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When We Were Divided
402 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 12, 2026
9 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
Liz Flanagan
16 books58 followersLiz writes for children and young adults. She teaches creative writing, and lives in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, with her husband and two daughters. She used to be Centre Director at the Ted Hughes Arvon Centre, and previously worked in children's book publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 4, 2025
A beautiful, heart wrenching story of what civil war does to a family & community.
Set in Heptonstall, West Yorkshire, the novel tells the story of two sisters who are divided by their husband’s loyalties in the English civil war. As the war sweeps through their community, Jane and Isobel have to take on different roles within the war. As old resentments erupt & loyalties are frayed, they are each tested and pushed to their limits. Told from each sister’s POV and from a soldier who befriends Jane’s son, you get a rounded, non partisan view of the conflict. Told from within one community, this novel also reads like a micro-history of the English civil war.
I loved everything about this story. The immersive and evocative historical detail just transports you to 17th century Yorkshire. The author has clearly done extensive research and blends it beautifully to paint a vivid picture of a rural community divided by war & religion. The love, anguish & grief between the sisters was heartbreaking at points and I cried so many times I kept putting it down for a breather. As a mum and sister, this moved me so much. The portrayal of difficult family dynamics and how unresolved resentment and grief can fracture relationships was raw.
Although told within a political context, I loved how the author kept it a social story of the impact of war, people’s weariness of it and ultimately how women always have to pick up the awful pieces cast by angry and ambitious men.
Isobel was possibly my favourite character and I loved the journey she went on from meek, isolated wife to community supporter, nurse and spy. She brought to life the changing role that women went through during this era and how much agency they could wield. Loved the forbidden romance and exploration of gender throughout too.
The ending was subtle and beautiful and made me hug my kindle to my chest.
A fantastic piece of historical fiction with themes of grief, community, gender, impact of war, redemption and forgiveness.
No notes. Thank you to the author, publisher & NetGalley for this ARC.
Set in Heptonstall, West Yorkshire, the novel tells the story of two sisters who are divided by their husband’s loyalties in the English civil war. As the war sweeps through their community, Jane and Isobel have to take on different roles within the war. As old resentments erupt & loyalties are frayed, they are each tested and pushed to their limits. Told from each sister’s POV and from a soldier who befriends Jane’s son, you get a rounded, non partisan view of the conflict. Told from within one community, this novel also reads like a micro-history of the English civil war.
I loved everything about this story. The immersive and evocative historical detail just transports you to 17th century Yorkshire. The author has clearly done extensive research and blends it beautifully to paint a vivid picture of a rural community divided by war & religion. The love, anguish & grief between the sisters was heartbreaking at points and I cried so many times I kept putting it down for a breather. As a mum and sister, this moved me so much. The portrayal of difficult family dynamics and how unresolved resentment and grief can fracture relationships was raw.
Although told within a political context, I loved how the author kept it a social story of the impact of war, people’s weariness of it and ultimately how women always have to pick up the awful pieces cast by angry and ambitious men.
Isobel was possibly my favourite character and I loved the journey she went on from meek, isolated wife to community supporter, nurse and spy. She brought to life the changing role that women went through during this era and how much agency they could wield. Loved the forbidden romance and exploration of gender throughout too.
The ending was subtle and beautiful and made me hug my kindle to my chest.
A fantastic piece of historical fiction with themes of grief, community, gender, impact of war, redemption and forgiveness.
No notes. Thank you to the author, publisher & NetGalley for this ARC.
March 27, 2026
When We Were Divided is historical fiction set in 17th-century Yorkshire during the English Civil War. The story follows two sisters, Jane and Isabel, whose lives are pulled apart as war, plague, and religious division seep into daily life. One sister remains close to home, weighed down by responsibility and loss, while the other takes a far more dangerous path shaped by secrecy and constant risk.
I did find it a little difficult to get to grips with the characters at first, and could have used more grounding in the historical context early on. The world Flanagan is building is rich, but it takes a moment to settle in; for a while I felt like I was playing catch-up. Once everything clicked, though, the story opened up for me, and I became much more invested in the characters and their choices.
Running alongside the sisters’ story is Kit, whose life is abruptly overturned, forcing a disguise and a life on the move. Kit hasn’t had the same wealth and opportunities as the sisters, so this storyline is full of vulnerability and shows how war reshapes identity, especially for those with no control over the forces shaping them. The threads gradually weave together subtly and believably.
Set against the civil war, the plot focuses on everyday survival rather than battlefield drama. All three protagonists navigate suspicion and fear, with dangers felt rather than seen. I did spot the central ‘secret’ early on, but instead of spoiling anything, it heightened my engagement. Knowing where things might head made me more curious about how the truth would come out and the consequences.
The writing is gentle and honest, especially when it comes to family, loyalty, and the messy choices people have to make. Jane and Isabel feel shaped as much by circumstance as by choice, and once I got to know them, the distance between them really hit me. It’s less about big battles and more about the small, impossible choices people make to survive. It’s about resilience, kindness, and how war touches even the everyday moments.
I did find it a little difficult to get to grips with the characters at first, and could have used more grounding in the historical context early on. The world Flanagan is building is rich, but it takes a moment to settle in; for a while I felt like I was playing catch-up. Once everything clicked, though, the story opened up for me, and I became much more invested in the characters and their choices.
Running alongside the sisters’ story is Kit, whose life is abruptly overturned, forcing a disguise and a life on the move. Kit hasn’t had the same wealth and opportunities as the sisters, so this storyline is full of vulnerability and shows how war reshapes identity, especially for those with no control over the forces shaping them. The threads gradually weave together subtly and believably.
Set against the civil war, the plot focuses on everyday survival rather than battlefield drama. All three protagonists navigate suspicion and fear, with dangers felt rather than seen. I did spot the central ‘secret’ early on, but instead of spoiling anything, it heightened my engagement. Knowing where things might head made me more curious about how the truth would come out and the consequences.
The writing is gentle and honest, especially when it comes to family, loyalty, and the messy choices people have to make. Jane and Isabel feel shaped as much by circumstance as by choice, and once I got to know them, the distance between them really hit me. It’s less about big battles and more about the small, impossible choices people make to survive. It’s about resilience, kindness, and how war touches even the everyday moments.
January 17, 2026
Gorgeously written and meticulously researched, you will need a box of tissues by your side.
February 21, 2026
After the plague claims several members of their family, Jane and Isabel find themselves maintaining a wary sibling relationship. When the Civil War begins they find themselves on different sides and this will effect their lives and their relationship further. Kit's brother is killed just as he is about to enlist so Kit takes his place, finding friendship but hiding a huge secret.
I really liked the setting of this book in the upper reaches of the Calder Valley as it is an area I know well and is one rich in history. The story itself is OK but the way that loyalties play on the women is the real focus and this is handled really well. Both sisters have three-dimensional personalities and the minor characters are drawn carefully. Overall it's a solid enough historical novel with some really good features.
I really liked the setting of this book in the upper reaches of the Calder Valley as it is an area I know well and is one rich in history. The story itself is OK but the way that loyalties play on the women is the real focus and this is handled really well. Both sisters have three-dimensional personalities and the minor characters are drawn carefully. Overall it's a solid enough historical novel with some really good features.
March 2, 2026
When We Were Divided is set during the English Civil War and shows how the community in a small village ends up fighting against one another as they take sides on what they believe is right. Sisters Jane and Isabel are already at odds due to family tragedy that they can’t seem to get past, but the war has now put them on different sides of the battle and there seems little chance of them ever getting back the closeness they once shared.
The story is told from the viewpoints of both Jane and Isabel and a third person Kit who has secrets of his own that if discovered would not end well. Each one of them is trying to make the best of the situation they find themselves in. Jane is worried about her only son who has signed up to fight for what he believes in. After losing several other children to health issues she has spent her life trying to keep him safe as she doesn’t want to lose him. Isabel is sure that what she believes is right, but she is also fighting a battle closer to home in the form of her overbearing stepson who sees her as a poor replacement for his mother and resents her presence in his home. Kit has taken the place of his brother who died unexpectedly leaving him without a way of supporting himself. With no living relatives he sees going to war as his only option.
The chapters that focus on Jane and Isabel are slower paced as with this time in history women were expected to take no part in anything but be there to support their husbands and sons. I did like Isabel’s feistiness where this was concerned however as she was determined that she would get involved one way or another and hang the possible danger. I think there was an element of it annoying her stepson with her actions that fuelled some of her decisions. Kits story was heartbreaking when you finally got to understand the true depths of his secret but the acceptance from those closest to him and his ultimate sacrifice to ensure their safety really showed the impact of what they were all encountering.
The emotions in this book flow over every page and Liz Flanagan has captured a time when family and close friends can suddenly become your enemy at a moment’s notice and you are never sure who you can trust. Showing the human cost to such a war and trying to see how people can get past the actions taken as they find common ground this book is one that will interest historical fiction lovers. This is the first book I have read by this author, and I look forward to more from them.
The story is told from the viewpoints of both Jane and Isabel and a third person Kit who has secrets of his own that if discovered would not end well. Each one of them is trying to make the best of the situation they find themselves in. Jane is worried about her only son who has signed up to fight for what he believes in. After losing several other children to health issues she has spent her life trying to keep him safe as she doesn’t want to lose him. Isabel is sure that what she believes is right, but she is also fighting a battle closer to home in the form of her overbearing stepson who sees her as a poor replacement for his mother and resents her presence in his home. Kit has taken the place of his brother who died unexpectedly leaving him without a way of supporting himself. With no living relatives he sees going to war as his only option.
The chapters that focus on Jane and Isabel are slower paced as with this time in history women were expected to take no part in anything but be there to support their husbands and sons. I did like Isabel’s feistiness where this was concerned however as she was determined that she would get involved one way or another and hang the possible danger. I think there was an element of it annoying her stepson with her actions that fuelled some of her decisions. Kits story was heartbreaking when you finally got to understand the true depths of his secret but the acceptance from those closest to him and his ultimate sacrifice to ensure their safety really showed the impact of what they were all encountering.
The emotions in this book flow over every page and Liz Flanagan has captured a time when family and close friends can suddenly become your enemy at a moment’s notice and you are never sure who you can trust. Showing the human cost to such a war and trying to see how people can get past the actions taken as they find common ground this book is one that will interest historical fiction lovers. This is the first book I have read by this author, and I look forward to more from them.
September 18, 2025
Though well written and with believable and interesting characters, the first 70% of this book is relentlessly bleak and depressing. Everyone leads lives of hardship and pain, both emotional and physical. The latter 30% gets more interesting and complex (though still peppered with horrors), with shifts and changes in attitudes and lives, but I’m not sure many would plough through more than two thirds of a book to find it. I’m sure the author has researched the time well, and that it’s historically accurate, but the story would have benefited from a greater interspersing of connection and achievement. I’ve lived in Yorkshire, and know all the areas included. It does have a certain harshness about it, its history is peppered with difficult times. But it is also stunningly beautiful, the people down to earth with a good sense of community. I can’t help feeling that the focus on anguish and distress has made this story less, not more engaging. It’s certainly not bedtime reading, and I would advise against reading it if you’re sensitive, depressed or anxious. Both ‘sides’ are destructive and all suffer. Both think they’re right but neither are. The author acknowledges this herself. In some ways it reminds me of how things are now. Maybe for that reason alone it’s too much. Usually fiction (which this is, despite describing a period of time that took place) takes the opposite stance of the time. When things are good dark stories abound, and when it’s tough they’re often more uplifting. The characters kept me reading, but it was a struggle I’d rather not have had to endure. Though written hauntingly and with skill, the endless anguish was just too much.
November 25, 2025
When We Were Divided is one of those stories that quietly gets under your skin and then refuses to leave.
Liz Flanagan has crafted a beautiful, tender, and deeply human historical fiction.. the kind that feels both sweeping and intimate at once.
Set in Yorkshire in 1643, against the backdrop of civil war and plague, this book follows three characters whose lives gradually weave together in the most heartbreaking and hopeful ways. Sisters Jane and Isabel are pulled apart not only by war, but by grief, secrets, and the very different paths they’re forced to walk.
And then there’s Kit, starving, desperate, and reinventing himself in a world where survival often means becoming someone else entirely. His storyline absolutely broke me.
I loved how this book explores family bonds, political conflict, forbidden love, and the quiet bravery of ordinary people trying to live through extraordinary times.
The atmosphere is rich, the emotions raw, and the writing beautifully measured never overly dramatic, but piercing in just the right places.
A beautiful and haunting read that will stay with me for a long time.
Liz Flanagan has crafted a beautiful, tender, and deeply human historical fiction.. the kind that feels both sweeping and intimate at once.
Set in Yorkshire in 1643, against the backdrop of civil war and plague, this book follows three characters whose lives gradually weave together in the most heartbreaking and hopeful ways. Sisters Jane and Isabel are pulled apart not only by war, but by grief, secrets, and the very different paths they’re forced to walk.
And then there’s Kit, starving, desperate, and reinventing himself in a world where survival often means becoming someone else entirely. His storyline absolutely broke me.
I loved how this book explores family bonds, political conflict, forbidden love, and the quiet bravery of ordinary people trying to live through extraordinary times.
The atmosphere is rich, the emotions raw, and the writing beautifully measured never overly dramatic, but piercing in just the right places.
A beautiful and haunting read that will stay with me for a long time.
October 4, 2025
This book is an absolute delight - both engaging and heartrending. The English Civil War is a historical period of which I know very little but Liz's gorgeously descriptive writing is so vivid, immersive and yet relatable that I was able to visualise every detail without once feeling that I was being educated. Every sentence is a joy - well crafted and word perfect. If you enjoy Hilary Mantel but wish her writing was more accessible, you will adore this.
Thank you so much to Liz Flanagan and Fox and Ink Books for the early read.
Thank you so much to Liz Flanagan and Fox and Ink Books for the early read.
March 1, 2026
I thoroughly enjoyed this story of a family torn apart by misunderstandings and un spoken feelings. It is beautifully written,the language is lyrical and rhythmic and the three voices distinctive. Above all it captured the devastating horror of living through a war that divides families, friends and neighbours and the choices people make. But if I’m being honest I didn’t need the romantic twist, which for me I found a little contrived…..
March 8, 2026
A moving and exquisitely-told story with jump-off-the-page characters and grounded in an extraordinary, visceral sense of place. The author wears her clearly considerable knowledge of the historical period lightly, opening a window for us into women’s worlds of the time. But the main joy of this book lies in the quiet restraint through which the emotional lives of the main characters are brought to life, and our journey with them through loss, uncertainty and new possibilities.
January 22, 2026
I haven't read many books about the civil war but was intrigued to read this one. Telling the story of two sisters who are on opposite sides . Well their husbands are, one for the king and one for parliament. It's a story of war, family, community, gender and love. It has some interesting characters and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them. All in all a good book.
March 11, 2026
DNF Having heard the author talk about the amount of research she did I really wanted to like this book, unfortunately I just found it intensely irritating. I made it to Part 2 thinking it would get better. It didn't. There is some historical content but it is lost amongst the fluff and almost every paragraph is someone whinging or pining. I just despaired. Such a shame.
March 13, 2026
Inspired by the beautiful landscape of her hometown and voracious reading, Liz Flanagan is a novelist from Hebden Bridge. Her work ranges from historical fiction to fast-paced YA fiction and children's fantasy adventures; her newest book is set in civil war-ravaged Yorkshire in 1643, as we follow the story of how the conflict has transformed the lives of three people, exploring the divide between Royalists and Parliamentarians.
Shattered by loss, twelve years after the plague, Jane reluctantly waves her last surviving son, Ned, off to fight for King Charles I. Her sister, Isabel, is galvanised by the rebel resistance, with consequences that may prove dangerous for Jane, and is shadowed by disparaging rumours of her being a witch. Meanwhile, desperate and starving, Kit is taking on the alias of their dead brother to fight in the King’s Army; here, Kit discovers friendship, hope, and love even in the most perilous of circumstances. Divided by plague, war, and secrets, will turmoil further polarise the family, leaving perpetual divergence, or will love prevail, as lives become entwined and altered forever?
When We Were Divided is an extensively researched, evocative piece of historical fiction that explores themes of grief, gender, community, and the detrimental impacts of war. Through immersive descriptions, palpable tensions, and raw emotions, Flanagan has seamlessly woven together three perspectives, all of whom carry harrowing challenges during a turbulent period of English history.
Shattered by loss, twelve years after the plague, Jane reluctantly waves her last surviving son, Ned, off to fight for King Charles I. Her sister, Isabel, is galvanised by the rebel resistance, with consequences that may prove dangerous for Jane, and is shadowed by disparaging rumours of her being a witch. Meanwhile, desperate and starving, Kit is taking on the alias of their dead brother to fight in the King’s Army; here, Kit discovers friendship, hope, and love even in the most perilous of circumstances. Divided by plague, war, and secrets, will turmoil further polarise the family, leaving perpetual divergence, or will love prevail, as lives become entwined and altered forever?
When We Were Divided is an extensively researched, evocative piece of historical fiction that explores themes of grief, gender, community, and the detrimental impacts of war. Through immersive descriptions, palpable tensions, and raw emotions, Flanagan has seamlessly woven together three perspectives, all of whom carry harrowing challenges during a turbulent period of English history.
March 14, 2026
A decent novel. Felt a bit too long, but it picked up the pace towards the end, with some lovely passages as the sisters reframed their relationship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2025
A soppy slab of historical fiction. I haven't read many books set during the Civil War, but frankly, the machinations of war get sidelined from around two-thirds in, as the characters start making cow eyes at each other while telling the reader their every feeling before reciting them aloud. If you found yourself on holiday, needing a book and there was nothing else to read, this would do, but there really are better books to spend your time with.
Edited to remove a star, because it makes me scowl whenever I think of it.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the free copy.
Edited to remove a star, because it makes me scowl whenever I think of it.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the free copy.
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