1979. Three old Cambridge friends are brought together at a party to celebrate New Year''s Eve and the end of a decade. Esther, Liz and Alix first met in Cambridge in the early Fifties, a time when their futures held glittering promise. But with the dawn of the Thatcher era, everything changed. Now middle-aged, how will these confident women cope with the personal and professional challenges they will come to face?''A sublime example of Drabble''s mastery in unravelling the intricacies of intimate relationships'' - The Times