After an accident at sea, Godfrey turns to her to help him break the news that Spiro was lost overboard. Spiro's mother and sister Miranda work for Phyllida. Godfrey has hired a young man, Spiro, to help with the photography and running his boat. The Forlis have another tenant and neighbor, Godfrey Manning, a writer and photographer.

Staying with Sir Julian is his son Max, a composer. He has developed a novel theory that Corfu is actually Prospero's island of exile, and allusions to the play run through the story. Lucy is astonished to learn that the castello is presently leased to Sir Julian Gale, 'one of the more brilliant lights of the London theatre for more years than can remember.' She has wonderful memories of seeing him play Prospero, in a production of The Tempest at Stratford. Phyllida is married to a Roman banker whose family owns not just the villa, but the original estate, including a castello of fantastic design. Lucy Marling, a young actress whose first London play just folded, has escaped grey rainy England to stay with her sister Phyllida Forli in a seaside villa. I know some first chapters almost by heart at this point.įrom my false starts with this book, I remembered that it is set on the Greek island of Corfu. I find that happening a lot with books lately - I end up starting some of them at least three times before I really settle in with the story. I had started This Rough Magic a couple of times before, knowing it's a favorite with many people, but the story didn't hold my attention past the first chapter. Still in search of books with happy endings, I turned next to Mary Stewart.

This rough magic by mary stewart