This book was written for those who don't despise children's parties, Edwardian actresses, dancing classes and the scent of lilac over sun-warmed fences. Barbara Morant spent a crucial part of her childhood in the unremarkable suburban house which lends this novel its name. For her siblings, it's merely a place to live; for her mother, it's a symbol of the provincial drudgery of suburban living. But for Barbara, the house and the routines...