Review: The Poppy Wife

Title: The Poppy Wife

Author: Caroline Scott

Publisher: 1st November 2019 by Simon & Schuster

Pages: 448 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction

My Rating: 3.5 cups

Synopsis:

In the tradition of Jennifer Robson and Hazel Gaynor, this unforgettable debut novel is a sweeping tale of forbidden love, profound loss, and the startling truth of the broken families left behind in the wake of World War I.

1921. Survivors of the Great War are desperately trying to piece together the fragments of their broken lives. While many have been reunited with their loved ones, Edie’s husband Francis is still missing. Francis is presumed to have been killed in action, but Edie knows he is alive.

Harry, Francis’s brother, was there the day Francis went missing in Ypres. And like Edie, he’s hopeful Francis is living somewhere in France, lost and confused. Hired by grieving families in need of closure, Harry returns to the Western Front to photograph soldiers’ graves. As he travels through France gathering news for British wives and mothers, he searches for evidence his own brother is still alive.

When Edie receives a mysterious photograph that she believes was taken by Francis, she is more certain than ever he isn’t dead. Edie embarks on her own journey in the hope of finding some trace of her husband. Is he truly gone, or could he still be alive? And if he is, why hasn’t he come home?

As Harry and Edie’s paths converge, they get closer to the truth about Francis and, as they do, are soon faced with the life-changing impact of the answers they discover.

An incredibly moving account of an often-forgotten moment in history—those years after the war that were filled with the unknown—The Poppy Wife tells the story of the thousands of soldiers who were lost amid the chaos and ruins in battle-scarred France; and the even greater number of men and women hoping to find them again.

My Thoughts

Upon reading the synopsis, it is clear that this is a fascinating premise for a book. There are many books surrounding WW1 but this is the first I have encountered regarding grieving families looking for closure of missing loved ones from the war; wives going from French village to village seeking answers or alternatively, a simple request for a photo of a grave site. Deeply touching reading material without doubt.

‘They stick up photographs of their husbands and their own faces. Like so many misplaced shoes that need pairing together again. I didn’t know that there would be so many.’

Richly written and detailed in its execution, Caroline Scott has presented an emotional read of what it must have been like to desire closure from the horrible outcomes of this tragedy. I guess I never really considered the absolute mess all this must have been after November 1918 and the following few years. So many thousands of people listed as missing amongst the complete destruction of town and country. Whole landscapes littered with who knows what amongst the discarded belongings, shell casings and barbed wire. 

‘... a farmer is struggling with a plough. Harry has read about the iron harvest, the barbed wire and spent shells that block the ploughshare’s path ...’

This is a book told from multiple viewpoints and differing timelines between 1916 - 1921. Whilst enabling the reader to journey through the various situations, I did at times find these time jumps difficult to keep up with. There is a good mystery, a little romance and lots and lots of introspective thoughts and concerns. I cannot help but feel this book was just a few too many pages long, as I got lost at times amongst it all at times. There are a lot of periphery details which many might enjoy, with long descriptive sentences; yet, my desire was for the core of the story to be adhered to. 

This was however, a highly engaging theme regarding the aftermath of WW1 and the often unaccounted for impact on the need for closure in order to move on. The idea here is indeed worthy of the readers attention and although long in parts, is well written and easy to appreciate the plight of those involved. 

‘It’s the uncertainty that’s so difficult to live with, isn’t it?’ says Clara. ‘It’s all the questions that you ask yourself. The constant needling of the doubt. The being unable to focus on anything else. It’s so exhausting, isn’t it? I understand that.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Wearing Paper Dresses

Title: Wearing Paper Dresses

Author: Anne Brinsden

Publisher: 24th September 2019 by Pan Macmillan Australia

Pages: 312 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction, cultural-Australia

My Rating: 3.5 cups

Synopsis:

You can talk about living in the Mallee. And you can talk about a Mallee tree. And you can talk about the Mallee itself: a land and a place full of red sand and short stubby trees. Silent skies. The undulating scorch of summer plains. Quiet, on the surface of things.

But Elise wasn't from the Mallee, and she knew nothing of its ways.

Discover the world of a small homestead perched on the sunburnt farmland of northern Victoria. Meet Elise, whose urbane 1950s glamour is rudely transplanted to the pragmatic red soil of the Mallee when her husband returns to work the family farm. But you cannot uproot a plant and expect it to thrive. And so it is with Elise. Her meringues don't impress the shearers, the locals scoff at her Paris fashions, her husband works all day in the back paddock, and the drought kills everything but the geraniums she despises.

As their mother withdraws more and more into herself, her spirited, tearaway daughters, Marjorie and Ruby, wild as weeds, are left to raise themselves as best they can. Until tragedy strikes, and Marjorie flees to the city determined to leave her family behind. And there she stays, leading a very different life, until the boy she loves draws her back to the land she can't forget...

My Thoughts

Wearing Paper Dresses is a poetically written with a heartbreakingly sad story, surrounding battles with mental illness for one struggling family located in the harsh Australian Mallee region. Despite the seriousness of the topic and consequences, the author ensures to provide glimmers of hope to the reader and the connections of the ‘paper dresses’ is both artful and inspired. 

‘The two girls gawked at the delicate papery creation floating on its humble wire hanger. ‘It’s beautiful,’ breathed Ruby. ‘Where did you get all the paper?’ asked Marjorie. ‘It’s crepe paper. It is very inexpensive,’ said Elise. ‘It’s a dress made out of paper,’ said Marjorie redundantly. Nodding at the wonder of it. ‘Yes, it is.’ Elise smiled.’

Probably the best thing about this book for me, was the lyrical and poetic use of personification of the environment itself. It is quite remarkable and makes the land itself a bonafide character. Through this prose the author was able to craftily communicate many profound thoughts and ideas. Known for its harsh environment, the Mallee region speaks to the reader through everything from the trees to the weather. 

‘The Mallee is quiet on the surface of things in its own arid way, and seemingly insipid in its semi-desertness. With its emaciated trees, its restless shifting sand, its spear grass, its prickles and its prickle bushes. But it watches. Waiting for a chance to get rid of you. Clear off, you lot, it says. Go back where you came from. There are too many of you here already! There is no permanent fresh water in the Mallee. The Mallee won’t allow it.’

At its heart this is a troubled story with not only the struggles of mental illness for an individual but also the impact on those living around the inflicted person. The fallout from this illness is a tragedy for many concerned,  within the community but particularly the immediate family. Far from being a happy story, it is confronting when seen through the eyes of one of the troubled daughters. At times, I struggled, not so much with the theme but the repetitiveness of thoughts and feelings, but again, this may have been a strategy in writing about such a thing. 

‘Marjorie realised a whole trainload of her dead and buried past was starting to derail right now. Wheat trucks full of it. Right in front of her. She watched the train wreck from the inside of her eyes as she was grabbed and thrown, like a bale of hay off the back of a ute. As her dead and buried stuff spilt out in every direction there in her paper castle.’

All up this is a poignant tale with a message to share when it comes to mental breakdowns. Combine that with the external challenges of living in such a harsh and unforgiving land and you have quite a remarkable story.  

‘Elise sang. And the Mallee sand and the Mallee sky listened and acknowledged this talent–strange and alien to it, but it bent its knee at talent nonetheless. Those stars, enduring in their eternal desert landscape scrutiny, spangled–just for Elise. Elise sang. And she left those people believing in magic. She left them all in no doubt about it.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Last Smile in Sunder City

Title: The Last Smile in Sunder City

Author: Luke Arnold

Publisher: 6th February 2020 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 352 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal, mystery

My Rating: 3 cups

Synopsis:

A former soldier turned PI tries to help the fantasy creatures whose lives he ruined in a world that's lost its magic in a compelling debut fantasy by Black Sails actor Luke Arnold. Welcome to Sunder City. The magic is gone but the monsters remain.I'm Fetch Phillips, just like it says on the window. There are a few things you should know before you hire me:1. Sobriety costs extra.2. My services are confidential.3. I don't work for humans. It's nothing personal--I'm human myself. But after what happened, to the magic, it's not the humans who need my help. Walk the streets of Sunder City and meet Fetch, his magical clients, and a darkly imagined world perfect for readers of Ben Aaronovitch and Jim Butcher.

My Thoughts

The Last Smile in Sunder City is Luke Arnold’s debut novel and the first in an urban fantasy series titled Fetch Phillips Archives. This is a dystopian work featuring ‘Sunder City’, a dark place holding a noir tale concerning the loss of magic post war.

The story features two timelines in its narrative - the present where Fetch is investigating a missing vampire and his flashbacks during the war and an event that still haunts him. For a debut novel, the world building here is pretty impressive, Luke’s writing quite good (if somewhat generic in places) and the characters held potential (although a little cliched at times).  

There is much to work with here given the concept of magic having disappeared and previously supernatural beings are struggling to survive. It’s dark and down with many a seedy person and place described. Whilst the plot has potential it is just a bit too slow and repetitive in places for me. All up, however, this was an interesting urban fantasy that had some interesting moments.

"I stepped back out into the main room to catch my breath. I couldn’t yet tell what it was that was bubbling up inside me, but something had snapped. I didn’t actually believe it yet. The hope was too dangerous. But just the idea ... What if we could fix it? What if, somehow, I could undo all those terrible things I’d done?  Emotion swelled in my chest. It was something unfamiliar. Hope. Just a bit of hope. That’s all. I’d forgotten what it felt like.”

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Daughter of Victory Lights

Title: The Daughter of Victory Lights

Author: Kerri Turner

Publisher: 20th January 2020 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA

Pages: 384 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

An enthralling story of one woman's determined grab for freedom after WW2 from a talented new Australian voice.

'PART CABARET, PART BURLESQUE, AND LIKE NOTHING YOU'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE! GENTLEMEN, AND LADIES IF YOU'VE DARED TO COME, WELCOME TO ... THE VICTORY!'

1945: After the thrill and danger of volunteering in an all-female searchlight regiment protecting Londoners from German bombers overhead, Evelyn Bell is secretly dismayed to be sent back to her rigid domestic life when the war is over. But then she comes across a secret night-time show, hidden from the law on a boat in the middle of the Thames. Entranced by the risque and lively performance, she grabs the opportunity to join the misfit crew and escape her dreary future.

At first the Victory travels from port to port to raucous applause, but as the shows get bigger and bigger, so too do the risks the performers are driven to take, as well as the growing emotional complications among the crew. Until one desperate night ...

1963: Lucy, an unloved and unwanted little girl, is rescued by a mysterious stranger who says he knows her mother. On the Isle of Wight, Lucy is welcomed into an eclectic family of ex-performers. She is showered with kindness and love, but gradually it becomes clear that there are secrets they refuse to share. Who is Evelyn Bell?

My Thoughts

‘After a life of doing what was expected of her, leaving to help a group of strangers better their law-breaking performance just so she could do the kind of work she craved again … It was madness. It was also freedom.’

The Daughter of Victory Lights is the second book by Aussie author Kerri Turner that I have read and enjoyed. Once again, Kerri has done her research and details a beautiful merge of fact and fiction from post World War II. There is much to love about this tale from the roles of women and men during and post war to the Victory itself - that unique performing boat.

This book is split into two parts centreing around firstly Evie and then later, her daughter Lucy. I thoroughly enjoyed the first part as you journey with Evie from her role in the first all- female searchlight regiment through to providing the lighting work on the Victory. Then Flynn’s role in the Graves Registration Unit was truly an eye opener - horrific and heartbreaking. I feel Kerri truly captured for both Evie and Flynn the impact these demanding roles played in their lives. Reading about the Victory performances was another definite highlight of this book. Switching to the second part of the story almost twenty years later was a surprise in more ways than one initially. Whilst not as strong as the first part - carried through by the characters of Bee and Humphrey - it is like a completely different tale through the eyes of young Lucy. Worthy but not as compelling in my opinion. 

‘Think how much hurt you’re causing other people. And for what?’ ‘For a life.’ Maureen shook her head. ‘You have a life. One everyone else manages to be grateful for. Why can’t you?’

Overall this is a most unique tale of both war and post war experiences for two situations that I had been unfamiliar with. It truly showcases the contributions of women in this fascinating role during war with the expectation to then return to ‘normal’ life; and, this 

unit in the army of literally picking up the pieces in the aftermath of war for the men and the shattering long term impact it would have. 

There is love and loss, trauma and rescue, tragedy and heartwarming experiences throughout this uniquely compelling tale. I look forward to seeing where Kerri will take her readers next. 

‘Here she didn’t have to hide the person she used to be—the person she longed to be again. Here, as Evie, she could be anyone she wanted to.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Sisters Grimm

Title: The Sisters Grimm

Author: Menna van Praag

Publisher: 6th February 2020 by Random House UK, Transworld Publishers

Bantam Press

Pages: 496 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: sci fi, fantasy

My Rating: 2.5 cups

Synopsis:

There are hundreds, possibly thousands, of sisters Grimm on Earth.

You may well be one of them, though you might never know it.

This is the story of four sisters Grimm – daughters born to different mothers on the same day, each born out of bright-white wishing and black-edged desire.

They found each other at eight years-old, were separated at thirteen and now, at nearly eighteen, it is imperative that they find each other once again.

In thirty-three days they will meet their father in Everwhere. Only then will they discover who they truly are, and what they can truly do. Then they must fight to save their lives and the lives of the ones they love. Three will live, one will die.

You’ll have to read on to find out who and why . . .

My Thoughts

‘I hope that by the time you finish this tale, you’ll start listening to the whispers that speak of unknown things, the signs that point in unseen directions and the nudges that suggest unimagined possibilities.’

Having read a few of Menna’s books, I was anticipating this new read - such a beautiful cover and with its connections to fairy tales and magic I was excited knowing she writes so well.  Sadly, this would prove to be not the book for me, however, loving Menna’s creativity and writing the way I do makes for very hard reviewing. 

The premise here is brilliant - dreams, fairy tales, real world and dreamscapes - with strong themes of life, love, growth and development in the real world and the world of Everwhere. Menna’s thoughts and writing are incredibly poetic and beautiful as ever. A multi layered story of four sisters finding their purpose and each other, facing an onslaught of challenges.

‘I wanted to be different, special, exceptional. No doubt everyone felt the same, excepting the seven people on this planet happy exactly as they are. I wasn’t. I’d wanted to be extraordinary ever since I was old enough to know I was not. I suppose that’s why I liked sleeping so much, because in my dreams I was spectacular.’

However, through execution the potential became lost. Far too many points of view that proved a challenge to keep up with (even dual points of views for the sisters as a child and present day). Slow repetitive character and world building that left only a small late portion of the book that was gripping. So whilst the whole mythology and fantasy elements were well considered, the structure did not lend itself to embracing it fully. It is really hard to get into the story and develop empathy for the many characters and situations, as they go in so many directions with a narrative that appears all over the place at times. 

I persevered to the end and found the conclusion fulfilling. It’s just a shame that the slow moving, repetitive and scattered narrative throughout was unable to embrace the wonders of the world building, elemental aspects and some valid relationship tales. Many readers loved it and I wish I were one. Yet I could only feel that the overall theme of female strength and empowerment was lost in a jumble of multiple storylines. 

‘You think you’re ordinary. You never suspect that you’re stronger than you seem, braver than you feel or greater than you imagine.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Miss Austen

Title: Miss Austen

Author: Gill Hornby

Publisher: 23rd January 2020 by Random House UK, Cornerstone

Pages: 288 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 3 cups

Synopsis:

A wonderfully original, emotionally complex novel that delves into why Cassandra burned a treasure trove of letters written by her sister, Jane Austen – an act of destruction that has troubled academics for centuries.

1840: twenty three years after the death of her famous sister Jane, Cassandra Austen returns to the village of Kintbury, and the home of her family’s friends, the Fowles.

She knows that, in some dusty corner of the sprawling vicarage, there is a cache of family letters which hold secrets she is desperate should not be revealed.

As Cassandra recalls her youth and her relationship with her brilliant yet complex sister, she pieces together buried truths about Jane’s history, and her own. And she faces a stark choice: should she act to protect Jane’s reputation? Or leave the contents of the letters to go unguarded into posterity …

Based on a literary mystery that has long puzzled biographers and academics, Miss Austen is a wonderfully original and emotionally complex novel about the loves and lives of Cassandra and Jane Austen.

My Thoughts

‘Her purpose in coming to Kintbury had been to remove all that might reflect badly upon Jane or the legacy: that was the brief she had given herself.’

I love all things Austen. So it was with great interest that a story has been written about her sister, Cassandra. With the spotlight always on the talented Jane, it was refreshing to come across a tale from a differing perspective. There was always much controversy as to why Cassandra in her later years, destroyed all letters and correspondence concerning her famous sister. So here the author, Gill Hornby, has imagined how and why Cassandra undertook such a task. 

The novel alternates between the time Cassandra was actually collecting the letters, and with them in her hands to read and reflect, to another time, back on the actual events that gave rise to them. All these snippets of information that have been lost to history, are now imagined (by the author) through both the reasoning of Cassandra and musings on the actual events that saw them come to pass. 

I found the time period of Cassandra retrieving and destroying the letters are struggle. Not a lot goes on. She is determined to protect everything concerning her sister and there is a small side story to accompany that. Even the flashbacks to the imagined conversations of when Jane was alive - although seemingly commendable in capturing the voice of the time - still lacks that full engagement. This is not a complex tale at all. It meanders gently through the years, with often sad outcomes for the reasoning behind well known events. 

If you are looking for something new and riveting, then this is not the book for you. What you do read is the story of a sister and her family, the struggles and personal (possible) reasoning behind this most famous family’s correspondence. Jane Austen devotees are sure to appreciate this new interpretation. Personally, I struggled with the slowness. Initially intrigued as to why Cassandra would deny the world a window into Jane’s thinking, I felt this promising premise fell short. 

What I do feel warrants a mention is the definite social commentary on the plight of unmarried women and being a spinster in this time. The author has completed valid research and it really is rather sad how women struggled when not, through choice or otherwise, in a position to be married.

‘... thinking that this was the thing by which she would be defined from here on. She would have no other opportunity. Her future was to be denied her. She would have no marriage to succeed in, no vicarage to run, no children to raise. This was to be the test of Miss–forever, eternally Miss–Cassandra Austen.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Secret Messenger

Title: The Secret Messenger

Author: Mandy Robotham

Publisher: 12th December 2019 by Avon Books UK

Pages: 420 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

From the author of the bestselling The German Midwife comes another unputdownable tale of the bravery of everyday women in the darkest corners of WWII, set between German-occupied 1940s Venice and modern-day London.

Venice, 1943

The world is at war, and Stella Jilani is leading a double life. By day she works in the lion’s den as a typist for the Reich office; by night, she risks her life as a messenger for the Italian resistance. Against all odds, Stella must impart Nazi secrets, smuggle essential supplies across the city, and produce an underground newspaper on her beloved typewriter.

But when German commander, General Breugal, becomes suspicious, it seems he will stop at nothing to find the mole, and Stella knows she faces an uncertain future…

London, 2017

Years later, grieving Luisa Belmont finds a mysterious old typewriter in her attic. Determined to find out who it belonged to, Luisa delves into the past, and uncovers a story of fierce love, unimaginable sacrifice, and, ultimately, the worst kind of betrayal…

My Thoughts

Historical fiction is a firm favourite of mine and this book ticks all the boxes with an absolute winning combination. Told in a dual time narrative of present day and WWII, it is the historical story that shines with real strength. I feel that Luisa’s modern tale is more a tool to direct occurrences from the war time in Italy. All up this is a fantastic mix of intrigue and romance against the backdrop of Nazi occupied Venice.

‘I reflect on the past twenty hours–as different as day and night for me. For eight hours I could be accused of helping the German Third Reich to consolidate control of our beautiful city and country–yes, our country–and for the last four or five of aiming to knock holes in their plans to ride roughshod over Italian heritage and pride. I feel like a female Jekyll and Hyde.’

This story is mainly set in Italy during WWII and I totally enjoyed a look at Italian resistance as a change from the usual French focus. Even narrowing it down to Venice during the Nazi occupation and how the Venetians resisted was enthralling reading. There is a great deal of worthwhile research that has gone into this tale - the Venetian resistance, Venice itself (past and present) and an absorbing romance between Stella and the two men in her life at that time. There are some sensational twists that had me ‘oohing’ and ‘aahhing’ and rapidly turning the pages as what I thought to be a predictable conclusion was anything but. 

‘I’ve often mused after a drop that, despite the hardware of guns and machinery, this is an intensely human war–heavily reliant on faith in the good nature of people, whatever their origins. Kindness and softness, and not the cold metal edge of artillery, are what will win this war.’

If you at all like WWII stories, then this is a must read! You will rally alongside ordinary Venetians as they come together with their small acts of resistance chipping away until liberation and the ultimate victory over the Nazis was gained. So many of the characters are skilfully portrayed in their struggle and although fiction, undoubtedly has its roots in the sacrifices of the many women and men who fought for justice. Stella was a wonderful lead and with a clever plot, had me enthralled until the very end, right beside her granddaughter Luisa, in an attempt to unearth the truth about the roles played in this poignant tale from history. Much like Stella, I was fooled by masterful writing:

‘I see him for the shell he is–no lover of Venice or Italians after all. No heart to be beguiled by literature or the play of words. It was all an elaborate act. And I was fooled.’

I cannot recommend highly enough this wonderful piece of historical fiction. I particularly enjoyed the nod to the shared love of literature, particularly Jane Austen references. All up a most absorbing read and wonderful escapism.

He’s smiling once more and I see he’s looking directly at the volume of Jane Austen clutched in my hand. ‘Oh, this? This isn’t a fairy story,’ I come back, striding ahead to avoid any awkward conversation. ‘It’s literature.’ 

‘I agree,’ he says. ‘It’s very good literature. But equally, it’s not real life, is it?’ 

‘All the better in this day and age,’ I snipe, though not meaning to do so quite so sharply.‘Everyone deserves a place of fantasy and safety.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.