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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
The Last Lifeboat is a lovely, well-written book of little-known World War II history. I have read alot about this war and knew about evacuated British children... but not that they were sent abroad en masse on ships! As a parent, I cannot imagine how one would make such a decision. To keep your children in a city being bombed or to send them overseas alone... I just can't imagine.
I really enjoyed the parallel stories of Alice and Lily, how Alice fought to survive with a group of children in a lifeboat for days, and Lily as she never gave up. I also enjoyed Lily's friendship with Kitty (Alice's sister) and how together, they fought for their loved ones who were missing at sea. This story was heartbreaking and beautiful. This author put so much heart into it! It was well worth the read.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed the parallel stories of Alice and Lily, how Alice fought to survive with a group of children in a lifeboat for days, and Lily as she never gave up. I also enjoyed Lily's friendship with Kitty (Alice's sister) and how together, they fought for their loved ones who were missing at sea. This story was heartbreaking and beautiful. This author put so much heart into it! It was well worth the read.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Amazing historical fiction novel about a child evacuee program called the Children’s Overseas Reception Board during WWII - the story centers around the torpedo bombing of a British evacuee ship transporting children from England to Canada & the eight days that followed for the survivors in one lifeboat. The events are told from two perspectives - a woman who volunteers to escort children on their journey to Canada & a mother who has to make an impossible decision in order to protect her children. I absolutely loved this book - it was captivating, heartbreaking, moving & just a fantastic book about a piece of history that I knew nothing about. Highly recommend!
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thank you to NetGalley, the Author, and Berkley Publishing Group for an ARC of this book!
3.5 stars!
My favorite kind of historical fiction is one that teaches me about a new subject or topic. I am an avid reader of WWII HF, but this is book takes on a unique angle and is based on a true story. It weaves the tale of two women, one who decides to relocate her children to safety on the other side of the world and the woman who is responsible for their safe journey from England to Canada. The beginning was a little slow for me, but when a U-boat destroys the SS Carlisle, the book gets much more face paced. A great story of survival against all odds.
3.5 stars!
My favorite kind of historical fiction is one that teaches me about a new subject or topic. I am an avid reader of WWII HF, but this is book takes on a unique angle and is based on a true story. It weaves the tale of two women, one who decides to relocate her children to safety on the other side of the world and the woman who is responsible for their safe journey from England to Canada. The beginning was a little slow for me, but when a U-boat destroys the SS Carlisle, the book gets much more face paced. A great story of survival against all odds.
hopeful
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Based on true events this is a heart wrenching book about the awful impact of war. The characters are strong and well written and the story line compelling. I feel blessed for not having been born in such dark times and sad for the current generation of children displaced by war.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-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
The Last Lifeboat draws on a specific event during WWII to craft a well researched and written novel. As part of Operation Pied Piper, children were not only sent from London to the English countryside, but also to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. This story covers a transport boat heading to Canada. The story alternates between Alice, a young teacher looking to do something meaningful during the war who signs up to help transport the children, and Lily, the mother of two young children trying to make the decision of whether to send her children. Love stories that share history I am not familiar with. Some parts dragged a bit for me, but overall a great read!
The author notes that this book was inspired by a true event. The story itself (a lifeboat going missing after a boat full of kids is torpedoed being found many days later) is interesting. However, the way the story is written didn't work for me. The story should have been emotional and riveting. However, I found the story and characters flat. I wanted to love this book, but it ended up being merely ok.