A vivid chronicle of the lives of girls and women during World War II.
Roman’s YA historical novel follows a girl whose hometown was bombed during World War II.
Twenty years following the bombing of her hometown, Annie returns to Millside, England, for a ceremony to memorialize the war, to grieve the loss of her “brother,” Ben (a young evacuee taken in by her family), and to visit the home of Mrs. Bassett, the generous widow who gave her family and soldiers refuge. She is devastated to learn that actress Suzie Bell, whose past is intertwined with Ben’s, will also be visiting their memorial. At Mrs. Bassett’s home, Annie finds her old diary and reflects upon it: During her 16th year, Annie endures blackouts and rationing. Children are evacuated to Millside from other war-torn communities to have a chance at survival. It is then that she meets Ben, a young boy who becomes a true brother, who has endured traumas of his own. Soldiers are also transported to Millside and given meals and baths before returning to their work—at a community dance, Annie falls for Remy Russell, a French and English soldier. As the year progresses and her love for Remy unfolds, Annie must assume adult responsibilities as her community is ultimately destroyed. Each detail—from propaganda slogans to holiday blackouts—demonstrates the horrors of World War II and supports this well-researched and humanistic account of the period (“no children knocking at the door singing carols and holding their candles. I cannot believe I would miss them and their noise!!! Well, I do but I certainly don’t miss Grace Cummings’ smug face as she leads the little choir”). The story centralizes a female perspective on war, focused on what girls and women had to do to survive during such times, making it accessible and relatable to a young female readership. Although Hopgood’s illustrations are presented infrequently and the late-in-the-story discussion about who Suzie Bell is feels a bit lengthy, this is a heart-wrenching and beautiful story that inspires both curiosity and empathy in its audience.
A vivid chronicle of the lives of girls and women during World War II.Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781947159815
Page Count: 152
Publisher: One Elm Books
Review Posted Online: March 18, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Perhaps a more genuinely enlightened protagonist would have made this debut more engaging
Audrey Rose Wadsworth, 17, would rather perform autopsies in her uncle’s dark laboratory than find a suitable husband, as is the socially acceptable rite of passage for a young, white British lady in the late 1800s.
The story immediately brings Audrey into a fractious pairing with her uncle’s young assistant, Thomas Cresswell. The two engage in predictable rounds of “I’m smarter than you are” banter, while Audrey’s older brother, Nathaniel, taunts her for being a girl out of her place. Horrific murders of prostitutes whose identities point to associations with the Wadsworth estate prompt Audrey to start her own investigation, with Thomas as her sidekick. Audrey’s narration is both ponderous and polemical, as she sees her pursuit of her goals and this investigation as part of a crusade for women. She declares that the slain aren’t merely prostitutes but “daughters and wives and mothers,” but she’s also made it a point to deny any alignment with the profiled victims: “I am not going as a prostitute. I am simply blending in.” Audrey also expresses a narrow view of her desired gender role, asserting that “I was determined to be both pretty and fierce,” as if to say that physical beauty and liking “girly” things are integral to feminism. The graphic descriptions of mutilated women don’t do much to speed the pace.
Perhaps a more genuinely enlightened protagonist would have made this debut more engaging . (Historical thriller. 15-18)Pub Date: Sept. 20, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-316-27349-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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