Set in a post-WWI England, we find the characters are developed fully and entertainingly as only Philippa Gregory can do. Gregory seems adamant in all of her books to produce protagonists that do not retain flawless qualities . This was intense to read due to the graphic nature of PTSD, the cruelty and reality of warfare (trench and class), and the tendency of evil strains. I was tempted to put it down so many times due to the cognitive dissonance created by this book, but the end left me shocked and satisfied.