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4.48 AVERAGE
4.48 AVERAGE
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This is probably more of a 3.5 stars but I just couldn't help it - I really enjoyed the first book but in this one Ada just felt like a flat character to me. Instead of watching and learning how she grows from being the girl who had to hide in the cupboard to someone who now rides horses and has her foot fixed- I just didn't see the transition. And absolutely, someone with that kind of background should have major problems with their mother - but it felt like all of the sudden she forgave her awful mom. I mean I liked it - but I just didn't think it was as strong as the first. But then again - I am most definitely not the intended audience for this book.
Such a wonderful follow-up to The War that Saved my Life. The story picks immediately up where book one left off and we get to follow Ada's journey from a girl who had a club foot to a girl who can now walk with barely a limp. Her emotional growth is also heartwarming.
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Quote: “You can know things all you like, but that doesn’t mean that you believe them.”
“The War I Finally Won” is another fantastic children’s book to follow “The War That Saved My Life.” Ada’s story of personal growth in a time when there was such devastating loss in England during WWII is a bright reminder that life is what you make of it. Your can choose to focus on all the negative, let it control you, or you can work to find the good, see the positive, and allow yourself to breathe in the possibilities that surround you. As much as this book is about the war, it is also about the war that we fight within ourselves, letting go of the past, and finding a way forward.
“The War I Finally Won” is another fantastic children’s book to follow “The War That Saved My Life.” Ada’s story of personal growth in a time when there was such devastating loss in England during WWII is a bright reminder that life is what you make of it. Your can choose to focus on all the negative, let it control you, or you can work to find the good, see the positive, and allow yourself to breathe in the possibilities that surround you. As much as this book is about the war, it is also about the war that we fight within ourselves, letting go of the past, and finding a way forward.
I liked the first book in this series a lot. The historical setting made so many aspects of the war and living through it interesting and memorable by making them personal in this story setting.
The storyline of book 1 had a nice wrap up, with the kids being reunited with Mrs. Smith and the crazy circumstances having saved their lives. Happily ever after ... but is any story really HEA? Here, while Ada comes to realize that she is so much better off even amidst all the struggles of surviving through war. For so many others though, life has become drastically different, much harder. It's interesting to see the changes in people, especially Mrs. Thorton.
Bless dear Mrs. Smith's heart, she is so patient and kind. At times, I'd get a little frustrated with Ada, but then I'd remind myself that she is just a child (and an imaginary child *Ü*) with a very limited upbringing.
I think I might have liked this second book even more than the first. Maybe it was just already being attached to the characters. I was always anxious to return to the book when I had to put it down. Like with the first book, I listened to the audio edition. The narrator is WONDERFUL. I remember not being sold on her voice (Ada's/general narration) in the very beginning (book 1) as it seemed "older" than Ada - who was just 9 or 10 as the book began. But I very soon became adjusted to the voice, perhaps as an "older Ada" reflecting on this time from her childhood and telling her story. The other "voices" (same narrator) were also excellent and so consistent and I was able to tell them apart easily by sound. Kudos to the narrator! The English accent also of course adds to the ambiance of the whole thing. I'm just not sure I would have been so fully enveloped if I'd read it on my own.
The storyline of book 1 had a nice wrap up, with the kids being reunited with Mrs. Smith and the crazy circumstances having saved their lives. Happily ever after ... but is any story really HEA? Here, while Ada comes to realize that she is so much better off even amidst all the struggles of surviving through war. For so many others though, life has become drastically different, much harder. It's interesting to see the changes in people, especially Mrs. Thorton.
Bless dear Mrs. Smith's heart, she is so patient and kind. At times, I'd get a little frustrated with Ada, but then I'd remind myself that she is just a child (and an imaginary child *Ü*) with a very limited upbringing.
I think I might have liked this second book even more than the first. Maybe it was just already being attached to the characters. I was always anxious to return to the book when I had to put it down. Like with the first book, I listened to the audio edition. The narrator is WONDERFUL. I remember not being sold on her voice (Ada's/general narration) in the very beginning (book 1) as it seemed "older" than Ada - who was just 9 or 10 as the book began. But I very soon became adjusted to the voice, perhaps as an "older Ada" reflecting on this time from her childhood and telling her story. The other "voices" (same narrator) were also excellent and so consistent and I was able to tell them apart easily by sound. Kudos to the narrator! The English accent also of course adds to the ambiance of the whole thing. I'm just not sure I would have been so fully enveloped if I'd read it on my own.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-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
Like the first book, this one was a hit! Read the majority of it in one day!
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Great second book! Great character development and Bradley did a good job with a difficult topic. I would recommend this to any child 5th grade and up. But I would also recommend an adult reading it at the same time so that they are available to discuss topics (Holocaust, domestic abuse, war).
After loving the first, I looked forward to this one and was not disappointed. Hooray for awesome historical fiction (says this non-historical fiction reader).