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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
London 1940: Elsie Watson, works as a nurse in South London Hospital, dutifully healing the hurt air men. When she offers to send a reassuring letter, she has an idea: a book of last letters. Messages, notes, poems to be sent on the soldier's loved ones on the bad-case scenario that they pass.
London Present Day: Stephanie (aka Stevie) works as a carer on Tall Trees home for the elderly and as a barista for the Vine. She doesn't have it easy: her relationship with her brother is definitely strained and her grandmother (who she immensely cares for) suffers from dementia.
But what happens when those different time periods meet?
The concept of the book was really creative. It was certainly heart-warming to see that there were people in the past who tried to alleviate the pain and help people reach their last words to their loved ones. Considering it now with the dual timeline of the book, I think that was the element to make this book a brilliant story that it was.
Elsie and Stevie are both dear to me, even though they were different from one another. I admired Elsie for her courage and her mental strength, to constantly be present on the hardships of war, trying to save lives and dealing with personal problems at the same time; that would make a person explode. But to be honest, I related mostly to Stevie. She was afraid to chase her dreams, she couldn't find a way to move on, she wanted to reconnect with her loved ones. She was a girl who wanted to achieve her goals.
This book addressed a lot of issues, such as PTSD, moral dilemmas, and obviously death since this was a time of war. The narration and the connection of the two timelines was brilliant. It's one of the books that will stay on my mind and my heart rent-free for a while.
Thank you @netgalley for an ARC in exchange of my honest review. The book comes out on March 29th 2022!
London Present Day: Stephanie (aka Stevie) works as a carer on Tall Trees home for the elderly and as a barista for the Vine. She doesn't have it easy: her relationship with her brother is definitely strained and her grandmother (who she immensely cares for) suffers from dementia.
But what happens when those different time periods meet?
The concept of the book was really creative. It was certainly heart-warming to see that there were people in the past who tried to alleviate the pain and help people reach their last words to their loved ones. Considering it now with the dual timeline of the book, I think that was the element to make this book a brilliant story that it was.
Elsie and Stevie are both dear to me, even though they were different from one another. I admired Elsie for her courage and her mental strength, to constantly be present on the hardships of war, trying to save lives and dealing with personal problems at the same time; that would make a person explode. But to be honest, I related mostly to Stevie. She was afraid to chase her dreams, she couldn't find a way to move on, she wanted to reconnect with her loved ones. She was a girl who wanted to achieve her goals.
This book addressed a lot of issues, such as PTSD, moral dilemmas, and obviously death since this was a time of war. The narration and the connection of the two timelines was brilliant. It's one of the books that will stay on my mind and my heart rent-free for a while.
Thank you @netgalley for an ARC in exchange of my honest review. The book comes out on March 29th 2022!
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-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
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, War
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault
Minor: Dementia
I loved this book! It is a novel told in two timelines - present day and 1940/41 during the height of the blitz in London.
Elsie is a nurse working in a London hospital during the worst of the blitz. Her shifts are hectic. When a mother is brought in after being injured in a bombing, Elsie helps her write a letter to her children that were evacuated so they would know where to find her. This gives her the idea to have other patients write letters home, in case the worst happens, and so the idea for The Book is born. The Book circulates through all the wards of the hospital and patients add to it.
Stevie works in a care home… a former South London hospital. When the care home was adding on to the building they cleared some rubble and found an amazing book that appeared to be written by patients of the former hospital. Stevie becomes intrigued by Nurse Elsie and her story and is determined to find out what happened to her.
I really enjoyed both storylines in this book and how they were linked together through the Book created by Elsie. I fell in love with all the main characters, but especially Nurse Elsie. Some of the unimportant bits seem a bit far-fetched - like why would a teenage boy be hanging out with the twenty-something girl who lives above his parents garage? Overall though, if you are looking for a feel good story about London during the blitz years this is a great one to pick up!
4.5 stars
Elsie is a nurse working in a London hospital during the worst of the blitz. Her shifts are hectic. When a mother is brought in after being injured in a bombing, Elsie helps her write a letter to her children that were evacuated so they would know where to find her. This gives her the idea to have other patients write letters home, in case the worst happens, and so the idea for The Book is born. The Book circulates through all the wards of the hospital and patients add to it.
Stevie works in a care home… a former South London hospital. When the care home was adding on to the building they cleared some rubble and found an amazing book that appeared to be written by patients of the former hospital. Stevie becomes intrigued by Nurse Elsie and her story and is determined to find out what happened to her.
I really enjoyed both storylines in this book and how they were linked together through the Book created by Elsie. I fell in love with all the main characters, but especially Nurse Elsie. Some of the unimportant bits seem a bit far-fetched - like why would a teenage boy be hanging out with the twenty-something girl who lives above his parents garage? Overall though, if you are looking for a feel good story about London during the blitz years this is a great one to pick up!
4.5 stars
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
relaxing
sad
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:
Yes
Very enjoyable, informative and with a lovely message: to seize the day and let the important people in our lives know how we feel about them.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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:
Yes
This is one of those stories you can't put down. Nurse Else's story was so interesting. Both her life at the hospital where she worked helping tend hurt soldiers, and also glimpses of her home life during the war. Rushing to bomb shelters almost every night, death and destruction part of daily life, and trying to make the most of every day, as they knew first hand how easily it can come to an end. I found her to be a warm, caring person. I also appreciated Stephanie's story in modern times. Also a kind, caring young woman. I loved the premise of her community art project, and it tied in seamlessly with WWII era.
Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read the ARC. This is a must read for lovers of historical fiction!!
Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read the ARC. This is a must read for lovers of historical fiction!!
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I love a book with secret letters and a mystery connected to them. This book has alternating timelines. One timeline is present day and the other is WW II.
It is well written and the characters are engaging and interesting. I preferred the WW II story becasue I enjoy stories from that time period.
It is well written and the characters are engaging and interesting. I preferred the WW II story becasue I enjoy stories from that time period.