Winter Games
Winter Games by Rachel Johnson, published by Penguin Books, Limited in 2013, is a historical fiction novel that spans 336 pages. Set against the backdrop of Munich in 1936, the story follows eighteen-year-old Daphne Linden and her best friend, Betsy Barton-Hill, as they navigate the complexities of life in Nazi Germany while enjoying the privileges of their upper-class status. The narrative also shifts to 2006, where Daphne’s granddaughter, Francie Fitzsimon, embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of her grandmother’s past after discovering a photograph that sparks her curiosity.
Readers will find a tale rich in themes of secrets and betrayal, exploring the lives of young women caught in the tumult of history. The novel delves into the contrasts between the carefree experiences of Daphne and her friends and the looming shadows of the Third Reich. Johnson’s writing captures the essence of the era, blending elements of romance and literary sagas, while providing insights into the personal struggles faced by her characters. This edition offers a detailed exploration of the 20th century, making it a notable addition for those interested in historical narratives.
Official synopsis Publisher
Winter Games is a dazzling tale of secrets and betrayal, and the perfect novel for fans of The Bolter by Frances Osborne, and all those fascinated by the Mitford sisters.
Munich, 1936. She doesn’t know it, but eighteen-year old Daphne Linden has a seat in the front row of history. Along with her best friend, Betsy Barton-Hill, and a whole bevy of other young English upper-class girls, Daphne is in Bavaria to improve her German, to go to the Opera, to be ‘finished’. It may be the Third Reich, but another war is unthinkable, and the girls are having the time of their lives. Aren’t they?
London, 2006. Seventy years later and Daphne’s granddaughter, Francie Fitzsimon has all the boxes ticked: large flat, successful husband, cushy job writing up holistic spas . . . The hardest decision she has to make is where to go for brunch – until, that is, the discovery of a photograph of Daphne sends her on a quest to discover what really happened to her grandmother in Germany, all those years ago.
A dazzling tale of secrets and betrayal, Winter Games is powerful novel of innocent lives caught up in the march of history.
‘Johnson has a brilliant eye for the telling specifics . . . She is a natural comic writer and has a breezy, Mitfordian tone that makes you laugh at the same time as wincing in recognition . . . To write an entertaining romp set against the backdrop of Nazi Germany is a tricky feat to pull off. Yet Johnson has done it – and done it in style’ Observer
‘A rip-roaring read’ Evening Standard
‘There’s never a dreary moment in this blast of a book . . . Johnson’s descriptions are irresistibly exuberant . . . As addictively, fizzily invigorating as the Alpine air itself’ Daily Mail
‘Johnson delivers a genuine sense of time and place . . . there isn’t a dull sentence in this sure-footed novel’ Jenny Colgan, Telegraph
‘An excellent romp. Full of ‘tally-ho’ Mitfordian charm . . . a witty, fast read’ Red
‘Excellent on period detail, the blundering innocent abroad and young heartbreak’ Sunday Times
‘The Jane Austen of W11’ Scotsman
Rachel Johnson is a journalist who has written two previous novels and two volumes of diaries. The Mummy Diaries, Notting Hell, Shire Hell and A Diary of The Lady are all available now from Penguin.
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