Sisters of the Quantock Hills: Gwen’s Story
“ So that was life. People came, stayed briefly, went away. No good, then, placing your trust in people. Only land remained forever. The red soil of Somerset and the stone walls of Hillcrest would be here centuries hence. Nothing else. ” The above quote I memorized when I first read this book at age 16 and it has stayed with me ever since. I found it infinitely comforting in my adolescent depression and still think it is a beautifully written thought if quite sad. In a change from the other books in this series, very little page time is spent on the Purcell's early years and WWI. We do get to go along on the walk over the Quantocks and get to know Gwen and her fears and her relationship with Antony. The majority of this book follows Gwen at age 38 as the world prepares for another war. Gwen as homebody is the perfect anchor for this series to end on. She and Hillcrest are closely tied to one another and are the touchstone her sisters return to throughout their lives. That b