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A review by tshrope
22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson
3.0
This is another offering to the plethora of WWII novels. Amanda Hodgkinson’s debut novel is the story of a Polish family that is separated at the beginning of the war, Janusz goes off to fight for his country, and Silvana, his wife, is left in Warsaw to somehow get herself and their small child, Aurek, to her in-laws. After the war they are reunited in England, and try to create a typical English suburban life, but they both have suffered too much and harbor too many secrets to make this a reality.
This is a well-written novel, fluid and descriptive, but it lacks the power to evoke any real emotion for any of her characters or their situations. Janusz actually has a pretty easy time of it during the war compared to Silvana, but he comes across as self-pitying. Silvana who survives living in the forest for most of the war and witnesses many horrors comes across as weak and indecisive. In the hands of a more skillful writer I think she could have created an unforgettable and haunting novel such as the Gendarme or The Pearl Diver, but instead I think it will be quickly forgotten shortly after reading.
I did like that she explores themes of redemption, the definition of family, and the power to overcome loss; themes that give the reader pause to think of their own ideas and beliefs.
I also liked that her characters were Polish and much of the book was set in Poland. This seems to be a country that is overlooked in WWII novels for some reason (Why is that?)
Overall I would give this 3.5 stars and would say it was worth the time to read, but certainly not a must read, nor a particularly memorable one.
This is a well-written novel, fluid and descriptive, but it lacks the power to evoke any real emotion for any of her characters or their situations. Janusz actually has a pretty easy time of it during the war compared to Silvana, but he comes across as self-pitying. Silvana who survives living in the forest for most of the war and witnesses many horrors comes across as weak and indecisive. In the hands of a more skillful writer I think she could have created an unforgettable and haunting novel such as the Gendarme or The Pearl Diver, but instead I think it will be quickly forgotten shortly after reading.
I did like that she explores themes of redemption, the definition of family, and the power to overcome loss; themes that give the reader pause to think of their own ideas and beliefs.
I also liked that her characters were Polish and much of the book was set in Poland. This seems to be a country that is overlooked in WWII novels for some reason (Why is that?)
Overall I would give this 3.5 stars and would say it was worth the time to read, but certainly not a must read, nor a particularly memorable one.