Olive is a story of human endurance spanning over four generations; from the end of the 19th century through to WW-II, during the almost-total destruction of Southampton, a port city in southern England. Olive is the spine of this historical novel. Ostracised at birth by her family, Olive's life is that of an opportunist and black marketeer. She uses her sex, guile and music skills to move up, but there is a price to be paid and the children bear the cost. Olive demonstrates the impact one woman had on those whose lives she touched.