haunting story of loss and desire.
My thoughts
This is another book that I am not sure how I actually came across it, but I was recently reading ~ A Manual for Heartache: How to Feel Better by Cathy Rentzenbrink and it was mentioned in the book by Cathy along with another one that I intend looking up at some point.
I made a start on this back in September 2020, but put it to one side for one reason or another. I decided the time was now to pick it up again. I gave this a 3.5 stars or 7/10.
I am not one to be swayed by awards given to books, if I fancy reading something then I read it. This isn't an overly long story that tells the story of Claudia as she lies in Hospital living the last days of her life. Told as flashbacks of what she has been through during her life and the relationships between her and her fellow relatives and friends.
This was an interesting read that didn't hold my attention all the time, yet I was keen to find out more about her and what she had been through. At just over 200 pages this isn't an overly long story and is worth reading if you ever come across it.
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