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A review by feliciarene
The Whispers of War by Julia Kelly
4.0
4 stars.
Although I expected The Whispers of War to be just another wartime novel in the same vein as The Gown by Jennifer Robson - a recreation but with nothing original to say - I was sorely mistaken.
Three women - Hazel, Nora, and Marie - grapple with the changing times in London, England as the country bears down and prepares to go to war. When the nation sets their eyes on the enemy - that is, the German citizens living in England .- the women rally around Marie, their German friend. Tensions arise and circumstances for women change, but the lifelong ties of friendship are everlasting for this trio as they embark into a new world.
This is a fresh take on the formulaic presentation of World War Two stories. While it does have a similar vibe to other books, The Whispers of War took on a unique perspective on a subject that many authors within the historical fiction genre are trying to tackle. The biggest difference for me was the time frame. While most novels kick-off in the middle of war or less often, in the post-war years, this novel was set during the onset of the war. The story is primarily told between 1939 and 1940 which is very early-on in the war. It wasn't until a few chapters into this novel that I realized I didn't know all that much about this specific time of the war and I was happy to be exposed to a new outlook.
Until now, I hadn't realized the effect of the war on Germans in the UK. We learn almost immediately that Marie is German, although she has lived in England since she was a little girl. As the story progresses, we're introduced to the harsh prejudices and dangers that German nationals living in England faced during the Second World War. Despite doing absolutely nothing but be fiercely loyal to the British, Marie is condemned by many British citizens and viewed as the enemy for no reason but her nationality. I think that Julia Kelly did an excellent job in showing the severity of Marie's experiences in England. It's important to not forget that many mistakes were made during the war, even on the home front. I think now, more than ever, we need to remember the errors of our ways.
Unlike some war novels, this focused on the experiences of women who did not directly partake in the war effort. By showing three women who were going on with their regular life (for the most part) during the early years of war, we are able to see first, the gender-based prejudice that existed in society during the 1930s and 1940s but also the shifting attitudes as well. Nora, Hazel, and Marie are all what were called "modern women;" they were all working women, even though the war hadn't yet called for women to join the workforce. Hazel is a married woman who refused to give up her career, Marie is a working woman at a university, and Nora refuses to consider marriage for she believes it will jeopardize her career. These stories, however fictional, were very much a reality in the interwar years, especially leading up to WWII. I loved this focus on "modern women" and how Julia Kelly showed that women constantly faced obstacles in their employment but persevered in trying to show their value in society.
Aside from the heroism and work ethic of the women, what I found most admirable about these characters was their unwavering loyalty to one another and the friendship that harboured them for the formative years of their lives. For years, they had depended on one another and you can really see that familial bond between them. I'm a firm believer in the idea that friends are the family you choose and this novel is exemplary of that belief.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book! I read a lot of WWII novels this past year, but The Whispers of War really stood out as one of the best to me.
Full Review: Link
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Although I expected The Whispers of War to be just another wartime novel in the same vein as The Gown by Jennifer Robson - a recreation but with nothing original to say - I was sorely mistaken.
Three women - Hazel, Nora, and Marie - grapple with the changing times in London, England as the country bears down and prepares to go to war. When the nation sets their eyes on the enemy - that is, the German citizens living in England .- the women rally around Marie, their German friend. Tensions arise and circumstances for women change, but the lifelong ties of friendship are everlasting for this trio as they embark into a new world.
This is a fresh take on the formulaic presentation of World War Two stories. While it does have a similar vibe to other books, The Whispers of War took on a unique perspective on a subject that many authors within the historical fiction genre are trying to tackle. The biggest difference for me was the time frame. While most novels kick-off in the middle of war or less often, in the post-war years, this novel was set during the onset of the war. The story is primarily told between 1939 and 1940 which is very early-on in the war. It wasn't until a few chapters into this novel that I realized I didn't know all that much about this specific time of the war and I was happy to be exposed to a new outlook.
Until now, I hadn't realized the effect of the war on Germans in the UK. We learn almost immediately that Marie is German, although she has lived in England since she was a little girl. As the story progresses, we're introduced to the harsh prejudices and dangers that German nationals living in England faced during the Second World War. Despite doing absolutely nothing but be fiercely loyal to the British, Marie is condemned by many British citizens and viewed as the enemy for no reason but her nationality. I think that Julia Kelly did an excellent job in showing the severity of Marie's experiences in England. It's important to not forget that many mistakes were made during the war, even on the home front. I think now, more than ever, we need to remember the errors of our ways.
Unlike some war novels, this focused on the experiences of women who did not directly partake in the war effort. By showing three women who were going on with their regular life (for the most part) during the early years of war, we are able to see first, the gender-based prejudice that existed in society during the 1930s and 1940s but also the shifting attitudes as well. Nora, Hazel, and Marie are all what were called "modern women;" they were all working women, even though the war hadn't yet called for women to join the workforce. Hazel is a married woman who refused to give up her career, Marie is a working woman at a university, and Nora refuses to consider marriage for she believes it will jeopardize her career. These stories, however fictional, were very much a reality in the interwar years, especially leading up to WWII. I loved this focus on "modern women" and how Julia Kelly showed that women constantly faced obstacles in their employment but persevered in trying to show their value in society.
Aside from the heroism and work ethic of the women, what I found most admirable about these characters was their unwavering loyalty to one another and the friendship that harboured them for the formative years of their lives. For years, they had depended on one another and you can really see that familial bond between them. I'm a firm believer in the idea that friends are the family you choose and this novel is exemplary of that belief.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book! I read a lot of WWII novels this past year, but The Whispers of War really stood out as one of the best to me.
Full Review: Link
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