Olivia Manning (1908–1980)

In the second book of The Levant Trilogy, Harriet and Guy Pringle are still in Cairo, living in a shared flat with other British expatriates. Guy is fully immersed in his university position, happiest when he is completely overloaded with work of his own making. Harriet is left largely on her own, her social network based more on proximity than emotional connection. Meanwhile, Simon Boulderstone benefits from a chance encounter with Harriet’s circle and is appointed liaison officer, but faces an entirely new set of challenges. As the war progresses, Harriet becomes increasingly unhappy and finally takes matters into her own hands. The novel ends with two significant events that left me simultaneously shaken and eager to read what happens next.… (more)

The Levant Trilogy picks up where The Balkan Trilogy left off, with Harriet and Guy Pringle having left Athens in haste due to wartime developments. Now in Cairo, they not surprisingly struggle to find their footing. For Harriet, this means decent living accommodations; for Guy, it means work as a university lecturer in English. The accommodations come more easily, thanks to connections made during their time in Romania and Athens. But some of the same connections stand in Guy’s way, and initially the best he can do is teach “business” English at a community college. Harriet and Guy’s relationship is also a bit fractious, as Guy fails to understand Harriet’s needs, and always puts the needs of others ahead of their own.

In this novel, Olivia Manning expands her narrative beyond the expat community to the soldiers at the front as experienced by a young British soldier, Simon Boulderstone, recently arrived on his first deployment. On Simon’s first visit to Cairo, he calls on a young woman he believes to be his brother’s girlfriend, and finds himself on a sightseeing expedition where he meets Harriet and they witness a tragedy. Once established in his unit, Simon finds himself in command of troops despite his youth and lack of experience.

These two narratives run in parallel. The Pringles settle in, and after some initial setbacks some of Guy’s adversaries finally get what they deserve, to Guy’s benefit. Simon, on the other hand, experiences the reality of war and significant personal losses. The two storylines have minimal overlap, but Olivia Manning is an excellent storyteller and I’m sure connections will unfold in the next two books. I can’t wait to read more.… (more)

In the final book in The Balkan Trilogy, Harriet and Guy Pringle have recently arrived in Athens, after leaving Bucharest and defying orders to go to Cairo. Guy believes his employment prospects are better in Athens, and the couple hope for a return to normal in Greece. They reconnect with British colleagues from their time in Bucharest, and establish new social connections within the British community. But as Germany continues its advance across Europe, living conditions once again become unstable.

Guy struggles to obtain the respect and credibility necessary to be appointed to the senior academic positions he believes he is qualified for, and the ongoing operation of the school is also threatened. Guy busies himself organizing a musical revue and spends hours in the cafe talking politics. Harriet, on the other hand, has grown in confidence and has figured out what she can expect from her husband, and what she cannot. She finds work with the British Information Service. Recognizing Guy will almost always prioritize work and male friends over her, she creates her own social life and cautiously enjoys male attention.

As its title implies, Friends and Heroes revolves around Guy and Harriet’s professional and social circles. The couple’s old friend Yakimov proves to be a surprising source of emotional support during Harriet’s first weeks in Athens and becomes one of the most memorable characters in the trilogy. Some existing “friends” appear and quickly show their incompetence and self-centeredness, but new acquaintances step up and act responsibly, especially in times of crisis. By the end of the novel the Pringles are once again facing evacuation, as they leave the Balkans for the Levant. Another trilogy awaits!… (more)

The Spoilt City, the second book in The Balkan Trilogy, opens in the summer of 1940 shortly after the fall of France. Guy and Harriet Pringle have been living in Bucharest since the war began in September 1939. Romania welcomed British citizens at first, seeing the British and the French as their protectors during the war. But as these countries struggled against Germany’s gathering strength, Romania ceded territory and in September the government ultimately fell to a fascist coup. Suddenly the Pringles’ comfortable lifestyle – working at the university, dining out, enjoying the company of fellow Englishmen – fell apart. Most of their compatriots found a way out of Bucharest but Guy, ever the optimist, held fast to a sense of duty and continued lecturing at the university even as the student population dwindled.

In the midst of political turmoil is the story of a young couple who perhaps married too soon, and are gradually getting to know one another. Guy is consumed by his work, leaving Harriet to fend for herself most of the time. He is far too magnanimous, taking in “strays” who have nowhere else to go. He resists Harriet’s pleas to find them other accommodation, and is certain things will just work out somehow. But Harriet is stronger than she first appears, and shows herself able to act in a crisis. The last few chapters read like a thriller: will the Pringles leave Romania before all exit routes are blocked? The novel ends with more questions than answers, so of course I had to move directly to the third book in the trilogy.… (more)