Melanie Hughes

This is Nita’s Story. Born during the First World War, she is illegitimate. When her mother marries, she doesn’t get on with her stepfather. At grammar school she meets Yolanda who introduces her to the vibrant Italian community. The two young women become involved in the left-wing intellectual life of London in the 1930s. She meets Rikh, an activist in the India League. When war is declared, Rikh is seconded to bomber command and they marry in haste. While Rikh is away, she meets Lal, an Indian prince, and they have a whirlwind love affair. As the war engulfs the world, Rikh is posted back to India and Nita goes with him even though their marriage is unhappy…

Nita’s story continues in Melanie’s second novel: Midnight Legacy.

 

THIS BOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE IN ITALIAN. BOTH EDITIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN OTHER COUNTRIES. For any queries, or further information, please contact: sales@patricianpress.com

 

​Talks and readings have been held at the British Italian Society, Kent University, Chapelgarth (Marcella Pelligrini-Sutcliffe of Claire College, Cambridge in conversation with Dr Claudia Baldoli, Milan University), Holborn Archive, and the Universities of Bologna and Catania.)

A chapter about the book also appears in:

MIGRAZIONI E APPARTENENZE – Identità composite e plurilinguismo

by Antonietta Bivona & Cettina Rizzo, published by Mimesis, 2022.

DIALOGHI CON REGISTI E SCRITTORI

Manuela D’Amore in conversation with Melanie Hughes: War changes everything (2017)

Melanie in conversation with Royston Vince on YouTube: