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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
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:
No
Letters written between the women and their beloveds sustain them during the war’s forced absences as do a few of Emily Dickinson’s words: “hope is the thing with feathers.” Hope and love abide in the Christmas 1918 coda that deftly ties the narrative threads together.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Patch is a teenager with only one eye. Since he has to wear a patch anyway, he has made a joke out of it by adopting the persona of a pirate. His only real friend, Saint is a 13 year old with a whimsical nature. They are each other’s best friend and both have their future planned based on their status as a private individual. When Patch is in the right place at the right time, he intervenes with a kidnapping of the daughter of the richest man in town. The attention that results from this act spurs a trauma for both of them.
The story is written around a suspect of other heinous crimes and Patch and Saint are invested in the outcome of the investigation and its aftermath. It takes over 25 years of slow development and the examination of the traumatic effects of this on Patch and Saint. Is it a coming-of-age story? Is it a thriller? Is it a mystery? Is it a police procedural? Is it a romance? Is it literary fiction? Is it a character study? Is it an exploration of the dynamics of a small Southern town? Is it a family drama? Is it a friendship survival story? The answer to each of these questions is Yes which is the major problem of the novel. It is 600 pages, 15 hours in the audiobook with an abundance of characters, development not of each one of them, a traumatic event and its effects, multiple time lines, featuring multiple crimes, and a coming of age romance. There is just too much going on. Although it is possible to keep all of the story lines and its constituent pieces distinct, it detracts from the focus of the central story.
The author is a skilled writer who can manage complex characters, plots and themes. But I found that the middle third of the book dragged significantly and it could have benefited from serious editing that would strengthen the core storyline. I stayed with it to be able to enjoy the resolution of all the components and because the author could probably write an intriguing grocery list but my overwhelming feeling at the end was that ”thank heaven that’s behind me.” My overall rating on this book is assigned to its parts—character development, plotting, etc. but the components are not the whole so it is higher than my strictly subjective review would indicate.
This is a heartwarming and poignant tale that will captivate readers who appreciate historical fiction, romance, and stories of female empowerment, resilience, and the transformative power of love and connection in the midst of war and uncertainty.
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A good mix of historical and romance. I enjoyed the multiple authors telling connected stories. An easy, but enjoyable read.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
I loved this book! It follows three women during WWI and how they are involved in their own ways. It is centered around the “Liberty scarf” one of the characters designs and they all connect with the quote on it. “Hope is the thing with feathers” Each woman faces her own challenges in the world but all resonate with the quote for different reasons. As the story progresses, their lives start to intertwine. A beautifully written book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC.
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
“I think liberty is as lovely a word as hope.”
This was one of the best historical fiction novels I’ve read this year!
I absolutely loved the way the liberty scarf was woven throughout each story. I don’t have a favourite; each one was unique in its own way. From one I learned about the origins of the Liberty scarf, the iconic storefront and the term ‘blighty’. From another I learned about the US Army Signal Corps and General Pershing’s ‘Hello Girls’. And from the third story, I learned about Pieter Breugel’s painting ‘The Blind Leading The Blind’ and an orchestra formed to play at the frontlines and boost troops’ morale.
I enjoyed every moment with Captain Richard ‘Rex’ Conrad, Iris Braxton, Captain Maxime Auvray, Genevieve Tremblay, Roman Allaire and Clara Janssens and I think “The Feathered Hope” story will stay in my mind the longest. I appreciated the epilogue and how it tied everything together nicely for readers.
I wonder if the scarf in the cover could have been represented differently to reflect the story within….when I think of a Liberty scarf, this red scarf is not what comes to mind.
“Everything tastes sweeter when served with a heaping spoonful of nostalgia.”
I was gifted this copy by HarperCollins Focus and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
This was one of the best historical fiction novels I’ve read this year!
I absolutely loved the way the liberty scarf was woven throughout each story. I don’t have a favourite; each one was unique in its own way. From one I learned about the origins of the Liberty scarf, the iconic storefront and the term ‘blighty’. From another I learned about the US Army Signal Corps and General Pershing’s ‘Hello Girls’. And from the third story, I learned about Pieter Breugel’s painting ‘The Blind Leading The Blind’ and an orchestra formed to play at the frontlines and boost troops’ morale.
I enjoyed every moment with Captain Richard ‘Rex’ Conrad, Iris Braxton, Captain Maxime Auvray, Genevieve Tremblay, Roman Allaire and Clara Janssens and I think “The Feathered Hope” story will stay in my mind the longest. I appreciated the epilogue and how it tied everything together nicely for readers.
I wonder if the scarf in the cover could have been represented differently to reflect the story within….when I think of a Liberty scarf, this red scarf is not what comes to mind.
“Everything tastes sweeter when served with a heaping spoonful of nostalgia.”
I was gifted this copy by HarperCollins Focus and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.