Poignant tale of modern step-family life told with great sensitivity for the children who suffer in the ill-fated union of their self-centred parents: especially Tess whose yearning for love and approval is deeply affecting.
Extract
William drew up a rota ... with small square boxes in different colours for each day 'so you can find your chore with speed and accuracy'. But what disturbed Tess were the colours. Honour was purple .... Jake was red. Why couldn't she be red? Doon and Sandy were green and blue. But for Tess, out of the whole rainbow sheen of pencils from their box of Caran D'ache, William had chosen brown.