Time of the Singing of Birds

by Hill

Never read. Normal shelf wear, from my private library. NOT an ex-public library book. NO cigarette smoke or other odors, no markings on cover or inside pages, no stickers except for Amazon fulfillment barcode.

Genres: Romance, Christian Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Christian Romance, World War II

314 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1944

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

An endearing story of a young war hero sent home to recuperate in 1944. He’s recently lost his mother but soon realizes he can be happy in the old home despite her loss. However, he’s determined not to leave his good pal Stormy Applegate, MIA behind enemy lines, to be forgotten by the powers that be in the military.

[Chautona Havig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This might be closer to 4.5 but I'm starting with 4.25 while I ponder it.

One thing I usually despise in fiction is preachiness in books. George MacDonald can get away with it, and sometimes so can GLH. This is one it works. MOSTLY, it's preaching by example. Where there are frank discussions of conviction or preference, I don't call that preachy even if the author is trying to prick the hearts of readers. It's more the word choices that clearly give away the author's bias between the narrative of her characters. But as I said, it works.

The Time of the Singing of Birds tells the story of a soldier home to recuperate from war wounds. His mother died while he was away, and so he's not just grieving his health and leaving his comrades, he's also aware that he's going home to a home without Mother.

Time and distance have given him perspective, and things he didn't understand (his mother's dislike for certain young women, for example) are clear once he arrives and they descend on him, determined to "make him have fun" now that his "mother is out of the way." No joke. This idiotic woman actually says almost those exact words. Clearly, she has no brains. Barney's mother's opinions suddenly make sense! DUH.

GLH contrasts the smoking, drinking, cosmetics-wearing (horrors!) divorcee with a sweet, fresh-faced, church-going young friend of his who has grown up to be a lovely girl now teaching the local school.

One could argue that the story is simplistic and sentimental, and I actually couldn't disagree. However, despite those things, Barney has the heart of a hero and the determination to serve the Lord in all things. He's home to recuperate but can't think of anything but getting back and trying to find a friend missing behind enemy lines. He and his friends ache to introduce others to Jesus and yet struggle with wanting to stay away from those who try to draw them into things that don't interest them (drinking/dancing/carousing/etc.). So yes, again, it's slightly moralistic, but it also serves to show that few things change.

Because today's young people are told by those trying to draw them into their circles that "religion" is stupid and restrictive, morals are outdated, and though I don't think they say it anymore, the 70s and 80s ideas of, "if it feels good, do it" is still strong and still just as damaging. So maybe what we need are a few more moralistic stories in our lives.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wartime must have been so difficult. This beautiful story takes us to the homefront - and behind enemy lines. In this thrilling double romance, we meet two soldiers, and the women who come to love them. The challenges they face prove that there are many kinds of testing grounds, for faith, fellowship, and love. Holding fast to what each holds as the truth is the guiding light which sees all of these characters through the harshest of trials.

I loved this story, and enjoyed getting to know all these young people, though I was a little disappointed that we didn't get to know "Stormy" a little better. I almost wish Grace had chosen to write this in two volumes so we could have spent a little more time on each.

What struck me though, was the push/pull of wanting to serve one's country and to support those in service during the war, up against the desire (at least on the part of the young women) for their men to just be home, safe and sound. I think it's hard for us today, to understand the heartbreak and pain involved in these kinds of separations, especially when the casualty numbers were so high.

Grace, as always, brings her wisdom and truth to these stories, and helps us to see the way through. I loved both stories, and was eager to reach the end when they would all be safe at home at last. Definitely worth reading!

[Anna Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, one more GLH book down in my quest! Aaannndd that's about all I can say about this book.

It was another one of GLH's WWII novels that was really low on character development as well as plot development. It was fairly boring and felt almost like a re-write of Girl to Come Home To (but this one was actually written first, so I guess Girl to Come Home To was a re-write of THIS). Without retelling the entire plot, this book could basically be summed by saying that a soldier comes home, tries to do stuff, doesn't do stuff, but falls in love with this neighbor girl who grew up while he was away at war.

As per usual for a GLH war time novel, the insta-love crap was absolute GARBAGE! Like almost worse than normal for the two side characters. (I mean, if you want to get married after literally meeting someone once and then falling in love with them because their friends say what a nice person they are...good on you. But I think I'd rather actually get to know someone before I promise to spend the rest of my life with them!) I get pretty tired of GLH vouching that it doesn't matter how long you know someone as long as they are a Christian - you can (and should!) totally get married! I mean, I know a lot of very strong Christian men, who I could never in my entire life imagine being married to. I don't doubt their faith, but I do doubt our compatibility! I mean, I guess you can work anything out with Christ's help, but I still think you could save yourself a lot of heartache if you actually got to know someone before getting married! But then, we very rarely see any GLH characters after the weddings anyway...so we'll never know!

Anyway, all that to say, I would not recommend this book. I will not be re-reading it. It wasn't the worst book, and honestly, it might have been better than Girl to Come Home To, (it was definitely more enjoyable than my old nemesis Dawn of the Morning or Amorelle) but still not worth your time.

[Nicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 1940s jargon. Is hard to follow. I had to google phrases multiple times to figure out what she meant. Because of that I had a harder time relating to the characters. And I hated the vagueness of Stormy's journey. At least give me a country or a language. There was an overt salvation message throughout, which didn't feel forced. But the "their not our kind" message that was repeated over and over by Barney and Sunny didn't feel very Christian or welcoming. And I know it was wartime, but who seriously proposes the second time he sees a girl?!

[Stephanie Pieck · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a sweet if stilted book, the story of a soldier home from serving in World War II who finds his future wife, a lost comrade (who then finds his future wife), and dodges the attempts of a grasping woman and her "friends" as they try to monopolize his time and attention. Clunky dialogue, many Christian references, and long quotes from hymns, sometimes the same verses of the same hymn more than once. It was still a sweet story, though, and nice for a weekend dip.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not great.

[Carol & Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually have a much better star rating for GLH books. She became a much better writer through the years.

[Jenny K · Rating 3 out of 5]

WW2 storyline

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the dual storyline even though the contrast was always a bit startling.

[Kerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short, sweet little romance. Barney has returned from the war to recover from his injuries. Sadly, his parents are gone now, and he is also worried about one of his buddies still on the front. He has one friend left in the neighborhood, a girl he used to call Sunny. She is all grown up now. The other young people in the neighborhood want to go on with their jolly lives and don't seem to have grown up like he and Sunny have.

Once he is recovered, the soldier heads back to Washington to get permission to go back to war and look for his friend. I felt like this might have been unrealistic...could a person do such a thing?

But never mind, the friend is actually already back. And just in time too because there is another beautiful, sweet girl who is unattached. In fact, she just happened to have met the friend through her brother back at the beginning of the war and has loved him this whole time. Lucky how that works out!

This book was sweet and I think it shows that there are two ways of letting tragedy affect you. Barney and Sunny along with the other good folks in the book are affected in different ways by the war, but they decide to let it change them for the good. The bad characters try not to be affected by the war, and seem to get stuck in their childishness.

[Theresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like Grace Livingston Hill is all or nothing. Clearly, in my opinion, this falls into the latter.

It's very heavy-handed on the preaching. Barney comes home from war and is injured. He finds out the young girl Sunny has grown into a perfect young lady. Sure, she's poor and looked down on, but perfect.

There are a bunch of kids who want to carry on, Hortense being one of them, but Barney has found God and doesn't want anything to do with things that they thought were bad back in the 40s. You know, like girls wearing makeup.

Honestly, there are ways to express your love of God without putting down others.

[Partridge Public]

Hill, Grace Livingston

[Bonita Martin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love this author and have loved many of her books. This was the only exception. Each page was more depressing than the last. By the end of the third chapter I put it in the trash. No regrets.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the best I've read from this author...but, still very good.

[Terry Yaceyko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read.

[Abigail Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story! Awesome Ending! :)