The Go Between - L P Hartley

'The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.'

Wouldn't you just know....I've realised that another book I'm half way through fits the theme.........H bought me The Go Between by L P Hartley at the beginning of the summer from a cute little book shop in Streatham Hill when I went to stay with her at her old flat.

I was attracted by the cover......and vague images of Julie Christie in long flowing white dresses, and some kind of lovers tryst. I know I'm not usually a flowery kind of person....except for the real thing......but because I'd put it down for a couple of weeks and in my mind had the idea of a romance....I'd totally forgotten that the story starts in another boarding school.

This one is quite different though. Published in 1953 the story begins with the protagonist Leo Colston at this point an elderly man reminiscing about his childhood. It actually starts with a lovely 'Amelie' moment where he discovers an old battered box in which he finds the diary from his school days. It's really interesting to compare with the other books I'd just read because they had lots of similarities to each other, The Go Between being set in a boys school is quite different. The jealousies instead of being about clothes or complexion and who the teachers favour, are related to bullying and whose better at football. I've enjoyed the little bit I've read. This could be....and I know I shouldn't say this but because I do usually favour male writers.

It'll be really interesting to see how it pans out......it's now the summer of 1900 and apparently a blazing hot one in the middle of the English countryside.......and I presume a hint of a gentle adolescent crush going on again....although there are deeper issues regarding class and status running through the narrative and a grown up romance....

...Can't wait to find out what happens......shhh don't tell me.......