Molly can't wait for Dad to come home - he'll arrive in time to see her dance the part of Miss Victory in the big Red Cross show! Molly isn't worried about her tap dancing, but she wants to look sophisticated so that Dad will know how much she's grown up while he's been away at war. Unfortunately, Molly's hair is all wrong. When Jill finally finds a way to give Molly glorious curls, everything seems to be perfect. Then Molly gets sick. Things couldn't be worse - until the doctor comes just in time.
While her father is away fighting in World War II, Molly plans revenge on her brother for ruining her Halloween, and soon they've started a war of their own.
Galina was born into a world of horrors. So why does she mourn its passing? SHORTLISTED: Impress Prize LONGLISTED: Bath Novel Award LONGLISTED: Grindstone Novel Award It is December 1941, and eight-year-old Galina and her friend Vera are caught in the siege of Leningrad, eating soup made of wallpaper, with the occasional luxury of a dead rat. Galina's artist father Mikhail has been kept away from the front to help save the treasures of the Hermitage. Its cellars could now provide a safe haven, provided Mikhail can navigate the perils of a portrait commission from one of Stalin's colonels. Nearly forty years later, Galina herself is a teacher at the Leningrad Art Institute. What ought to be a celebratory weekend at her forest dacha turns sour when she makes an unwelcome discovery. The painting she embarks upon that day will hold a grim significance for the rest of her life, as the old Soviet Union makes way for the new Russia and Galina's familiar world changes out of all recognition. Warm, wise and utterly enthralling, Molly Gartland's debut novel guides us from the old communist world, with its obvious terrors and its more surprising comforts, into the glitz and bling of 21st-century St Petersburg. Galina's story is at once a compelling page-turner and an insightful meditation on ageing and nostalgia. 'A beautifully written book that takes you right into the characters' world. Highly recommended' LUCINDA HAWKSLEY
When an English girl comes to stay at Molly's during World War II, she and Molly learn to bridge their differences and ultimately enjoy a wonderful, mutual birthday party.
The Melting of Molly by Maria Thompson Daviess is a delightful, lighthearted novel that follows the journey of Molly Carter, a young widow who embarks on a self-improvement mission. Encouraged by a childhood love letter, Molly decides to shed a few pounds and rediscover her youthful charm, but she ends up finding much more than she bargained for in the process. With wit and humor, Daviess paints a vivid portrait of Molly's transformation, both physical and emotional, as she navigates her relationships with a cast of eccentric characters. The novel explores themes of self-perception, love, and personal growth, all while maintaining a charming and uplifting tone. The Melting of Molly is beloved for its humor, warmth, and engaging storytelling. It's a heartwarming tale of self-discovery, perfect for readers who enjoy light, feel-good literature.
Molly can't wait for Dad to come home - he'll arrive in time to see her dance the part of Miss Victory in the big Red Cross show! Molly isn't worried about her tap dancing, but she wants to look sophisticated so that Dad will know how much she's grown up while he's been away at war. Unfortunately, Molly's hair is all wrong. When Jill finally finds a way to give Molly glorious curls, everything seems to be perfect. Then Molly gets sick. Things couldn't be worse - until the doctor comes just in time.
"I have never had another friendship like that I had with Molly. One loves only once with such intensity and devotion." Inspired by the literary classic Lolita, this extraordinary debut novel is a richly imagined coming-of-age story about two girls in Illinois in the 1940s and their intense, erotically charged friendship, which endures even after one moves away and becomes entangled in a disturbing life with her new stepfather. Shy, intelligent, and fiercely loyal, Betsy Thurmont longs to shed her awkward reserve and be more like her best friend, Molly Liddell, a vivacious, dazzling girl who charms all who know her. They are a devoted pair, jitterbugging at the local soda shop, ice skating at the rink, taking a blood oath that they will never part -- until Molly's mother is caught up in scandal and flees far away with her daughter. Years later, Betsy comes into possession of Molly's diaries and learns the startling story of what happened to her childhood friend. Through her diary entries, Molly tells the dramatic story of her mother's marriage to a European scholar named Richard Richard, with whom Molly begins an outrageous flirtation. But, after her mother's death, this man uses her preadolescent seductions to fulfill his own ruthless desires. Heartbreaking in their honesty, Molly's diaries eloquently express how a bright future can be dimmed by circumstance. Guided by Molly's strong and resilient voice, Betsy reaches her own epiphany about the meaning of her dear friend's short life, and about her own place in the world. Molly perfectly captures the wonderment, longing, fear, and frustration of making the potentially dangerous yet exhilarating metamorphosis from girl to woman. This radiant first novel is also a loving tribute to Vladimir Nabokov and his classic work, invoking the spirit of the legendary Lolita.
