Cullum was my third novel by E Arnot Robertson, but it was actually her first. It was written when Robertson was only 24 and I think that the writing and themes are characterised by a certain sort of youthful exuberance which wasn't something I recognised from reading either Ordinary Families or Four frightened people.It's the story of obsessive love between Esther and Cullum. Esther, in her late teens, lives at home in Surrey, among a family of horsey people - while she happily partakes in hunts etc, her real love is literature and writing. When she meets Cullum, another young author, it is inevitable that she will fall in love with him and be seduced by his way of life. And the book is the telling out of what happens.
Of all of Robertson's works I enjoyed this one the most, although it wasn't by any stretch a favourite VMC. Another author completed anyway!
I like this cover image of a rather bored looking young lady - or at least I think she's bored looking. It's too much of an unpleasant expression to call it wistful. I fear it is an expression I may occasionally wear. Just the one edition, the original green cover version.
I have to admit I really liked this one--so much so that I bought the other two VMCs of Robertson's. 'Ordinary Families' I liked a lot, but 'Four Frightened People' was quite peculiar--especially the abandoning of the irritating middle-aged woman in the middle of the jungle.
ReplyDeleteJRSM - this was definitely my favourite of the three - they were all quite different books I felt.
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