A review by kingarooski
22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson

4.0

Janusz and Silvana are separated by war and spend six years apart. This book describes what happens to them and their son Arek when they are reunited. I liked the fact that the book is set partly in Ipswich, which is nearby for me, and that 22 Britannia Road is an actual address in that town. The feelings of alienation from each other rang true, as well. I have known many migrant families who were split for some years while one of the members settled in a country abroad. Sometimes it took many years for them to be reunited and they often struggled to be a family again. Distance and time had changed people and this was well documented by the author.

I had a couple of quibbles: Polish women tend to wear their wedding ring on their right hand, not left, so when Sylvana looks for a ring on her left hand, this rang false. Also, Aurek ad Silvana are not traditional Polish name (though Arek and Sylvia are). But these were minor issues in what is otherwise a great book.