21 Aldgate

Enchanting and insightful, this story of an extended Jewish family in London around the time of WWII is based on the life of the author's mother. Rebecca Shelbourn-Timm warmly recounts the details of Clara Simon's fascinating life with her vibrant family in the working-class East End and her job as assistant to French artist Paul Maze in upper-class Chelsea. Maze plays a major role, and Shelbourn-Timm's French phrases float easily into the narration. She portrays Clara's parents and husband with Cockney color, but her straight delivery of Clara's voice--posh and crisp--leaves the listener wondering whether Clara could speak so differently from her relatives. Nevertheless, a perceptive historical novel is made more fascinating by its autobiographical roots. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine