The First World War is over, and in a quiet Hampshire village, artist Stanley Spencer is working on the commission of a lifetime, painting an entire chapel in memory of a life lost in the war to end all wars. Combining his own traumatic experiences with moments of everyday redemption, the chapel will become his masterpiece.
When Elsie Munday arrives to take up position as housemaid to the Spencer family, her life quickly becomes entwined with the charming and irascible Stanley, his artist wife Hilda and their tiny daughter Shirin.
As the years pass, Elsie does her best to keep the family together even when love, obsession and temptation seem set to tear them apart...
A vivid picture of the life of painter Stanley Spencer, Stanley and Elsie reimagines real people and events, giving new insight from the perspective of a charismatic female lead.
Stanley and Elsie by Nicola Upson is published in paperback today; 2 May 2019 by Duckworth. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review and who invited me to take part on this Blog Tour.
Stanley and Elsie is a fictionalised story featuring artist Stanley Spencer and is set in a small Hampshire village just after the First World War.
There's something really special about this story and the writing. Nicola Upson's stylish and elegant prose really brings her characters to life. The reader will not like all of them, but there's no doubting that she's made them feel as real as possible - flaws and all.
Elsie Munday arrives for an interview. She's after the job as a maid to artist Stanley and his wife and daughter. Stanley has taken on a large commission; he's painting a chapel in memory of those lost in the war. Elsie's background is very different to that of the Spencers, having been brought up in a small house, crowded with numerous siblings and very little money.
However, Elsie can certainly hold her own, and it's probably her lack of social etiquette that allows her to speak so freely to her new employers. She soon becomes a permanent fixture in their lives and is witness to the internal workings of their quite remarkable marriage.
I have really enjoyed my short spell with the Spencers and Elsie. Nicola Upson's story is beautifully crafted, compelling and addictive. Her prose is arresting and the narrative is excellent.
Nicola Upson was born in Suffolk and read English at Downing College, Cambridge. She has worked in theatre and as a freelance journalist, and is the author of two non-fiction works and the recipient of an Escalator Award from the Arts Council England.
Her debut novel, An Expert in Murder, was the first in a series of crime novels whose main character is Josephine Tey - one of the leading authors of Britain's Golden Age of crime writing.
She lives with her partner in Cambridge and spends much of her time in Cornwall.
Twitter @nicolaupsonbook
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