Annie’s early infatuation with an older man turns into an intense passion that she stays loyal to. Much of the figure she is in love with is dreamed up by her own colourful imagination and not the real person she faces.  Soon it turns to the classic romantic triangle where she is the odd one out but she still remains undeterred.  Annie’s internal conflict turns into a conflict with the surrounding situation, she makes a very determined decision which she carries through but her struggle does not stop there. It follows her throughout her life. The novel also conveys the sense of continuity of life and the fact that it is impossible to run away from one’s past. It shows the hero of this adventure internally growing, evaluating and appreciating the positive in life and people she meets.

“So, he stood by her, not betraying her, he shut his mouth and carried the burden with her, he was watertight, reliable, never treacherous.  Yes, he was like a stout castle wall that would hold water and she knew it. After all the life’s experiences that had battered her shoulders like winter storms, if they had taught her anything that was to go for the genetic trait in a male that spelled trust, loyalty, kindness and durability. Peter was all that. So, with him not around, him gone, she felt this huge emptiness, a deep gaping black crevice.” As the above extract depicts, Annie learnt who and what traits had to be appreciated in life after all.

The novel is about 270 pages long, it an easy and at the same time a fascinating story to read.