Amy's Diary

by Maureen Lee

On 3rd September 1939, Amy Browning decided to start writing a diary. It was a momentous day for so many reasons: it was Amy's 18th birthday; her sister had just given birth to a baby boy; and on the radio it was announced that Great Britain was now at war with Germany.

For a while, life didn't change very much for Amy. Living with her family in Opal Street, Liverpool, Amy and her friend both got jobs at a factory, and spent their free time looking round the shops, or watching the ships being loaded at the docks. But as the months went by, things began to change. The bombing started, and Amy's fears grew for her brother, fighting in France, and her boyfriend Ian, in the RAF...

Genres: War, Short Stories, Fiction, British Literature, Romance, Historical Fiction

112 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Maureen Lee was born in Bootle, England, UK, near Liverpool during the World War II. She attended Commercial College and became a shorthand typist. She married Richard, and they had three sons, now adults. The last years the marriage lives in Colchester, Essex.

During years, she published over one hundred and fifty short-stories, before published her first novel Lila in 1983. She continued published dramatic historical sagas mainly setting in Liverpool since 1994. In 2000, her novel Dancing in the Dark won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association.

Reviews

[Suz · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very mild, and quite unexciting story about a young girl, Amy, celebrating her trials and tribulations, her ups and downs, all beginning on her 18th birthday. The same day England went to war. The entire story is her diary where we see glimpses of days gone by with rationing, women working in munitions factories, and the struggles of families losing loved ones. The most exciting character was the young lad from America that she stumbled across on a day out. Images were explained, but everything just seemed a tad forced. This is a prime example of me reaching for an audio cd at my local library, really having not too much to chose from. It filled my commute. It was just lacklustre. Not sure what else to say!!!!!

[Erica⭐ · Rating 4 out of 5]

On 3rd September 1939 Amy Browning started to write a diary. It was a momentous day for so many reasons. It was Amy's 18th birthday and the day her sister gave birth to a baby boy. It was also the day that Amy heard the news on the radio: Great Britain was at war with Germany.
Living with her family in Opal Street, Liverpool, Amy and her friend got jobs at a factory, and to begin with life went on much the same as before. Then the bombs began to fall on Liverpool, and Amy's fears grew. Her brother was fighting in France, her boyfriend had joined the RAF and they all lived in a very dangerous world.

[Maria (i Mikri Vivliofagos) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Σε ηλικία 18 ετών η Amy παίρνει ως δώρο για τα γενέθλιά της από την αδερφή της ένα ημερολόγιο. Από το ραδιόφωνο του σπιτιού, η οικογένεια πληροφορείται ότι έχει ξεσπάσει πόλεμος ανάμεσα στην Μεγάλη Βρετανία και τη Γερμανία. Η Amy γράφει στο ημερολόγιο της για όλα όσα συμβαίνουν στην καθημερινότητα και την οικογένειά της ενώ ταυτόχρονα δεν ξεχνά να αναφέρει τους προβληματισμούς της γύρω από την επαγγελματική της καριέρα, τον έρωτα και τις φιλίες εν καιρώ πολέμου.

Το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο μου άρεσε πολύ γιατί σε λίγες μόνο σελίδες (~100) η συγγραφέας κατάφερε να εντάξει μια ολόκληρη ιστορία, με πολλές απλές ανατροπές, η οποία κυλούσε γρήγορα και αβίαστα. Ενθουσιάστηκα εξ αρχής με την υπόθεση του βιβλίου γιατί μου θύμισε την Άννα Φρανκ, με τη διαφορά ότι η Amy μας αφηγείται την ενήλικη ζωή της εν καιρώ πολέμου εν αντιθέσει με την Άννα που μας αφηγείται τα παιδικά της χρόνια εν καιρώ πολέμου. Συμπάθησα πολύ την πρωταγωνίστρια και διαπίστωσα ότι καθώς περνούσαν οι σελίδες και η υπόθεση προχωρούσε, ωρίμαζε κι αυτή με αποτέλεσμα να μας περνάει πολύ όμορφα μηνύματα γύρω από την αξία της οικογένειας, της αγάπης, του έρωτα και της ζωής.

Το "Amy's diary" είναι ένα πανέμορφο βιβλίο εποχής και το συστήνω ανεπιφύλακτα αν θέλετε να εξασκήσετε τα Αγγλικά σας διαβάζοντας μια χαλαρή ιστορία. Το αγόρασα μόνο 3 ευρώ από τα Public.

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another new author to me. I would be interested to read something more if I felt it justified my commitment as this book left me very disappointed. The setting in Liverpool was comfortable for the writer but the story, based on an 18 year old's diary when War broke out in 1939.
My frustration was that so much was passed over and ignored and the result is a bland account that is readable but never grabs or challenges you.
There is so little reflection or understanding; the lead character grows in the years but no real insight in her maturity. Coping with the Blitz, rationing, working, sexual encounters and death is not really explored or developed. So I wonder why the diary was used as a literary tool to tell this story as in my opinion it fails completely.
What does she think about her fallen angel of a sister? How can she really marry someone who didn't make her heart leap like it did on the best year of her life?
Sorry this is another author not skilled at short stories thinking they can make money out of Quick Reads but then miss the whole point. As someone running a reading group I am keen to switch genres and find new authors. Apart from my own affinity with Liverpool I can see no reason to seek out Maureen Lee on the bookshelves of shops and libraries.

[Ellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Books in the Quick Reads series are aimed at people who don’t read books very often, and it’s probably safe to say that anyone on Goodreads doesn’t really fall into the target market. Having said that, these novellas are nice fillers when life is throwing a lot at you and you don’t have that time to commit to a longer book. They can also be a useful tool to decide whether you might like to read a full-length novel by an author you haven’t previously read.

Bearing the above in mind, I gave this 2 stars. It’s a sweet enough little tale of life in Liverpool during the Second World War, but perhaps a little too saccharine. What little drama there is in the main character, Amy’s life is really quite, well, undramatic. The story seems to lack any real plot, but just meanders through several years in a little over 100 pages. If this were the first book a non-reader tried, I can’t see them being in a hurry to rush back for more, and I certainly won’t be reading any more of this author’s work.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't hugely impressed by this book. Even though it was a quick read, I have read other quick reads which have put more detail in. I felt like we were jumping about a lot, and you would think something would be important, and then it would just never come to anything.
I think the story of the book was good, there just wasn't enough of it to make it interesting.
I think I would have enjoyed it a lot better if it was a properly fleshed out novel, and not a novel storyline squished into a short story. Perhaps it was a little ambitious to cover the entire war in so few pages.

[Joan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Compared with other books in the Quick Reads series this was a pointless story which didn't seem to get anywhere.

[Estatevery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute and simple story of a woman living at war.

[kellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice little story.

[Layla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely little book, really enjoyed this, Amy is given a diary from her sister who is a nurse working at a local hospital, Amy uses this diary raptor write about the war and what she sees happening around her, rating this book a 5stars.

[Nicoline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite liked this book and I really enjoyed reading it. I really liked the historical aspects. (maybe I should read more historical fiction?) The setting of WW2 was entertaining and severe. I found it interesting reading about how it was like being a young woman in the UK during the war.

The name of this book implies that it has the literary form of a diary. However, I found it to be more of a novel of remembrance than a diary. I would have loved to see some dates and other historical references.

I think the story was limited by the length of the book. Amy's Diary belongs to the Quick Reads series and the book, therefore, has to be short. I felt though that Amy's story and character had way more potential, like 300 pages or something! I sometimes felt the story was a bit rushed and/or that the time went too fast. But then again that is the circumstances.

Regardless of this I really enjoyed Amy's story which was sweet but tough and informative. I will definitely recommend this book to anyone who needs a quick but good reading-fix!

This review was first published on my blog Booksih Stuff
https://wp.me/p9zpGp-3q

[Nona · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really don't have much to say about this one, except that I was pleased it was short.
It was probably what I would consider a monotonous read; i.e. boringly predictable. This story has been written, played and filmed over and over since WW2 from so many different angles.
This did not have a WOW factor.

[Lucy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a little too slow for me, but it was readable.

[Nav · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amy’s Diary by Maureen Lee is a historical fiction that delivers a gentle, brief portrait of wartime everyday life in Liverpool; sweet and an easy read! I picked this novella from the local library only to find out I could keep it as the system wasn’t having it down as a library book! 🙌

Amy describes her life in 5 years from when she turns 18 when Britain enters the War led by Churchill.
I love the pace and the story line including all the characters she portrayed. Extremely relatable sharing her daily routines with work and descriptions of Liverpool, shops, theatres at that point in time.

I loved the snapshot it offers during the British during world war 2! Issues such as rationing, air raids, relationships under strain.

Themes of: relationships, work, war times, marriage, sickness, friendships are explored.

I liked it rating it 4/5 I also look forward adding this to my collection! 🙌

[MRS S PUSEY · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story

I enjoyed this book different to Maureen Lee other one's it was lovely to read about a young woman who from a young age wrote a diary of her life from school age to getting a job in the munitions factory and then getting married and having her children all through the war year's,it must have been hard i thought she was very grown up and mature.

[Louise Ashdown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amy's Diary is set during the war.

Amy is gifted a diary for her 18th birthday from her sister Alice who is a nurse.

Amy tells us how she celebrated her birthday with her family during the war. She talks about the blackouts, her friendships and her loves.

This book is an eye opener, to be grateful for we all have today.

[Nataliec7 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice read from the quick reads series. I found this to be one of the better quick reads and really liked reading Amy's diary. I feel that in the few short pages, I could really get to know the characters even those with very little in the actual book.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read other books from this author that I enjoyed more. I didn't want to commit myself to a large novel and picked this up. Was an ok read with a very easy storyline to follow.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book 4 stars not because it's an amazing book but because it does what it sets out to do. It's a quick read and also ideal for a younger readers.

[Emma Minazza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book

[Rebecca Goldthorpe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little bit too much like an historical script but a so-so story.

[Александра П. Иванова · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and sweet story about a woman in a time of war.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNFed it as I was starting to get bored with it unfortunately.

[K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice little story.

[Emmaleagh Fantom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved every page, finished it in one night. It's great.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

A diary recount set during the 2nd world war. It was an okay read. I would give it 4 stars but I felt a lack of connection to some characters. Should've been longer and not rushed at the end.

[Claire (c.isfor.claire_reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 'Quick Read' between blog tour books to break it up a bit. Read in one sitting. I love anything set in the WWII period, so found this a lovely little read.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

On September 3rd, 1939, Amy Browning turns 18 and starts a diary. Whilst being a tremendous day for her, it’s also the day that she hears it on the wireless: Great Britain was at war with Germany. Life goes on as normal for a while, with Amy and her friend getting a job at a factory and her sister giving birth to a baby boy. But then her brother is fighting in France, her boyfriend joins the RAF and the bombs begin to fall on Liverpool.

I hadn’t actually read a WWII book set in Liverpool before, and this novelette seemed like a perfect place to start, with what I hoped to be a realistic but promising lead.

However, I wasn’t particularly best pleased with this book. Whilst her friend Sally seemed to be 3D and have flaws, Amy seemed a bit like a paper-cut character, even though she had plenty of character-building toils thrown her way. I never really got into her romance, although I did like her sister, Alice, and an America soldier Amy came across: they were my two favourite characters, and pretty minor ones at that!

The writing style was not to my liking: I never really understood if Amy was actually writing in her diary, or if this was a recount afterwards. The style also seemed a little simplistic to me, although I understand that Amy was presented as being quite plain.

The plot…well, to me, there didn’t really seem to be one. Okay, I understood that it was about Amy’s life in the war, but that seems, to me, to be a loose version of the word ‘plot’, it needed more in it to make it more interesting to be the main one. Some of the subplots had more life.

Although I have just written a rather scathing review, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the WWII time period. It does offer an insight into rationing and how the Home Front carried on living, despite the atrocities being committed elsewhere. Some characters are rather charming ,and scandals are present which can make it an intriguing read. What’s more, it’ll only take you an hour or so to get through, so it’s not a decent amount of your time. And unlike One Good Turn by Chris Ryan, this does give you an uplifting finish.

[becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Readers of Maureen Lee would be accustomed to her books set within Liverpool in the war torn eras or eras from post-war times. This book is no different and is set from 1939 to 1944, it is a quick read with approx 112pgs. The font is on the larger side so could have been much more reduced than this. I read this within about 90 minutes.

The book is meant to be undertaken in a diary format but turns into a story as such with 'chapters', no official dates for entries and isn't written in a diary format. It is written in first person but more like a story which fits the chapter-like layout.

The book is read very quickly given the length but covering such a large span of time it feels like so much is missed out. This book could have easily have been made into a longer read with more time spent on life events that occur in the read. There is so much happening in this book and gives an insight into living through the war but because of the lack of depth, there seems to be little emotion and emotive language. The language seems quite basic and at times the author 'skips' explaining 'situations' because of "it's a diary and i do not want people to find this". If this was a diary so much is missing that an individual would include, personal thought at time of entry, questions etc.....not looking back and thinking. It just doesn't feel very personal like a diary would which is a shame really.

But for what it is, it's a nice little read with a loving family and a character 'Amy' you can take too straightaway, just such a shame it's not a full read with more depth. I've given this 3/5 but i was leading more towards 2/5.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first time id class a maureen lee book as ok. All the others I have loved. The book is supposedly the diary of an 18+ girl, but, and I know attitudes have changed, but, it seems more the thoughts of a 14+ girl. I finished the book and if it had been my first maureen lee, I wouldn't rush to read a second. But since I know she can write far better 5 stars + I shall look out for another of her books.