Unabridged Audiobook
What a sad little story about a young girl who had to go from a very loving home to a strict boarding school when her parents were posted to South America. Very different that a recent book I read, The Fortunes of Philippa. The book is written by an ‘old’ lady about a period in her childhood which memories were still so strong that it is as if the events left a very deep scar. Instead of finding girls to become friends with, she finds that others look askance at her for her different accent. The rooms rarely, if at all, were heated. The children avoided her and the teachers were very hard on her. Instead of giving her time know the place, she was scolded for not doing what she was expected to do. And punished for standing in confusion, as if she were being sullen or rebellious. One light spot was a certain young teacher, but she had to beware lest her care should be noticed and so bring more difficulties to both of them. As it was, one teacher took very strongly against her. For the most part, the child didn’t understand what caused this, as her attempts to do well did not bring praise but more scolding for some infringement due to her ‘attitude ‘. It was hard to hear about such mistreatment! and it was no surprise that she started to decline. When the little girl had been small, she and her brother found great interest in two majestic carved lions in a furniture shop they went to with their mother. So, as the story progresses, it makes one wonder when these lions will become part of the picture again, seeing that they are so prominent in the title. But if you carry on with the story, you will find out they do. The readers were fine for the story, though I preferred to the first and the last readers.
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