The Dark Tide

First published in 1923 and based on events at an Oxford women's college, Vera Brittain's (Testament of Youth) debut, The Dark Tide, caused something of a scandal, mainly because it was considered a libelous roman clef by many of those caricatured including university dons and one of the author's best friends. It traces the tumultuous friendship between Daphne Lethbridge and Virginia Dennison, from their often prickly encounters at Oxford just after WWI to the allegiance they forge later on when Daphne's marriage falls apart. ( June 1)