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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
Set in England in 1940, this is an awesome & tragic part of history of which I knew nothing. I cannot imagine being faced with the decision to send my children overseas to safety or hunker down with daily air raids & trips into a bunker. The two women who are the main characters of this book have lives that intersect; however, there are numerous other characters who are equally well-developed & interesting. I can see why this audiobook received an Audie Award.
Sad and harrowing, but filled with determination, courage, and bonds forged in difficult times.
Sad and harrowing, but filled with determination, courage, and bonds forged in difficult times.
I appreciate a good survival story. I especially love a survival story that emphasizes the resiliency of children and women.
I picked up this book on a whim- I was looking for a lighter read- something to give me a brain break from Dickens. Rather than stretching my brainpower, this story pulled on my heartstrings. As a mother myself, it had me thinking (and even discussing with my daughter): What would I do in the midst of war to protect my children- keep them with me in our war-ridden country or send them on an evacuee ship to another country in hopes they make it in torpedo-stricken waters? In the end, I decided I would keep my children close. And I believe the main character, Lily, wishes she would have kept her children by her side as well.
My favorite passage in the book, that summarizes its theme, comes on p. 345 when Gaynor points to what I believe is often true in life- that the real heroic acts are the ordinary ones- "a kind word, a cup of tea, a hot meal..." Gaynor reminds us the importance of slowing down and taking the time to see and hear people and their present needs. In our fast-paced world, where self-absorption is normalized and slowing down is hard to make reality, I appreciate that at the end of the novel, this is the point Gaynor chooses to make.
My only critique comes at the end of part one when the SS Carlisle is torpedoed while the other main character, Alice, is taking a stroll on deck during a seemingly calm evening. As though a storm struck with the torpedo strike, suddenly all chaos has ensued, and not only are the characters attempting to flee a sinking ship, but doing so in stormy waters. An easy, heartwarming read, I was able to overlook this apparent blunder in Gaynor's writing, a small oversight to the otherwise powerful storytelling.
I picked up this book on a whim- I was looking for a lighter read- something to give me a brain break from Dickens. Rather than stretching my brainpower, this story pulled on my heartstrings. As a mother myself, it had me thinking (and even discussing with my daughter): What would I do in the midst of war to protect my children- keep them with me in our war-ridden country or send them on an evacuee ship to another country in hopes they make it in torpedo-stricken waters? In the end, I decided I would keep my children close. And I believe the main character, Lily, wishes she would have kept her children by her side as well.
My favorite passage in the book, that summarizes its theme, comes on p. 345 when Gaynor points to what I believe is often true in life- that the real heroic acts are the ordinary ones- "a kind word, a cup of tea, a hot meal..." Gaynor reminds us the importance of slowing down and taking the time to see and hear people and their present needs. In our fast-paced world, where self-absorption is normalized and slowing down is hard to make reality, I appreciate that at the end of the novel, this is the point Gaynor chooses to make.
My only critique comes at the end of part one when the SS Carlisle is torpedoed while the other main character, Alice, is taking a stroll on deck during a seemingly calm evening. As though a storm struck with the torpedo strike, suddenly all chaos has ensued, and not only are the characters attempting to flee a sinking ship, but doing so in stormy waters. An easy, heartwarming read, I was able to overlook this apparent blunder in Gaynor's writing, a small oversight to the otherwise powerful storytelling.
I learned a detail about WW2 that I didn't know. It was okay, but the characters weren't well developed, and I didn't feel any attachment of emotional connection. I found an article about the true events and found that more interesting than this book.
What a gripping story, set in WWII England in 1940. As the British public fears an invasion by Hitler, in addition to the horrible bombing of civilians, parents are faced with the choice to evacuate their children. In this work of historical fiction, based in the real life sinking of the SS City of Benares, children, called seavacuees, are sent overseas to safety. The portrayal of Lily, and her agonizing over whether to send her children to safety, is heartrending. Alice is the main character in the story, a volunteer looking to escape her humdrum existence, finding more than she expected as she embarks on the journey with the children. I cried, I bit my lips in anxiousness, and just couldn’t put the book down. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
dark
emotional
informative
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
tense
medium-paced
Heartbreaking piece of history not spoken much about. A bit disjointed, not coming together completely smoothly by the end.
Please excuse me as I do my best to put my love for this book into words. Anyone else struggle with that like me? I truly believe book/stories find us just when we need them most. I had several available to me from my library and my gut told me this was the one to read. I was able to tuck away, shut the world off for a few days and be swept away into the most beautiful story. This book is TOUGH to read, but so important. It reminds me of another one of my favorites this year: Beyond That, The Sea. If you really want to learn more about this part of history, I'd encourage you to read this wonderful story. These characters will live forever in my heart, especially Alice. What a lady she was and I could relate to her in so many ways. My hero! The days I spent with these characters inside that lifeboat are some I'll never forget. Sorry to gush, it's just that good.
In this gripping new novel by Hazel Gaynor, I felt like I had stepped aboard “