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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
I received this free from the publisher via NetGalley
wake/weIk/
1 Emerge or cause to emerge from sleep
2 Ritual for the dead
3 Consequence or aftermath
Wake tells the story of three different women after World War One. Hettie, who dances at the Hammersmith Palais; Evelyn, who works at the pensions office, and Ada - a housewife - who has visions of her dead son. All these women have lost someone during the war, be it a son, a brother or a lover. One day a young man knocks on Ada's door and says the name which has haunted her. He has a story which will bind these women's lives unknowingly and which will mend their hearts.
This is a lovely novel which shows how many people suffered during the war, even those who were not at the front line. I found all three women likeable and interesting characters. However it was Evelyn who really captured my attention. She was very secretive and bitter, yet I wasn't sure why. The other two character were open about their loss. Ada had lost her son, and Hettie had lost her brother, not by death but he came back different. Perhaps shell shock? We didn't find out who Evelyn had lost until later. Evelyn was such a complex and compelling character and was by far my favourite. Hettie was my second favourite character. I liked her passion for dancing and her desire for something more. Ada was a character which I felt the most sorrow for. She didn't know how or even where her son had died and she held a large amount of guilt. I really did admire all three women and their courage and strength. I loved the character development in the novel and I was glad that everyone managed to move on and search for the happy life which they deserved and which their loved ones would have wanted. I also found Ed and Rowan compelling characters, and the stories which they had.
It wasn't an action filled novel, and it wasn't very suspenseful but it kept me entertained and captivated. One aspect which I didn't really understand why it was there and didn't really catch my attention was the unknown soldier. I didn't seem to have much to do with the main characters. Towards the end though I guess it did help with the story.
Overall, it is a pretty good read, and if you are fan of historical fiction, and WWI fiction then I do suggest you give Wake a read.
wake/weIk/
1 Emerge or cause to emerge from sleep
2 Ritual for the dead
3 Consequence or aftermath
Wake tells the story of three different women after World War One. Hettie, who dances at the Hammersmith Palais; Evelyn, who works at the pensions office, and Ada - a housewife - who has visions of her dead son. All these women have lost someone during the war, be it a son, a brother or a lover. One day a young man knocks on Ada's door and says the name which has haunted her. He has a story which will bind these women's lives unknowingly and which will mend their hearts.
This is a lovely novel which shows how many people suffered during the war, even those who were not at the front line. I found all three women likeable and interesting characters. However it was Evelyn who really captured my attention. She was very secretive and bitter, yet I wasn't sure why. The other two character were open about their loss. Ada had lost her son, and Hettie had lost her brother, not by death but he came back different. Perhaps shell shock? We didn't find out who Evelyn had lost until later. Evelyn was such a complex and compelling character and was by far my favourite. Hettie was my second favourite character. I liked her passion for dancing and her desire for something more. Ada was a character which I felt the most sorrow for. She didn't know how or even where her son had died and she held a large amount of guilt. I really did admire all three women and their courage and strength. I loved the character development in the novel and I was glad that everyone managed to move on and search for the happy life which they deserved and which their loved ones would have wanted. I also found Ed and Rowan compelling characters, and the stories which they had.
It wasn't an action filled novel, and it wasn't very suspenseful but it kept me entertained and captivated. One aspect which I didn't really understand why it was there and didn't really catch my attention was the unknown soldier. I didn't seem to have much to do with the main characters. Towards the end though I guess it did help with the story.
Overall, it is a pretty good read, and if you are fan of historical fiction, and WWI fiction then I do suggest you give Wake a read.
This short novel was really quite heart wrenching - set in the aftermath of WW1, it follows three women who have been affected by the war in different ways, by the experience of their brothers or sons or lovers being lost or returned damaged, and their own damaging experiences. Thankfully it ends on a note of hope, otherwise I would have been a sobbing mess on the bus, rather than just crying quietly in my seat over a particular chapter.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wake by Anna Hope is a poignant and powerful novel. It has left me contemplating the various plot threads and impressed by the author's ability to portray characters from different kinds of social standing in Britain during and after World War 1. At first I found the different storylines a bit too disjointed. However, as the book moved along and I became increasingly aware of how the characters' lives intersected, I quickly got swept up and could not stop reading. I was left with a deeper understanding of the devastation of war and the many ways it impacts those affected by it.
Nema ovde šta mnogo da se priča. Još jedan roman koji slikovito oživljava beznađe nakon rata iz ženske perspektive. Za sve koji vole "Iskupljenje" i "Testament mladosti" i vole generalno da muče sebe ovakvim pričama. 💔
I loved this book! I’ve read a lot of novels about WWII, but not very many about WWI and I really appreciated the change of pace and the opportunity to catch a more human glimpse into its particular devastation .
It’s set up through the varying viewpoints of three different women, told with grace - beautiful and tragic, and evoking real emotion and empathy in the reader. At first I had a hard time keeping them straight in my head, but that was more due to a formatting issue with my ebook, and anyway soon enough the characters were so distinct it hardly mattered. Interspersed were small anecdotes about the journey of the Unknown Warrior, which added other opportunities for insight into the effects of the war. The eventual unveiling of the Unknown Warrior provided a thread of connection through the novel and built up the ultimate culmination of the differing stories.
I look forward to reading more from Anna Hope, and am very glad I picked this one up.
It’s set up through the varying viewpoints of three different women, told with grace - beautiful and tragic, and evoking real emotion and empathy in the reader. At first I had a hard time keeping them straight in my head, but that was more due to a formatting issue with my ebook, and anyway soon enough the characters were so distinct it hardly mattered. Interspersed were small anecdotes about the journey of the Unknown Warrior, which added other opportunities for insight into the effects of the war. The eventual unveiling of the Unknown Warrior provided a thread of connection through the novel and built up the ultimate culmination of the differing stories.
I look forward to reading more from Anna Hope, and am very glad I picked this one up.