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Putney by Sofka Zinovieff

Author: Aloÿse of Daylesford Book Club, Posted: Friday, 23rd August 2019, 09:00

Sofka Zinovieff’s second novel is set in Putney and in Greece.

The time frame switches from the present day to the 1970s and is set around the relationship between an up-and-coming composer, Ralph, and a young girl, Daphne.

Ralph is a friend of Daphne’s parents who set very few boundaries in the upbringing of their children. Ralph becomes obsessed with the young Daphne.

We read of the relationship from Ralph’s perspective along with that of Jane, a friend of Daphne’s from childhood. Zinovieff excels at shifting the tension; what was acceptable in the 1970s, is unacceptable today, but she never lets us forget that Daphne was a child and Ralph a grown up.

Jane adds an extra dimension being both the clever but dull friend who eventually persuades Daphne that she should press charges, whilst having a secret of her own. The book has been referred to as the ‘modern day Lolita for the age of #MeToo’.

This novel often leaves a nasty taste in one’s mouth, but it is thought provoking and the descriptions of Greece are delightful. Greece is where Daphne is finally able to come to terms with her past and move on with her life.

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Putney by Sofka Zinovieff

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