Description
A young Irish woman, Mary Lavelle, leaves home and her dutiful fiancé to take a post as a governess in Spain—seeking a brief, self-directed life before the certainty of marriage. In the Pyrenees, she is drawn into the rhythms of the Areavaga household and the intimate, often unspoken rules that govern love, duty, and respectability. As her feelings deepen beyond what her world will allow, Mary confronts the limits imposed by faith and society, and the personal cost of choices made in innocence. Kate O’Brien’s elegant, observant style brings a vivid sense of place and a sharp eye for character, exploring themes of female independence, cultural encounter, and the tension between romantic longing and moral constraint.
Available Editions
paperback
Chivers
Published Jan 1, 1970
ISBN: 0855942754
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Details
First Published
1936
Language
eng
Content Warnings
No content warnings identified.