"Here is a novel that needs a trumpet to be blown for it. . . . We see the narrative unfolding through the alternating viewpoints of William and Susanna, and this allows us access to every part of a society which is both complex and fascinating. We learn a great deal (without a hint of the author stuffing the narrative with her research for our edification) about seventeenth-century manners, morals, clothes, medicine, reading, eating, and penal conditions. We learn about the quiet faith and bravery of the Quakers. . . . But the main pleasure here is the touching love story. The end of the novel, which reduced this reader to tears, leaves you longing for the sequel." -- Adele Geras, THE GUARDIAN -- Adele Geras, THE GUARDIAN
