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The Montmaray Journals #3
The FitzOsbornes at War
Michelle Cooper completes her heart-stealing epic drama of history and romance with The FitzOsbornes at War.
Sophie FitzOsborne and the royal family of Montmaray escaped their remote island home when the Nazis attacked. But as war breaks out in England and around the world, nowhere is safe. Sophie fills her journal with tales of a life during wartime. Blackouts and the Blitz. Dancing in nightclubs with soliders on leave. And endlessly waiting for news of her brother Toby, whose plane was shot down over enemy territory.
But even as bombs rain down on London, hope springs up, and love blooms for this most endearing princess. And when the Allies begin to drive their way across Europe, the FitzOsbornes take heart—maybe, just maybe, there will be a way to liberate Montmaray as well.
Sophie FitzOsborne and the royal family of Montmaray escaped their remote island home when the Nazis attacked. But as war breaks out in England and around the world, nowhere is safe. Sophie fills her journal with tales of a life during wartime. Blackouts and the Blitz. Dancing in nightclubs with soliders on leave. And endlessly waiting for news of her brother Toby, whose plane was shot down over enemy territory.
But even as bombs rain down on London, hope springs up, and love blooms for this most endearing princess. And when the Allies begin to drive their way across Europe, the FitzOsbornes take heart—maybe, just maybe, there will be a way to liberate Montmaray as well.
560 pages, Hardcover
First published October 9, 2012
33 people are currently reading
1985 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Cooper
5 books165 followersMichelle Cooper writes novels for teenagers. She is the award-winning author of Dr Huxley's Bequest, A Brief History of Montmaray, The FitzOsbornes in Exile, The FitzOsbornes at War and The Rage of Sheep.
More Info:
Michelle was born in Sydney, Australia. She attended a succession of schools in Fiji and country New South Wales, then went to university in Sydney. She worked as a speech and language pathologist for fifteen years, helping students with learning problems. Michelle liked this job a lot. She got to watch students improve their literacy skills and become happier, more confident learners - also, she got to work in an office covered in Harry Potter posters and give herself smiley stamps when she did a good job.
The Rage of Sheep, her first novel, won a mentorship with the Children's Book Council of Australia. The Rage of Sheep was published in paperback by Random House Australia in 2007, with an ebook edition released in 2012.
Michelle's second novel, A Brief History of Montmaray, was published by Random House Australia in 2008, with an audiobook version, narrated by Melissa Chambers, released the same year by Louis Braille Audio. The novel was awarded the Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards and was shortlisted for the Gold Inky, Australia's teenage choice book award. A Brief History of Montmaray was published in North America by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers in 2009, and was named in the American Library Association's Best Books for Young Adults list. An audiobook version of the North American edition was published in 2010 by Listening Library, and a Vintage Classics paperback edition was released in Australia in 2012.
The FitzOsbornes in Exile, the second book in The Montmaray Journals trilogy, was published in Australia in 2010, as a paperback and audiobook. It was shortlisted for the Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature (NSW Premier's Literary Awards) and the Western Australian Premier's Young Adult Book Award, longlisted for the Gold Inky Teenage Choice Award and named a Notable Book for Older Readers by the Children's Book Council of Australia. The book was published in North America in 2011 as a hardcover, ebook and audiobook, and was listed in the Best Teen Books of 2011 by Kirkus Reviews and in the American Library Association's 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults.
The FitzOsbornes at War, the final book in The Montmaray Journals trilogy, was published in Australia and New Zealand in April, 2012 and in North America in October, 2012. The film and television rights to The Montmaray Journals have been optioned by a US production company.
Her latest book is Dr Huxley’s Bequest: A History of Medicine in Thirteen Objects, which was shortlisted for the 2018 Young People's History Prize.
-> from http://www.michellecooper-writer.com/...
More Info:
Michelle was born in Sydney, Australia. She attended a succession of schools in Fiji and country New South Wales, then went to university in Sydney. She worked as a speech and language pathologist for fifteen years, helping students with learning problems. Michelle liked this job a lot. She got to watch students improve their literacy skills and become happier, more confident learners - also, she got to work in an office covered in Harry Potter posters and give herself smiley stamps when she did a good job.
The Rage of Sheep, her first novel, won a mentorship with the Children's Book Council of Australia. The Rage of Sheep was published in paperback by Random House Australia in 2007, with an ebook edition released in 2012.
Michelle's second novel, A Brief History of Montmaray, was published by Random House Australia in 2008, with an audiobook version, narrated by Melissa Chambers, released the same year by Louis Braille Audio. The novel was awarded the Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards and was shortlisted for the Gold Inky, Australia's teenage choice book award. A Brief History of Montmaray was published in North America by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers in 2009, and was named in the American Library Association's Best Books for Young Adults list. An audiobook version of the North American edition was published in 2010 by Listening Library, and a Vintage Classics paperback edition was released in Australia in 2012.
The FitzOsbornes in Exile, the second book in The Montmaray Journals trilogy, was published in Australia in 2010, as a paperback and audiobook. It was shortlisted for the Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature (NSW Premier's Literary Awards) and the Western Australian Premier's Young Adult Book Award, longlisted for the Gold Inky Teenage Choice Award and named a Notable Book for Older Readers by the Children's Book Council of Australia. The book was published in North America in 2011 as a hardcover, ebook and audiobook, and was listed in the Best Teen Books of 2011 by Kirkus Reviews and in the American Library Association's 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults.
The FitzOsbornes at War, the final book in The Montmaray Journals trilogy, was published in Australia and New Zealand in April, 2012 and in North America in October, 2012. The film and television rights to The Montmaray Journals have been optioned by a US production company.
Her latest book is Dr Huxley’s Bequest: A History of Medicine in Thirteen Objects, which was shortlisted for the 2018 Young People's History Prize.
-> from http://www.michellecooper-writer.com/...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 326 reviews
October 22, 2012
The third and final volume of the Montmaray Journals lands squarely at the intersection of what I wanted this book to be, and what I think it needed to be. Happily, those were not mutually exclusive outcomes, although “happily” feels like the wrong word to use. Because the ending of the trilogy was bittersweet, as most good endings are.
It’s difficult to review The FitzOsbornes at War in great detail because SPOILERS, and not just for this book but for all three, as they are very connected. However, as the title states, the third book is the account of the FitzOsborne’s (exiled royal family of the fictional island of Montmaray) experiences throughout World War II.
First of all, standing ovation for Michelle Cooper on writing an impeccably researched work of historical fiction. The attention to detail and factual accuracy is really impressive, and I say this as someone with an abiding love of historical fiction and aggressive loathing of anachronisms. The fatal flaw in some historical YA is a tendency to temper the narrative and characterisation with a contemporary outlook. But I’d argue that this isn’t necessary to create a story that’s engaging for a modern audience; history doesn’t need to be injected with a dose of Gossip Girl to make it relevant or interesting. Cooper’s plots remain firmly rooted in their respective time periods, but the themes are still compelling and her characters relatable. Granted, an interest in history / historical fiction is probably necessary to gain maximum enjoyment from the series, but I admire the integrity of the books to their setting.
Cooper has written a masterful blend of fact and fiction, weaving historical figures and events into her characters’ story seamlessly. The inclusion of real life people of note – Neville Chamberlain, Winston Churchill, the Kennedys, Unity and Deborah Mitford to name very few – doesn’t feel awkward or didactic. Rather, they are an organic part of the story, and integral to the period of history in which Sophie and her family lived. It hurts my head to think of the amount of research and fact checking required to write these parts of the story as authentically as Cooper does, but the end result is a story rich with historical context. Cooper brings this section of history to life: the Blitz, the bombing of Pearl Harbour, the Allied invasion of Normandy, and living conditions in England throughout the war are all vividly communicated through the lens of Sophie’s experiences. The human element of her personal emotions makes this novel more than merely a recounting of past events - it places the reader in the story, enables them to experience joy and grief, boredom and fear alongside her.
Sophie’s narration really carries this series for me. While I came to love all of the characters and their dynamics, it’s her voice that brings the story to life. It would be easily to draw comparisons (or rather, similarities) between Sophie FitzOsborne and Cassandra Mortmain; A Brief History of Montmaray is in part an homage to I Capture The Castle, yet Sophie retains an individuality that I find very appealing. She’s self-deprecating, though not frustratingly so, and is rather more worldly-wise than Cassandra, which is occasionally revealed through the sharp edge of humour to her voice. Sophie’s growth throughout the series is evident – fitting, considering the amount of time the books cover – but especially in the last book, where her transition into adulthood is poignantly and realistically depicted.
On the ending, which I desperately want to talk about but can’t for fear of wrecking the entire experience for others, I’ll simply say that it felt right. It’s a slightly surprising, yet brave resolution that feels like the right way to leave these characters. (For those with questions, Michelle Cooper has a Montmaray Q & A on her blog, but be aware that page is extremely spoilerific).
The FitzOsbornes at War is my favourite book of the series, perhaps because it’s the most complex, the most difficult, and the most emotional. Cooper pushes the character further in this instalment, demands a heavier toll in the plot, yet delivers a greater reward in the conclusion.
Overall, I think the Montmaray Journals are classics in the making, and their value will be enduring.
December 27, 2019
December 12, 2013
This is Exhibit A in the case for adults reading YA. Like The Hunger Games, there's no wincing away from the horrors of war. There's a little bit of romance, but as in Rosamund Pilcher's The Shell Seekers or Coming Home, (which were not published as YA, but as women's fiction), the narrative remains focused on a young woman in wartime, and how that particular war dragged on so long that individuals held many different kinds of jobs and faced different kinds of hardships at different stages
History fans will love the depth of research Cooper did, and all the snippets of real characters and events that are incorporated. Devoted readers will enjoy that Sophie mentions what she's reading from time to time. Progressives and conservatives will appreciate that period characters express a broad range of ideals and are treated appropriately by the society of the day.
But I love it because even though Cooper allows her characters to discover all the worst atrocities, she also allows them to discover strengths within themselves, and to find a way through. The villains don't always get punished, but the good do receive some sort of reward, if only the relief of it all being over.
Library copy.
This is Exhibit A in the case for adults reading YA. Like The Hunger Games, there's no wincing away from the horrors of war. There's a little bit of romance, but as in Rosamund Pilcher's The Shell Seekers or Coming Home, (which were not published as YA, but as women's fiction), the narrative remains focused on a young woman in wartime, and how that particular war dragged on so long that individuals held many different kinds of jobs and faced different kinds of hardships at different stages
History fans will love the depth of research Cooper did, and all the snippets of real characters and events that are incorporated. Devoted readers will enjoy that Sophie mentions what she's reading from time to time. Progressives and conservatives will appreciate that period characters express a broad range of ideals and are treated appropriately by the society of the day.
But I love it because even though Cooper allows her characters to discover all the worst atrocities, she also allows them to discover strengths within themselves, and to find a way through. The villains don't always get punished, but the good do receive some sort of reward, if only the relief of it all being over.
Library copy.
December 6, 2025
Whirlwind read! What a book! Loved this buddy read with Jen and Melissa. I’m wavering between 4 and 5 stars. So much of the war stuff is hard to read so I don’t know that I’d want to reread this book as much as the second one, especially. But it was amazing and such a good ending of the trilogy.
March 15, 2020
March 2020: I was sorry to close the page on Sophie and co. This 500 page book still made me laugh, gasp and cry. I really enjoying curling up with it and getting lost in her world and the horrific world of war world II once again. This series is a favorite.
Also kudos to the author for having bisexual/gay characters in her ensemble of characters. The reason I say that is because this was the first YA novel I remember reading that had LGBTQ characters portrayed prominently in it and while we have a lot more novels now in 2020, ten years ago that wasn't the case and this series left a positive mark on me for that inclusiveness. Although I do have to say, what is up with everyone wanting Simon? I imagine him as some kind of Greek god with both men and women fawning over him.
And last also, Sophie is still the best. Case closed.
Review April 2012:****NO SPOILERS BECAUSE THERE ARE ENOUGH REVIEWS WITH THAT ALREADY SO NO WORRIES ON THAT FRONT.
Solid 4.5 stars.
Okay,onto the review now. So if you are reading this book/looking into reading this book/deciding whether or not you want to read this book that someone has recommended to you, then you have obviously read book one and book two and have fallen in love with Sophie and her family and friends, yes? No? Okay, first go read a brief history of montmaray and then the fitzosbornes in exile and then come back here to read this exciting and satisfying final conclusion to the previous novels.
Because that is what this book is. A conclusion. And yes, things happen. People die, people live, people fall in love, people fall out of love and some is easier to take then others and some is harder but if you love Sophie FitzOsborne, if you adore her, if you think they should build a statue of her in the park for all to see, if you wished Montmaray was real so you could go visit and walk the rocky land Sophie grew up on, if you even once tried attempting your own coded language, then this book (and previous novels) are for you. Honestly. This book is long, it's epic and it spans all the years of war. You will laugh, you will cry, you will clutch your chest in shock. But all in all, you will close the last page glad you had a chance to meet Sophie and her eccentric group of family and friends. And honestly, there is no better way I can rec a book, rec a series then that. Also, taken from the author's website, Sophie's motto for pretty much the entire series.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ I see lots of re-reads of this series in my future. ♥ ♥ ♥
Also kudos to the author for having bisexual/gay characters in her ensemble of characters. The reason I say that is because this was the first YA novel I remember reading that had LGBTQ characters portrayed prominently in it and while we have a lot more novels now in 2020, ten years ago that wasn't the case and this series left a positive mark on me for that inclusiveness. Although I do have to say, what is up with everyone wanting Simon? I imagine him as some kind of Greek god with both men and women fawning over him.
And last also, Sophie is still the best. Case closed.
Review April 2012:****NO SPOILERS BECAUSE THERE ARE ENOUGH REVIEWS WITH THAT ALREADY SO NO WORRIES ON THAT FRONT.
Solid 4.5 stars.
Okay,onto the review now. So if you are reading this book/looking into reading this book/deciding whether or not you want to read this book that someone has recommended to you, then you have obviously read book one and book two and have fallen in love with Sophie and her family and friends, yes? No? Okay, first go read a brief history of montmaray and then the fitzosbornes in exile and then come back here to read this exciting and satisfying final conclusion to the previous novels.
Because that is what this book is. A conclusion. And yes, things happen. People die, people live, people fall in love, people fall out of love and some is easier to take then others and some is harder but if you love Sophie FitzOsborne, if you adore her, if you think they should build a statue of her in the park for all to see, if you wished Montmaray was real so you could go visit and walk the rocky land Sophie grew up on, if you even once tried attempting your own coded language, then this book (and previous novels) are for you. Honestly. This book is long, it's epic and it spans all the years of war. You will laugh, you will cry, you will clutch your chest in shock. But all in all, you will close the last page glad you had a chance to meet Sophie and her eccentric group of family and friends. And honestly, there is no better way I can rec a book, rec a series then that. Also, taken from the author's website, Sophie's motto for pretty much the entire series.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ I see lots of re-reads of this series in my future. ♥ ♥ ♥
April 3, 2012
A Quick Rundown of Random Feelings:
A) I think the first person really becomes a problem in this book, because a lot of the things I wanted to know kind of get unresolved. Especially in regards to Toby/Simon. We just get some kind of rush, threesome marriage implications and that is supposed to be that. I just wanted some kind of closure, I don't feel like I got it?
B) Also, I really enjoyed the build-up of Rupert/Sophie in FitzOsbornes in Exile, but boy did the scene where they eventually come together feel forced. Like, I had to re-read it twice because I was unsure where the hell it came from. It was honestly just SUDDENLY, RUPERT IS HERE AND I LOVE HIM!!! The potential romance was so understated and sweet in its build-up, that I was hoping its culmination would at least make sense.
C) The way the book tried to shoehorn the necessary tragedy in with Henry's death, felt really false to me. It was like Cooper knew that they all couldn't have the ridiculous happy endings the book gave them, so you know, kill the youngest one.
D) Generally, I feel like the book was trying to do too much, and fit such a big time frame in that it was weakened overall. Weirdly, like Downton Abbey season 2, it seems like that the desperate need to fit the ENTIRE war in really hampered the characterization and plot.
E) I still liked it, but after LOVING "Exile", this was definitely a huge disappointment. There were things to love, but not as much as I previously did. Shame, really.
A) I think the first person really becomes a problem in this book, because a lot of the things I wanted to know kind of get unresolved. Especially in regards to Toby/Simon. We just get some kind of rush, threesome marriage implications and that is supposed to be that. I just wanted some kind of closure, I don't feel like I got it?
B) Also, I really enjoyed the build-up of Rupert/Sophie in FitzOsbornes in Exile, but boy did the scene where they eventually come together feel forced. Like, I had to re-read it twice because I was unsure where the hell it came from. It was honestly just SUDDENLY, RUPERT IS HERE AND I LOVE HIM!!! The potential romance was so understated and sweet in its build-up, that I was hoping its culmination would at least make sense.
C) The way the book tried to shoehorn the necessary tragedy in with Henry's death, felt really false to me. It was like Cooper knew that they all couldn't have the ridiculous happy endings the book gave them, so you know, kill the youngest one.
D) Generally, I feel like the book was trying to do too much, and fit such a big time frame in that it was weakened overall. Weirdly, like Downton Abbey season 2, it seems like that the desperate need to fit the ENTIRE war in really hampered the characterization and plot.
E) I still liked it, but after LOVING "Exile", this was definitely a huge disappointment. There were things to love, but not as much as I previously did. Shame, really.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2025
If you love coming of age novels, family sagas, books set during WWII, or books with characters whose lives you become so invested in that you never want to leave them, then the Montmaray Journals trilogy is for you! This third volume wraps the story of the FizOsbornes so beautifully and I was bereft when I turned the last page. I would gladly read another three books featuring these characters. A new favorite epistolary series and one that I cant say enough good things about!
April 2, 2012
Okay, we'll get my first two major reactions out of the way first, and then I'll talk about them (and the rest of it) more.
1) HENRY?!?!?!?!?! I DIDN'T THINK I NEEDED TO WORRY ABOUT HENRY.
2) Rupert, REALLY?!
So this was pretty much a perfect book and way to wrap the trilogy up. My biggest beef with it was shipping related and it's not like I didn't see it coming, it was just that I didn't WANT to see it coming. And since my basic stance on Sophie's life is whatever Sophie wants, Sophie deserves, fine.
Sophie wants Rupert, Sophie gets Rupert.
And there's nothing WRONG with Rupert. He's a good, decent man who has always been besotted with Sophie, and who will certainly make a better husband than Simon would have for the simple reason that Rupert will always love Sophie best and even though I DO believe that Simon and Sophie loved each other in their own way (and okay, the one thing that REALLY irritated me about the book was Sophie talking herself out of what she felt for Simon, because no, love is not the same with every person and she SHOULDN'T have felt the same way about both of them), Simon would never have loved her like that. That was a really terrible, convoluted sentence, I'm sorry. But anyway, all of this isn't to say that Rupert and Sophie aren't incredibly sweet together, because they are. It's just one of my biggest writing pet peeves to see authors to tear down what was to show how awesome what is is.
I did love that Simon and Sophie got that one night, though. Because it was necessary and had been building for two books and if it hadn't happened at all that would have been even more of a cop out. And I was immeasurably proud of Sophie for saying no in that moment, even though it would have been the easiest thing in the world for her to say yes, because she DOES deserve a man that will propose to her out of love and not soul wrenching loneliness and guilt.
And I don't even know how to segue out of there properly, so I guess we'll talk about Toby? Toby who grows up SO MUCH throughout this book even though he's off the page for so much of it. Toby who goes to war a boy and comes back an extremely battered but ultimately determined man, who just wants to go home.
Tobias FitzOsborne, I love you.
I love that he marries Julia, and that even though it's a marriage of convenience for both of them it doesn't mean that it's not a good marriage of convenience. I love that we're left with the implication that the marriage is actually more like Simon/Toby/Julia, which, that is some impressive subtext she managed to work into a YA novel. Because we were supposed to believe that Davey was Simon's son, right? There's not another way to read that, is there? I can't imagine another way to read that.
I could talk about how awesome Sophie's adventures were to read (SHE'S A SPY!!!!) and how well done I thought the life during war stuff was, but I suppose the time has come to talk about Henrietta Charlotte FitzOsborne.
Of all of the characters I thought I had to worry about in this book, I confess that Henry never even made my list. And why should she have? For all that she was a charming and complete character in her own right, I saw her the way that Sophie saw her, as a kid. Kids aren't supposed to die in wars. GIRLS aren't supposed to die in wars, at least not that war. And of course those are ridiculous SAFE conceptions from someone who's life has been mostly untouched by such things.
But Henry dies, and if it's not the brave, heroic death she might have wished for, at least she was finally being allowed to be who she was when it happened. For me, the reader, there was some comfort in that, even if I'd rather she stayed alive and able to see the day when Montmaray would be home to the FitzOsbornes once more.
Just, ugh. These books are so good. Even when the choices Michelle Cooper makes aren't the ones I want her to make, I get why she's making them and that's even better, really. I am so, so pleased that I got to spend time with this wonderful, offbeat, mess of a family, and I am sad that there will be no more books to be had.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have a series to start rereading.
1) HENRY?!?!?!?!?! I DIDN'T THINK I NEEDED TO WORRY ABOUT HENRY.
2) Rupert, REALLY?!
So this was pretty much a perfect book and way to wrap the trilogy up. My biggest beef with it was shipping related and it's not like I didn't see it coming, it was just that I didn't WANT to see it coming. And since my basic stance on Sophie's life is whatever Sophie wants, Sophie deserves, fine.
Sophie wants Rupert, Sophie gets Rupert.
And there's nothing WRONG with Rupert. He's a good, decent man who has always been besotted with Sophie, and who will certainly make a better husband than Simon would have for the simple reason that Rupert will always love Sophie best and even though I DO believe that Simon and Sophie loved each other in their own way (and okay, the one thing that REALLY irritated me about the book was Sophie talking herself out of what she felt for Simon, because no, love is not the same with every person and she SHOULDN'T have felt the same way about both of them), Simon would never have loved her like that. That was a really terrible, convoluted sentence, I'm sorry. But anyway, all of this isn't to say that Rupert and Sophie aren't incredibly sweet together, because they are. It's just one of my biggest writing pet peeves to see authors to tear down what was to show how awesome what is is.
I did love that Simon and Sophie got that one night, though. Because it was necessary and had been building for two books and if it hadn't happened at all that would have been even more of a cop out. And I was immeasurably proud of Sophie for saying no in that moment, even though it would have been the easiest thing in the world for her to say yes, because she DOES deserve a man that will propose to her out of love and not soul wrenching loneliness and guilt.
And I don't even know how to segue out of there properly, so I guess we'll talk about Toby? Toby who grows up SO MUCH throughout this book even though he's off the page for so much of it. Toby who goes to war a boy and comes back an extremely battered but ultimately determined man, who just wants to go home.
Tobias FitzOsborne, I love you.
I love that he marries Julia, and that even though it's a marriage of convenience for both of them it doesn't mean that it's not a good marriage of convenience. I love that we're left with the implication that the marriage is actually more like Simon/Toby/Julia, which, that is some impressive subtext she managed to work into a YA novel. Because we were supposed to believe that Davey was Simon's son, right? There's not another way to read that, is there? I can't imagine another way to read that.
I could talk about how awesome Sophie's adventures were to read (SHE'S A SPY!!!!) and how well done I thought the life during war stuff was, but I suppose the time has come to talk about Henrietta Charlotte FitzOsborne.
Of all of the characters I thought I had to worry about in this book, I confess that Henry never even made my list. And why should she have? For all that she was a charming and complete character in her own right, I saw her the way that Sophie saw her, as a kid. Kids aren't supposed to die in wars. GIRLS aren't supposed to die in wars, at least not that war. And of course those are ridiculous SAFE conceptions from someone who's life has been mostly untouched by such things.
But Henry dies, and if it's not the brave, heroic death she might have wished for, at least she was finally being allowed to be who she was when it happened. For me, the reader, there was some comfort in that, even if I'd rather she stayed alive and able to see the day when Montmaray would be home to the FitzOsbornes once more.
Just, ugh. These books are so good. Even when the choices Michelle Cooper makes aren't the ones I want her to make, I get why she's making them and that's even better, really. I am so, so pleased that I got to spend time with this wonderful, offbeat, mess of a family, and I am sad that there will be no more books to be had.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have a series to start rereading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2013
This was best of the trilogy, a sweeping and sometimes quite moving view of WWII from the perspective of the British home front. It was a book I was eager to return to after putting it down in a way that I haven't felt very often recently. However, given the power, I'd excise every mention of Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy, and the progress of her romance. This strand of the story was completely extraneous, awkwardly tacked on, and I felt as though Michelle Cooper was winking over Sophie's head whenever Kick's brother Jack was mentioned. I was also a little frustrated at the end
October 15, 2012
Originally reviewed on The Book Smugglers
So begins The FitzOsbornes at War, with the news of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain announcing that the country at long last is at war with Germany. Sophie FitzOsborne may be a princess, but she and the rest of her family have been in exile from their invaded homeland for two years. While the events at the end of The FitzOsbornes in Exile ended with a rousing declaration against the aggression of the Nazis, who had invaded and seized their homeland, finally England is at war. For Sophie, war is a frightening, unfathomable beast - and with her brother Toby (current King of Montmaray) and cousin Simon enlisted in the Royal Air Force, fear is an ever-present companion. At least for the first few months, nothing seems to be happening. Sophie and her cousin Veronica move to London and take up in a small flat adjacent to the grand Montmaray House, finding ways to help with the war effort - Veronica finds a position with the Foreign Affairs office, while Sophie takes a role in the Ministry of Food. When the fighting starts in earnest, food and everyday items are rationed, and bombs start falling on London, the grim reality of war sets in. And for Sophie, for her beloved family and dear friends, nothing will ever be the same.
A far cry from the engagements and parties of The FitzOsbornes in Exile, or the smaller daydreams of a girl staring out of her ruined castle on the rocky shores of A Brief History of Montmaray, The FitzOsbornes at War is a more somber, but ever more powerful book. It's an older book (Sophie is now in her twenties), but it also deals with the most grave subject matter - the crescendo of discordant war and fear to which the first two novels were building. Easily, this third and final novel is the best of the Montmaray books; the most heart-rending, the most resonant. And, as with the first two novels, The FitzOsbornes at War all hinges on voice. An epistolary series of entries, related in english to us but coded in kernetin, it is Sophie's voice that drives the Montmaray novels, and it is her voice that makes this final act so resonant and truthful. Unlike, say, Elizabeth Wein's Code Name Verity (which is also an epistolary novel of WWII, but far more extravagant, with characters that are spies and pilots in the thick of action and interrogation), Cooper's is a book that examines the sacrifices and horrors, the tedium and changes to everyday life endured by those in London during the Blitz and subsequent years. Through Sophie's journal entries, we see how she and Veronica prepare their flat for blackouts every night; we huddle with them as the bombs fall; we feel their keen edge of frustration and impotence as night after night they rush to the cellars to sleep, they queue for hours for a bar of soap. It's a completely different kind of story of war, a quieter one, but one that Cooper masterfully relates through Sophie's honest, engaging voice.
As a heroine, Sohpie has grown so much over the course of these three books. The childhood dreams of her journals as a sixteen year old on Montmaray feel like a whole lifetime apart from this new older, wiser protagonist. She still struggles with her feelings and relationships with her other family members, but she has grown into confidence and self-acceptance; her narrative spends less time worrying about luncheons and the schemes of Aunt Charlotte, and turns to other, deeper reflection - relationships and love, yes, but also the roles women play in the war, of her own sexuality, of her own beliefs and self-worth. It's not just Sophie that changes here, though. We also see a dramatically changed Toby - whose heartbreaking arc is a departure from the carefree charmer of the past - and a Veronica that comes to grips with her own emotions and attachments. Henry is a girl of sixteen, whose exuberance and rebellious nature remains unchecked, driving her to become expelled from school and to enlist, while Simon too becomes a much more serious and conflicted character as the war progresses. And, as this is a novel of war and struggle, not everyone makes it out alive. No one makes it out unscarred.
There are so many other characters, too - the Stanley-Rosses, the Kennedeys, and more play a vital role in this third novel. You may recognize some of the names - Billy Hartington and Kick Kennedy, for example - who actually were real figures. As with the first two books, The FitzOsbornes at War blends historical fact with fiction effortlessly. This novel, however, is far more extensive in breadth and depth of research; I'm in awe of how much research went into the writing of this book. (Don't believe it? There's an extensive author's note at the end of the book explaining which elements are fact and which are fictitious - it's a very, very long list.) Informative and thorough without being info-dumpy or preachy, accurate without being dry or boring, The FitzOsbornes at War touches on everything from wartime ration pamphlets to auxillary airforce responsibilities and stations.
What else can I say about The FitzOsbornes at War? I loved this book. I loved it because it tore out my heart as I anguished with Sophie and her dear family and friends. But I loved it more because it gently restored that same heart, injured, bruised, bleeding, but hopeful - hopeful for the future of the FitzOsbornes, for Montmaray, and for the war-battered world in the aftermath of so much horror and death. If there's one thing that The FitzOsbornes at War does, it gravely and truthfully shows that in war, there are no winners, no glorious shining victors. Everything changes for Sophie and her kin in this book, and through her frank, heartbreaking narrative, we observe the saga of a family struggling to survive in wars senseless, fickle path of destruction.
This is a cathartic conclusion to a brilliant trilogy; a tale of endurance and hope and bitter change. I dearly loved The FitzOsbornes at War, and will cherish it as one of my favorite reads in the years to come. One of my top 10 favorite novels of 2012, and a perfect, if heartbreaking, end to a truly amazing trilogy.
And I end this review with an earnest plea: if you haven't read the Montmaray books yet, please, please give Princess Sophia and her family a try. You will not regret the journey - though you may like me lose a piece of your heart to the FitzOsbornes along the way.
3rd September 1939
I'm quite sure that, in twenty or thirty years' time, people will say about this morning, "I'll never forget where I was when I heard the news."
So begins The FitzOsbornes at War, with the news of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain announcing that the country at long last is at war with Germany. Sophie FitzOsborne may be a princess, but she and the rest of her family have been in exile from their invaded homeland for two years. While the events at the end of The FitzOsbornes in Exile ended with a rousing declaration against the aggression of the Nazis, who had invaded and seized their homeland, finally England is at war. For Sophie, war is a frightening, unfathomable beast - and with her brother Toby (current King of Montmaray) and cousin Simon enlisted in the Royal Air Force, fear is an ever-present companion. At least for the first few months, nothing seems to be happening. Sophie and her cousin Veronica move to London and take up in a small flat adjacent to the grand Montmaray House, finding ways to help with the war effort - Veronica finds a position with the Foreign Affairs office, while Sophie takes a role in the Ministry of Food. When the fighting starts in earnest, food and everyday items are rationed, and bombs start falling on London, the grim reality of war sets in. And for Sophie, for her beloved family and dear friends, nothing will ever be the same.
A far cry from the engagements and parties of The FitzOsbornes in Exile, or the smaller daydreams of a girl staring out of her ruined castle on the rocky shores of A Brief History of Montmaray, The FitzOsbornes at War is a more somber, but ever more powerful book. It's an older book (Sophie is now in her twenties), but it also deals with the most grave subject matter - the crescendo of discordant war and fear to which the first two novels were building. Easily, this third and final novel is the best of the Montmaray books; the most heart-rending, the most resonant. And, as with the first two novels, The FitzOsbornes at War all hinges on voice. An epistolary series of entries, related in english to us but coded in kernetin, it is Sophie's voice that drives the Montmaray novels, and it is her voice that makes this final act so resonant and truthful. Unlike, say, Elizabeth Wein's Code Name Verity (which is also an epistolary novel of WWII, but far more extravagant, with characters that are spies and pilots in the thick of action and interrogation), Cooper's is a book that examines the sacrifices and horrors, the tedium and changes to everyday life endured by those in London during the Blitz and subsequent years. Through Sophie's journal entries, we see how she and Veronica prepare their flat for blackouts every night; we huddle with them as the bombs fall; we feel their keen edge of frustration and impotence as night after night they rush to the cellars to sleep, they queue for hours for a bar of soap. It's a completely different kind of story of war, a quieter one, but one that Cooper masterfully relates through Sophie's honest, engaging voice.
As a heroine, Sohpie has grown so much over the course of these three books. The childhood dreams of her journals as a sixteen year old on Montmaray feel like a whole lifetime apart from this new older, wiser protagonist. She still struggles with her feelings and relationships with her other family members, but she has grown into confidence and self-acceptance; her narrative spends less time worrying about luncheons and the schemes of Aunt Charlotte, and turns to other, deeper reflection - relationships and love, yes, but also the roles women play in the war, of her own sexuality, of her own beliefs and self-worth. It's not just Sophie that changes here, though. We also see a dramatically changed Toby - whose heartbreaking arc is a departure from the carefree charmer of the past - and a Veronica that comes to grips with her own emotions and attachments. Henry is a girl of sixteen, whose exuberance and rebellious nature remains unchecked, driving her to become expelled from school and to enlist, while Simon too becomes a much more serious and conflicted character as the war progresses. And, as this is a novel of war and struggle, not everyone makes it out alive. No one makes it out unscarred.
There are so many other characters, too - the Stanley-Rosses, the Kennedeys, and more play a vital role in this third novel. You may recognize some of the names - Billy Hartington and Kick Kennedy, for example - who actually were real figures. As with the first two books, The FitzOsbornes at War blends historical fact with fiction effortlessly. This novel, however, is far more extensive in breadth and depth of research; I'm in awe of how much research went into the writing of this book. (Don't believe it? There's an extensive author's note at the end of the book explaining which elements are fact and which are fictitious - it's a very, very long list.) Informative and thorough without being info-dumpy or preachy, accurate without being dry or boring, The FitzOsbornes at War touches on everything from wartime ration pamphlets to auxillary airforce responsibilities and stations.
What else can I say about The FitzOsbornes at War? I loved this book. I loved it because it tore out my heart as I anguished with Sophie and her dear family and friends. But I loved it more because it gently restored that same heart, injured, bruised, bleeding, but hopeful - hopeful for the future of the FitzOsbornes, for Montmaray, and for the war-battered world in the aftermath of so much horror and death. If there's one thing that The FitzOsbornes at War does, it gravely and truthfully shows that in war, there are no winners, no glorious shining victors. Everything changes for Sophie and her kin in this book, and through her frank, heartbreaking narrative, we observe the saga of a family struggling to survive in wars senseless, fickle path of destruction.
This is a cathartic conclusion to a brilliant trilogy; a tale of endurance and hope and bitter change. I dearly loved The FitzOsbornes at War, and will cherish it as one of my favorite reads in the years to come. One of my top 10 favorite novels of 2012, and a perfect, if heartbreaking, end to a truly amazing trilogy.
And I end this review with an earnest plea: if you haven't read the Montmaray books yet, please, please give Princess Sophia and her family a try. You will not regret the journey - though you may like me lose a piece of your heart to the FitzOsbornes along the way.
August 4, 2017
The bar for any YA novel I'll read in the future is going to be very high after having finished this series.
My absolute favourite aspect was the narration, it defo takes the cake out of all the books I've read. Sophie is such an honest, observant, clever, open-minded heroine that even the most ordinary things are a delight to read about in her account.
The next best thing is the amount and complexity of the female characters, Sophie, Veronica, Julia, Henry, they are all AMAZING I loved them all!!!!
Third best thing is the lgbt (well, gb) rep, which is always rare in the historical fiction genre. Not saying it was perfect, there could have been more, but I understand the journal-format only allows for so much insight into the other characters.
My only very tiny beef is that it started out as such a happy light-hearted story, which turned into a complete adventure novel in the second book, but got so grim in the third, no wonder I took a long break in the middle of that one (but it was worth coming back to it oh boy was it worth it).
I don't know what else to say I just want to scream about this series forever (I mean that in the most positive way).
My absolute favourite aspect was the narration, it defo takes the cake out of all the books I've read. Sophie is such an honest, observant, clever, open-minded heroine that even the most ordinary things are a delight to read about in her account.
The next best thing is the amount and complexity of the female characters, Sophie, Veronica, Julia, Henry, they are all AMAZING I loved them all!!!!
Third best thing is the lgbt (well, gb) rep, which is always rare in the historical fiction genre. Not saying it was perfect, there could have been more, but I understand the journal-format only allows for so much insight into the other characters.
My only very tiny beef is that it started out as such a happy light-hearted story, which turned into a complete adventure novel in the second book, but got so grim in the third, no wonder I took a long break in the middle of that one (but it was worth coming back to it oh boy was it worth it).
I don't know what else to say I just want to scream about this series forever (I mean that in the most positive way).
December 4, 2025
December 2025:
Rereading this trilogy was exactly what I needed at the end of this difficult reading year! It was especially lovely buddy reading it with my friends Jen and Elizabeth.
June 2021:
This was my favorite book of the Montmaray Journals trilogy and the most emotional and complex. The wartime experiences of the FitzOsborne family - politically passionate Veronica, kind and observant Sophie, charming and loveable Toby, boisterous tomboy Henry, and handsome, brooding Simon - are beautifully depicted as narrator Sophie continues writing in her journal. By the time I started this final novel I loved every member of the family (as well as their friends Daniel, Julia, and Rupert) and my heart was in my throat as I read along, waiting to see how - or if - they'd each make it through the horrors of WWII. As you'd expect, there's a good dose of heartbreak as the family, along with the rest of the world, suffers and struggles through the war.
Author Michelle Cooper does a brilliant job of blending history, culture, and even real life people into the fictional lives of the FitzOsbornes in a totally natural and organic way. Her understanding of the complexity and humanity of this group of flawed but endearing characters really shines through in her writing. It's so good.
I honestly don't see any reason for this series, and most especially this final book in the series, to be classified as YA. I suppose it's because the heroine and other main characters are young people? This is just as sophisticated as any adult novel though, and it seems like a shame that some readers will never find this series because of its YA status. (It's also a shame that the books all have terrible, cheap-looking covers, because people do judge books by them, like it or not. They deserve better! What was the publisher thinking?)
All in all, a wonderful series that I highly recommend. 5 stars for this book, 4.5 for the series as a whole. The books are all going on my "favorites" shelf and I know I'll enjoy reading them again some day.
Rereading this trilogy was exactly what I needed at the end of this difficult reading year! It was especially lovely buddy reading it with my friends Jen and Elizabeth.
June 2021:
This was my favorite book of the Montmaray Journals trilogy and the most emotional and complex. The wartime experiences of the FitzOsborne family - politically passionate Veronica, kind and observant Sophie, charming and loveable Toby, boisterous tomboy Henry, and handsome, brooding Simon - are beautifully depicted as narrator Sophie continues writing in her journal. By the time I started this final novel I loved every member of the family (as well as their friends Daniel, Julia, and Rupert) and my heart was in my throat as I read along, waiting to see how - or if - they'd each make it through the horrors of WWII. As you'd expect, there's a good dose of heartbreak as the family, along with the rest of the world, suffers and struggles through the war.
Author Michelle Cooper does a brilliant job of blending history, culture, and even real life people into the fictional lives of the FitzOsbornes in a totally natural and organic way. Her understanding of the complexity and humanity of this group of flawed but endearing characters really shines through in her writing. It's so good.
I honestly don't see any reason for this series, and most especially this final book in the series, to be classified as YA. I suppose it's because the heroine and other main characters are young people? This is just as sophisticated as any adult novel though, and it seems like a shame that some readers will never find this series because of its YA status. (It's also a shame that the books all have terrible, cheap-looking covers, because people do judge books by them, like it or not. They deserve better! What was the publisher thinking?)
All in all, a wonderful series that I highly recommend. 5 stars for this book, 4.5 for the series as a whole. The books are all going on my "favorites" shelf and I know I'll enjoy reading them again some day.
May 29, 2013
1.5 stars
What an incredibly horrid finish to this series. Cooper's style is very readable and often even humorous. The research that went into the series is impressive. She does an excellent job of integrating daily details of life in England during the war that are so often overlooked in these historical novels. On that front, the series deserves praise. Her characters are real and relatable, especially Sophie. But the moral choices and lifestyles of practically everyone in this book are so skewed. They live their lives without any regard for something greater than themselves. Virtue or principles are something to be laughed at, a product of a now by-gone age. God has absolutely no place in their lives (for those of them that even deign to acknowledge his existence). Abortions, one-night stands (and was that ever a sickening scene) and a threesome marriage wherein one man marries a woman, but he is gay and they have a bi-sexual man living with them and carrying on a relationship with both of them and they have two kids, one by each man. I have no words to describe this. These pictures will have to suffice.
Why? Really? I suppose it only shows how utterly astray everything goes when we take God, when we take the transcendent and the eternal, out of the equation. But it makes for an utterly depressing and dejecting experience to read about this. The war is of course a dark and cruel time period, but to show only the darkness and death - to ignore the possibility of hope and growth from these events - is not a true portrayal of the period, much less life. I know many others did not see this darkness. They found that for them the series ended looking with hope to the future, but that was not what I felt when I closed the cover.
What an incredibly horrid finish to this series. Cooper's style is very readable and often even humorous. The research that went into the series is impressive. She does an excellent job of integrating daily details of life in England during the war that are so often overlooked in these historical novels. On that front, the series deserves praise. Her characters are real and relatable, especially Sophie. But the moral choices and lifestyles of practically everyone in this book are so skewed. They live their lives without any regard for something greater than themselves. Virtue or principles are something to be laughed at, a product of a now by-gone age. God has absolutely no place in their lives (for those of them that even deign to acknowledge his existence). Abortions, one-night stands (and was that ever a sickening scene) and a threesome marriage wherein one man marries a woman, but he is gay and they have a bi-sexual man living with them and carrying on a relationship with both of them and they have two kids, one by each man. I have no words to describe this. These pictures will have to suffice.
Why? Really? I suppose it only shows how utterly astray everything goes when we take God, when we take the transcendent and the eternal, out of the equation. But it makes for an utterly depressing and dejecting experience to read about this. The war is of course a dark and cruel time period, but to show only the darkness and death - to ignore the possibility of hope and growth from these events - is not a true portrayal of the period, much less life. I know many others did not see this darkness. They found that for them the series ended looking with hope to the future, but that was not what I felt when I closed the cover.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2012
Sometimes I think I'm consistently giving books too many stars, so maybe now I'm just being overly harsh here. Maybe I really want to give this 3.5 stars, and round it up to 4? I did love bits of the sparkling dialogue, and the first two thirds especially were good with creating atmosphere.
Maybe the problem is that the book tries to cover too much in too short a space. The thing is, even though it made me cry, it still felt less substantial - more corporeal if not more light - than I'd expected of the third in a trilogy of well-thought-out novels set on the homefront. Despite awful events both personal and public, and the mention in the epilogue of slave labor and concentration camps, there didn't seem to be very much here of substance. Maybe Sophie simply doesn't think very deeply about larger tragedy, or react in emotional ways I'd understand, and I've misremembered her gravitas from the prior books? Overall this felt strangely small, and not in a good way.
I'd still not entirely warmed up to Sophie - or Rupert - by the end of the book. Not that I needed to, for it to be an interesting book, but I distinctly remember wanting to spend time with Sophie in the prior books. As before, I empathized very much with Veronica, but I didn't always like her. I loved Toby here, and I think he gives the book its best moments, especially towards the end.
Maybe the problem is that the book tries to cover too much in too short a space. The thing is, even though it made me cry, it still felt less substantial - more corporeal if not more light - than I'd expected of the third in a trilogy of well-thought-out novels set on the homefront. Despite awful events both personal and public, and the mention in the epilogue of slave labor and concentration camps, there didn't seem to be very much here of substance. Maybe Sophie simply doesn't think very deeply about larger tragedy, or react in emotional ways I'd understand, and I've misremembered her gravitas from the prior books? Overall this felt strangely small, and not in a good way.
I'd still not entirely warmed up to Sophie - or Rupert - by the end of the book. Not that I needed to, for it to be an interesting book, but I distinctly remember wanting to spend time with Sophie in the prior books. As before, I empathized very much with Veronica, but I didn't always like her. I loved Toby here, and I think he gives the book its best moments, especially towards the end.
May 25, 2017
Honestly, I could keep reading Sophie's journals forever.
October 9, 2012
The Fitzosbornes, royal family of that small fictional Channel island Montmaray, are back in this third and last book of the trilogy. As you may recall in Book I, A Brief History of Montmaray, the FitzOsbornes - Toby, Sophie, Henry (Henrietta), cousin Veronica and half cousin Simon - were forced by the Nazis to leave their island home and head for London.
And in Book II, The FitzOsbornes in Exile, we found them hobnobbing between London and their Aunt Charlotte's Milford Park estate in Dorset. However, there was war in the air and both Toby and Simon decided to enlist in the RAF.
All the FitzOsborne doings have been relayed to us through the journals of HRH Princess Sophia FitzOsborne and in Book III, The FitzOsbornes at War, this tradition continues.
Sophie, now 18, begins her journal appropriately enough on September 3, 1939, the day that Britain and France declare war on Germany.
With England now at war, and Toby and Simon in the RAF, Sophie and Veronica both wish to do their bit to help and even manage to convince Aunt Charlotte to let them move into a small apartment behind the larger Montmaray House in London. Veronica, who speaks fluent Spanish, gets a job in the Foreign Office, while Sophie begins working for the Ministry of Food, a job she does not consider very important to the war effort.
And so life goes on under wartime conditions, with air raids, food shortages, and eventually, bombings. All the while, Veronica travels to Spain for long periods of time to translate for high ranking officials and diplomats, and Sophie works and hangs out with friends Julia, who has volunteered to be an ambulance driver, and Kick (Kathleen Kennedy, daughter of Ambassador Joseph Kennedy, sister to Jack and Ted), everything faithfully recorded by Sophie in her journal, as the war becomes the new normalcy. Sophie does occasionally still see Rupert, Julia's brother, but he is working on something top secret and doesn't have much free time. Even so, they find they are more and more attracted to each other. But then, Toby goes missing while flying a mission over France, believed to have parachuted out of his burning plane. And it is as if he vanished in thin air, there seems to be no information about him to be found anywhere.
Sophie's wartime journal covers 4 years this time, from September 3, 1939 to November 28, 1944, with one entry dated August 28, 1948. There are, of course, long periods of time elapsing between journal entries, so most are really summaries of what has been happening, which I think works better than lots of more frequent entries, less confusing to the reader.
I wrote in The FitzOsbornes in Exile that it was more of a historical novel than A Brief History on Montmaray, and I can honestly say that this third novel is even more historical the both put together. How could it not be? However, Cooper has blended fact and fiction so well, that the divide between them seems almost seamless here, yet the historical information is still quite obvious so that the reader doesn't make the mistake of believing the fictional bits really happened. Clever that. And Cooper has used historical events to help move the story along without overburdening the readers with names and dates and stuff like that.
The main characters are still believable, well-developed and sympathetic. Sophie is no longer the young innocent girl she was when we first met her in 1936, nevertheless, she still retains some of her youthful naivety, even in the face of finding true love. Veronica is still Sophie's opposite, rather more interested in the intellectual side of life than the emotional side. And Henry is still Henry, sweet, charming, always exuberant and optimistic.
Does The FitzOsbornes at War stand up to it predecessors? Yes, it most certainly does. It is a most worthy sequel to the first two books, though I am not sure it would work very well as a stand alone novel. It doesn't have quite as much wit and fun as before, but there is still enough action, adventure, danger and even love to satisfy, in fact, sometimes there are even some real nail-biting moments. And sadly, there is one spot where you might want to have some tissues handy.
And here's the rub - rather than taking my time and savoring this last FitzOsborne novel, I read it almost in one sitting. I simply couldn't wait to see what was in store for these favorite characters. Then, I got to the end and I asked myself, why did I race through this book that I had been so looking forward to reading and now I have to say good-bye to because I'd finished it and there were no more FitzOsbornes on the horizon? So if you like the FitzOsbornes as I do, try not to rush to the end.
That said, and as much as I enjoyed The FitzOsbornes at War, I did find two things that bothered me.
1- Henry! I can't say more. The problem with writing about this book is that no matter what you write, it could easily end up as an unintentional spoiler.
2- I did not like the way Toby's homosexuality was handled. It was brought to light in The FitzOsbornes in Exile, and became a non-thing in this novel. What happened???? It just vanished...
To her credit, Cooper took a page out of JK Rowling's books and included on post-war journal entry wrapping this up for the reader. Not all is a happy ending, but at least you won't wonder.
This book is recommended for readers age 14+
This book was an E-ARC obtained from Random House through Edelweiss (and it will be available on October 9, 2012 in the US)
The FitzOsbornes at War is a wonderful personal read, but it is also so full of history that teacher's may want to supplement their WW2 classes with it, and if so, you can download an extensive Teacher's Guide from Random House Australia at http://www.randomhouse.com.au/content...
And in Book II, The FitzOsbornes in Exile, we found them hobnobbing between London and their Aunt Charlotte's Milford Park estate in Dorset. However, there was war in the air and both Toby and Simon decided to enlist in the RAF.
All the FitzOsborne doings have been relayed to us through the journals of HRH Princess Sophia FitzOsborne and in Book III, The FitzOsbornes at War, this tradition continues.
Sophie, now 18, begins her journal appropriately enough on September 3, 1939, the day that Britain and France declare war on Germany.
With England now at war, and Toby and Simon in the RAF, Sophie and Veronica both wish to do their bit to help and even manage to convince Aunt Charlotte to let them move into a small apartment behind the larger Montmaray House in London. Veronica, who speaks fluent Spanish, gets a job in the Foreign Office, while Sophie begins working for the Ministry of Food, a job she does not consider very important to the war effort.
And so life goes on under wartime conditions, with air raids, food shortages, and eventually, bombings. All the while, Veronica travels to Spain for long periods of time to translate for high ranking officials and diplomats, and Sophie works and hangs out with friends Julia, who has volunteered to be an ambulance driver, and Kick (Kathleen Kennedy, daughter of Ambassador Joseph Kennedy, sister to Jack and Ted), everything faithfully recorded by Sophie in her journal, as the war becomes the new normalcy. Sophie does occasionally still see Rupert, Julia's brother, but he is working on something top secret and doesn't have much free time. Even so, they find they are more and more attracted to each other. But then, Toby goes missing while flying a mission over France, believed to have parachuted out of his burning plane. And it is as if he vanished in thin air, there seems to be no information about him to be found anywhere.
Sophie's wartime journal covers 4 years this time, from September 3, 1939 to November 28, 1944, with one entry dated August 28, 1948. There are, of course, long periods of time elapsing between journal entries, so most are really summaries of what has been happening, which I think works better than lots of more frequent entries, less confusing to the reader.
I wrote in The FitzOsbornes in Exile that it was more of a historical novel than A Brief History on Montmaray, and I can honestly say that this third novel is even more historical the both put together. How could it not be? However, Cooper has blended fact and fiction so well, that the divide between them seems almost seamless here, yet the historical information is still quite obvious so that the reader doesn't make the mistake of believing the fictional bits really happened. Clever that. And Cooper has used historical events to help move the story along without overburdening the readers with names and dates and stuff like that.
The main characters are still believable, well-developed and sympathetic. Sophie is no longer the young innocent girl she was when we first met her in 1936, nevertheless, she still retains some of her youthful naivety, even in the face of finding true love. Veronica is still Sophie's opposite, rather more interested in the intellectual side of life than the emotional side. And Henry is still Henry, sweet, charming, always exuberant and optimistic.
Does The FitzOsbornes at War stand up to it predecessors? Yes, it most certainly does. It is a most worthy sequel to the first two books, though I am not sure it would work very well as a stand alone novel. It doesn't have quite as much wit and fun as before, but there is still enough action, adventure, danger and even love to satisfy, in fact, sometimes there are even some real nail-biting moments. And sadly, there is one spot where you might want to have some tissues handy.
And here's the rub - rather than taking my time and savoring this last FitzOsborne novel, I read it almost in one sitting. I simply couldn't wait to see what was in store for these favorite characters. Then, I got to the end and I asked myself, why did I race through this book that I had been so looking forward to reading and now I have to say good-bye to because I'd finished it and there were no more FitzOsbornes on the horizon? So if you like the FitzOsbornes as I do, try not to rush to the end.
That said, and as much as I enjoyed The FitzOsbornes at War, I did find two things that bothered me.
1- Henry! I can't say more. The problem with writing about this book is that no matter what you write, it could easily end up as an unintentional spoiler.
2- I did not like the way Toby's homosexuality was handled. It was brought to light in The FitzOsbornes in Exile, and became a non-thing in this novel. What happened???? It just vanished...
To her credit, Cooper took a page out of JK Rowling's books and included on post-war journal entry wrapping this up for the reader. Not all is a happy ending, but at least you won't wonder.
This book is recommended for readers age 14+
This book was an E-ARC obtained from Random House through Edelweiss (and it will be available on October 9, 2012 in the US)
The FitzOsbornes at War is a wonderful personal read, but it is also so full of history that teacher's may want to supplement their WW2 classes with it, and if so, you can download an extensive Teacher's Guide from Random House Australia at http://www.randomhouse.com.au/content...
March 10, 2018
"The FitzOsbornes at War" - written by Michelle Cooper and published in 2012 by Alfred A Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books. This novel finishes The Montmaray Journals trilogy with a serious dose of World War II involvement - more detailed on the English home front than in the trenches. Prime Minister Chamberlain: "It is the evil things we shall be fighting against. Brute force, bad faith, injustice, oppression and persecution. And, against them, I am certain that the right will prevail." I hesitated to read this lengthy book since I have read so many accounts of the horrors of the German bombing campaign, the rationing, and other deprivations (which always fill me with admiration for the British spirit), but the excellent descriptive writing continued and I appreciated following what happened to the FitzOsborne family and those they loved. Although I found this series in the Teen section of my library, I would not hesitate to recommend it to any reader looking for a lively, adventurous and thoughtful story with a solid base in history.
August 4, 2012
4.5 stars, actually. This book is, by far, the best of the trilogy. It is the most exciting, the one that most of all will keep you awake at night to read more, because you need to know what's happening to the characters, you need to know that your favourites are okay - but then again, they all are your favourites because they're all flawed and terribly lovely for one reason or another. Except for Rupert, maybe, whose only flaw is his shiness and is entirely perfect in my eyes. Okay, back to the book: there is not one single moment that'll leave you bored - not once will you look at the closed book in a moment of spare time when you normally get back to reading and think "oh, no, I'll do something else instead". Sophie's entries will keep you alway thorougly entertained - mind you, you will cry. I know I did. When certain things happened, I couldn't believe it because Sophie couldn't believe it. This book is the best written of them all. I don't know anyone who was in England during the WWII, but at times it felt like I was there myself: that's how utterly engrossing this book is. You can see Sophie growing, and it is the best feature of this book: how natural her growing is, from a girl to a woman. Her life is interesting, some of her thoughts are so deep and heartfelt you feel like hugging her. I'm really enthusiastic about this book, so, everyone, go read it!
October 11, 2012
Whelp, that's one way to finish a series, I guess?
I just don't know. I was SO INTO IT. And then, about 3/4 of the way through it, suddenly I felt like I was reading a different book. The tone, the progression of events, everything shifted. Up until that point, it felt like my heart was in a headlock getting sucker punched, and suddenly all the tension was missing. Everything was roses and Rupert.
Which, Sophie absolutely deserves roses and romance and Rupert! BUT WHAT WAS THAT TRANSITION? Her entire world is black and cold after losing Henry (and believing Toby to be dead as well), but then ~suddenly, there's her prince on a (literal) white horse and oh! she loves him! and isn't the world grand?
...anyways.
Other than that, I really enjoyed it? The tone was so spot on (until it...wasn't)--I loved the glimpses of life during the Blitz, living with rationing, trying to find beauty in new places. LOVED IT.
And Toby! Growing up so much, and at such a cost. I wanted so badly to get a glimpse of how he and Simon and Julia live and interact.
HENRY! My heart. :( I just--I can't get over how well the progression of war was handled. Because I'd never thought Henry would die; she was the epitome of the coming revolution following the war! She was joy and exuberance and she was just a child. But, of course, that's how war works isn't it?
I just don't know. I was SO INTO IT. And then, about 3/4 of the way through it, suddenly I felt like I was reading a different book. The tone, the progression of events, everything shifted. Up until that point, it felt like my heart was in a headlock getting sucker punched, and suddenly all the tension was missing. Everything was roses and Rupert.
Which, Sophie absolutely deserves roses and romance and Rupert! BUT WHAT WAS THAT TRANSITION? Her entire world is black and cold after losing Henry (and believing Toby to be dead as well), but then ~suddenly, there's her prince on a (literal) white horse and oh! she loves him! and isn't the world grand?
...anyways.
Other than that, I really enjoyed it? The tone was so spot on (until it...wasn't)--I loved the glimpses of life during the Blitz, living with rationing, trying to find beauty in new places. LOVED IT.
And Toby! Growing up so much, and at such a cost. I wanted so badly to get a glimpse of how he and Simon and Julia live and interact.
HENRY! My heart. :( I just--I can't get over how well the progression of war was handled. Because I'd never thought Henry would die; she was the epitome of the coming revolution following the war! She was joy and exuberance and she was just a child. But, of course, that's how war works isn't it?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2012
HOLY CRAP SHE KILLED HENRY? WTF?
I do not know how to deal with that, because I was expending all my worry on Toby and Simon (I thought Simon would be a goner, but I figured Toby would end up alive).
I really loved a lot of things in this book and how they pay off the set up from the first two - Sophie/Rupert, Toby/Simon/Julia, how non-judgy Sophie, and the narrative in general, was of Julia's pregnancy and subsequent abortion, and Toby's homosexuality. How Sophie got her moment with Simon and it didn't ruin either of them, how Veronica and Daniel are together without getting married, etc. Just, really lovely to see all of that being accepted by the characters (though I'm sure Aunt Charlotte is rolling in her grave that the next king of Montmaray is going to be Simon's son instead of Toby's).
I just really loved spending time with the FitzOsobornes and can't recommend these books highly enough.
I do not know how to deal with that, because I was expending all my worry on Toby and Simon (I thought Simon would be a goner, but I figured Toby would end up alive).
I really loved a lot of things in this book and how they pay off the set up from the first two - Sophie/Rupert, Toby/Simon/Julia, how non-judgy Sophie, and the narrative in general, was of Julia's pregnancy and subsequent abortion, and Toby's homosexuality. How Sophie got her moment with Simon and it didn't ruin either of them, how Veronica and Daniel are together without getting married, etc. Just, really lovely to see all of that being accepted by the characters (though I'm sure Aunt Charlotte is rolling in her grave that the next king of Montmaray is going to be Simon's son instead of Toby's).
I just really loved spending time with the FitzOsobornes and can't recommend these books highly enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2012
Loved this, best of a series that was already good. Sophie's voice continues to be wonderful and engaging, and the development of the characters is very rewarding after following them through the past books. It is World War II, though, so Bad Stuff happens. I didn't actually cry, but I got tight-throated at the end...
August 12, 2025
This is probably my favorite in the trilogy. I so enjoyed reading about these characters and stayed for them more than anything else. I never had a problem with the entirety of the series being solely in Sophie’s point of view - she’s a great narrator - but for this final book, the characters had a lot going on that I wished to have gotten out of Sophie’s narrative for a bit. Nevertheless, a good read for me.
April 2, 2012
I am still trying to figure out how to say what I thought/felt about this book.
This is honestly a five star book with the romance knocking it down to four stars. I loved it, almost completely, even when it broke my heart. I don't know how to cope with Henry's death because I just straight up WAS NOT EXPECTING IT. It's an example of character death done right though, in terms of emotional impact and almost (and this is a terrible way of describing it) an 'earned' death. Because so many books (and movies/tv shows/etc) have deaths for shock value with minimal emotional impact, and shy away from having any of the 'major main characters' killed. I still feel numb and completely gutted about it.
Sophie's war adventures were excellent and extremely well done. Really, everything that each one of them did was perfect and so well suited for their personalities, and that was a joy to read (in spite of the terrible circumstances). Toby's progression was also one of my very favorite things about this book. HE GREW UP SO MUCH. He's still Toby, but a much more mature man than the boy he was even at the end of Book 2.
I have to talk about the romance because it's the one thing that holds this back from a five star rating. I don't think I ever would have been crazy about the idea of Rupert being the person she ends up with, but I think if it had been approached a little differently I might have liked it more. I loved, loved, LOVED her friendship with Rupert, but I just can't buy it being the romance Sophie deserves (except for that it's what she decides she wants, which is the thing that saves it from being a complete disaster for me, because in the end I want what she wants, even if it would not have been my choice for her). I get why, given the way the book went, Sophie and Simon didn't/couldn't work out, but I also hold that they did love each other in their way, and that the potential was there if the circumstances had been different. I almost enjoy that as a tragic, bad-timing sort of romance, because it is a thing I can be into, given the right circumstances. And given that, I would have loved for Sophie to meet someone else, completely new. Because while Sophie and Rupert is sweet, it does absolutely nothing for me on the ship feelings department. Their falling in love was so gradual I didn't notice it (admittedly, my attentions were five thousand other directions at that point), and there are simply depths to Sophie that I'm never going to be convinced Rupert fully understands. Plus, by the time they got together, 3/4 of the book had already passed, and we didn't get to see enough of them together for me to be convinced. Not that I'm sure I ever completely would have been.
Additionally, that scene with Sophie and the Colonel bugged me, when he swore it had been his encouraging things that helped things along between her and Rupert, because no. If Sophie hadn't wanted it for reasons completely unrelated, then it wouldn't have happened. Which she did acknowledge, but I was immensely irritated at the Colonel for that, and that displeased me because I ADORE HIM.
I don't want to end on that, because while it was definitely a major factor in the rating for this book, it was hardly the overwhelming aspect of it, and as a whole, this really excelled. Sophia FitzOsborne is one of my favorite YA heroines ever, at this point. She is so many things I think we need more of in YA heroines. I miss her and her crazy tangled family already. I did really enjoy the epilogue and the fact that they have Montmaray back, but they are basically still together as a giant family unit.
Also, I reserve the right to come back and add more thoughts as I have them.
This is honestly a five star book with the romance knocking it down to four stars. I loved it, almost completely, even when it broke my heart. I don't know how to cope with Henry's death because I just straight up WAS NOT EXPECTING IT. It's an example of character death done right though, in terms of emotional impact and almost (and this is a terrible way of describing it) an 'earned' death. Because so many books (and movies/tv shows/etc) have deaths for shock value with minimal emotional impact, and shy away from having any of the 'major main characters' killed. I still feel numb and completely gutted about it.
Sophie's war adventures were excellent and extremely well done. Really, everything that each one of them did was perfect and so well suited for their personalities, and that was a joy to read (in spite of the terrible circumstances). Toby's progression was also one of my very favorite things about this book. HE GREW UP SO MUCH. He's still Toby, but a much more mature man than the boy he was even at the end of Book 2.
I have to talk about the romance because it's the one thing that holds this back from a five star rating. I don't think I ever would have been crazy about the idea of Rupert being the person she ends up with, but I think if it had been approached a little differently I might have liked it more. I loved, loved, LOVED her friendship with Rupert, but I just can't buy it being the romance Sophie deserves (except for that it's what she decides she wants, which is the thing that saves it from being a complete disaster for me, because in the end I want what she wants, even if it would not have been my choice for her). I get why, given the way the book went, Sophie and Simon didn't/couldn't work out, but I also hold that they did love each other in their way, and that the potential was there if the circumstances had been different. I almost enjoy that as a tragic, bad-timing sort of romance, because it is a thing I can be into, given the right circumstances. And given that, I would have loved for Sophie to meet someone else, completely new. Because while Sophie and Rupert is sweet, it does absolutely nothing for me on the ship feelings department. Their falling in love was so gradual I didn't notice it (admittedly, my attentions were five thousand other directions at that point), and there are simply depths to Sophie that I'm never going to be convinced Rupert fully understands. Plus, by the time they got together, 3/4 of the book had already passed, and we didn't get to see enough of them together for me to be convinced. Not that I'm sure I ever completely would have been.
Additionally, that scene with Sophie and the Colonel bugged me, when he swore it had been his encouraging things that helped things along between her and Rupert, because no. If Sophie hadn't wanted it for reasons completely unrelated, then it wouldn't have happened. Which she did acknowledge, but I was immensely irritated at the Colonel for that, and that displeased me because I ADORE HIM.
I don't want to end on that, because while it was definitely a major factor in the rating for this book, it was hardly the overwhelming aspect of it, and as a whole, this really excelled. Sophia FitzOsborne is one of my favorite YA heroines ever, at this point. She is so many things I think we need more of in YA heroines. I miss her and her crazy tangled family already. I did really enjoy the epilogue and the fact that they have Montmaray back, but they are basically still together as a giant family unit.
Also, I reserve the right to come back and add more thoughts as I have them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2015
I both loved and hated this book, review soon.
Okey-dokey.
This book does war justice. Sophie's near unbiased recount is very justified. I loved seeing the aspect of war from her perspective. I loved hearing her voice. I also loved that the main characters were not unaffected by the repercussions of war. I love and hated what happened to Toby. And Toby was an awesome character! I feel sorry that Henry didn't have the same amount of attention given to her as some of the other characters, but what did happen, I think was the saddest part of this book.
What happened happened so quickly I barely processed what happened. One page was a letter from Henry, all cheerful and happy, the next, the news. the reality of such a jarring contradiction within two pages of each other was both powerfully saddening and yet excessively annoying (I mean did what happened to Henry really need to happen?).
What I didn't like...this is truly a diary novel. I mean I hate diary novels, the whole recounting of events between the last entry and the next. That nearly always annoyed me. But with this, I don't know, maybe it's the voice Cooper gives Sophie, I just liked the whole style. I don't know I liked it. But Sophie. Sometimes I felt Sophie was sometimes too distant to the things she talks about. As much as I liked the way she told the events, sometimes it was dreary. Sometimes it was enlightening. But for the dreary times, I must say, I was disappointed. But when the action got going, the language was amazingly descriptive.
And then there was the relationship between Sophie and Rupert. I mean in the second book I remember how sweet they would be together, I think it was also hinted at as well. But I can't agree with the way they came together in this last book. Yes it was still amazing, but no, it felt forced. I swear there was more passion between Sophie and Simon than there was with Sophie and Rupert. Blah! Ugh! Oh I don't know. Whatever.
So here's my conclusion. If you loved/liked the first and second books, since they were so awesome, then you should definitely read this one. This was is just as good and great if a bit slow to start. The only reason it took me so long to read this was because I read two other books in between. (Had to read those before they needed to go back to the library).
Okey-dokey.
This book does war justice. Sophie's near unbiased recount is very justified. I loved seeing the aspect of war from her perspective. I loved hearing her voice. I also loved that the main characters were not unaffected by the repercussions of war. I love and hated what happened to Toby. And Toby was an awesome character! I feel sorry that Henry didn't have the same amount of attention given to her as some of the other characters, but what did happen, I think was the saddest part of this book.
What happened happened so quickly I barely processed what happened. One page was a letter from Henry, all cheerful and happy, the next, the news. the reality of such a jarring contradiction within two pages of each other was both powerfully saddening and yet excessively annoying (I mean did what happened to Henry really need to happen?).
What I didn't like...this is truly a diary novel. I mean I hate diary novels, the whole recounting of events between the last entry and the next. That nearly always annoyed me. But with this, I don't know, maybe it's the voice Cooper gives Sophie, I just liked the whole style. I don't know I liked it. But Sophie. Sometimes I felt Sophie was sometimes too distant to the things she talks about. As much as I liked the way she told the events, sometimes it was dreary. Sometimes it was enlightening. But for the dreary times, I must say, I was disappointed. But when the action got going, the language was amazingly descriptive.
And then there was the relationship between Sophie and Rupert. I mean in the second book I remember how sweet they would be together, I think it was also hinted at as well. But I can't agree with the way they came together in this last book. Yes it was still amazing, but no, it felt forced. I swear there was more passion between Sophie and Simon than there was with Sophie and Rupert. Blah! Ugh! Oh I don't know. Whatever.
So here's my conclusion. If you loved/liked the first and second books, since they were so awesome, then you should definitely read this one. This was is just as good and great if a bit slow to start. The only reason it took me so long to read this was because I read two other books in between. (Had to read those before they needed to go back to the library).
June 27, 2012
What a satisfying ending to a great series. I really loved Sophie. This book read like a journal, one much more interesting than mine, all the boring bits cut out. Sophie has such wit and a dry sense of humor. I found myself sharing snippets of the novel with a friend because it was just too funny not to share.
The history of the novel, WW2, I found extremely interesting. It showed a side to the war that I hadn't read before, one of mistakes and coverup and odd little nitches of expertise that I hadn't known about before. Such meticulous research and surprisingly, to me a least, I didn't find it boring at all!
However, I did have an issue with this series, and with this book in particular.
Sophie and her family and friends have the sensabilities of those living in the year 2012, NOT 1940 in relation to sex and physical relationships. A few examples, without names in the hopes that I don't "spoil" anything.
--A friend has a one night stand with a soldier she barely met for "comfort," they are both lonely. She gets pregnant. She gets an abortion. In 1940. Sophie doesn't see anything wrong with this situation. Sex with a stranger for comfort is apparently normal, as is the resulting situation.
--Though later Sophie does have a very physical night with a boy, but she's still technically a virgin and they were both so lonely and sad with events that had happened with the war. So I guess anything for comfort during war time?
--A character in the novel doesn't believe in marriage, so her and the boy she loves will just live together.
--A character is bisexual, and has had many physical relations with boys and girls. Also not a big deal. In the end he is in a relationship with a married couple. Kind of a living-together-threesome. In 1940? Ack! I find it disturbing for 2012!
--Sophie is making out with the boy she loves and he stops her when she gets a little carried away and asks, "Have you done this before?" Sophie responds, "Sort of." He then says, "Oh good. At least one of us knows what they're doing."
Just a few examples of something that REALLY bothered me. Especially as I thought more about the book once I'd finished it. It didn't ring true to me for a historical novel set in 1940. I'm not dumb enough to believe this never happened in 1940, but for me it was like a soap opera set in 1940 but with modern sensibilities and it didn't ring true.
I would've given the book 5 stars if not for this. As is, 3.5 stars.
The history of the novel, WW2, I found extremely interesting. It showed a side to the war that I hadn't read before, one of mistakes and coverup and odd little nitches of expertise that I hadn't known about before. Such meticulous research and surprisingly, to me a least, I didn't find it boring at all!
However, I did have an issue with this series, and with this book in particular.
Sophie and her family and friends have the sensabilities of those living in the year 2012, NOT 1940 in relation to sex and physical relationships. A few examples, without names in the hopes that I don't "spoil" anything.
--A friend has a one night stand with a soldier she barely met for "comfort," they are both lonely. She gets pregnant. She gets an abortion. In 1940. Sophie doesn't see anything wrong with this situation. Sex with a stranger for comfort is apparently normal, as is the resulting situation.
--Though later Sophie does have a very physical night with a boy, but she's still technically a virgin and they were both so lonely and sad with events that had happened with the war. So I guess anything for comfort during war time?
--A character in the novel doesn't believe in marriage, so her and the boy she loves will just live together.
--A character is bisexual, and has had many physical relations with boys and girls. Also not a big deal. In the end he is in a relationship with a married couple. Kind of a living-together-threesome. In 1940? Ack! I find it disturbing for 2012!
--Sophie is making out with the boy she loves and he stops her when she gets a little carried away and asks, "Have you done this before?" Sophie responds, "Sort of." He then says, "Oh good. At least one of us knows what they're doing."
Just a few examples of something that REALLY bothered me. Especially as I thought more about the book once I'd finished it. It didn't ring true to me for a historical novel set in 1940. I'm not dumb enough to believe this never happened in 1940, but for me it was like a soap opera set in 1940 but with modern sensibilities and it didn't ring true.
I would've given the book 5 stars if not for this. As is, 3.5 stars.
August 27, 2016
In this long-awaited final (and huge) volume of Sophie's journals, Great Britain is at war, the FitzOsbournes have to adapt to changes and grow up. This story deals with the tragedies of war. It provides a very honest and accurate portrayal (sometimes too accurate when the dialogue comes right out of the mouths of real life people and history books) of WWII. It's horribly sad and tragic - one of the most depressing books I've read. However, as a story about the FitzOsbornes, it does an excellent job bringing the characters into adulthood.
As with the previous two books, Sophie records everything in her journal: from rationing, air raids, her fears for her loved ones, war work and romance. She asks a lot of heavy questions and finally they make sense for a woman in her twenties to ask when I felt previously that a young teen wouldn't be thinking and asking about such heavy subjects. I liked her development in this book as she becomes an adult. She learns her strengths, her value and her heart. Her romance happens far too randomly. I didn't see it coming and when it happens, it's just sort of plunked in. The other characters who develop the most are Julia and Toby. Veronica, Simon and Henry don't really change much. Veronica remains my favorite character. Spoiler (highlight the next sentence): Another favorite character dies in the novel and I gasped when the news arrived. I was depressed for the rest of the novel. There's so much going on in this book that I think it should have been two books. The conclusion to the FitzOsbornes quest to reclaim Montmaray doesn't happen until the last few pages and it's over so suddenly. I felt it was anti-climatic. I loved the descriptions of the island nation in the first book and wanted more of Montmaray than of Great Britain. The epilogue tells what happened after the war. It's somewhat confusing and ambiguous in parts.A family tree shows all Fitzosbornes from 1850-1955 further adding to what happens next and explaining the part I found confusing. I still think that part is a bit bizarre.
This book is definitely for young adults and not for teens. There are graphic depictions of war atrocities, war injuries, death and a love scene that was somewhat descriptive and not necessary to describe what was happening. The book also contains one night stands, pregnancy, and abortion. I was so thoroughly sad and depressed after reading this book that my next read will be something light and fluffy with no sort of plot.
As with the previous two books, Sophie records everything in her journal: from rationing, air raids, her fears for her loved ones, war work and romance. She asks a lot of heavy questions and finally they make sense for a woman in her twenties to ask when I felt previously that a young teen wouldn't be thinking and asking about such heavy subjects. I liked her development in this book as she becomes an adult. She learns her strengths, her value and her heart. Her romance happens far too randomly. I didn't see it coming and when it happens, it's just sort of plunked in. The other characters who develop the most are Julia and Toby. Veronica, Simon and Henry don't really change much. Veronica remains my favorite character. Spoiler (highlight the next sentence): Another favorite character dies in the novel and I gasped when the news arrived. I was depressed for the rest of the novel. There's so much going on in this book that I think it should have been two books. The conclusion to the FitzOsbornes quest to reclaim Montmaray doesn't happen until the last few pages and it's over so suddenly. I felt it was anti-climatic. I loved the descriptions of the island nation in the first book and wanted more of Montmaray than of Great Britain. The epilogue tells what happened after the war. It's somewhat confusing and ambiguous in parts.A family tree shows all Fitzosbornes from 1850-1955 further adding to what happens next and explaining the part I found confusing. I still think that part is a bit bizarre.
This book is definitely for young adults and not for teens. There are graphic depictions of war atrocities, war injuries, death and a love scene that was somewhat descriptive and not necessary to describe what was happening. The book also contains one night stands, pregnancy, and abortion. I was so thoroughly sad and depressed after reading this book that my next read will be something light and fluffy with no sort of plot.
January 2, 2013
I wish I had reread the first two books before reading this; it's definitely not a stand-alone and there is not much of a recap. I found it confusing at first, trying to remember who everyone was and what kind of history they had with the other characters, and that turned out to be quite important. I also wish I had not read the goodreads reviews first since one of them had a major spoiler with no warning whatsoever (very bad manners!) and so I knew one of the major plot twists before I started. That said, I enjoyed the book, although the first book (A Brief History of Montmoray) is still by far my favorite. This was very much an historical novel about life in England during the Second World War, and I did feel like it captured how it must have been, especially in London during the Blitz - trying to get around the city at night with no streetlights or car headlights, because of the blackout, sleep-deprived because of waking up to the air- raid sirens and having to haul yourself down to the damp, chilly shelters in the middle of the night, worried all the time about the safety of friends and family; and then having to go to work in the morning, because almost everyone was expected to contribute to the war effort - our heroine not excepted. And the miseries of food-rationing are never long off the page. And because these are politically aware young people (being the exiled royalty of the island kingdom Montmaray), there's a feeling of political uncertainty missing from many other novels about the time. Churchill does not come off as an unblemished hero in this one, his appeasement of the fascists in Spain being an obvious example.
One caveat for parents, teachers etc.: like some other series, the characters in this book are growing up. There's more sex in this book, and some pretty grown-up moral dilemmas. So definitely not for the younger crowd, middle school's a grey area, and fine for high school (some great talking points, good book report fodder!) - but do get them to read them in order!
And I LOVE that cover photo!
One caveat for parents, teachers etc.: like some other series, the characters in this book are growing up. There's more sex in this book, and some pretty grown-up moral dilemmas. So definitely not for the younger crowd, middle school's a grey area, and fine for high school (some great talking points, good book report fodder!) - but do get them to read them in order!
And I LOVE that cover photo!
October 25, 2012
Reading the FitzOsbornes at War felt like catching up with old friends. Covering the WWII era from 1939 to 1948, this third book in the series is much longer than the other two, over 500 pages, but I never found myself skimming. The series began in the tiny, impoverished kingdom of Montmaray, a fictitious island off the coast of Spain and France, home to a crumbling castle and the dwindling royal family of the FitzOsbornes. Most of the adult FitzOsbornes are mad or dead, but the teenage members of the family cope credibly with the joys and responsibilities of their position. After being bombed by the Nazis, the FitzOsbornes flee to England in the second book, to live with their wealthy but controlling Aunt Charlotte. They are still adjusting to their vastly changed circumstances, having gone from isolation in Montmaray to immersion in the late 1930’s upper class social scene, when the war breaks out in this third book. Defeating Hitler has an added meaning for the FitzOsbornes as they plot to liberate their kingdom from the Nazis
The characters are a large part of the charm of this series. The different ways they step up to the challenges of WWII create a vivid and intimate history of the war. Headstrong, animal-loving Henry (Henrietta) makes friends with wartime evacuees and longs to join the navy, determined and practical Veronica works for the Foreign Office, charismatic Toby, now king of Montmaray, flies fighter planes in the RAF, and Sophie, the very appealing narrator of the books, edits rationing pamphlets at the Ministry of Food. Historical characters make appearances both off and on stage, adding interest without overwhelming story. These include several of the fascinating Mitford sisters, JFK’s lively sister Kick, feisty Princess Margaret who is mentioned as a rival of Henry’s, and of course Winston Churchill.
The characters are a large part of the charm of this series. The different ways they step up to the challenges of WWII create a vivid and intimate history of the war. Headstrong, animal-loving Henry (Henrietta) makes friends with wartime evacuees and longs to join the navy, determined and practical Veronica works for the Foreign Office, charismatic Toby, now king of Montmaray, flies fighter planes in the RAF, and Sophie, the very appealing narrator of the books, edits rationing pamphlets at the Ministry of Food. Historical characters make appearances both off and on stage, adding interest without overwhelming story. These include several of the fascinating Mitford sisters, JFK’s lively sister Kick, feisty Princess Margaret who is mentioned as a rival of Henry’s, and of course Winston Churchill.
March 14, 2017
Review for Entire Trilogy
The title of this trilogy, The Montmaray Journals, refers to the written chronicle in which the protagonist, Sophie FitzOsborne, lets the readers in on her life on the island of Montmaray and her family’s experiences during World War II while residing in London and the family house in the English countryside. Her life differs greatly in all three locations as she and her family must try to cope with being forced out of their homeland and overlooked by the European community when they fight to have their home on Montmaray restored to them. An intriguing narrative that only gets deeper and more emotional as the terrors of the war hit home for all the members of the FitzOsborne family.
Sophie shares her adventures with her older brother, Toby, younger sister, Henry (Henrietta) and cousin, Veronica, all members of the royal family of Montmaray, a tiny island in the middle of the English Channel. Each and every characters is fully and richly developed and when misfortune strikes, they band together as a family to overcome any and all adverse situations. However, no family is immune to loss when it comes to World War II in Europe and the FitzOsbornes are certainly not exempt from overwhelming heartbreak. Their loss felt like my loss, their pain was my pain, as I turned page after page to find out what happened next to the lives of those I came to love.
Michelle Cooper develops a strong and engaging world, believable in its details due to her extensive research (all consulted materials are listed at the back of each of the three books) and the way her fictional characters interact with real people from the era (such as the Kennedy children). All in all, I highly recommend all three books for anyone looking for an intriguing story from the point of view of the young adults whose lives were irreversibly changed when war was declared.
The title of this trilogy, The Montmaray Journals, refers to the written chronicle in which the protagonist, Sophie FitzOsborne, lets the readers in on her life on the island of Montmaray and her family’s experiences during World War II while residing in London and the family house in the English countryside. Her life differs greatly in all three locations as she and her family must try to cope with being forced out of their homeland and overlooked by the European community when they fight to have their home on Montmaray restored to them. An intriguing narrative that only gets deeper and more emotional as the terrors of the war hit home for all the members of the FitzOsborne family.
Sophie shares her adventures with her older brother, Toby, younger sister, Henry (Henrietta) and cousin, Veronica, all members of the royal family of Montmaray, a tiny island in the middle of the English Channel. Each and every characters is fully and richly developed and when misfortune strikes, they band together as a family to overcome any and all adverse situations. However, no family is immune to loss when it comes to World War II in Europe and the FitzOsbornes are certainly not exempt from overwhelming heartbreak. Their loss felt like my loss, their pain was my pain, as I turned page after page to find out what happened next to the lives of those I came to love.
Michelle Cooper develops a strong and engaging world, believable in its details due to her extensive research (all consulted materials are listed at the back of each of the three books) and the way her fictional characters interact with real people from the era (such as the Kennedy children). All in all, I highly recommend all three books for anyone looking for an intriguing story from the point of view of the young adults whose lives were irreversibly changed when war was declared.
April 2, 2013
It's absolutely astounding to read such well-written, meticulously researched historical fiction. What a tour de force! And such fun to read, too!
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys drama, romance, family stories, adventure, or books with great writing and appealing characters. In other words, practically everybody. It will particularly appeal to -- let us say -- disillusioned former fans of "Downton Abbey," or people who enjoy other tales of the gentry in difficult circumstances, from Jane Austen through K.M. Peyton and beyond. And if you are interested in life on the home front during WWII, this is definitely your book.
I think it makes a good adjunct to Elizabeth Wein's astounding Code Name Verity. It's a gentler book in many ways -- not as visceral. But it is equally good, in its very different way.
It is the third in a series, and it definitely helps to have read the first two, but I think it could stand alone. (Of course, I've read the first two, so I'm not a perfectly objective judge, but I really think it could).
I loved it! It's a very entertaining read that carries considerable scholarship very lightly. Amazingly well done!
But one niggling question remains..... Michelle Cooper? Anyone? Who is Davey's father? Seriously??!
Yes, well. Seriously, everyone. If you'd like a really entertaining read about being a young woman on the home front in WWII, this is your book!
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys drama, romance, family stories, adventure, or books with great writing and appealing characters. In other words, practically everybody. It will particularly appeal to -- let us say -- disillusioned former fans of "Downton Abbey," or people who enjoy other tales of the gentry in difficult circumstances, from Jane Austen through K.M. Peyton and beyond. And if you are interested in life on the home front during WWII, this is definitely your book.
I think it makes a good adjunct to Elizabeth Wein's astounding Code Name Verity. It's a gentler book in many ways -- not as visceral. But it is equally good, in its very different way.
It is the third in a series, and it definitely helps to have read the first two, but I think it could stand alone. (Of course, I've read the first two, so I'm not a perfectly objective judge, but I really think it could).
I loved it! It's a very entertaining read that carries considerable scholarship very lightly. Amazingly well done!
But one niggling question remains..... Michelle Cooper? Anyone? Who is Davey's father? Seriously??!
Yes, well. Seriously, everyone. If you'd like a really entertaining read about being a young woman on the home front in WWII, this is your book!
November 10, 2012
Ahhhh. I'm not sure why it took me so long to read it, because I loved it. It was very interesting to read an account of WWII from London - I don't think I had known about what was going on in that city before. I liked seeing the women get jobs, the rationing, the black-out, etc., I could have taken even more of those kinds of details. Toby's story also made for a really emotional ride. Romantically,
It was a very good series, different from the young adult books I usually read. I recommend it!
It was a very good series, different from the young adult books I usually read. I recommend it!
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