Opal Plumstead is a 14 year old girl, who looks about 12 and whose family are quite poor. Ernest, her dad is a writer and goes to work in Oxford, whilst Louisa, her mum, washes the families clothes and makes dinner for everyone. Cassie, Opal's older sister sews for a hat shop which pretends to be french owned in order to earn more money. Meanwhile, Opal is a scholarship student dreaming of university, but has to go and work at the Fairy Glen sweet factory when her father is sentenced to hard labour in prison for a year for stealing money from his workplace in order to make his family happy.
During that time she's not allowed to see her best friend because her best friend's mother won't allow her to because of what happened with Opal's father. At the factory, the owner's son and Opal fall deeply in love. However, once the first World War War against Germany begins, Morgan, the factory owner's son dies in the army and Opal, who is the factory owner's favourite is offered the chance to go to art school as she is very talented as well as being offered her own house by Mrs Roberts! Whilst all this is happening, Cassie has found her true love Daniel and they start a family by having two children together.
I would love to recommend this book! Once you start reading, you will enjoy it and will be unable to take your eyes off the page! My favourite part was when the dangerous sequence of events began. I felt disappointed when the book ended, as I just wanted to continue reading! I would rate this book 5 out of 5!
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
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