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Far Away
A tale of grief, survival and the inescapability of the past.
In an Italian prison camp in the summer of 1942, British officers captured in Africa are starving. It is in these unpromising circumstances that two men, Michael Armstrong and Harry Maynard, first meet. Before the war, Michael, the son of a Norfolk teacher, was expected to embark on a glittering career in law. Harry is the son of a Hull tram conductor. To relieve the boredom of captivity, Michael suggest that they write together. Initially dismissive, Harry finally agrees and the two men begin to write side by side in the same notebooks.
While Michael produces an autobiographical account of his war, Harry writes a fairytale about an orphan girl, Pelliger, who is raised by crows and longs to fly. Centring around her quest for identity, he writes about the most powerful human impulse of longing for love.
Many years later, Michael’s son, Ian, is selling his father’s house and stumbles across his wartime notebooks. His dad never spoke about the war but now Ian finds himself encountering a father he never knew. At a charity lunch, Ian meets Rose, Harry’s elderly sister, and her daughter, Clare. Rose identifies Harry as the writer of the fairytale and explains that she longs to find out what happened to her brother, as he never returned home from Italy. She later confides in Ian about her brief encounter with Michael, which led to the birth of Clare. After learning the truth, Ian and Clare decide to travel to Italy to try and solve the puzzle of what really happened to Harry...
Far Away paints a vivid and compelling picture of the lives of POWs in Italy and also the lives of the Italians who risked everything to save them. This book will appeal to fans of historical fiction, particularly those with an interest in World War II.
In an Italian prison camp in the summer of 1942, British officers captured in Africa are starving. It is in these unpromising circumstances that two men, Michael Armstrong and Harry Maynard, first meet. Before the war, Michael, the son of a Norfolk teacher, was expected to embark on a glittering career in law. Harry is the son of a Hull tram conductor. To relieve the boredom of captivity, Michael suggest that they write together. Initially dismissive, Harry finally agrees and the two men begin to write side by side in the same notebooks.
While Michael produces an autobiographical account of his war, Harry writes a fairytale about an orphan girl, Pelliger, who is raised by crows and longs to fly. Centring around her quest for identity, he writes about the most powerful human impulse of longing for love.
Many years later, Michael’s son, Ian, is selling his father’s house and stumbles across his wartime notebooks. His dad never spoke about the war but now Ian finds himself encountering a father he never knew. At a charity lunch, Ian meets Rose, Harry’s elderly sister, and her daughter, Clare. Rose identifies Harry as the writer of the fairytale and explains that she longs to find out what happened to her brother, as he never returned home from Italy. She later confides in Ian about her brief encounter with Michael, which led to the birth of Clare. After learning the truth, Ian and Clare decide to travel to Italy to try and solve the puzzle of what really happened to Harry...
Far Away paints a vivid and compelling picture of the lives of POWs in Italy and also the lives of the Italians who risked everything to save them. This book will appeal to fans of historical fiction, particularly those with an interest in World War II.
300 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2015
11 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Blake
8 books4 followersI was born and brought up in Oxford and went to college in the same city, studying history. Subsequently I worked in law, book selling and publishing before becoming a writer.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 15, 2015
What do you really know about your parents past?
In this excellent World War 2 tale Victoria Blake has put together a moving and powerful story of friendship, survival and parents. It is beautifully written.
Initially set in an Italian prison camp in the summer of 1942, Michael and Harry, two men from very different backgrounds meet. Bored by months and years of captivity, one of them suggests that they write side by side in the same notebooks.
One produces an autobiographical account of his war but the other writes a fairytale about an orphan girl raised by crows.
Many years later, Michael’s son stumbles across his dead father's wartime notebooks which leads to him to learning much more about his father and Harry.
Far Away portrays a well researched and compelling view into the lives of POWs in Italy, but more than that it asks many questions about friendship and family.
I'm sure this book will appeal to fans of World War 2 fiction and particularly all those who left it too late to ask their fathers what really happened to them during World War 2.
I received this book for free from ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
In this excellent World War 2 tale Victoria Blake has put together a moving and powerful story of friendship, survival and parents. It is beautifully written.
Initially set in an Italian prison camp in the summer of 1942, Michael and Harry, two men from very different backgrounds meet. Bored by months and years of captivity, one of them suggests that they write side by side in the same notebooks.
One produces an autobiographical account of his war but the other writes a fairytale about an orphan girl raised by crows.
Many years later, Michael’s son stumbles across his dead father's wartime notebooks which leads to him to learning much more about his father and Harry.
Far Away portrays a well researched and compelling view into the lives of POWs in Italy, but more than that it asks many questions about friendship and family.
I'm sure this book will appeal to fans of World War 2 fiction and particularly all those who left it too late to ask their fathers what really happened to them during World War 2.
I received this book for free from ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
January 29, 2017
A wonderful book that builds layer upon layer of stories. Based on the true story of the author's father's experiences as a Prisoner of War in Italy, the picture of day to day life as a POW that the author creates is vivid, touching and often terrible. But this isn't only a story of the experience of camp life, but of the power of storytelling to transcend experiences. While in the camp, Michael and Harry write - Michael's story is factual, Harry's is a fairy tale. Both stories are woven into the story of their day to day experiences and that of Michael's son years later. I was immediately drawn to the characters, particularly Harry, and quickly became immersed in their world and their stories. I loved the fairy tale that Harry wrote, which would make a great book on its own. I've never read a book like this and though I wouldn't normally be attracted to the subject material, I'm very glad I was, because this was an amazing book that I'm still thinking about now.
August 31, 2015
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Skillfully written and expressed, this book held my interest from page one. The bond between two men is forged in POW camps and escape attempts in wartime Italy. How each one escaped the deprivations of these camps through their writing is woven into the story, as well as the fates of their families. The bravery of the Italian families that helped these men is incalculable and beyond words. Ms. Blake is a masterful, accomplished writer and I recommend this book.
Skillfully written and expressed, this book held my interest from page one. The bond between two men is forged in POW camps and escape attempts in wartime Italy. How each one escaped the deprivations of these camps through their writing is woven into the story, as well as the fates of their families. The bravery of the Italian families that helped these men is incalculable and beyond words. Ms. Blake is a masterful, accomplished writer and I recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews