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katykelly's review against another edition
5.0
Michael Morpurgo often uses stories taken from tales he hears around him, from people he meets, from history. His latest is a combination, a story ostensibly based on his own grandmother's history and a story at the heart of the First World War.
A girl is found by chance on an uninhabited Scilly Island by a fisherman and his son. The girl is injured, half staved and ill, cannot speak and doesn't seem able to account for her being there.
Alfie and his family take her in and care for the girl they come to call Lucy. Her slow recovery is movingly documented, her first days at school and the revelation that she may in fact be German, in 1915. The islanders feelings are also documented through her doctors' notes. And finally, Lucy's history is revealed.
As ever with Morpurgo, the writing is captivating. You want to read a little more to find out a little more. Alfie's point of view and the doctor's tell the story well, with Lucy eventually getting a voice as well, and flashbacks from the start indicating a history the angry islanders can't imagine, that make you want to tell at them. But anti-German feeling then, patriotic fervour were the norm, and the treatment of Lucy will be shocking but eye-opening for young readers. The book itself gives some background to wartime life.
At heart though it's a family tale. Lucy finds a loving family when hers is lost to her. They remain loyal despite local prejudice and her silence. Morpurgo has a way with him in portraying loving relationships and you come to admire the Wheatcrofts very much.
Lucy's story is incredibly sad and upsetting. There are other victims of war whose stories are sadder but background - the young solider returned minus a leg and with brain damage for example. And Alfie's uncle Billy, rescued bun his mum from a horrific mental asylum. Plenty to discuss with a child or a class.
It's tragic throughout yet still beautifully uplifting. As the author usually manages.
One to make sure you talk about with your young readers. Many things they'll want to know more about and understand.
At 400 pages it's one of his longest but the story flows from past to present and school to home regularly enough to maintain interest and isn't anything less than engrossing.
A girl is found by chance on an uninhabited Scilly Island by a fisherman and his son. The girl is injured, half staved and ill, cannot speak and doesn't seem able to account for her being there.
Alfie and his family take her in and care for the girl they come to call Lucy. Her slow recovery is movingly documented, her first days at school and the revelation that she may in fact be German, in 1915. The islanders feelings are also documented through her doctors' notes. And finally, Lucy's history is revealed.
As ever with Morpurgo, the writing is captivating. You want to read a little more to find out a little more. Alfie's point of view and the doctor's tell the story well, with Lucy eventually getting a voice as well, and flashbacks from the start indicating a history the angry islanders can't imagine, that make you want to tell at them. But anti-German feeling then, patriotic fervour were the norm, and the treatment of Lucy will be shocking but eye-opening for young readers. The book itself gives some background to wartime life.
At heart though it's a family tale. Lucy finds a loving family when hers is lost to her. They remain loyal despite local prejudice and her silence. Morpurgo has a way with him in portraying loving relationships and you come to admire the Wheatcrofts very much.
Lucy's story is incredibly sad and upsetting. There are other victims of war whose stories are sadder but background - the young solider returned minus a leg and with brain damage for example. And Alfie's uncle Billy, rescued bun his mum from a horrific mental asylum. Plenty to discuss with a child or a class.
It's tragic throughout yet still beautifully uplifting. As the author usually manages.
One to make sure you talk about with your young readers. Many things they'll want to know more about and understand.
At 400 pages it's one of his longest but the story flows from past to present and school to home regularly enough to maintain interest and isn't anything less than engrossing.
mrs_bonaventure's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful book read with Charlie. Lovely characters and atmosphere. But it was very long (if good for reinforcing children's vocabulary) and necessitated explaining quite a lot about WW1 including the sinking of the Lusitania. Tears. However, very glad we read it. We both cried at the end.
melissagurner's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
3.0
em_nightreader's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
lucette_neacsu's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Absolutely stunning, this is now my favourite book
reatk26's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
missnatcat's review against another edition
3.0
Overall, I enjoyed the story, but I skimmed the middle section and mostly read the sections from Merry/Lucy's point of view. Her story was far more interesting to me.
juno_jf's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
3.5
ellenarcher22's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
retiredlibrarylady's review against another edition
4.0
Historical fiction about a survivor of the Lusitania who is rescued by a German submarine and set ashore on an uninhabited Scilly island. She has no memory of that event or any other, doesn't speak, is pretty much catatonic. She is taken in by a family who eventually with patience and assistance from the local doctor and the island horse bring her back. In the meantime, the islanders decide she is German and therefore the ENEMY.
I wish there had been a map to show us how far the islands were from the sinking of the Lusitania, and how the submarine might have gotten where it did. The islanders knew of that disaster, and it seems far-fetched that no one considered that she was a survivor.
Good read nonetheless!
I wish there had been a map to show us how far the islands were from the sinking of the Lusitania, and how the submarine might have gotten where it did. The islanders knew of that disaster, and it seems far-fetched that no one considered that she was a survivor.
Good read nonetheless!