'One of the more absorbing novels I have read in a long time, both for its sheer storytelling ability and for its powers of imaginative conjecture' - New York Times Book Review 'The conflict between instinct and morality, the rough intrusion of accident into our lives, the weakness of human will - this most especially - has been her subject' - Guardian 'This book is an important and interesting addition to the canon that links central preoccupations and stylistic devices of her early and later work . A thought-provoking addition to her oeuvre' - Chicago Tribune 'Spellbinding, shrewd and funny, Drabble's tale of three women is a triumph . An exuberant, intelligent and thoroughly entertaining saga of three generations' - Booklist 'Insightful and atmospherically convincing' - Newsday 'Praise for Margaret Drabble: I have learned so much from Margaret Drabble's work. Her prose is very beautiful, very funny, and at the same time very serious. Novels like The Millstone and Jerusalem the Golden have helped me to understand what great writing can be' - SALLY ROONEY.