Book Beginning

From Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves, by Rachel Malik:  

"She stood at the window, looking out at the fields beyond, her fields.  The calves were up by the gate, nosing each other, waiting for her - still unsure of their new routine.  The great horse chestnut tree was swaying, she could hear it from here, feel the cool of its shade.  In Fair Field, the oats were just starting to pale - her oats.  The rest of the view was blocked by the tallboy.  She had dragged it in last night.  It was badly splintered at the back, but at least it was empty.  She carried on standing at the window, looking out, waiting."

This is the wonderful opening sentence to an excellent novel.  The lovely descriptive writing is found throughout the book.  And we know that "she", whoever she is, has a strong sense of ownership over everything she's looking at, new though it may be to the cows (and to her?).  And then there's that tallboy.  Why is she dragging it in?  That phrase, "badly splintered" is going to be a theme of this novel, in the material poverty both characters endure.  "She" is Miss Boston, and she is waiting for Miss Hargreaves to join her on her English farm during WWII.   Read on for a beautifully written character study.  



Book Beginning is courtesy of Rose City Reader