Against the Day

by Michael Cronin

It is 1941 and the Nazis have just invaded Britain. Two boys, Les and Frank, find themselves caught up in the Resistance movement - at first by accident, and then because they feel it's the only thing they can do. All over the country, various unlikely people have been given something - a name, a contact, a package - `against the day' of an invasion, and now the Resistance is in motion. On Hitler's birthday, when every town is forced to celebrate, the fight-back begins. And the boys find themselves in the middle of a dangerous game.

Genres: Fiction

212 pages, Paperback

First published January 9, 2003

Reviews

[Graham Dragon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started this novel in high hopes. The topic, an England that lost to the Nazis in the Second World War and in which a rising resistance begins to oppose the Nazi leadership, invited thrilling suspense writing. Unfortunately I did not find it thrilling at all and was greatly disappointed. Other writers have written well using a similar scenario, but Michael Cronin just didn't seem up to it.

I also found it difficult to build empathy with any of the characters, and I usually need that empathy to keep me rivetted. Rivetted I was not.

It marginally improved towards the end, but not enough for me to change my overall opinion.

Perhaps this is partly explained by the fact that the novel was written for children, which I had not appreciated when I bought it. But perhaps not, as surely children need to be thrilled and excited, and to identify with the main characters, just as much as adults, if not more so. As an adult I have read a number of children's novels and enjoyed most of them, finding them engrossing and endearing. This was not one such novel.

Michael Cronin is a good actor, having starred in Grange Hill, appeared in Fawlty Towers, Foyles War, The Bill, The Sweeney, Bergerac and many other TV series, and also having performed in many theatrical pieces, including five years with the English Shakespeare Company. My thought on reading this novel is that maybe he should continue focussing on his acting skills.

So no thrills, no empathy, and a quite disappointing read. Not one I would recommend, although I recognise others may have a very different view. Sorry Michael, but I always say what I feel!

[Alfie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book, about what life in England would’ve been like if the Nazis invaded and how the resistance came to be. It did feel quite slow though with a rushed ending and it did read a bit like a kids book.

[Ambrogio · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first two thirds of the book were boring as hell. I regretted starting the book after reading about 100 pages but starting from the chapter at Seabourne I became hooked and actually liked this book. I did not however get the overall theme of this book and don't see the eventual point in writing it. Watching "Inglorious Basterds" after reading this book certainly makes the book at least a bit clearer because that movie is, in some way, connected to this book but takes place in France.

Having background knowledge about the Nazi world before reading this book is mandatory. The reader must have an idea of what the schutzstaffel (SS) and the Gestapo are, and different terms like 'Jerries' or 'Hauptsturmfuhrer'. Not one of the best books in existence but I certainly enjoyed the surprising plot twists in the second half of the book.

To finalize. It would've been better if the plot rising action had started earlier in the book.

[arjuna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creating a credible alt-world is difficult... some authors, try as they might, never really manage it; some make it seem effortless. Something like this - where the specific form of altered history is so very well trodden elsewhere - is hard to make refreshing and original, but I think Cronin does a fairly good job. I really enjoyed this. Written deceptively simply, it manages a fine and consistent balance between Things We Expect In British WW2 Stories, Things We Expect In Occupation Stories and Things We Expect in Occupied Britain Stories, with enough individual voice and charm to make the whole greater than its parts. Not new territory by any means, but a worthy exploration - and too shor by half! More than enough energy about it to make one dive straight for the next volume.

[Andrée · Rating 3 out of 5]

It reads as a kids book rather than a "brilliantly explosive thriller" but enjoyable nonetheless
I read the Oxford University Press version 2003 which is not listed

[Rob · Rating 1 out of 5]

That was an awful book. The plot took pretty much the whole book to get going and then it just ends as if the author got bored and tacked on a one page afterword, which could've extended the story and at least given it a real conclusion. Painful to read but after getting half way through had invested too much time to not finish it...probably best not to have started it at all.

[Steve Clark]

Paperback