The Dark Side of the Sun: A Novel [Hardcover]

Mrs. Elizabeth Palmer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 12, 2000

Growing up as the governess's daughter in the shadow of the Harding family's eccentric charm, Mary Fox can never hope to share their unshakable social confidence. Beautiful Godfrey, outrageous Nettie, and the twins, Jonathan and William, are born into a world of privilege where money, status, pleasure and love seem their birthright. Although aware of the disparity between them, Mary clings to the illusion of family that sharing a life with them brings-for her own mother, the secretive, mysterious Sybil, is most definitely not the maternal type.

When the idyll is shattered by the outbreak of war, Mary and Nettie are forced to find their own, very individual ways of making ends meet. Mary finds her formidable intelligence valued for the first time, but Nettie has a much more unusual way of helping the brave boys fighting Hitler...

In this sparkling novel, Elizabeth Palmer brings all her sharp wit and brilliant observation to bear, combining glittering lifestyles, potent sensuality and dark secrets in a poignant and compelling story of love and the art of survival.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in rural England in 1928, this nicely observed family saga traces the life of a governess's daughter brought up alongside four privileged children. When widow Sibyl Fox is hired as governess to princely Godfrey Harding, and his siblings, stolid twins Jonathan and William and saucy Venetia, she brings her prepubescent daughter, Mary, with her. The Harding children, who have been running wild, are brought into line by Sibyl, with Venetia and Mary, who are the same age, becoming best friends. As the children mature, sweetly grave Mary falls in love with secretive Godfrey, while fearless, tempestuous Venetia loses her virginity to a stable hand. Family friend Rafe Bartholomew becomes a mentor to Godfrey, though the more astute members of the Harding family realize there's more to their relationship. After a decade, once all the Harding children have left for boarding school, Sibyl returns to London, where she finds a job as a teacher. When war is declared, all three of the Harding brothers enlist while Venetia and Mary are recruited by Rafe, who is a key behind-the-scenes figure in the war effort. Mary becomes an "index girl," working at a branch of the War Office located in the countryside, while Venetia remains in London, acting as a sort of Mata Hari and hosting elaborate dinners for American officers. After Sibyl's death in an air raid, Mary discovers her mother's notebooks, and a surprise that leads to her search for the family she never knew she had. Though occasionally vague when it comes to detail, this energetic page-turner emphasizes the passions seething beneath the famed stiff upper lip demeanor that sees these characters, along with the rest of England, through the horrors of war. (July)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The latest story by popular British author Palmer (Old Money; The Golden Rule) is set in World War II London and is sure to please lovers of women's fiction. Fans who have read Rosamunde Pilcher's Coming Home will find the plots nearly identical. Lonely girl Mary Fox is "adopted" by the wealthy Harding family and becomes best friends with their rebellious daughter, Nettie. Mary pins her heart on their handsome son only to lose him to World War II. Meanwhile, Nettie marries an unsuitable man, and Mary goes on to work in the war effort and find her heart's true love. The story of plain but shrewd Mary and glamorous but outrageous Nettie is well written and full of exciting twists that are Palmer's alone. The story ends with Mary's search for a long-lost brother and the realization that she is tied to the Hardings in more ways than she had imagined. Highly recommended for public libraries.DCarol J. Bissett, New Braunfels P.L., TX
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; 1st edition (July 12, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312261411
• ISBN-13: 978-0312261412
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,743,637 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "The Dark Side of the Sun" shines brightly, October 20, 2000

By 

G. McCarthy - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dark Side of the Sun: A Novel (Hardcover)

This novel is superbly plotted and a very satisfying read. Palmer delivers a delicious tale of money, sex, and class warfare set against the backdrop of World War II England. Nothing is left to chance in this story. Every plotline is carried to its conclusion, with plenty of surprises along the way. Secrets unfold, fortunes are made and lost, and ultimately, good triumphs over evil.

Palmer is a master at juggling multiple points of view. She skillfully guides the reader in and out of the heads of numerous characters without a single misstep. We are privy to the private hopes, fears and dreams of a wide cast of characters. This is crucial to a successful romantic novel. A savvy author knows that the reader must understand and on some level relate to what motivates each character in order to care about what happens to that character. The author must then build tension gradually, laying a foundation of facts and ideas and adding to it bit by tantalizing bit, until the complete picture is finally revealed. These are the elements of an entertaining novel, regardless of the genre.