The Landscape of Love
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Founder | Sally Beauman |
| Products | Fiction novel |
The Landscape of Love—known in the United States as The Sisters Mortland—is a 2005 novel authored by British writer Sally Beauman. The narrative follows the Mortland family, focusing on the three sisters—Julia, Finn, and Maisie—and their mother Stella as they relocate to their grandfather's neglected abbey.
Plot summary
Set in the summer of 1967, the story introduces family acquaintances Dan, Nick, and Lucas. Dan is romantically involved with Finn; Nick works as a young physician; Lucas is an aspiring, unconventional artist who creates portraits of the sisters. Maisie shares familial anecdotes with Lucas but conceals a fortune teller’s prophecy after he ridicules her.
As preparations unfold for a visit to their grandfather’s childhood residence, tensions rise within the family. Maisie notices Finn returning prematurely, prompting suspicions about her relationship with Dan and possible connections to Lucas. Stella and her father intend to approach the wealthy twin brother for financial assistance to renovate the abbey; however, he declines. Meanwhile, Maisie secretly secures funds through unexpected channels while sensing that her family fears she resembles her deceased father.
The timeline shifts to 1989, with Dan narrating reflections on the Mortlands’ tragic summer of 1967. Lucas, now an acclaimed artist, plans to showcase his painting titled The Sisters Mortland, evoking painful recollections. It emerges that Maisie was responsible for the calamity by leaping from a window and may have exhibited signs of autism.
Dan experiences personal decline—losing his position as a commercial producer and battling depression—while fixating on unresolved questions from that summer: what caused the downfall, why tragedy occurred, and how he lost his beloved.