The summer of 1960 was to be the turning point for Lila
Duncan. Raised by two very dysfunctional parents, she seeks
salvation when she discovers that her uncle George, a music
teacher from London, is going to stage a production of
Puccini's Turandot. This production brings many people in
and out of Lila's life, including a love interest. She also
discovers a few family secrets that seem to explain some of
her mother's behavior. But most of all she discovers
herself. As the production moves forward, Lila hopes it
will help her to break free from her dysfunctional parent's
life and find happiness and a future all her own.
Ms. Joss draws in the audience with her intriguing writing
style by creating bold and colorful characters. She also
offers a dark and disturbing journey for a family to
discover some type of happiness along the way of self-
discovery.
I have enjoyed all of Ms Joss' books, but the ones that I
still anxiously await for her to continue are the Sara
Selkirk series. I would love to see more added to my
library.
The year is 1960. The place is a Scottish seaside town
utterly devoid of culture and charm. Here, Lila lives as
the third player in her parents’ dramatically embittered
marriage. Until her flamboyant, irrepressible uncle George
shows up from London and her family decides to squander a
windfall on the most preposterous of causes: a civic
production of the Puccini opera Turandot.
Lila knows nothing of opera and little of her uncle or the
dashing young man he hires to sing the role of Calaf. But
Lila does know passion. Because it’s coursing through her
veins–and rushing blindly, wildly all around her. Now a
girl on the verge of womanhood is about to blunder into a
grown-up world where secrets are kept and exposed, hopes
soar and wither, and where crimes petty and great exact
the most chilling punishments of all.