Synopses & Reviews
Widely praised for her rich and elegant prose, Annabel Davis-Goff delivers the story of Molly Hassard, an Anglo-Irish orphan coming of age in a formerly privileged society. As the Protestant-Irish emerge from the postwar years, the refuse to face the inevitable: They have beautiful old houses, but can scarcely afford to heat them; eat meals on exquisitely set tables, while the roof leaks; and talk very seriously about the importance of making suitable marriages.
When Molly flees the genteel poverty of Ireland for London of the 1960s, she must balance the allure of the new against the romance of a world that no longer exists.
Review
"The prose is so evocative that I blinked occasionally when I realized the page in front of me was white, and not the faded green of velvet curtains and overgrown gardens. The book feels like a Christmas dinner: Rich, heavy, extravagant, lush--and traditional in a way that no one would dream of objecting to."--
The New York Times Book Review"A seamless coming-of-age story...Davis-Goff has an exquisite eye and a wonderful memory for the vagaries of adolescent girlhood."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Annabel Davis-Goff...is a find."--The Washington Post Book World
Synopsis
Widely acclaimed for its eloquent prose, "The Dower House" tells the story of an Anglo-Irish orphan who flees the genteel poverty of Ireland for 1960s London.
About the Author
Annabel Davis-Goff was born in the south of Ireland. She now lives in New York City.