The Long Way Home
Daisy Denham is young and naïve, but that does not stop her from embarking on a career on the stage, in spite of the disapproval of her adoptive family. The theatre during the interwar years is not a lucrative calling but encouraged by her boyfriend and fellow thespian, Ewan, Daisy joins a small provincial company. There she meets the glamorous Jesse and, seduced by his charms, heads off with him to London.
Down on her luck and with her emotions in turmoil, Daisy is further confused by the unexpected arrival of her birth mother from the USA. Faced with several choices, Daisy must decide where her heart really lies.
The Long Way Home is a classic coming of age story. Daisy is an attractive character whose basic naivety is her greatest strength and weakness. The 1930s theatre scene is particularly well recreated – the left wing theatricals that Ewan joins are a hoot. By the end all the main characters have grown and developed in heartwarming ways.