"Levitation for beginners" by Suzannah Dunn

An audio book.

50+ years later, the first-person PoV Deborah thinks back to her junior village school with its class of 8 (2 boys). She recalls the first day of Sarah Jayne in 1972 when she was about 10. She's searched online for classmates, but presumably they've changed surname. She hasn't. She was the only one of the class to go to grammar school.

Her mother, Sandy Darke, became a widow at 24 and never remarried. She died last week saying "Odd business, up at the vicarage". The vicarage was the grandest house of the village.

Sarah Jayne is more sophisticated than the village girls, and upsets old alliances. Caroline starts ineptly trying to attract the boys' attention. Sarah Jayne comes from "abroad". She knows about vodka.

Deborah tries to piece together from song lyrics, gossip and her mother's guarded comments what marriage is about. Sarah Jayne wants to marry popstar David Cassidy but starts "going out" with one of the 2 boys in the class, Neil.

When her mother can't cope with a spider she gets Deborah to ask for help from a passing boy on a bike. Sunny - common and cheeky - plans to run discos. He drops in again for a drink, giving them a cassette player and promising them tapes. Deborah thinks that Sunny and her mother act strangely together, her mother lenient about his language and smoking.

At lunchtime the girl practice trying to levitate - they've seen hippies try it on TV.

50% through the book we learn that Deborah's a mother. It's barely mentioned again.

Sarah points out that Miss Drake, the infant teacher, has hairy legs. Rumour somehow spreads that she's a lesbian. The girls aren't all sure what a lesbian is - they like watching Miss World. Deborah finds out that Miss Drake is about to be married. The other girls are impressed.

The others see Sunny working on scaffolding and fancy him. They're impressed that he's been in Deborah's bathroom.

Deborah's mum tells her that Sunny's coming to the school fete. Deborah worries about it. She's invited to Sarah's house. It has a grand piano, and does indeed have a derelict pool. Sarah's brother-in-law to-be isn't very impressive. Sarah's 16 years older sister used to go out with a bomber.

Deborah's mum finds out that Sarah is the daughter of the girl she thinks is her older sister. Sarah doesn't seem to know. While Deborah's at Sarah's, they play with a gun, pointing it at a man. It goes off with Deborah's hand on the trigger. Sarah takes the blame. Sarah's family soon move away.

Other reviews

• Catherine Taylor (Brilliantly articulated and often piercingly sad, Dunn’s characters find themselves caught up in what may today be termed quarter-life crises – they are unsettled, dissatisfied; prone to despair, to jealousy, to falling unsuitably in love, to deep, unnavigable loss. ... cultural references, which, while they firmly place the book in context, are a little overdone.)