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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
The Metal Heart is set during World War II in Scotland where some Italian prisoners of war were sent to the Orkneys to build a barrier to prevent German U boats attacking the British fleet. While some of the prisoners worked on the barriers a group of them built a chapel which can still be seen today.
Constance and Dorothy live on an island close to Kirkwall that has a history of haunts. They moved from Kirkwall after a traumatic event made them leave their family home. This is island where the camp for the Italians is built. Dot and Con become nurses in the infirmary of the camp. This helped drive some of the key events through the rest of the book.
There were a couple missed opportunities to explore some deeper topics. The effect of the prisoners on the local community and the sexual assault impacts on a person and their family.
Some parts were farfetched, but it is a good read. The writing is light and enjoyable.
3.5 Stars – Rounding to 4 for Goodreads.
Thanks to Harper Perennial for the opportunity to read this book and share my thoughts.
Constance and Dorothy live on an island close to Kirkwall that has a history of haunts. They moved from Kirkwall after a traumatic event made them leave their family home. This is island where the camp for the Italians is built. Dot and Con become nurses in the infirmary of the camp. This helped drive some of the key events through the rest of the book.
There were a couple missed opportunities to explore some deeper topics. The effect of the prisoners on the local community and the sexual assault impacts on a person and their family.
Some parts were farfetched, but it is a good read. The writing is light and enjoyable.
3.5 Stars – Rounding to 4 for Goodreads.
Thanks to Harper Perennial for the opportunity to read this book and share my thoughts.
Orkney, 1940s, World War II. After a horrific attack, twin sisters Dorothy and Constance move to a secluded bothy on one of the Orkney islands in an attempt to escape the past. But best laid plans; it is soon ordered that hundreds of Italian prisoners of war will be stationed on the island to construct barriers in aid of fortifying Orkney’s defences from enemy attacks.
The Metal Heart is a story about survival in a time when at any opportune moment a bomb could strike and obliterate land and life, when the tensions between foreign prisoners and their captors could erupt into violence, when the ghosts of one’s past could consume their entire being. It’s a story of family, community and hope, illuminating the joy and grief of each.
From the offset the tone was brimming with menace and looming brutality. With the sea battering rocks and cliff faces, wintry skies, the deafening explosions of bombs, and later prisoner huts and men working to the bone. Caroline Lea set the scene magnificently.
The story unfolds through the perspectives of sisters Dot and Con, and Italian prisoner, Cesare. Dot’s unflinching compassion for others, nursing them or rescuing them, and her curiosity about what life could be beyond war made her a compelling character to read. Con was a difficult character (at times) but it was impossible not to empathise with her, as she carries the weight of multiple traumas and is essentially broken in her heart and soul. She was desperate to keep Dot safe, and wanted simply for her and her sister to be secluded and cooped up inside away from danger. Con projected this desire and her fears onto Dot, which threatened to tear them apart. My heart truly ached for the sisters at these points. And lastly, Cesare was a gentle man who loved nothing more than creating art, trapped in the beast of a war he didn’t believe in. I found his distress and fear for his homeland, family and friends palpable. My empathy only deepened as he and Dot grew closer.
In many ways this is a timely read. The issue of violence toward women is at the heart of the story. One character in particular, Angus, perpetuates sexual harassment and sexual assault repeatedly. It was uncomfortable, exhausting, sickening and caused a cold fury to unfurl within me. It is a reoccurring theme throughout the story, even to the last pages, and by gosh was it truly harrowing at its height.
The climax of the story was equally sorrowful and hopeful. I felt like I’d been pulled under a strong current, churned about and finally spat out; disorientated, disheartened but relieved to make it to the other side, and breathe, and ultimately profoundly moved by the story. The Metal Heart is nothing short of a treat for historical fiction aficionados. I’m excited to see what Lea cooks up next!
Thank you to kindly to Michael Joesph Books for a gorgeous proof copy of the book. All thoughts are my own and honest opinion.
The Metal Heart is a story about survival in a time when at any opportune moment a bomb could strike and obliterate land and life, when the tensions between foreign prisoners and their captors could erupt into violence, when the ghosts of one’s past could consume their entire being. It’s a story of family, community and hope, illuminating the joy and grief of each.
From the offset the tone was brimming with menace and looming brutality. With the sea battering rocks and cliff faces, wintry skies, the deafening explosions of bombs, and later prisoner huts and men working to the bone. Caroline Lea set the scene magnificently.
The story unfolds through the perspectives of sisters Dot and Con, and Italian prisoner, Cesare. Dot’s unflinching compassion for others, nursing them or rescuing them, and her curiosity about what life could be beyond war made her a compelling character to read. Con was a difficult character (at times) but it was impossible not to empathise with her, as she carries the weight of multiple traumas and is essentially broken in her heart and soul. She was desperate to keep Dot safe, and wanted simply for her and her sister to be secluded and cooped up inside away from danger. Con projected this desire and her fears onto Dot, which threatened to tear them apart. My heart truly ached for the sisters at these points. And lastly, Cesare was a gentle man who loved nothing more than creating art, trapped in the beast of a war he didn’t believe in. I found his distress and fear for his homeland, family and friends palpable. My empathy only deepened as he and Dot grew closer.
In many ways this is a timely read. The issue of violence toward women is at the heart of the story. One character in particular, Angus, perpetuates sexual harassment and sexual assault repeatedly. It was uncomfortable, exhausting, sickening and caused a cold fury to unfurl within me. It is a reoccurring theme throughout the story, even to the last pages, and by gosh was it truly harrowing at its height.
The climax of the story was equally sorrowful and hopeful. I felt like I’d been pulled under a strong current, churned about and finally spat out; disorientated, disheartened but relieved to make it to the other side, and breathe, and ultimately profoundly moved by the story. The Metal Heart is nothing short of a treat for historical fiction aficionados. I’m excited to see what Lea cooks up next!
Thank you to kindly to Michael Joesph Books for a gorgeous proof copy of the book. All thoughts are my own and honest opinion.
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Rape
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph UK for an ARC copy of this beautiful story. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.
A heart-wrenching and mesmerizing tale of love and kindness amidst the II World War, Caroline Lea’s The Metal Heart left me with a lump in my throat. Hopeful, at the same time, heart-breaking, the author takes us to Orkney in the 1940s thru a sweeping tale of two sisters and their struggles and their hope and the love that is found in unexpected circumstances offering freedom and future.
Selkie Holm, an island in Orkney is home to the orphaned twins Dorothy and Constance. Bound by superstitious beliefs and folklore about the island Orcadians tend to leave the girls to their own choices. As the island is chosen as the POW camp for Italian prisoners, Dot and Con have no option but to allow the encroachment to their peace. Con’s struggle to overcome the trauma is haunting. The powerful writing by the author allows the reader to understand the deep-rooted fear that Con has to endure to move on and forward, to overcome her terror, and accept the strangers in their midst. But the war does bring strange bedfellows as Dot discovers love with Cesare, a prisoner in the camp whose pure soul offers a soothing balm to Dot’s heart.
Cesare’s character is utterly captivating, you can’t help but fall in love with the goodness of his heart and his delight in creating something out of the scraps of bits and pieces from shipwrecks. The Metal Heart reinforces belief in love and humanity, as the islanders accept these prisoners to their land and instead of ill-treating them allow them the leeway to build the chapel for their prayers. The characterization of Major Bates and John O’Farrell and even some of the villagers felt touchingly real.
Fans of historical fiction are gonna devour this novel, the evocative tale so compelling and utterly moving. With a suspense-filled ending, that I couldn’t help but read with dread in my heart, The METAL HEART is surely gonna leave you holding your heart in your hands!
This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Meduim.com, Facebook, and Twitter.
Oh, my heart, there is another way to love. Do not love the gift for what the gift is. Love the gift for Who it came from.
Yasmin Mogahed
A heart-wrenching and mesmerizing tale of love and kindness amidst the II World War, Caroline Lea’s The Metal Heart left me with a lump in my throat. Hopeful, at the same time, heart-breaking, the author takes us to Orkney in the 1940s thru a sweeping tale of two sisters and their struggles and their hope and the love that is found in unexpected circumstances offering freedom and future.
Selkie Holm, an island in Orkney is home to the orphaned twins Dorothy and Constance. Bound by superstitious beliefs and folklore about the island Orcadians tend to leave the girls to their own choices. As the island is chosen as the POW camp for Italian prisoners, Dot and Con have no option but to allow the encroachment to their peace. Con’s struggle to overcome the trauma is haunting. The powerful writing by the author allows the reader to understand the deep-rooted fear that Con has to endure to move on and forward, to overcome her terror, and accept the strangers in their midst. But the war does bring strange bedfellows as Dot discovers love with Cesare, a prisoner in the camp whose pure soul offers a soothing balm to Dot’s heart.
Give away your love, freely and without expectation. Give it away, and soon your life will be filled with love, and you will have set others on the path of love and peace.
John Robbins
Cesare’s character is utterly captivating, you can’t help but fall in love with the goodness of his heart and his delight in creating something out of the scraps of bits and pieces from shipwrecks. The Metal Heart reinforces belief in love and humanity, as the islanders accept these prisoners to their land and instead of ill-treating them allow them the leeway to build the chapel for their prayers. The characterization of Major Bates and John O’Farrell and even some of the villagers felt touchingly real.
Find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the pattern of the shadows, the light, and dark which that thing provides.
Junichiro Tanizaki
Fans of historical fiction are gonna devour this novel, the evocative tale so compelling and utterly moving. With a suspense-filled ending, that I couldn’t help but read with dread in my heart, The METAL HEART is surely gonna leave you holding your heart in your hands!
This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Meduim.com, Facebook, and Twitter.
I fell in love with the cover and then I fell in love with the story.
it's atmospheric, well written and gripping.
The style of writing and the storytelling are excellent, the characters realistic and fleshed out.
I liked the well researched and vivid historical background.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
it's atmospheric, well written and gripping.
The style of writing and the storytelling are excellent, the characters realistic and fleshed out.
I liked the well researched and vivid historical background.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a beautiful, sad, heartwarming, heartbreaking novel.
It follows Orcadian twins Dot & Con, who, after the loss of their parents, move from Kirkwall to a tiny, supposedly cursed island, populated with only some ruined huts and the half-ruined bothy in which they live. Their peaceful life is shattered by the building of a prisoner of war camp and then influx of the Italian POWs and their guards. It is a story of finding love in the unlikeliest of places, of fighting against all the odds, of faith and belief and trusting in oneself. It is beautiful and I almost cried into my coffee finishing it this morning.
This is a beautiful, sad, heartwarming, heartbreaking novel.
It follows Orcadian twins Dot & Con, who, after the loss of their parents, move from Kirkwall to a tiny, supposedly cursed island, populated with only some ruined huts and the half-ruined bothy in which they live. Their peaceful life is shattered by the building of a prisoner of war camp and then influx of the Italian POWs and their guards. It is a story of finding love in the unlikeliest of places, of fighting against all the odds, of faith and belief and trusting in oneself. It is beautiful and I almost cried into my coffee finishing it this morning.
The Metal Heart is a story about WWII in a way you’ve rarely read before. It takes place in the Orkney Islands of Scotland and follows twin sisters Dorothy and Constance, and their lives in a town away from home. They’ve lost their family but at least they have each other, that is until the Italian prisoners of war show up in the camp. They are put to work building a barrier in the water to keep the German U-Boats from attacking.
Constance goes through a traumatic experience she keeps from her sister Dorothy. Dorothy and a POW become close, leaving Constance to herself, often confronting her traumatic past alone.
While I loved the fresh perspective of WWII, there were a few unrealistic parts to the story. I did enjoy the story being told in Scotland as opposed to many other WWII novels set in France and Germany.
Overall I enjoyed The Metal Heart and it’s twist at the end. I would recommend the novel with the note that it is slightly unrealistic. Thank you to Harper Perennial for the early gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!
Constance goes through a traumatic experience she keeps from her sister Dorothy. Dorothy and a POW become close, leaving Constance to herself, often confronting her traumatic past alone.
While I loved the fresh perspective of WWII, there were a few unrealistic parts to the story. I did enjoy the story being told in Scotland as opposed to many other WWII novels set in France and Germany.
Overall I enjoyed The Metal Heart and it’s twist at the end. I would recommend the novel with the note that it is slightly unrealistic. Thank you to Harper Perennial for the early gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!