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A review by erboe501
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
2.0
This was one of those reads where you are tensed up the whole time because you are waiting for something bad to happen, and then it does, but not everyone involved realizes it. I'm not happy that Frankie never told Emma about her encounter with Will. She didn't have to give her the letter, but I believe Emma would have enjoyed someone else's story of Will in his last moments, to know that he didn't die anonymously.
Someone recommended this book to me based on my love for [b:The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|2728527|The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|Mary Ann Shaffer|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1351979318s/2728527.jpg|2754161], and although the setting is the same, WWII, this novel lacked the humorous characters and uplifting ending that were endearing in Guernsey. However, I understand that the message in Postmistress is not as lighthearted because it puts forth the very important point that we carry on with our everyday concerns as someone across the water struggles to survive. I do find Frankie's realization in chapter 18: that the question is not why someone dies, but how can it not be more cataclysmic, poignant and thought-provoking.
There is a little too much description for me (I just don't need to hear so many details about the harbor or the sand dunes), and a lot of philosophizing, which are some of the big reasons why I rated it rather low. As far as the structure of the novel goes, the different points of view render a more well-rounded picture of the war than a single point of view would have. The shift in points of view within sections could have been disorienting, but Blake does a good job of seamlessly flowing from one perspective to another. I wish I could find out more about Thomas and Otto, but I suppose that is the point of the book: you do not always get to find out what happens to people, all you get is a snapshot.
Someone recommended this book to me based on my love for [b:The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|2728527|The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society|Mary Ann Shaffer|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1351979318s/2728527.jpg|2754161], and although the setting is the same, WWII, this novel lacked the humorous characters and uplifting ending that were endearing in Guernsey. However, I understand that the message in Postmistress is not as lighthearted because it puts forth the very important point that we carry on with our everyday concerns as someone across the water struggles to survive. I do find Frankie's realization in chapter 18: that the question is not why someone dies, but how can it not be more cataclysmic, poignant and thought-provoking.
There is a little too much description for me (I just don't need to hear so many details about the harbor or the sand dunes), and a lot of philosophizing, which are some of the big reasons why I rated it rather low. As far as the structure of the novel goes, the different points of view render a more well-rounded picture of the war than a single point of view would have. The shift in points of view within sections could have been disorienting, but Blake does a good job of seamlessly flowing from one perspective to another. I wish I could find out more about Thomas and Otto, but I suppose that is the point of the book: you do not always get to find out what happens to people, all you get is a snapshot.