Scan barcode
jgintrovertedreader's review against another edition
5.0
The Postmistress is a novel of if. "If I tell this story in exactly the right way, people will hear it and act on it," thinks the reporter. "If I don't make mistakes, the system will be perfect and chaos and random chance will be kept at bay," thinks the postmistress. "If I think hard enough about my husband being safe, he will be," thinks the woman left at home as her husband goes off to London during the Blitz. But if is a double-edged word and sometimes it falls the other way, and we're left thinking, "If only I had done this or hadn't done that, then this other thing would never have happened."
Beautiful. I opened this novel, already in love with the cover, and fell in love with the writing contained within. It's not a beauty that keeps you at arm's distance. It's a beauty that seductively whispers, "Come closer. Read what I have to say. See what I'm showing you." And then it shows you the chaos of war, and how helpless we are before it. It shows you how it's human nature to avoid seeing what we don't want to see, or to avoid acting when it's easier to stay safely at home with our heads in the sand.
Haunting. I am going to be haunted by Frankie's story for a long time. I should perhaps relate more to the wife than the reporter, but Frankie's stories have left a mark on my soul. She's in London, and then she's in Europe in the refugee trains, and all the time she is beating against the world's indifference, shouting, "This is happening, and it's happening in numbers you can't imagine. And it's getting worse every day. Pay attention! Please, just pay attention." And the world doesn't pay attention, and the horror worsens.
Read it. It's not always easy; war stories never are. But we still have a duty to pay attention, even--or perhaps especially--to the past.
Beautiful. I opened this novel, already in love with the cover, and fell in love with the writing contained within. It's not a beauty that keeps you at arm's distance. It's a beauty that seductively whispers, "Come closer. Read what I have to say. See what I'm showing you." And then it shows you the chaos of war, and how helpless we are before it. It shows you how it's human nature to avoid seeing what we don't want to see, or to avoid acting when it's easier to stay safely at home with our heads in the sand.
Haunting. I am going to be haunted by Frankie's story for a long time. I should perhaps relate more to the wife than the reporter, but Frankie's stories have left a mark on my soul. She's in London, and then she's in Europe in the refugee trains, and all the time she is beating against the world's indifference, shouting, "This is happening, and it's happening in numbers you can't imagine. And it's getting worse every day. Pay attention! Please, just pay attention." And the world doesn't pay attention, and the horror worsens.
Read it. It's not always easy; war stories never are. But we still have a duty to pay attention, even--or perhaps especially--to the past.
anniewill's review against another edition
I struggled through 37 pages, finding it incredibly difficult to get into the novel and the characters. Reading the following clumsy sentence made me finally snap the book shut in frustration:
Blasted again and again upward into nothing, and Frankie wanted to grab something and hurl it up, too; and the fact that every shot could be traced back to them, every shot could draw the attention of a pilot high above them, who could flick his thumb and rain down death so fast they'd never hear it coming, didn't matter- now, despite the cold of the the October night, the men were sweating, the shells roaring out in answer to the spotter' shouts, stripped to their shirtsleeves and going at their guns like drummers.
What? Where is the editing?
Or, maybe it's just me. I was already frustrated with the author (and editor) for shifting perspectives multiple times in one paragraph several times (a pet peeve). I decided that if I was this dissatisfied after the first 37 pages, there was no way I should invest any more of my time reading this novel.
Blasted again and again upward into nothing, and Frankie wanted to grab something and hurl it up, too; and the fact that every shot could be traced back to them, every shot could draw the attention of a pilot high above them, who could flick his thumb and rain down death so fast they'd never hear it coming, didn't matter- now, despite the cold of the the October night, the men were sweating, the shells roaring out in answer to the spotter' shouts, stripped to their shirtsleeves and going at their guns like drummers.
What? Where is the editing?
Or, maybe it's just me. I was already frustrated with the author (and editor) for shifting perspectives multiple times in one paragraph several times (a pet peeve). I decided that if I was this dissatisfied after the first 37 pages, there was no way I should invest any more of my time reading this novel.
mschrock8's review against another edition
5.0
Love books about letters, why not about the people who deliver them?
sarahanne8382's review against another edition
3.0
I had a hard time getting into this story of 3 American women during 1941. The portrayal of that time period is one we don't see as often as stories told after the U. S. entered WWII, but I keep put finding myself zoning out.
dmillet's review against another edition
1.0
I only forced myself to finish this book because I was reading it for a book club. Did not enjoy it at all.
erboe501's review against another edition
2.0
This was one of those reads where you are tensed up the whole time because you are waiting for something bad to happen, and then it does, but not everyone involved realizes it. I'm not happy that Frankie never told Emma about her encounter with Will. She didn't have to give her the letter, but I believe Emma would have enjoyed someone else's story of Will in his last moments, to know that he didn't die anonymously.
Someone recommended this book to me based on my love for [b:The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|2728527|The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|Mary Ann Shaffer|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1351979318s/2728527.jpg|2754161], and although the setting is the same, WWII, this novel lacked the humorous characters and uplifting ending that were endearing in Guernsey. However, I understand that the message in Postmistress is not as lighthearted because it puts forth the very important point that we carry on with our everyday concerns as someone across the water struggles to survive. I do find Frankie's realization in chapter 18: that the question is not why someone dies, but how can it not be more cataclysmic, poignant and thought-provoking.
There is a little too much description for me (I just don't need to hear so many details about the harbor or the sand dunes), and a lot of philosophizing, which are some of the big reasons why I rated it rather low. As far as the structure of the novel goes, the different points of view render a more well-rounded picture of the war than a single point of view would have. The shift in points of view within sections could have been disorienting, but Blake does a good job of seamlessly flowing from one perspective to another. I wish I could find out more about Thomas and Otto, but I suppose that is the point of the book: you do not always get to find out what happens to people, all you get is a snapshot.
Someone recommended this book to me based on my love for [b:The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|2728527|The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|Mary Ann Shaffer|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1351979318s/2728527.jpg|2754161], and although the setting is the same, WWII, this novel lacked the humorous characters and uplifting ending that were endearing in Guernsey. However, I understand that the message in Postmistress is not as lighthearted because it puts forth the very important point that we carry on with our everyday concerns as someone across the water struggles to survive. I do find Frankie's realization in chapter 18: that the question is not why someone dies, but how can it not be more cataclysmic, poignant and thought-provoking.
There is a little too much description for me (I just don't need to hear so many details about the harbor or the sand dunes), and a lot of philosophizing, which are some of the big reasons why I rated it rather low. As far as the structure of the novel goes, the different points of view render a more well-rounded picture of the war than a single point of view would have. The shift in points of view within sections could have been disorienting, but Blake does a good job of seamlessly flowing from one perspective to another. I wish I could find out more about Thomas and Otto, but I suppose that is the point of the book: you do not always get to find out what happens to people, all you get is a snapshot.
ashleysilver7's review against another edition
3.0
This was a book written about WWII from the American perspective, especially in the early throngs of war. Frankie is a 20-something war reporter working for Edward R. Murrow, mostly covering the Blitz in London, in the years 1940 and early '41. Emma is a 20-something newly-wed, just arriving in some town along Cape Cod (I can't remember the name of the town, as it's been a couple days since I finished the novel). Emma's husband is the town doctor, and he decides to go to London to help doctors during the Blitz. Finally, there is Iris, who is the Cape Cod "postmistress" who sort of anchors the characters together.
I would have given the book 4/5 stars, because I liked the subject matter and the story overall, but I found parts of Frankie's reporting, and her story in general, rather hard to follow. This is especially true when she rides the train into Nazi occupied France, then Germany, and then Spain. One has to wonder, would that even be possible? Clearly, she had to have been in danger of both the war itself, and from Nazi propagandists who deeply censored everything she had to say. Furthermore, her reports of the Jewish refugees were hard to understand. First, it was hard to understand who the characters were she was interviewing...it jumped around quite a bit (and maybe that was the point?), and the author kept most of the interviews in French and German and rarely translated what was said. As a singer and a former French student, I was able to translate most of the interviews (it was very compulsory French and German), but a translation would have been helpful.
Other parts of Frankie's story I found hard to follow: Harriet (I believe) was her flatmate in London, and she passed away during the Blitz. Was the little boy, Billy, Harriet's son? That was unclear. We know both Harriet died, and Billy's mother died, but were they one and the same? I assume other readers are more intelligent than myself and didn't find that confusing...but I would have liked more clarity as this event was somewhat important to the overall plot. I would have also liked more detail about the Blitz itself, and maybe a little more detail re: the shelters. Finally, the way Frankie ends up in the same Cape Cod town as Iris and Emma...that is fine, but it all seemed a little far-fetched if you ask me.
Other issues and events in the novel worth mentioning: Harry Vale was a prominent figure in the novel and love interest to Iris, the postmistress. He was a WWI veteran, and thought a German U-boat attack very likely. We also know most of the townspeople thought he was a bit cuckoo. We know Emma's husband, Dr. Fitch, didn't think too highly of himself...what was his issue? The author barely scratched the surface of his character if you ask me. Finally, what did most Americans think of the Jewish refugees, and why? We just know little bits, but not much...maybe that's the point of what the author was trying to convey: most Americans, before December 7, 1941, had a general flippancy about the war in Europe.
All in all, the book was fine, I just found bits of it either A) a bit hard to follow, or B) a bit far fetched. I realize it's a novel, and I may be the only person who felt this way. All that aside, I look forward to reading more books by Sarah Blake.
I would have given the book 4/5 stars, because I liked the subject matter and the story overall, but I found parts of Frankie's reporting, and her story in general, rather hard to follow. This is especially true when she rides the train into Nazi occupied France, then Germany, and then Spain. One has to wonder, would that even be possible? Clearly, she had to have been in danger of both the war itself, and from Nazi propagandists who deeply censored everything she had to say. Furthermore, her reports of the Jewish refugees were hard to understand. First, it was hard to understand who the characters were she was interviewing...it jumped around quite a bit (and maybe that was the point?), and the author kept most of the interviews in French and German and rarely translated what was said. As a singer and a former French student, I was able to translate most of the interviews (it was very compulsory French and German), but a translation would have been helpful.
Other parts of Frankie's story I found hard to follow: Harriet (I believe) was her flatmate in London, and she passed away during the Blitz. Was the little boy, Billy, Harriet's son? That was unclear. We know both Harriet died, and Billy's mother died, but were they one and the same? I assume other readers are more intelligent than myself and didn't find that confusing...but I would have liked more clarity as this event was somewhat important to the overall plot. I would have also liked more detail about the Blitz itself, and maybe a little more detail re: the shelters. Finally, the way Frankie ends up in the same Cape Cod town as Iris and Emma...that is fine, but it all seemed a little far-fetched if you ask me.
Other issues and events in the novel worth mentioning: Harry Vale was a prominent figure in the novel and love interest to Iris, the postmistress. He was a WWI veteran, and thought a German U-boat attack very likely. We also know most of the townspeople thought he was a bit cuckoo. We know Emma's husband, Dr. Fitch, didn't think too highly of himself...what was his issue? The author barely scratched the surface of his character if you ask me. Finally, what did most Americans think of the Jewish refugees, and why? We just know little bits, but not much...maybe that's the point of what the author was trying to convey: most Americans, before December 7, 1941, had a general flippancy about the war in Europe.
All in all, the book was fine, I just found bits of it either A) a bit hard to follow, or B) a bit far fetched. I realize it's a novel, and I may be the only person who felt this way. All that aside, I look forward to reading more books by Sarah Blake.
rmarcin's review against another edition
5.0
Beautifully written story about a small town on Cape Cod and the families living there -- and how they are affected by WW II in Europe - before America enters the war.
krobart's review against another edition
2.0
Everything pivotal in this novel seems like a contrivance to me. In addition, the novel that is supposed to be about the postmistress gets hijacked by the reporter, whose actions throughout are irrational. I also feel as though too little attention is paid to the details of life during the war.
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/the-postmistress/
See my complete review here:
http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/the-postmistress/
smeyleigh's review against another edition
3.0
Very well written. Different perspective then many people are used to in terms of WWII.