I normally love the writings of Katherine Mansfield, so I was excited to have the opportunity to read this work, of which I was unaware. I had expected it to be a book I would be enthusiastically recommending. However, I was disappointed. This was a book that I found tedious and sometimes hard to follow. The characters were thinly sketched and the prose was simply ordinary. I struggled to finish this book and considered abandoning it many times, right from the first chapter. I f I had not been obliged to write this review, I would have given up on it long ago...something I rarely do. The story of a family moving to a new home and their experiences and thoughts over the course of a few days (I think? It was not always clear), the haphazard unenthusiastic mothering and plans for parties all blurred together and could not hold my attention. Sadly, this is a two thumbs down for me.