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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this book. The story follows Fliss who moves to Wales with her mum to live with her Grandma (Margot). Fliss and Margot don't have the best relationship and when Fliss finds her diary she decides to read it to find out Margot's secrets. The diary is written during WW2 and follows Margot's experiences.
I really enjoyed the diary entries in this book. I like reading WW2 fiction and this was no exception. We also see Fliss as she is trying to settle into a new school. I wasn't as interested in this part but I still enjoyed it. I would personally have loved to have seen more of Margot's diary entries.
I really liked the topics that the author included in this book and the writing was really enjoyable. Overall I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading more of the author's books.
I really enjoyed the diary entries in this book. I like reading WW2 fiction and this was no exception. We also see Fliss as she is trying to settle into a new school. I wasn't as interested in this part but I still enjoyed it. I would personally have loved to have seen more of Margot's diary entries.
I really liked the topics that the author included in this book and the writing was really enjoyable. Overall I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading more of the author's books.
I really enjoyed this book. The story follows Fliss who moves to Wales with her mum to live with her Grandma (Margot). Fliss and Margot don't have the best relationship and when Fliss finds her diary she decides to read it to find out Margot's secrets. The diary is written during WW2 and follows Margot's experiences.
I really enjoyed the diary entries in this book. I like reading WW2 fiction and this was no exception. We also see Fliss as she is trying to settle into a new school. I wasn't as interested in this part but I still enjoyed it. I would personally have loved to have seen more of Margot's diary entries.
I really liked the topics that the author included in this book and the writing was really enjoyable. Overall I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading more of the author's books.
I really enjoyed the diary entries in this book. I like reading WW2 fiction and this was no exception. We also see Fliss as she is trying to settle into a new school. I wasn't as interested in this part but I still enjoyed it. I would personally have loved to have seen more of Margot's diary entries.
I really liked the topics that the author included in this book and the writing was really enjoyable. Overall I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading more of the author's books.
A good effort, and very emotional and sentimental in parts, but as a whole I just wasn't feeling this. Don't get me wrong, there were some great moments and qualities in this book, and it was good enough to keep me reading till the end. The relationship between Margot and Fliss Was absolutely beautiful. Their character development was sound too. I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one who couldn't stand Fliss at the beginning of the book. She seemed just the vein, shallow kind of girl that I despise the majority of the time, but as the story moves on, I began to admire her more and more, and ended up adoring the character she had become. The same could be said for Margot really. So in that sense, Dawson was right on target for her character building. I also loved its historical exploration of the treatment of women, and LGBTQ individuals, something I rarely see done well in a young adult novel. However, I found Margot's diary entries pretty cliche. There was some good stuff in there, but I think the issue lies with the way it is written. Maybe this was my own problem, instead of the book's, as when I picked this up, I didn't know it was a YA novel, instead thinking it would be something more literary, with out sounding like a total snob. But I think that was the problem here, as the diary entries were written in mind of teenagers, but I found both the rioting and the events that took place throughout the diary very watered down and sometimes inaccurate for the time it was set in. I mean, you are not telling me that two teens in 1941 seeing two guys making out in a cave wouldn't be a little ruffled, and not just because of the PDA. I mean, I was born in the late 90s so I can't exactly talk from personal experience, but I'm pretty sure there would've been a bigger reaction to seeing something so taboo in their society. And that's what I mean when I say it seems watered down. In my opinion, the best parts were when older Margot related her experiences, as these seemed much more realistic and credible.
Overall, I wouldn't say this is a bad book. It has many good qualities to its name, but I wouldn't go and recommend it to a friend, neither will I probably re-read it in the future. Maybe, if I had read this when I was younger, I would've liked it more.
Overall, I wouldn't say this is a bad book. It has many good qualities to its name, but I wouldn't go and recommend it to a friend, neither will I probably re-read it in the future. Maybe, if I had read this when I was younger, I would've liked it more.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
No
3.5
I loved the 90s references, whether it was books or getting your first mobile phone as a teenager, to Tammy Girl and TV shows (Taz!).
I was more interested in Margot's past than I was in Fliss's story, I wasn't a fan of her character, very moody teenager-y. I expected her to be a bit more mature after years caring for her mum.
I loved the 90s references, whether it was books or getting your first mobile phone as a teenager, to Tammy Girl and TV shows (Taz!).
I was more interested in Margot's past than I was in Fliss's story, I wasn't a fan of her character, very moody teenager-y. I expected her to be a bit more mature after years caring for her mum.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a fantastic and heart-warming story that delved into some really difficult topics and with a wonderful portrayal family relationships.
Fliss was a fantastic protagonist to follow. She was strong, opinionated and stood up for her friends, which made her very compelling. However, she also grew throughout the book, understanding that sometimes she’s wrong and needs to show empathy towards people. The complexity of Fliss’ feelings about her mother’s illness and wanting to do what’s best for her, but also struggling to come to terms with leaving her life in London behind. The way that her feelings towards her grandmother changed throughout the story, based on them both developing a better understanding of each-other and working towards getting on better.
The plot structure was also really interesting and was a great way to progress the plot. Diary entries being interspersed throughout the story allows Fliss and her grandmother’s lives to unfold together. The way that this helps Fliss become more empathetic towards her grandmother and the way she behaves shows some excellent character growth too.
I also loved the descriptions of Llanmarion and the farm, both in 1941 and in the present day. Juno does a great job of setting the scene and immersing the reader into the wonderful Welsh countryside and homes. It was so great that it gave me those warm fuzzy feelings of growing up in the countryside.
My only complaint would be that some plot points were brought up and then dropped at random throughout the story. Megan was a key example of this – she was so central to Fliss’ life at school, until she wasn’t, after which we never hear from her character again. I thought this was a shame because there could have been some really interesting exploration of her as a character, or how she reacts to sympathy from someone like Dewi. But this was a fairly minimal issue within a sea of wonderful features.
Overall, this was a charming and heart-warming book that tackled some difficult topics, which characters overcame in a healthy and realistic way – I think this book would be fantastic for young people who are learning about empathy, self-sacrifice, and learning to interact with friends and family.
Fliss was a fantastic protagonist to follow. She was strong, opinionated and stood up for her friends, which made her very compelling. However, she also grew throughout the book, understanding that sometimes she’s wrong and needs to show empathy towards people. The complexity of Fliss’ feelings about her mother’s illness and wanting to do what’s best for her, but also struggling to come to terms with leaving her life in London behind. The way that her feelings towards her grandmother changed throughout the story, based on them both developing a better understanding of each-other and working towards getting on better.
The plot structure was also really interesting and was a great way to progress the plot. Diary entries being interspersed throughout the story allows Fliss and her grandmother’s lives to unfold together. The way that this helps Fliss become more empathetic towards her grandmother and the way she behaves shows some excellent character growth too.
I also loved the descriptions of Llanmarion and the farm, both in 1941 and in the present day. Juno does a great job of setting the scene and immersing the reader into the wonderful Welsh countryside and homes. It was so great that it gave me those warm fuzzy feelings of growing up in the countryside.
My only complaint would be that some plot points were brought up and then dropped at random throughout the story. Megan was a key example of this – she was so central to Fliss’ life at school, until she wasn’t, after which we never hear from her character again. I thought this was a shame because there could have been some really interesting exploration of her as a character, or how she reacts to sympathy from someone like Dewi. But this was a fairly minimal issue within a sea of wonderful features.
Overall, this was a charming and heart-warming book that tackled some difficult topics, which characters overcame in a healthy and realistic way – I think this book would be fantastic for young people who are learning about empathy, self-sacrifice, and learning to interact with friends and family.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault