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ljjohnson8's review against another edition
2.0
This is the story of a Polish husband, wife and son who are separated for six years during WWII - under horrific conditions for the wife and son - and are reunited and rebuilding a life together in England. Hodgkinson is a competent writer, but not particularly insightful. The only portions that were elevated to something unique and special were the sections (way too few) told from the point of view of Aurek, the somewhat inhuman, creature-like son. The story pretty much kept my attention while reading, but it will all be forgotten by the end of the week. I think those couple of hundred people who have this on reserve at the library are going to be disappointed.
charlie_rosannah_reads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
atippmann's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this plot was really intriguing and I wasn't sure how it was going to end. A complex story and so interesting to me to think of all the poor people involved in horrific parts of war who eventually have to return to normal life, living with all those memories.
A good read!
A good read!
palliem's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a little slow to get into, but once I did, I flew through it. Ultimately, I found Janusz's story of the war less compelling than Silvanna's and Aurek's, but the story of their life together in Ipswich kept me involved enough to fall in love with all the characters.
nikkitewes's review against another edition
4.0
This novel starts with the reunion of the Nowak family after the end of World War II. They are originally from Poland, but were separated by the war. Janusz joined the allied forces fight against the Germans. Silvana, his wife, and Aurek, their infant son, stayed in Warsaw. Janusz was able to get to Great Britain and decided to start a new life for his family. Silvana and Aurek were able to survive the war by living and hiding in the forest.
While Janusz and Silvana want to forget the war, memories of the past haunt them. They are both keeping secrets that could ruin their relationship and the new life that they are struggling to maintain. Janusz is so set on becoming a British gentleman. He is so determined for he, Silvana, and Aurek to fit in that he does every thing he can to escape his past. It isn't that easy for Silvana and Aurek, who struggle adapting back into society, let alone living in a new country.
Read more at http://naptimebookworm.blogspot.com/2013/11/22-britannia-road.html
While Janusz and Silvana want to forget the war, memories of the past haunt them. They are both keeping secrets that could ruin their relationship and the new life that they are struggling to maintain. Janusz is so set on becoming a British gentleman. He is so determined for he, Silvana, and Aurek to fit in that he does every thing he can to escape his past. It isn't that easy for Silvana and Aurek, who struggle adapting back into society, let alone living in a new country.
Read more at http://naptimebookworm.blogspot.com/2013/11/22-britannia-road.html
dannb's review against another edition
3.0
Such glimmers of really good in here...just didn't send me over the moon.
ciska's review against another edition
3.0
The author
Amanda Hodgkinson is a British writer and journalist who grew up in a small Essex fishing village before moving to Suffolk, and attending the University of East Anglia. She now lives and works in south west France with her husband Guy and their two daughters. For more information on Amanda Hodgkinson visit her site at http://www.amandahodgkinson.com/
The review
I bought the ebook in January of this year after I saw it in the bookstore knowing I had to have it and read this book. But than I got caught up with other books and kept postponing this one. At the beginning of September I was visiting Manuscripta (a book convention in the Netherlands) and the author of this book was going to be there. Still I did not find time enough to fit this book in. The author would sign her book on Sunday so I bought myself a paperback version on the Saturday. That evening I was thinking to just read the book so I could say something smart but than I thought that this story must deserve way more attention than I could give at that moment. So totally blank I approached the author on Sunday asking her to sign my book. And I am happy I chose to wait reading it cause this book does deserve the attention.
There are a lot of things happening in the book. There is the war story where people make choices to survive. But what I found more interesting was the approach of the author on the aftermath of the war. What does one tell a loved one when you have been forced apart so long? When you might feel like you betrayed them to stay alive? Or even what do you share with people in your surrounding? My grandparents never wanted to talk about the war. Only on very few occasions they made a remark which gave you an idea about what happened, but just a really small idea. Today you hear all the stories of soldiers coming back home and not being able to adjust anymore to their old lives. Not understanding anymore why things are important. I think the author only touched the tip of an iceberg with this story, concentrating on how two people manage to be together again and making the rest of their lives fairly easy with the way they picked up work but she did touch a very sensitive and actual problem with this book.
Unfortunately as said before she keeps the adjustment problems fairly small ad I am still not really sure what I feel about the characters. I had a hard time really feeling them and was not able to really attach myself to one or more of them.
Still I think everybody should read this book to start a wave of realization that if the traumatizing event is not present anymore a person cannot go back to the way things were.
Amanda Hodgkinson is a British writer and journalist who grew up in a small Essex fishing village before moving to Suffolk, and attending the University of East Anglia. She now lives and works in south west France with her husband Guy and their two daughters. For more information on Amanda Hodgkinson visit her site at http://www.amandahodgkinson.com/
The review
I bought the ebook in January of this year after I saw it in the bookstore knowing I had to have it and read this book. But than I got caught up with other books and kept postponing this one. At the beginning of September I was visiting Manuscripta (a book convention in the Netherlands) and the author of this book was going to be there. Still I did not find time enough to fit this book in. The author would sign her book on Sunday so I bought myself a paperback version on the Saturday. That evening I was thinking to just read the book so I could say something smart but than I thought that this story must deserve way more attention than I could give at that moment. So totally blank I approached the author on Sunday asking her to sign my book. And I am happy I chose to wait reading it cause this book does deserve the attention.
There are a lot of things happening in the book. There is the war story where people make choices to survive. But what I found more interesting was the approach of the author on the aftermath of the war. What does one tell a loved one when you have been forced apart so long? When you might feel like you betrayed them to stay alive? Or even what do you share with people in your surrounding? My grandparents never wanted to talk about the war. Only on very few occasions they made a remark which gave you an idea about what happened, but just a really small idea. Today you hear all the stories of soldiers coming back home and not being able to adjust anymore to their old lives. Not understanding anymore why things are important. I think the author only touched the tip of an iceberg with this story, concentrating on how two people manage to be together again and making the rest of their lives fairly easy with the way they picked up work but she did touch a very sensitive and actual problem with this book.
Unfortunately as said before she keeps the adjustment problems fairly small ad I am still not really sure what I feel about the characters. I had a hard time really feeling them and was not able to really attach myself to one or more of them.
Still I think everybody should read this book to start a wave of realization that if the traumatizing event is not present anymore a person cannot go back to the way things were.
lorette's review against another edition
4.0
Quite good, though the ending was a bit Pollyanna-ish for me....
marymccallum99's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
bunnyovani's review against another edition
4.0
I found myself crying, laughing and YELLING IN ANGER at various times during this book. I loved it.