The Transit of Venus, Shirley Hazzard

There is no arguing that Shirley Hazzard is a consummate wordsmith. Therefore, you’d be forgiven if you read The Transit of Venus for the sheer beauty of Hazzard’s prose, but there is also an intricate storyline here. As the title suggests, the book is about love, love as enduring as the planets.  Sisters Caro and Grace travel to post-war England to seek their fortunes, and there they meet the young scientist, Ted Tice. There is love, passion, marriage, sorrow, beyrayal, death, secrets, and finally hope.