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aligra77's review against another edition
5.0
I read this book in one sitting as it is such a great read. Living in London through WW2 Emmy aspires to be a journalist and is excited when she lands herself a job with a newspaper only to discover that there is a misunderstanding and she is employed as a typist to Mrs Bird who writes the advice column for the newspaper’s failing sister magazine. Mrs Bird is set in her ways and Emmy soon starts pushing the boundaries by answering the incoming letters herself. Will she be discovered? This book captures the effects of the blitz so well and walks us through the terror and pain experienced by so many but somehow manages to remain comforting and cheery. Thank you to Pan Macmillan for providing me with a free copy of this book for an honest review.
mbenzz's review against another edition
DNF at 28%. I just didn't care about any of them. Mrs. Bird is awful, Em is clearly trying to be portrayed in a feisty Mary-Tyler-Moore-take-on-the-world kind of way, but it falls flat.
Maybe it's the way the author writes, but everything moves so slow, and I feet like nothing ever happened, even when things are happening! It's written in such a dull and forgettable manner that I didn't want to waste an more time on it. This one just wasn't for me.
Maybe it's the way the author writes, but everything moves so slow, and I feet like nothing ever happened, even when things are happening! It's written in such a dull and forgettable manner that I didn't want to waste an more time on it. This one just wasn't for me.
rseykora's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
gramorwal's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
3.75
linzthebookworm's review
4.0
Dear Mrs. Bird was an enjoyable read. I thought it was a little cheesy at times, but I was still really invested in what was going on in Emmy's story. It read a bit like a cozy mystery without the mystery part. It's a good choice if you are looking for a WWII Historical Fiction that's just quick and easy to get through.
For my full review check out: https://linzthebookworm.blogspot.com/2021/05/book-review-dear-mrs-bird-by-aj-pearce.html
For my full review check out: https://linzthebookworm.blogspot.com/2021/05/book-review-dear-mrs-bird-by-aj-pearce.html
atamano's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Medical content, and Infidelity
katykelly's review against another edition
5.0
Warm and funny wartime tale of writing, bravery and soldiering on.
I'd class this as a 'light' read, even though it's set in the Blitz. A little like Lissa Evans 'Their Finest Hour and a Half' it's about love, life and writing in London, in the dark days of nightly bombing raids, and about keeping up the spirits of the nation.
Emmy wants to write, to be where the action is, to report on the battles and make a difference. By accident, she ends up enquiring after a job on a paper but it turns out to be a little less glamorous and dangerous than she'd hoped... she's now secretary to the uptight and pretty scary 'agony aunt' columnist Henrietta Bird.
With a very long list of unacceptable topics for publication, Emmy struggles to find suitable letters for Mrs Bird to reply to, and her heart goes out to all the letter writers whose problems are thrown into the bin. With her own love life in flux, and seeing the best and worst of London as a volunteer fire warden, she can't leave these people without some guidance... and writes back them herself!
It's a storyline that feels familiar, you are pretty sure you can see problems ahead, but Emmy and her friend Bunty and their Blitz lives are somehow comforting as well as dangerous and you feel for both young women doing their best to put on a brave face, help other people, look for love and stay friends. It's a convincing friendship, of both highs and lows, and there are some upsetting scenes, being wartime.
Mrs Bird is a wonderfully pompous matron of a bygone era, brought very well to life on the Audible version, you 'love to hate' her, and it's the sort of 'stick it to the man' plot that has you settling in for a quick read.
Loved Emmy, the setting, and a plot that doesn't go in unheard-of directions but gives you an enjoyable journey to travel down. I really hope this one becomes a film, it's perfect for the screen - romance, danger, friendship, war and the office secrets Emmy is hiding.
You'll love this one, and it is a great audiobook choice, an easy flowing listen.
With thanks to Nudge Books for the sample copy.
I'd class this as a 'light' read, even though it's set in the Blitz. A little like Lissa Evans 'Their Finest Hour and a Half' it's about love, life and writing in London, in the dark days of nightly bombing raids, and about keeping up the spirits of the nation.
Emmy wants to write, to be where the action is, to report on the battles and make a difference. By accident, she ends up enquiring after a job on a paper but it turns out to be a little less glamorous and dangerous than she'd hoped... she's now secretary to the uptight and pretty scary 'agony aunt' columnist Henrietta Bird.
With a very long list of unacceptable topics for publication, Emmy struggles to find suitable letters for Mrs Bird to reply to, and her heart goes out to all the letter writers whose problems are thrown into the bin. With her own love life in flux, and seeing the best and worst of London as a volunteer fire warden, she can't leave these people without some guidance... and writes back them herself!
It's a storyline that feels familiar, you are pretty sure you can see problems ahead, but Emmy and her friend Bunty and their Blitz lives are somehow comforting as well as dangerous and you feel for both young women doing their best to put on a brave face, help other people, look for love and stay friends. It's a convincing friendship, of both highs and lows, and there are some upsetting scenes, being wartime.
Mrs Bird is a wonderfully pompous matron of a bygone era, brought very well to life on the Audible version, you 'love to hate' her, and it's the sort of 'stick it to the man' plot that has you settling in for a quick read.
Loved Emmy, the setting, and a plot that doesn't go in unheard-of directions but gives you an enjoyable journey to travel down. I really hope this one becomes a film, it's perfect for the screen - romance, danger, friendship, war and the office secrets Emmy is hiding.
You'll love this one, and it is a great audiobook choice, an easy flowing listen.
With thanks to Nudge Books for the sample copy.
sbonnecarrere's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ruth24's review
3.0
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.
Similar to [b:The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|2728527|The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|Mary Ann Shaffer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1351979318s/2728527.jpg|2754161], [b:Dear Mrs Bird|32594993|Dear Mrs Bird|A.J. Pearce|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1507315954s/32594993.jpg|53173301] is light and charming, while still managing to convey the full gravity of life on the World War II home front.
Emmy, an aspiring 'Lady War Correspondent' gets into a spot of trouble when she finds herself in "entirely the wrong job" working for old-fashioned and severe Mrs. Bird, resident agony-aunt for Woman's Friend magazine. While Emmy struggles to keep her chin up as London is blown to pieces around her, she finds new ways to 'do her bit' - ones that threaten to have disastrous consequences of their own.
Ah, the 1940s... when people said things like 'Jolly Good!', when the words 'damn' and 'bloody' were considered swear words, when someone who did something terrible was said to be 'Being Very Silly Indeed', and when a baby born out of wedlock was absolutely Earth-shattering.
These amusing contrasts from 1941 to today offer comedic relief from the sad and shocking parts of the book. The funny, old-fashioned ways of speaking and acting were my favourite part. I also loved that the story was able to challenge my ideas about what life was like during the war and put my everyday problems into perspective. The characters' 'Keep Calm and Carry On' attitude is both heart-breaking and inspiring. Not wanting to let anyone down, they all put on a brave face, trying to stay positive while losing their homes and their loved ones.
I think A.J. Pearce did a really good job of balancing out the heavy parts of the book in a way that made it light but not too fluffy. This is also her first novel, so I'm looking forward to any others she might have in the works.
Similar to [b:The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|2728527|The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|Mary Ann Shaffer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1351979318s/2728527.jpg|2754161], [b:Dear Mrs Bird|32594993|Dear Mrs Bird|A.J. Pearce|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1507315954s/32594993.jpg|53173301] is light and charming, while still managing to convey the full gravity of life on the World War II home front.
Emmy, an aspiring 'Lady War Correspondent' gets into a spot of trouble when she finds herself in "entirely the wrong job" working for old-fashioned and severe Mrs. Bird, resident agony-aunt for Woman's Friend magazine. While Emmy struggles to keep her chin up as London is blown to pieces around her, she finds new ways to 'do her bit' - ones that threaten to have disastrous consequences of their own.
Ah, the 1940s... when people said things like 'Jolly Good!', when the words 'damn' and 'bloody' were considered swear words, when someone who did something terrible was said to be 'Being Very Silly Indeed', and when a baby born out of wedlock was absolutely Earth-shattering.
These amusing contrasts from 1941 to today offer comedic relief from the sad and shocking parts of the book. The funny, old-fashioned ways of speaking and acting were my favourite part. I also loved that the story was able to challenge my ideas about what life was like during the war and put my everyday problems into perspective. The characters' 'Keep Calm and Carry On' attitude is both heart-breaking and inspiring. Not wanting to let anyone down, they all put on a brave face, trying to stay positive while losing their homes and their loved ones.
I think A.J. Pearce did a really good job of balancing out the heavy parts of the book in a way that made it light but not too fluffy. This is also her first novel, so I'm looking forward to any others she might have in the works.