A Change of Climate

Ralph and Anna Eldred run a charitable foundation from their Norfolk home in 1980, raising four children while helping others in need. Their structured life begins to fracture during one summer when long-buried memories from their past resurface. The story moves between present-day Norfolk and the couple's earlier years as missionaries in South Africa and Bechuanaland during the 1950s. During their time in Africa, the couple faces extreme challenges that test their faith, idealism, and marriage. The narrative traces how past trauma shapes present relationships, following the Eldreds as they navigate their roles as parents, philanthropists, and partners. Their work with troubled individuals in Norfolk parallels their earlier missionary experiences in Africa. This novel explores themes of faith versus reality, the limits of human idealism, and whether true recovery from profound loss is possible. Through the Eldreds' story, it examines how people maintain their beliefs and relationships in the face of devastating experiences.

Readers note the book's complex narrative structure that moves between Norfolk and South Africa/Botswana, with many finding the dual timeline engaging but others calling it confusing. The character development, particularly of Ralph and Anna, draws readers in, with one reviewer stating "Mantel makes you feel the heat and dust of Africa and the damp chill of Norfolk." Readers appreciate: - Rich atmospheric details of both settings - Treatment of faith, doubt, and moral choices - Subtle handling of heavy themes Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in first third - Too many peripheral characters - Abrupt ending that leaves questions unanswered Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (200+ ratings) One frequent comment from negative reviews mentions difficulty connecting with the characters, with a Goodreads reviewer noting "everyone seemed to keep each other at arm's length, including the reader."

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🔸 Hilary Mantel wrote this novel in 1994, years before she achieved widespread fame with her Thomas Cromwell trilogy that earned her two Booker Prizes. 🔸 Bechuanaland, where part of the novel is set, became the Republic of Botswana in 1966 and was one of the fastest-growing economies in the world for several decades after independence. 🔸 The book draws subtle parallels between missionary work and social work - both Ralph and Anna transition from religious missionaries in Africa to running a charitable trust in Norfolk. 🔸 Much of the novel's 1950s African setting coincides with the early years of apartheid in South Africa, which was officially institutionalized in 1948. 🔸 Mantel based some of the novel's Norfolk scenes on her own experience living in the county during the 1980s, where she worked as a social worker and lived in a former mill house.