*SLIGHT SPOILERS*
This book has to be one of the hardest I have ever had to put down. I have read it in 3 days which may seem a while, but if I didn't have a toddler it would have been devoured in a day!
I read this, having not read the book before - war time brides ( which I have now ordered on amazon, as well as pre-ording Lizzie lanes next book ) and picked up the story straight away. What I love about this is that I could pick it up, not having read the book before but it also was not raming the previous book down my throat the whole time, some thing which I think a lot of authors struggle with, but Lizzie had got down to perfection.
Ok, so I loved the story, as well as being historically very accurate I really felt and fell in love with all the characters, I laughed with them, and cried with them, and before I go more in depth and start my slight spoilers, I just pray to go there is a sequel soon! PLEASE!
*SLIGHT SPOILERS*
One of the things I loved the most in the story was how well Janet's rape was done. I felt so sorry for her and the cruelty of the time meaning she was shamed. It really affected her and her personality and hatred of all 'aliens', and even though we never find the culprit, I have my suspicions was Micky Noble putting on a accent. Janet is also linked to my other favorite character - Ivan. I loved him, his calm gentle nature, his wisdom and most of the all the relationship that built up between the two! This is why I really need a sequel I need to know what happens!!
I also loved the life story of Polly and although she was a hard nut, I did genuinely feel for her, the fact that her auntie meg and now billy are plotting to ruin her dreams of a better life make me so sad, because out of all the characters she does deserve one. Also the judgement bestowed on her was unfair, but again very cleverly done, when all she was trying to do was build a better life for herself and her child.
Thought I am not going to write about all the characters, mainly as is getting very late there is one I have to mention, because I just grew a massive hatred for her and that is Edna! I felt her pain with Susan's polio, and as a mother myself I really could relate to why and how she managed to fall to pieces. She acted in a way I think any caring mother would, but in the end even I was growing frustrated with her and she started to make me grow an old fashion attitude, that she should leave her bloody kids alone and start fussing over her husband!
All I can do with this book is heap more and more praise on it! A very powerful story, not only for the time it was set in, but the immigration message really relates to many of todays issues. This book is beautifully written and as I have already stated impossible to put down. I'm saddened that Lizzie Lane has only published 3 books, and I can not wait to read more and more of her work!