“The Glittering Hour” by Iona Grey

REVIEW BY MEREDITH MCKINNIE

“One thing I have learned is that one must grab at the chances life offers – taste the fruit, drink the wine. At the hour of one’s death there will be no solace in knowing that one has known one’s place or lived safely.”

Selina Lennox is the quintessential post-World War II socialite, haunted by the experience of the war, but relatively isolated from the struggles of the lower classes. She lives her days in a drunken haze of high-society parties and trivial conversations with like-minded peers. In her early twenties, the pressure to marry well and raise a family is intensifying as Selina resists everyone’s expectations and attempts to forge her own path. By chance encounter, Selina meets Lawrence, a painter who idolizes her and engages her mind. The twosome isolate themselves, hidden from the paparazzi cameras that stalk Selina’s every move. For the first time, Selina feels genuine attraction, absent parental negotiation or attention to societal standing. The love story evolves as a constant push-and-pull of what Selina wants, what she thinks she needs, and what Lawrence will allow. Grey writes of Lawrence: “He would remember how quickly, how casually she had dismissed the subject, and how easily he was reassured by that. And he would feel pity for the naive fool he was then, on that night when the stars swam in puddles of molten silver and they danced in the empty streets and anything seemed possible.” 

The love story is told in tandem with a young girl’s story over a decade later. Alice is alone with her extended family, waiting for her mother and father to return from abroad. Grey writes with glamour and stylish commentary. She paints vivid scenes of post-war England, but a view from the terrace, far removed from the reality on the ground. The shifting narrators provide intrigue, as Selina’s story blurs into Alice’s reality. Overall, the ending is somewhat predictable and heartbreaking, but yet beautiful in the way one hopes love can be. Romance novels lovers who enjoy period pieces will appreciate this book. Grey sprinkles the tale with the magic of a love story in a time when it was harder to love without boundaries. Grey also explores the themes of loss and regret. If you long for escapism, Grey’s novel provides the luxury. 

“It was like being permanently in that glorious, fleeting start of the evening – the glittering hour – when the first swiftly downed cocktail drove away the demons; when her blood and her limbs loosed and everything shimmered with promise.”