Our Noble Selves by Kate Atkinson review
There are glimpses of Atkinson’s subtle brilliance in this gentle noirish mystery set around the Festival of Britain
TL;DR
- The novel is set during the 1951 Festival of Britain, a government initiative to boost national morale.
- The protagonist is Harry Flynn, a former war correspondent turned foreign correspondent.
- Flynn takes on a job compiling a poetry anthology for the festival.
- A gentle noirish plot is triggered by the disappearance of Delphine, Flynn's date, with whom he has no memory of the end of the evening.
- Flynn becomes a suspect after waking up covered in blood.
- The narrative features a cast of quirky and eccentric characters, typical of Atkinson's style.
- The novel explores themes of secrets, resilience, and decency in postwar Britain.
- Atkinson's subtle brilliance is noted in her handling of Flynn's war trauma.