The Art of Love

Elizabeth Edmondson

HarperCollins
Polly Smith is a struggling artist in 1930s London, earning a living sketching book jackets on a freelance basis, and touching up the works of well-known painters at the Rossetti Gallery. She’s engaged to the good-looking but rather pompous Dr Roger Harrington, a man with traditional ideas about husbands and wives.

Living in a run-down flat, Polly isn’t looking forward to another winter in London with little money, so when her friend, Oliver, invites Polly to spend the summer at his father’s house on the French Riviera, she jumps at the chance. Roger – who isn’t keen on the idea of Polly going to France – is away in the United States when Polly decides to venture abroad.

She needs a passport to travel to France, but getting the necessary paperwork proves difficult because Polly Smith doesn’t technically exist. It turns out that Polly’s mother is actually her aunt, and Polly’s father is unknown. Also, her real name is not Polly Smith, but Polyhymnia Tomkins.

Although she is stunned by these revelations, the young artist forges ahead with plans to spend the summer in France. Worried about her tatty bohemian-style dresses, Polly borrows some elegant frocks from a friend who works in the theatre.

When she arrives, Polly is collected by cheerful Oliver and his sour-faced sister, Katriona, who takes an instant dislike to her. Try as she might, Polly can’t make Katriona like her. Although Polly is dying to paint, she can’t relax at Oliver’s father’s house. Lord Fraddon, Oliver’s father, makes Polly feel uneasy. He left England when gossip and scandal threatened to ruined his reputation for good.

While she loves the flamboyant and theatrical Oliver, Polly simply can’t relate to his family’s upper-class friends. Through the Fraddons’ social connections Polly meets Cynthia Harkness and her untrustworthy fiancé, Walter. Cynthia’s brother, Max, also comes to the Riviera and Polly realises she has met him before.

Wanting to concentrate on her art, Polly moves out of Lord Fraddon’s house and into some horse stables which have been cleverly converted into living quarters. She becomes good friends with two elderly, artistic, and liberal women, Jo and Maud, who are already living there. The type of art the women are interested in comes as a bit of a shock to Polly, but she tries to keep her opinions to herself.

While the French summer may be good for creativity, it’s also a life-changing experience for Polly. As the story progresses, it becomes obvious many characters are not who they seem and when secrets from Polly’s past are revealed, she learns about her true identity. This is a page-gripping tale of honesty, deceit and loyalty.

Starting poitns for discussion: 

1. How would you describe the friendship between Oliver and Polly? Do you think Oliver should have told Polly more about his family before Polly went to the South of France?
2. Discuss the relationship between Cynthia and Harriet. Why do you think Harriet has a rebellious streak?
3. Which character was the most dishonest and why?
4. Discuss the recurring theme of social class. How does status affect the way characters interact?
5. Were you satisfied with the novel’s ending? 

If you liked this you will enjoy:

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• Burnt Sunshine by Estelle Pinney
• The Villa in Italy by Elizabeth Edmondson
• A Quiet Adjustment by Benjamin Markovits