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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
i think i would’ve really enjoyed this if i was like an adult idk
I've been delving into the world of Historical Fiction recently and absolutely loving it! This book was addictive, gripping and left me wanting more.
Each with their own secrets and drama, Verity, Arthur and Jack are realistic characters whose stories and aspirations I found captivating. The connection between the three leaves for a tense and somewhat complex situation with a number of love triangles blooming with Verity at it's core. Add in Verity's brother and their childhood friend Muriel and you have a recipe for disaster.
When the flood started I found my heart racing and was eagerly turning each page in order to find out what happened. Zoe Somerville's writing created such a high tension that I found myself unable to put the book down, especially with the added fear of a nuclear war in the background! The repercussions of the flood shines a light on who these characters really are and what they're willing to do for one another.
The Night of the Flood is an atmospheric historical fiction that has you wanting more. This is an excellent debut novel by Zoe Somerville and I cannot wait to see what she comes out with next!
Thank you once again to Head of Zeus for allowing me to take part in this tour!
Each with their own secrets and drama, Verity, Arthur and Jack are realistic characters whose stories and aspirations I found captivating. The connection between the three leaves for a tense and somewhat complex situation with a number of love triangles blooming with Verity at it's core. Add in Verity's brother and their childhood friend Muriel and you have a recipe for disaster.
When the flood started I found my heart racing and was eagerly turning each page in order to find out what happened. Zoe Somerville's writing created such a high tension that I found myself unable to put the book down, especially with the added fear of a nuclear war in the background! The repercussions of the flood shines a light on who these characters really are and what they're willing to do for one another.
The Night of the Flood is an atmospheric historical fiction that has you wanting more. This is an excellent debut novel by Zoe Somerville and I cannot wait to see what she comes out with next!
Thank you once again to Head of Zeus for allowing me to take part in this tour!
slow-paced
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's 1953 on the Norfolk coast and farmer's daughter, Verity is keen to escape her quiet life for university; brother Peter bears most of the responsibility of the failing farm because their father struggles and drinks, since the death of their mother. Childhood friend, and sweetheart of Verity's, Arthur has returned from National Service keen to prove he is worthy of Verity, but worried about the beginnings of the Cold War. Their lives are interrupted by the arrival of charming and dashing American pilot, Jack, from the nearby US airbase. As he becomes involved in their lives, fragile relationships shift, climaxing in a terrible flood, which silently creeps inland one night and which will change all their lives forever.
Based on the floods of this period, which impacted the East Anglian coast terribly, leading to much damage and loss of life, the author's focus is on the characters, their lives, hopes, fears and tangled relationships. The landscape and community of the relatively isolated rural setting, post second World War, create a nostalgic atmosphere of yearning and an air of expectation. I admit I was expecting to enjoy this debut novel, having a soft spot for both Norfolk (I attended university there), mid-twentieth century historic fiction and of course mystery fiction and I'm pleased to report that I did; I also enjoyed the author drawing on the factual and tragic events of the floods. Perhaps slow to start, with a trickle of events, focusing on the character, the title may not be the most accurate. However, it is very atmospheric and beautifully written. The characters' desperation for better, coupled with pervading dread, as their lives go further astray, culminates in tragedy, as despair drives deadly decisions. This is an astute and accomplished debut novel.
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was so lucky to meet this author at Tasting Notes Live in April 2022 and after hearing her talk about this book, I brought it at the event and devoured it in two days!
Atmospheric, intriguing, deadly and heart breaking. This is a brilliant debut novel from this author, and I have pre-ordered her next novel, The Marsh House already.
This book is based on a real event which happened in January 1953 when the North Sea Flood caused widespread damage as coastal areas were swamped by a deluge of water with waves over 20ft. A combination of a high spring tide and a severe European windstorm over the North Sea caused a storm tide. This was a catastrophic event which caused devastating damage to land, property, coastal defences and the human and animal populations. This is a great basis for the book, but there is also a love triangle, a failing family farm, a nearby US airbase that the locals suspect is more than just an airbase; the beginnings of the Cold War and the worries and ignorance of the 1950s.
The North Norfolk coast, where this book is set, holds fond memories for me, so this made this book that bit more special too, and as the story unfolded, I really felt like I was there alongside Verity, Jack, Arthur and Peter and as I read, at times I felt that I could actually feel the cold Winter wind blowing in from the sea, even now a couple of days after finishing the book, I am sure that I can still feel that cold easterly breeze, with the tang of the sea air and fish and chips wafting by too.
For me, this was an immersive plot, I loved the historical fiction too, as this was a real event, and I liked the way that the author interspersed that narrative with the trials and tribulations of families in the early 1950s in a small coastal town. Lots of twists and turns and a real page turner for me, particularly in the second part of the novel, after the flood. The ending was thought provoking, but it did tie things up too. As I mentioned above, I can’t wait for the author’s next book.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
