regshoe

It’s been so long since I read this one that I can’t really comment in a constructive fashion. It’s all a mish-mash of orchards, thunderstorms, grasshoppers (I loved the grasshopper) and duels. I couldn’t really discern the structure at all, though I don’t doubt what you say about it being a story of three parts. The big difference with FotH for me is the sheer narrative drive of the latter. That would work as an adventure story without the relationship(s), which I don’t think TWN would. Having the action take place in a very structured background, over a period of exactly a year, makes it easy to follow with rising and falling action (I think this is part of the allure of the ’45 all round - and also of the Agincourt campaign of Henry V.)

You can see DKB getting more assured at this point; it all goes a bit pear-shaped towards the end of her writing career imo but she’s gearing up for the very best of her work. The reception of TWN must have been pretty good for her to pursue the male-friendship theme in her next book. Oddly enough I’ve never felt impelled to hunt the reviews down!