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A review by samsweebooknook
The Emerald Spy by Nicola Cassidy
4.0
Inspired by true events, The Emerald Spy tells the story of a group of Austrian refugees who flee to Ireland in the summer of 1939, just before World War 2 is declared.
I was offered a gifted copy of this book and very nearly declined as while I'm a fan of historical fiction, I don't tend to reach for anything set during wartimes. However I'd read and loved Cassidys previous novel, The Nanny at Number 43, so I decided to accept based on my enjoyment of her writing style. I'm so glad I did.
The level of research that went into the book really shines through and it was eye opening and heartbreaking, to read some of the things these people had to go through and the attitudes towards them at the time. It also felt extremely timely given the current situation in Ukraine and how it must feel to be displaced from your home and family.
While it covers very serious topics, it doesn't at any point feel too heavy a read. The characters were well developed, so much so that I even found myself warming to Nola much more than I had anticipated!
A really great read that I'm glad I took a chance on.
I was offered a gifted copy of this book and very nearly declined as while I'm a fan of historical fiction, I don't tend to reach for anything set during wartimes. However I'd read and loved Cassidys previous novel, The Nanny at Number 43, so I decided to accept based on my enjoyment of her writing style. I'm so glad I did.
The level of research that went into the book really shines through and it was eye opening and heartbreaking, to read some of the things these people had to go through and the attitudes towards them at the time. It also felt extremely timely given the current situation in Ukraine and how it must feel to be displaced from your home and family.
While it covers very serious topics, it doesn't at any point feel too heavy a read. The characters were well developed, so much so that I even found myself warming to Nola much more than I had anticipated!
A really great read that I'm glad I took a chance on.