Roaring lion, a

August 1939... John Stanford leaves England with his wife Helen to go and live in Ireland (Eire) just before the start of WW2, in order to escape the war. However, Stanford finds that escape is not as easy as he had imagined and, as events unfold, he faces increasingly serious consequences for himself, and for his relationship with his wife. He makes the acquaintance of Vincent Fitzgerald, a former teacher from Galway. As they talk, it gradually becomes clear that, although their lives have been very different, their experiences have given them both very similar insights into some of the basic elements of human relationships, especially their experiences of love for women. Events take their course, with tragic consequences for both men. The novel explores a number of themes, including the relationship between men and women, the relationship between the individual, society and the state, and the ideologies of war, but from a perspective not often seen in fiction. The clear and well-paced plot line makes the book very readable, especially for fans of period fiction.