Follow a family for several decades

‘One Last Dance’ – Judith Lennox

‘Times change, and sometimes for the better…’

As the twentieth century draws to a close, Esme Reddaway knows that she must uncover the truth. A truth that began during the First World War when Devlin Reddaway fell passionately in love with Esme’s elder sister, Camilla, and promised to rebuild his ancestral home, Rosindell, for her.

But the war changes everything and Devlin returns to England to find that Camilla is engaged to someone else. Angry and vengeful, he marries Esme, who has been secretly in love with him for years. Esme tries to win Devlin’s heart by reviving the annual summer dance. But as the years pass she fears that Rosindell has a malign influence on those who live there, and the revelation of a shocking secret on the night of the dance at Rosindell tears her life apart. Decades later, it is she who must lay the ghosts of Rosindell to rest.

This was a very well-written story that spanned several decades. Although a saga, I don’t think this was a dated plot, a feature that I cannot help but define this genre by. Instead, Lennox’s writing is immersive and interesting as readers watch a family evolve over historical, life-changing events and secrecies.

At the heart of the novel is the massive house of Rosindell. The way that Lennox describes it makes it sound such a vivid, absorbing place to be. With its land and stunning views of the sea, this sprawling estate is the heartbeat of the story. Even when characters move away, I felt it was always in the background, throbbing, reminding – a presence not to be ignored. I liked how the story moves around this location, not only drawing the family together, but also dividing and splitting apart. Indeed, the cyclical nature of the narrative symbolises how Rosindell is what can hold the characters together, defining their behaviours in future generations.

There are quite a few characters in this story, particularly in the later years as families grow. However, this did not prove cumbersome because Lennox takes so much time in her characterisation, truly developing the different personalities. Whilst it is evident very early on that Esme, Matthew and Camilla are very different people, I could not help but be drawn to Camilla’s manipulative ways. It took me a while to warm to Esme because she is presented as such a ‘people pleaser’. However, this is a deliberate choice of Lennox’s, helping to shape the narrative to come. On the other hand, I did not properly engage with Matthew, finding him to be quite a bland character and not someone whose story I was fully invested in.

As the story spans several decades, it was interesting to observe social changes. From experiencing two world wars, it made me reflect on how people of this time had had to live through such times. Not fighting in just one horrific war, but experiencing a second one in such a short period of time is unimaginable and I could understand how the characters suffered so much. Indeed, as time progressed in the novel, I was keen to see how Lennox would address other changes in the story, such as women’s growing independence, divorce and travel. I was not disappointed and think this portrayal made the novel more enjoyable.

I have not read a saga for quite a long time – I think they are best enjoyed in small doses! This was a lengthy read of 500 pages and the chapters cover many pages. However, as Lennox shifts between all significant characters to show how they are behaving and adapting, there are many frequent (and welcome!) page breaks. I think this helped to make the book more manageable.

All in all, this was an enjoyable read and I liked seeing the characters evolve, young and old, fresh and different. I felt as part of the family as the characters themselves and enjoyed the unexpected plot twists along the way. A great read.