My mother used to have a wooden chest filled to the brim with books. Although I didn’t know it at the time, a lot of these books were set during the interwar period.
Throughout the years, I would retreat into this chest, eager to discover a little secret story that I could call my favorite. Some books were easy to shove past. Some only served as a good flip-through to feel the wisp of a breeze and inhale the scent of pages fluttering before me. But others, like Flambards, pricked at my curiosity and latched on to me forever.
I think I was in high school when I discovered this book. The main character’s name was Christina, and she was a brunette. It is so rare to come across heroines who share your name and hair color; so naturally, I had to read it.
I remember my mother seeing me with it and recalling she bought the book after seeing the PBS mini series in the 80s. She always liked the main character, as well as her name. Since my aunt’s name is Christine, it was sort of set in stone that my name would be Christina too.
Now, I make it a habit to read Flambards every fall or winter. It’s one of those curl-up books you never grow tired of reading no matter how old you are or what season of life you’re in.
Flambards is a coming of age tale around decaying English estates, the threat of war, the rise of industrialization, and young love and loss.
And now, ten or so years later, I’m reading it with my husband, relishing in the fact that my life has paralleled the protagonist – including falling in love with a man who lives and breathes science and discovery.
What is the Interwar period?
This book was my gateway book to novels set during the interwar period, a term that typically refers to the years between World War I and World War II (1919-1939).
For me, personally, an interwar novel has at least one part of it that takes place during this time period, or characters that were alive during this period (even if the book takes place a little bit before or after these years). So, it should be no surprise that Downton Abbey was a favorite television series of mine.
5 Interwar Novels to Read Next
The House at Tynford by Natasha Solomons
Set in 1938 England on the brink of war, the story revolves around a Jewish parlor maid working on an English estate.
The Distant Hours or The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
Kate Morton has quickly become one of my all-time favorite authors. With her novels, you can depend on family secrets that stretch decades, strong heroines, and adventure.
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell
This book was such a surprise for me. It touches on the expectations of women during this period and what sometimes happened when they failed to live up to them.
The Passing Bells by Phillip Rock
Next on my reading list – I picked this up in a store when I was out of town and needing something to read. The cover advertised “Before there was Downton Abbey ….” and I said, “say no more!”
This book is not to be confused the BBC series of the same title; however the BBC mini-series looks like it takes place during WWI as well.
