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Miss Carter's War
It is 1948 and the young and beautiful Marguerite Carter has lost her parents and survived a terrifying war, working for the SOE behind enemy lines. She returns to England to be one of the first women to receive a degree from the University of Cambridge. Now she pins back her unruly auburn curls, draws a pencil seam up her legs, ties the laces on her sensible black shoes, and sets out towards her future as an English teacher in a girls' grammar school. Outside the classroom Britain is changing fast, and Miss Carter finds herself caught up in social upheaval, swept in and out of love and forging deep, enduring friendships.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 9, 2014
49 people are currently reading
1149 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Hancock
39 books41 followersSheila Hancock is one of Britain's most highly regarded and popular actors, and received an OBE for services to drama in 1974 and a CBE in 2011. Since the 1950s she has enjoyed a career across Film, Television, Theatre and Radio. Her first big television role was in the BBC sitcom The Rag Trade in the early 1960s. She has directed and acted for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre.
Following the death of her husband, John Thaw, she wrote a memoir of their marriage, The Two of Us, which was a no. 1 bestseller and won the British Book Award for Author of the Year. Her memoir of her widowhood, Just Me, also a bestseller, was published in 2007. She lives in London and France.
Following the death of her husband, John Thaw, she wrote a memoir of their marriage, The Two of Us, which was a no. 1 bestseller and won the British Book Award for Author of the Year. Her memoir of her widowhood, Just Me, also a bestseller, was published in 2007. She lives in London and France.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
January 17, 2015
This book could have been more aptly titled: A (very) long (and boring) ride on a high horse. Depressing and futile are two adjectives that come to mind to describe this book. The protagonist, Miss Carter, lurches from one crusade to the next with an air of self-righteousness that would make a saint look selfish but somehow her railings against the system are to a moderate extent ineffectual and she always seems to miss the mark. By the end of the book you really do wonder why did I bother? I think the same thought occurred to the author, as she throws the reader a bone right at the end and tries to tie a ribbon on the ending but I'm afraid you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear. This could have been so much better.
November 15, 2014
I won this book as a First Reads Giveaway.
The story is set in England, after the Second World war and it presents the life of one woman, Marguerite Carter, from the late 1940's to the 1990's. The writer presents the evolving social economics of Britain following the Second World War through the eyes of a secondary school English teacher, of French-English origins. Marguerite is one of the first women in England to receive a degree from Cambridge University; she has worked as a spy behind enemy lines in France, trying to help defeat the Nazis and lost all her family in the war. She is a strong-minded, independent and ambitious woman who wants to change the world though her teaching.
Her first post as a teacher is in an all girl’s grammar school where she meets Tony, a PE teacher, who becomes her closes and most faithful friend.
All the other characters are well build and likable. I have empathised with Marguerite and I found her dedication as a teacher endearing. At times she seemed rather naïve and stubborn, but not enough to alter my perception of her character.
Overall a good read which I would recommend to others
The story is set in England, after the Second World war and it presents the life of one woman, Marguerite Carter, from the late 1940's to the 1990's. The writer presents the evolving social economics of Britain following the Second World War through the eyes of a secondary school English teacher, of French-English origins. Marguerite is one of the first women in England to receive a degree from Cambridge University; she has worked as a spy behind enemy lines in France, trying to help defeat the Nazis and lost all her family in the war. She is a strong-minded, independent and ambitious woman who wants to change the world though her teaching.
Her first post as a teacher is in an all girl’s grammar school where she meets Tony, a PE teacher, who becomes her closes and most faithful friend.
All the other characters are well build and likable. I have empathised with Marguerite and I found her dedication as a teacher endearing. At times she seemed rather naïve and stubborn, but not enough to alter my perception of her character.
Overall a good read which I would recommend to others
August 6, 2015
Not at all what I was expecting from the blurb. I thought this was going to be a tale of courage under fire during the second world war but, although Marguerite's past as an SOE operative was featured in her flashbacks (often the same ones), she was fighting some very different wars during the course of the book.
This brings me to the first problem with the book, first she was fighting against the old-fashioned strictures of the Grammar school, then against the bomb, then against bureaucracy, but without any particular passion for any of them.
In my opinion the timescale is too broad and the timeline unclear. Years pass in a matter of pages without anything to show for them (perhaps this could be said of all our lives, but it isn't useful in a book). Marguerite's friendship with Tony was, perhaps the best thing about this book, and the part I enjoyed most.
I feel that this book would have been better had it focussed on a smaller time-frame and gone into more detail, rather than trying to cover 60 years in a very short time. As an exploration of the changes which have occurred in British society in the years since the second world war it is a decent overview but I would have liked more substance and better drawn characters.
This brings me to the first problem with the book, first she was fighting against the old-fashioned strictures of the Grammar school, then against the bomb, then against bureaucracy, but without any particular passion for any of them.
In my opinion the timescale is too broad and the timeline unclear. Years pass in a matter of pages without anything to show for them (perhaps this could be said of all our lives, but it isn't useful in a book). Marguerite's friendship with Tony was, perhaps the best thing about this book, and the part I enjoyed most.
I feel that this book would have been better had it focussed on a smaller time-frame and gone into more detail, rather than trying to cover 60 years in a very short time. As an exploration of the changes which have occurred in British society in the years since the second world war it is a decent overview but I would have liked more substance and better drawn characters.
November 13, 2014
Was tempted bŷ Miss Carter's War because I'd enjoyed Sheila Hancock's memoirs very much. Must admit that a story of a post-war school teacher determined to change the world also appealed. I did enjoy the story - despite the clunky writing. I loved the structure where fictional characters were found at real events with real characters in the mix. The early political career of Margaret Thatcher for example worked as a device and was pretty convincing in the way it was woven through right up to her political fall. The flash backs to wartime France in italics probably weren't exploited as much as they could have been; they really only came into their own in the last quarter of the novel (to be fair this could have been intentional?). The final chapter is beautifully imagined! Well researched the mid 60s onwards chimed for me. Sheila Hancock much have loved the four years she spent writing this.
August 22, 2019
All of 20 century Britain is in this book - post-war austerity, Churchill’s demise, the shaping of consumer society, pop culture, sexual revolution, the IRA bombings, the rise of Thatcher, AIDS threat and much more. And in the midst of it all, a fine brave woman, Cambridge graduate, set on to change the world for good by teaching wartime children survivors how to appreciate and love poetry and language. Because culture bonds can put a halt to wars.
Brilliant, heart-warming, marvelously written book. I enjoyed myself immensely reading it.
Brilliant, heart-warming, marvelously written book. I enjoyed myself immensely reading it.
May 27, 2015
What a dreadful book! This is simply a trot through post-war British history with added cardboard characters. I couldn't believe in any of the characters and the author's constant regurgitation of events felt like a series of lectures.
I'm glad this was a library book and I didn't spend good money on it!
I'm glad this was a library book and I didn't spend good money on it!
December 2, 2014
When Marguerite Carter returns to England after her time as a SOE in France during WW2, she needs to make a place for herself and as a gifted teacher she soon finds her niche is in teaching and inspiring a new generation of children who have been largely neglected during the war years. The story, which is beautifully written, spans over 60 years of Marguerite's life and details her challenges, her hopes for a better future and her constant quest for love.
I loved the author's easy style of writing and the way the behaviour of her main character was handled with sensitive detail and genuine empathy. The span of years moves effortlessly, and never becomes so bogged down by events that you forget where you are meant to be, and both time and place is handled with great charm. My favourite parts of the novel were the small snippets which alluded to Marguerite's war, and I hoped that we would get a fuller picture of what had happened to her as the book progressed.
I was sorry when the story ended, but feel that the author wrapped up the story really well. Overall Miss Carter's War was a joy to read, and thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.
I loved the author's easy style of writing and the way the behaviour of her main character was handled with sensitive detail and genuine empathy. The span of years moves effortlessly, and never becomes so bogged down by events that you forget where you are meant to be, and both time and place is handled with great charm. My favourite parts of the novel were the small snippets which alluded to Marguerite's war, and I hoped that we would get a fuller picture of what had happened to her as the book progressed.
I was sorry when the story ended, but feel that the author wrapped up the story really well. Overall Miss Carter's War was a joy to read, and thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.
December 29, 2014
Just too clunky for my taste - trying to ram in all the research so that it shows. I was also completely unconvinced by the motivation (and indeed the language and attitudes - far too modern) of the main character. I really wanted to like this, but nothing doing, I'm afraid.
March 16, 2021
This book made me want to change the world a bit. Great read!
May 4, 2015
I'm sure this book was really fun to write and research, and that it must feel like an incredible accomplishment to write a story that spans over 6 decades. But it took me almost the entire book to like it. I didn't enjoy how much it jumps from one time frame to another and the twee, idealistic approach to teaching infuriated me (as a teacher, I can assure you that the English syllabus has contained more than sodding poetry for the last 60 years). But the ending was heartwarming, and there were some incredibly touching moments of sheer clarity of emotion that stood out from amid the jumble of tedious events. The doesn't quite make up for the lack of flare in a majority of the writing. like a script, the dialogue between characters lacks description and it is therefore bland and occasionally confusing to read. An enjoyable read but not the best.
May 11, 2024
What an amazing book. Spanning almost a lifetime, so much detail, so many intriguing characters. I was enthralled
March 27, 2015
Three and a half stars from me!
Miss Carter’s War was chosen for the Spring Richard and Judy book club this year and was a novel I was looking forward to being set in one of my favourite time periods, the Second World War. The story boasts a powerful, intelligent and independent female character, (hurrah!) Marguerite Carter who is something of a revolutionary. I really enjoyed that we saw her journey over a period of years from a young woman with a lot to learn about the world but with a strong desire to “do some good,” to a mature and much wiser older woman who still manages to achieve her dreams.
When we first meet Marguerite the war is over and she is about to begin a teaching job at a prestigious school for girls. However, throughout the novel we get flashbacks to times during the war which were particularly traumatising for her, working as part of the Specials Operations Executive in Vichy, France where she bore witness (and participated in) some incredibly harrowing events. Now a newly fledged teacher she is passionate about teaching her girls whilst still harbouring strong political notions that throw her into action if peace is in any way threatened or if she feels justice has not been served.
I loved the emotional connection Marguerite developed with her pupils and as life goes on, she descends almost like an Angel of Mercy if any of her girls are in trouble. There is a particularly poignant part of the story where one of her more gifted pupils becomes addicted to drugs and homeless. It is obvious how much love Marguerite has for the girl as she desperately tries to get her back on her feet again. In terms of her own relationships, poor Marguerite isn’t very lucky. First of all she falls for a fellow teacher but there is quite an important factor that prevents them from having a conventional er… “physical” relationship. Following this, she begins a relationship with a man called Jimmy who brings a lot of excitement to her life but has a dark little secret of his own. We as the reader find out quite early on that she has left her heart in France with a colleague from the SOE, Marcel. So will she ever manage to find love? Or will she be married to her precious teaching for life?
As a debut novel from Sheila Hancock, I did think this was a good read but it felt a little slow at points, particularly at the beginning. I absolutely loved the little snippets that we got of Marguerite’s job during the war and wished there were more of them or that they had been longer with more detail as that would have been intriguing to read about. Marguerite herself was a fascinating character and I loved that she was so independent and passionate, but occasionally it felt like I was reading about two different people regarding the flashbacks versus present time. I enjoyed the relationship/friendship that she managed to forge with Tony, the P.E. teacher but didn’t really believe or buy into the relationship with Jimmy all that much. Saying all this, the ending of the novel was really lovely and left me with a little warm feeling inside and I do believe Sheila Hancock has a real gift for writing fiction.
Please see my full review at my blog http://www.bibliobeth.com
Miss Carter’s War was chosen for the Spring Richard and Judy book club this year and was a novel I was looking forward to being set in one of my favourite time periods, the Second World War. The story boasts a powerful, intelligent and independent female character, (hurrah!) Marguerite Carter who is something of a revolutionary. I really enjoyed that we saw her journey over a period of years from a young woman with a lot to learn about the world but with a strong desire to “do some good,” to a mature and much wiser older woman who still manages to achieve her dreams.
When we first meet Marguerite the war is over and she is about to begin a teaching job at a prestigious school for girls. However, throughout the novel we get flashbacks to times during the war which were particularly traumatising for her, working as part of the Specials Operations Executive in Vichy, France where she bore witness (and participated in) some incredibly harrowing events. Now a newly fledged teacher she is passionate about teaching her girls whilst still harbouring strong political notions that throw her into action if peace is in any way threatened or if she feels justice has not been served.
I loved the emotional connection Marguerite developed with her pupils and as life goes on, she descends almost like an Angel of Mercy if any of her girls are in trouble. There is a particularly poignant part of the story where one of her more gifted pupils becomes addicted to drugs and homeless. It is obvious how much love Marguerite has for the girl as she desperately tries to get her back on her feet again. In terms of her own relationships, poor Marguerite isn’t very lucky. First of all she falls for a fellow teacher but there is quite an important factor that prevents them from having a conventional er… “physical” relationship. Following this, she begins a relationship with a man called Jimmy who brings a lot of excitement to her life but has a dark little secret of his own. We as the reader find out quite early on that she has left her heart in France with a colleague from the SOE, Marcel. So will she ever manage to find love? Or will she be married to her precious teaching for life?
As a debut novel from Sheila Hancock, I did think this was a good read but it felt a little slow at points, particularly at the beginning. I absolutely loved the little snippets that we got of Marguerite’s job during the war and wished there were more of them or that they had been longer with more detail as that would have been intriguing to read about. Marguerite herself was a fascinating character and I loved that she was so independent and passionate, but occasionally it felt like I was reading about two different people regarding the flashbacks versus present time. I enjoyed the relationship/friendship that she managed to forge with Tony, the P.E. teacher but didn’t really believe or buy into the relationship with Jimmy all that much. Saying all this, the ending of the novel was really lovely and left me with a little warm feeling inside and I do believe Sheila Hancock has a real gift for writing fiction.
Please see my full review at my blog http://www.bibliobeth.com
November 9, 2016
More like 3.5, i enjoyed it at certain parts and in the end it was very emotional. But it was stretched out at so many times. Idk i expected more feministic teacher tbh. But its a nice look at someone 's life :)
April 30, 2015
Disappointed. Thought it read like a child's novel. Once upon a time....
March 16, 2021
It's a always sign that I'm enjoying a book, as I race through and can't put it down. The war in the novel's title implies it's about Miss Carter's experiences in WW2. There are mentions of Marguerite Carter's experiences on Special Operations in France during WW2 (she is half-English, half-French), helping the maquis, but it's more about her character's battle to make the world a better place. At the beginning of the 1950s, Marguerite becomes a school teacher at a girls' grammar school in Dartford, Kent. She is a wonderful, inspirational schoolteacher. She continues to influence and, in some cases engage with her pupils' lives long after they have left school. I love the descriptions of her pupils and the other teachers as well as the English lessons she teaches. There's also a fair bit about her social life and her friendship with a male colleague who is gay. The two of them attend political rallies and there's a fair bit about CND. The novel very accurately describes how society was changing - the whole teenage phenomenon and women becoming more liberated for example during the 1960s. Marguerite leaves the grammar school to work at an experimental school in Islington called Risinghill. The novel features a lot of 'real' people, including Michael Duane, who was headmaster of the Islington school. He was a bit of a pioneer in the educational sector. The main character's views on education match mine, so I found that aspect of the novel particularly interesting. The novel ends in the early 2000s with lots of references throughout the book to social and political changes in Britain in fifty years since WW2 as well as the threat of war with Iraq. I think it's probably one of the best novels I've read.
February 6, 2017
I loved how it spanned from Second World War to the the 90s. If you're watching Netflix's The Crown, this is a great contextual accompaniment to what was happening in the land the Queen governs.
April 28, 2018
Enjoyed this, surprised how well it was written.
July 5, 2019
What a great book. So much more than I expected from reading the blurb. Much more in depth and complex, loved it 👍
March 21, 2019
Frustrating read. Authors writing style lacked the finesse and polish to take a great story idea and turn it into a great book. Some parts were so cringeworthy to read, others boring and the intermittent micro WWII flashbacks somewhat frustrating because I wanted more. I felt there could have been a book just based on the flashbacks (as they were so mysterious and intriguing) and then this could be the sequel of what happened after. The plot was also largely very predictable. Until the end. I loved the penultimate chapter (53) the best as that brought all the different element of the book together and made it all worth while reading it. This work is a good starting point for the author to progress and refine her writing style. Also the plot timescale spanned over some very interesting times and social changes. Nothing had massive depth, but it really brought home how dramatically life had changed over that period of 1940s to 2000s.
October 5, 2014
Set in London with a backdrop of the social changes and historical milestones throughout the 50s, 60s 70s and 80s. Miss Carter is an idealist newly graduated teacher ready to inspire her students but what she discovers is a journey of social change and a life time of 'not playing it safe' or to 'not do nothing'. Together with her fellow teacher Tony, they champion causes and connect a war-damaged generation of children to 'move beyond their impoverished circumstances. ...sounds dry and political? not at all! With fleeting glimpses back to Marguerite's heroic actions in occupied France, Marguerite is a formidable character with strong resilience and compassion...even if she is rather idealistic.
I love the story that hangs on emerging post-war Britain and her well developed characters complete with flaws and shortcomings.
I love the story that hangs on emerging post-war Britain and her well developed characters complete with flaws and shortcomings.
July 19, 2015
I read a good review about this book in one of my favourite magazines, but nearly didn't read it because I'm not keen on Sheila Hancock - she annoys me when she's on Just a Minute (radio prog). I'm very glad I did read it though as I was pleasantly surprised to read this very interesting and enjoyable novel.
The story is about half English half French Marguerite who gets her first teaching job not long after WW2 and it focuses on education and politics in the ensuing years to the 1990s in a narrative way. Including attitudes to race and homosexuality she appears to have done her research well and writes a pretty good story.
There was a slightly unbelievable bit near the end, but I can forgive her that as she used it to tie up a few loose ends (and I'm a sucker for that sort of thing).
The story is about half English half French Marguerite who gets her first teaching job not long after WW2 and it focuses on education and politics in the ensuing years to the 1990s in a narrative way. Including attitudes to race and homosexuality she appears to have done her research well and writes a pretty good story.
There was a slightly unbelievable bit near the end, but I can forgive her that as she used it to tie up a few loose ends (and I'm a sucker for that sort of thing).
June 24, 2015
History from 1940s told through the story of one woman who comes back from the war, trains as a teacher and sets out to change the world. Loved this book. It could have been naff with her having a part in lots of important parts of history from the history books, but it wasn't. She attended marches, worked at newfangled schools and was caught up in the HIV beginnings. I would recommend this to anyone, as it doesn't read like a historical novel, as you feel so part of her life and because it spans over 7 decades and includes snippets from the main character's time in the war - given insight into what happened to her and why she felt she needed to change the world. And it has a happy ending. Perfect.
June 3, 2015
I loved this book! It took me right back to Britain in the 60's and 70's and right up to today - so much going on and so much I had forgotten. The story of Miss Carter starts after the war where she was a member of the resistance, to a teaching career in an educational system in flux and her friendship with a then - criminally chargeable - gay man, through the political upheavals and social changes of post war Britain until she finally finds reconciliation and happiness. It is a story told with humour and empathy and is definitely worth reading.
May 30, 2015
Although the characters in this book are likeable, unfortunately for me the timespan of six decades means that none of the themes are comprehensively explored and resolved satisfactorily. I think this book would have been much better as maybe two or three different stories, allowing the author to explore her themes in a more thorough way through her characters. For me, when it feels as though the writer has enjoyed putting the book together more than the reader has enjoyed reading it, something vital has been left out. Not a terrible book, but not a great one either.
May 4, 2015
This is not a book I would necessarily have read had it not been chosen by our book club but I'm glad it was.It covers a huge chunk of what happened in the UK after the Second World War.The characters were interesting & I loved how their stories were interwoven plus how a great teacher can really make an impression on childrens lives.Loved it and thoroughly recommend it.
January 20, 2015
I think Sheila Hancock's memoirs are better than this, her first novel. although I understand the temptation to include the many period references, they slowed down the action, especially when I felt I was being spoon-fed a potted history of the second half of the 29th century, instead of a novel.
May 17, 2015
Began this book being very unsure whether I would finish it. Also found the many political references slightly irritating. Eventually however, I enjoyed the book so much and was moved to tears by the final few pages. It just goes to prove that it is worth persevering with a book sometimes.
June 7, 2015
I wasn't sure what to expect (it was a gift from a friend) but really enjoyed it. Particularly good if you remember the fifties/sixties/seventies/eighties, but I don't think that's necessary to enjoy it. A good read - it made a train journey go much more quickly.
December 4, 2014
I lost the book so I didn't finish it. 5 stars based on what I read so far.
May 13, 2015
Bits of it were really good, bits of it so so. Felt it moved between a 2.5 in some parts and a 3 in others...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews