Mothering Sunday is beautifully and sparsely written with an incredible atmosphere. The story mostly takes place on Mothering Sunday, March 1924. We follow Jane, a maid who has been given the afternoon off to go and see her parents, though she is an orphan. She is called to see her lover, and we spend the morning with her as she watches him get dressed, and leave. She thinks this will be the last time they see each other in this way. It is incredibly observed, the room and house are tangible and it's very relatable.
The story of the day in March melds into the telling of the beginning of the affair and the rest of Jane's life; which is all revealed slowly and organically. It is a very personal story but does a really good job of giving a sense of the time and the changes someone would see if they were in their 20's in 1924 and lived to be 90. The only criticism I have is that towards the end there is some 'thinking about writing' and it seems to be an indulgence on the part of the author, the story loses a bit of it's authenticity.
