Echoes Of Yesterday

Adams Family Saga #8

by Mary Jane Staples

It was June 1916 when Sergeant Boots Adams of the Royal West Kents, together with his men, was billeted on the Descartes farm in Northern France. It was a short break from the turmoil and horror of the trenches, and Boots and his men, in return for their free billeting, were to help the farmer in his fields. It came as something of a surprise to discover that the land was being managed by a young French war widow, Cecile Lacoste and, to the distant sound of guns, a brief wartime friendship flared between Boots and Cecile. The friendship was cut brutally short when, once more, the West Kents were called back to the trenches and Boots suffered an injury that was to take him home to London, to Sammy and Chinese Lady, and all the valiant cockney friends of Walworth who were to help him through the darkest period of his life. It was to be many years before Boots' friend, Miss Polly Simms, visiting the old battle haunts of France, stumbled once more upon the Descartes farm, and the memories of the past were rekindled.

352 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1995

About the author

Mary Jane Staples is a pseudonym used by British author Reginald Thomas Staples (1911-2005). He is also published under the name Robert Tyler Stevens, R.T. Stevens, and James Sinclair.

Reviews

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 1 out of 5]

A good idea ruined in the telling. Fully half the book is "prologue", skipping back and forth in time and place, between one set of characters and another, giving the reader only scraps. At the literal halfway point, suddenly--"Chapter 1." Seriously?

I read this one out of sequence, and it's a good thing, as knowing what would happen decades later filled up the huge gaps in this transitional non-story. All the jolly crosstalk in the world can't make up for the poor narration and the fact that the vital plot thread gets lost in all the chatter. I couldn't accept that the French characters all learned English in that brief time, or that all the cockneys managed to dredge up "fluent French", particularly at that time. When the writer finally arrives at the point where something important might actually happen, the book ends.

[Rhona Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely read. Adams family book 8.

This book is in two halves. The first half is 1916, we see Boots in France, as a Sgt. We see Polly driving an ambulance with another woman. Boots meets widow Cecile Lacoste, while working on her family farm. However it is only a few weeks as they go back up the line and then we know what happens then.
In modern times (1934) Polly is holidaying in Northern France and meets up with Jacques, an old friend who runs an estaminet. Their niece Eloise lives with them. Her father died on the Somme and her mother the year before. However it turns out that Eloise is an Adams as her father is Boots.
Once the family knows he travels to France to meet her.

[Alice Leak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful 5* episode in the lives of the Adams family. This book was however very unusual in that it was in 2 parts. The first part retold in greater detail the story of Boots time in France during the First World War which we first read about in an earlier book. Part two then continued the story where the last book ended. Very much looking forward to the next instalment.

[Jennsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a shorter story that takes us back to the end of the first book and the First World War and Boots’ time in France (and Polly’s time too but plays a lesser part). The story brings back the old characters and introduces new ones and I can’t wait to see the next installment.

[Dorcas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A more solid read of the series. I enjoyed the glance back in time to WW1 and how Boot's choices back then affected his future.
Still the usual fluffiness and flirtations but a more serious story with this one

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series of books, nice easy reading,

[Kaylah P · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really do love this series. As an American, I find the Cockney way of life so fascinating! Even more so in the years, this series takes place. I did want to recommend switching books 7 & 8 around. It was very confusing when listening to them in the recommended order. So if I were to listen again, I would go book #8 Pride of Walworth, then book #7 Echoes of Yesterday!

[Shahrun · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Books by Mary Jane Staples as they are set in the area of London I grew up in (although I live there much later than when the books are set there). I find the Charachters dialouge very amusing.

This book is broken into two parts. The first takes you back to Boots time in The Great War and the second brings you bcak to 1934 and the conciquences of that time.

[Lynn Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another enjoyable read in the Adams Family Saga incorporating the laughs, the sadness and the joy the characters feel. Fantastic reading. The book has 2 halves 1916 and 1934 and gives some insight into Boots experiences during the First World War.

[Georgina Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all the family saga book, this was no exception. I really enjoy the loughs the sadness and the joy. Fantastic reading.