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We've Come to Take You Home
"A stirring reminder of the horrors of war and a distinctive take on the timelessness of love." - Kirkus Reviews
It is April 1916 and thousands of men have left home to fight in the war to end all wars. Jessica Brown's father is about to be one of these men. A year later, he is still alive, but Jess has to steal to keep her family from starving. And then a telegram arrives - her father has been killed in action.
Four generations later, Sam Foster's father is admitted to hospital with a suspected brain haemorrhage. A nurse asks if she would like to take her father’s hand. Sam refuses. All she wants is to get out of this place, stuck between the world of the living and the world of the dead, a place with no hope and no future, as quickly as possible.
As Sam's father's condition worsens, her dreams become more frequent - and more frightening. She realises that what she is experiencing is not a dream, but someone else's living nightmare...
We've Come to Take You Home is an emotionally-charged story of a friendship forged 100 years apart.
“As Sam’s story collides with the past, the novel slowly becomes whole, leading to an eloquent and moving ending” – Kirkus Reviews
‘Powerful, intelligent and moving, a very assured and intricately plotted debut novel, with a great sense of place.’
Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect
'Susan Gandar's story bridges different times, different worlds, with energy, drive and elegance. She writes with a sense of subtle wonder that her characters share with the reader, but the real mystery, as in all good storytelling, is timeless; how we live, how we love, and above all who we really are. A great read.'
Michael Russell, author of 'The City of Shadows’ and ‘The City of Strangers’
‘Couldn’t put it down!’
Clara Salaman, author of ‘Shame on You’ and ‘The Boat’
It is April 1916 and thousands of men have left home to fight in the war to end all wars. Jessica Brown's father is about to be one of these men. A year later, he is still alive, but Jess has to steal to keep her family from starving. And then a telegram arrives - her father has been killed in action.
Four generations later, Sam Foster's father is admitted to hospital with a suspected brain haemorrhage. A nurse asks if she would like to take her father’s hand. Sam refuses. All she wants is to get out of this place, stuck between the world of the living and the world of the dead, a place with no hope and no future, as quickly as possible.
As Sam's father's condition worsens, her dreams become more frequent - and more frightening. She realises that what she is experiencing is not a dream, but someone else's living nightmare...
We've Come to Take You Home is an emotionally-charged story of a friendship forged 100 years apart.
“As Sam’s story collides with the past, the novel slowly becomes whole, leading to an eloquent and moving ending” – Kirkus Reviews
‘Powerful, intelligent and moving, a very assured and intricately plotted debut novel, with a great sense of place.’
Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect
'Susan Gandar's story bridges different times, different worlds, with energy, drive and elegance. She writes with a sense of subtle wonder that her characters share with the reader, but the real mystery, as in all good storytelling, is timeless; how we live, how we love, and above all who we really are. A great read.'
Michael Russell, author of 'The City of Shadows’ and ‘The City of Strangers’
‘Couldn’t put it down!’
Clara Salaman, author of ‘Shame on You’ and ‘The Boat’
300 pages, Paperback
Published March 28, 2016
2 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
June 24, 2017
I am writing this now with tears rolling down my face as I have just finished the last sentence of this beautifully heartbreaking story. There are so many stunning components in this novel that combine to make it truly spectacular - the rich detail of both past and present, the compelling characters that you long to help, and the depth of emotion that will make you ache, naming just a few.
It is the First World War and Jessica Brown's life can be neatly split into two parts - before the war when she was blissfully happy, growing up surrounded by the love of her parents and her little brother with little to worry her, and life since the war began, changing everything for her in the harshest of ways. But even during this desolate time, tiny fragments of happiness begin to shine through, but can they last...
In the present day, Sam Foster's life is turned upside down when her father is involved in a serious accident. Terrified of what the future may hold, Sam struggles to remain calm, and to make things more complicated, she keeps finding herself slipping into the dreams of another person's life and memories without her control. With fear for her father and what is happening to herself, can Sam find a way to figure out what these messages are trying to tell her?
WE'VE COME TO TAKE YOU HOME by Susan Gandar is a thought-provoking story of love, despair, and hope, and I read this book in two hours as I could not put it down. The harsh reality of war, poverty, and life at that time for so many, is effortlessly woven into this tale, and my eyes teared up as the descriptive narrative made it all come alive. And the last line left me blubbering like a baby! All of the characters are expertly crafted but Jessica was by far my favourite character as her strength and spirit shone through in every situation.
WE'VE COME TO TAKE YOU HOME by Susan Gandar is an excellent story, full of depth and emotion, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the author
It is the First World War and Jessica Brown's life can be neatly split into two parts - before the war when she was blissfully happy, growing up surrounded by the love of her parents and her little brother with little to worry her, and life since the war began, changing everything for her in the harshest of ways. But even during this desolate time, tiny fragments of happiness begin to shine through, but can they last...
In the present day, Sam Foster's life is turned upside down when her father is involved in a serious accident. Terrified of what the future may hold, Sam struggles to remain calm, and to make things more complicated, she keeps finding herself slipping into the dreams of another person's life and memories without her control. With fear for her father and what is happening to herself, can Sam find a way to figure out what these messages are trying to tell her?
WE'VE COME TO TAKE YOU HOME by Susan Gandar is a thought-provoking story of love, despair, and hope, and I read this book in two hours as I could not put it down. The harsh reality of war, poverty, and life at that time for so many, is effortlessly woven into this tale, and my eyes teared up as the descriptive narrative made it all come alive. And the last line left me blubbering like a baby! All of the characters are expertly crafted but Jessica was by far my favourite character as her strength and spirit shone through in every situation.
WE'VE COME TO TAKE YOU HOME by Susan Gandar is an excellent story, full of depth and emotion, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the author
March 29, 2018
A dual time line story of 2 15-year old girls living 100 years apart.
Jess's story is age-old, told many a time and nothing new is added in this book.
Sam's story is choppy and shallowly told. Her time-slips are sudden and embedded in her story. It takes a sentence or two to realize that the slip had occurred and we're in another time.
The details, pages and pages of them, are of everyday movements (she walked across the room, put on her jacket, picked up her keys.....etc).
I got this through BookBub and should have read the description on GR. This is a YA story and a choppy one at that. It was an easy read, though.
Jess's story is age-old, told many a time and nothing new is added in this book.
Sam's story is choppy and shallowly told. Her time-slips are sudden and embedded in her story. It takes a sentence or two to realize that the slip had occurred and we're in another time.
The details, pages and pages of them, are of everyday movements (she walked across the room, put on her jacket, picked up her keys.....etc).
I got this through BookBub and should have read the description on GR. This is a YA story and a choppy one at that. It was an easy read, though.
April 6, 2017
Two young women, Jess and Sam, live a century apart and yet are joined in ways they can’t possibly imagine.
Although We’ve Come To Take You Home has been sitting on my TBR pile for about a year, I hadn’t had chance to look at it in detail so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. What I found was a time slip novel that had me entranced throughout. I don’t always enjoy this kind of structure but I found the overlaps, Sam’s hallucinatory visions and the echoes of the past all so well written that I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
I really enjoyed the characterisation and although I felt more empathy towards Jess, I thought both women were warm and realistic people whom I cared about.
Susan Gandar has an evocative turn of phrase so that it was easy to visualise the grand house Jess finds herself in, the hospital setting and the horrors of the First World War. I thought history was brought to life highly effectively and vividly so that We’ve Come To Take You Home would definitely appeal to lovers of historical fiction.
However, We’ve Come To Take You Home is so much more than just an historical novel. There are many layers so that there really is something for every reader through the sociological and spiritual elements, the family relationships and our perception of what is true or imagined. I found that not only was I presented with an intriguing plot, but with some challenging concepts that made me question my own views. I’m not especially spiritual but I was very entertained by those aspects in the novel and let’s just say that next time I’m at an airport I shall scrutinise the departure boards very carefully!
We’ve Come To Take You Home is a hugely satisfying read. It made me think, it entertained and educated me and it took me away from the writing I usually read. Ultimately, I found We’ve Come To Take You Home an uplifting read. Great stuff.
Although We’ve Come To Take You Home has been sitting on my TBR pile for about a year, I hadn’t had chance to look at it in detail so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. What I found was a time slip novel that had me entranced throughout. I don’t always enjoy this kind of structure but I found the overlaps, Sam’s hallucinatory visions and the echoes of the past all so well written that I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
I really enjoyed the characterisation and although I felt more empathy towards Jess, I thought both women were warm and realistic people whom I cared about.
Susan Gandar has an evocative turn of phrase so that it was easy to visualise the grand house Jess finds herself in, the hospital setting and the horrors of the First World War. I thought history was brought to life highly effectively and vividly so that We’ve Come To Take You Home would definitely appeal to lovers of historical fiction.
However, We’ve Come To Take You Home is so much more than just an historical novel. There are many layers so that there really is something for every reader through the sociological and spiritual elements, the family relationships and our perception of what is true or imagined. I found that not only was I presented with an intriguing plot, but with some challenging concepts that made me question my own views. I’m not especially spiritual but I was very entertained by those aspects in the novel and let’s just say that next time I’m at an airport I shall scrutinise the departure boards very carefully!
We’ve Come To Take You Home is a hugely satisfying read. It made me think, it entertained and educated me and it took me away from the writing I usually read. Ultimately, I found We’ve Come To Take You Home an uplifting read. Great stuff.
June 6, 2017
When I read the description for We've Come to Take You Home, I knew this was a book I wanted to read and I'm so grateful to Susan Gandar for sending me a copy in return for my review. After a brief but disturbing prologue the book opens in a familiar setting with a group of teenage girls meeting boys at a funfair, however, that rapidly changes when one of the girls, Sam experiences what can perhaps be best described as a time slip, and finds herself on a platform of a station in the past. These episodes occur throughout the book and Sam is much more than an observer as she sees what is happening through the eyes of the person involved. She is understandably confused and at this point so are we, this is a book that very gradually reveals the truth. After being introduced to Sam, the third person narrative switches to Jess, another teenage girl but one who is actually living in 1914. War has not long broken out and young men are being recruited to fight in a war they are told will be over by Christmas. With our benefit of hindsight of course we know that many of the men eagerly signing up are destined to never return or to come back irrevocably changed.
The chapters throughout the book switch between the two girls, separated by a century but somehow linked. Jess' story is so evocatively told, it's a poignant and bittersweet coming of age story and also a sharp reminder of the social inequalities that were still rife during that time. Her family are desperately poor and cruelly affected by the war. The village they live in is terribly poverty stricken, something we perhaps forget when we look back on that time.
Sam's story doesn't have the same desperate tragedy but is still an immersive look at a modern family who are experiencing their own trauma. Whilst the chapters featuring Jess are perhaps the more obviously heartrending, Sam's life is touchingly and empathetically followed. She may not experience the same dangers as Jess but she is still affected by dramatic and life-changing events that she needs to come to turns with. Both girls are forced to make brave decisions and in many ways we are reminded that no matter the circumstances love, fear, hope and grief affect us all. Dying is a constant theme throughout too, the horrors of war obviously but also more subtly, the quiet losses, the need to face up to and accept death. Ultimately it's a book about family, the ties that bind us and link us to the past.
I was so moved by this book, the mystery at the heart of it is beautifully and intricately explained. I really appreciated too that the reason for the bond between the two girls is something special, without giving anything away this book celebrates being different and accepting those differences. The characters are subtly and sympathetically brought to life, the switching narrative never less than compelling. I read it in a single setting as I was unable to tear myself away from this intelligent, thoughtful and cleverly plotted book. I knew it would be a book I would enjoy, I didn't realise it would be a novel that would touch me so deeply. I thoroughly recommend it.
The chapters throughout the book switch between the two girls, separated by a century but somehow linked. Jess' story is so evocatively told, it's a poignant and bittersweet coming of age story and also a sharp reminder of the social inequalities that were still rife during that time. Her family are desperately poor and cruelly affected by the war. The village they live in is terribly poverty stricken, something we perhaps forget when we look back on that time.
Sam's story doesn't have the same desperate tragedy but is still an immersive look at a modern family who are experiencing their own trauma. Whilst the chapters featuring Jess are perhaps the more obviously heartrending, Sam's life is touchingly and empathetically followed. She may not experience the same dangers as Jess but she is still affected by dramatic and life-changing events that she needs to come to turns with. Both girls are forced to make brave decisions and in many ways we are reminded that no matter the circumstances love, fear, hope and grief affect us all. Dying is a constant theme throughout too, the horrors of war obviously but also more subtly, the quiet losses, the need to face up to and accept death. Ultimately it's a book about family, the ties that bind us and link us to the past.
I was so moved by this book, the mystery at the heart of it is beautifully and intricately explained. I really appreciated too that the reason for the bond between the two girls is something special, without giving anything away this book celebrates being different and accepting those differences. The characters are subtly and sympathetically brought to life, the switching narrative never less than compelling. I read it in a single setting as I was unable to tear myself away from this intelligent, thoughtful and cleverly plotted book. I knew it would be a book I would enjoy, I didn't realise it would be a novel that would touch me so deeply. I thoroughly recommend it.
July 29, 2016
Every now and again I read a book that makes me feel so deeply it takes me a few days to move on from it, and it stays in my head (and my heart) for a long time. This is one of those books. For me, We’ve Come to Take You Home is an evocative and poignant portrayal of life during World War 1 and the links we have with our past and our ancestry.
I was immediately drawn to the book by the title and the cover. I can’t fully explain why, but something about them made me want to read this book.
Throughout the book we follow the lives of Sam, a teenager in present day and Jess, a teenager during World War 1. Told through third person narrative with chapters concentrating on one character, the reader is drawn in to the lives of both girls. You know that the two girls are inextricably linked despite being separated by life, death and time and this pulled me into the story further as I wanted to know what the connection was. As the book progressed I had an idea, however, the ending did not in any way disappoint. The parallels between Jess and Sam’s lives, while experienced differently, show us that our experiences are age old and transcend time.
Susan writes beautifully, with rich, vivid descriptions and touching prose. The horrors of World War 1, in particular for those left at home, jump out from the page;
‘The cottage was no longer a home: it was a tomb.’
It is written with great insight and it is clear that a lot of research was undertaken during the execution of this book. The emotions of those living through these experiences are felt by the reader intensely. The futility of their situation is heartrending. This is an extremely powerful read and during it I felt immense sadness. Susan writes in such a way that you cannot help but be affected by what is on the page. Jess’s tale is tragic and heart-breaking and throughout I was rooting for her.
Sam’s situation is also moving, just in a very different way. Her family are going through their own, more modern day difficulties. Sam’s is a story of self-discovery, learning to navigate through life, and the problems that can arise through the course of it and how the past actions of our forefathers impacts on the way we live today.
We’ve Come to Take You Home moved me profoundly. Beautifully written, heartbreaking and totally absorbing. I loved it. A perfect piece of historical fiction that will make you think and feel deeply. Very highly recommended.
Reviewed as part of the We've Come To Take You Home blog tour on http://www.bloominbrilliantbooks.com/ Visit to read a Q&A with Susan Gandar.
I was immediately drawn to the book by the title and the cover. I can’t fully explain why, but something about them made me want to read this book.
Throughout the book we follow the lives of Sam, a teenager in present day and Jess, a teenager during World War 1. Told through third person narrative with chapters concentrating on one character, the reader is drawn in to the lives of both girls. You know that the two girls are inextricably linked despite being separated by life, death and time and this pulled me into the story further as I wanted to know what the connection was. As the book progressed I had an idea, however, the ending did not in any way disappoint. The parallels between Jess and Sam’s lives, while experienced differently, show us that our experiences are age old and transcend time.
Susan writes beautifully, with rich, vivid descriptions and touching prose. The horrors of World War 1, in particular for those left at home, jump out from the page;
‘The cottage was no longer a home: it was a tomb.’
It is written with great insight and it is clear that a lot of research was undertaken during the execution of this book. The emotions of those living through these experiences are felt by the reader intensely. The futility of their situation is heartrending. This is an extremely powerful read and during it I felt immense sadness. Susan writes in such a way that you cannot help but be affected by what is on the page. Jess’s tale is tragic and heart-breaking and throughout I was rooting for her.
Sam’s situation is also moving, just in a very different way. Her family are going through their own, more modern day difficulties. Sam’s is a story of self-discovery, learning to navigate through life, and the problems that can arise through the course of it and how the past actions of our forefathers impacts on the way we live today.
We’ve Come to Take You Home moved me profoundly. Beautifully written, heartbreaking and totally absorbing. I loved it. A perfect piece of historical fiction that will make you think and feel deeply. Very highly recommended.
Reviewed as part of the We've Come To Take You Home blog tour on http://www.bloominbrilliantbooks.com/ Visit to read a Q&A with Susan Gandar.
February 27, 2017
‘Sam expected to see the lights on the promenade twinkling off into the distance, the wings of the angel statue silhouetted against the moonlit sky, the cliffs standing sentinel at either end of the town.
But what she expected no longer existed’
We’ve Come To Take You Home is the debut novel from Susan Gandar. Published by Matador in 2016, it is a novel spanning generations, a book of historical fiction with a dual timeline.
Quite a fascinating and poignant read…please read on for my thoughts..
I started and finished this book in one day which says a lot about how I feel about Susan Gandar’s writing.
We’ve Come To Take You Home is a very unusual story with a rather ‘other worldly’ twist.
April 1916 ~ Jessica Brown’s father leaves to fight in the trenches of World War 1. With descriptions reminiscent of Sebastian Faulks Birdsong, tears came to my eyes as I felt like I was reliving a time that no one should ever forget.
‘The sea of mud wasn’t that at all. It was a sea of blood and bones. There were arms, legs, heads and hands, layer upon layer of them. And the blood and the bones weren’t all dead. Some were alive and still suffering. Their cries rose up all around her’
Jessica and her family suffer the effects of deprivation associated with war. Food shortages, no fuel, dark cold winters and no sign of this nightmare coming to an end.
Jessica, with the assistance of her mother finds work in a big house in London and through Jessica’s eyes we hear and feel the sounds of the city
‘Cars and horses pulling carts, and strange looking things which looked like very tall cars…and she’d never heard so much noise…iron-shod wheels going over stone cobbles made enough noise to waken the dead’
Jessica begins a solitary journey as a general servant in a house that has seen the devastation that war can bring. A fast learner, Jessica soon settles down to a routine, albeit a very difficult one. As time passes, Jessica adapts to life in London as the war continues, but circumstances lead Jessica down a very unexpected and tragic path.
Through Susan Gandar’s style of writing, you feel you are journeying with Jessica. Every smile, every tear shed stays with you.
Meanwhile, Sam Foster is living a very different life over 100 years later. Residing in a household that is struggling with problems, Sam feels stuck between her parents rows. Her Dad, a pilot, is away quite often and Sam’s mother is unable to cope with his continuous absences.
Growing up an only child, Sam had always sought the company of her imaginary friends. Her parents were concerned when she was younger, but as the years moved on, Sam no longer felt the presence of her special friends.
An accident involving her Dad results in Sam’s life changing forever.
The story of Sam and Jessica is beautiful. Two girls in two different centuries become intertwined as this book unravels it’s secrets.
The reader is sensitively transported from the trenches of World War 1 to the wards of a modern day hospital.
We’ve Come To Take You Home is a very poignant and beautiful read about discovering past secrets and finding yourself along the way.
I really enjoyed Susan’s book and look forward to her next novel which I have no doubt will be just as special.
Just a quick mention about the cover – it is so very striking. It portrays the trenches of the war with the red of the poppy flowers peeking out, as a young girl’s head is lowered in obvious grief. It definitely catches the eye of the prospective reader.
But what she expected no longer existed’
We’ve Come To Take You Home is the debut novel from Susan Gandar. Published by Matador in 2016, it is a novel spanning generations, a book of historical fiction with a dual timeline.
Quite a fascinating and poignant read…please read on for my thoughts..
I started and finished this book in one day which says a lot about how I feel about Susan Gandar’s writing.
We’ve Come To Take You Home is a very unusual story with a rather ‘other worldly’ twist.
April 1916 ~ Jessica Brown’s father leaves to fight in the trenches of World War 1. With descriptions reminiscent of Sebastian Faulks Birdsong, tears came to my eyes as I felt like I was reliving a time that no one should ever forget.
‘The sea of mud wasn’t that at all. It was a sea of blood and bones. There were arms, legs, heads and hands, layer upon layer of them. And the blood and the bones weren’t all dead. Some were alive and still suffering. Their cries rose up all around her’
Jessica and her family suffer the effects of deprivation associated with war. Food shortages, no fuel, dark cold winters and no sign of this nightmare coming to an end.
Jessica, with the assistance of her mother finds work in a big house in London and through Jessica’s eyes we hear and feel the sounds of the city
‘Cars and horses pulling carts, and strange looking things which looked like very tall cars…and she’d never heard so much noise…iron-shod wheels going over stone cobbles made enough noise to waken the dead’
Jessica begins a solitary journey as a general servant in a house that has seen the devastation that war can bring. A fast learner, Jessica soon settles down to a routine, albeit a very difficult one. As time passes, Jessica adapts to life in London as the war continues, but circumstances lead Jessica down a very unexpected and tragic path.
Through Susan Gandar’s style of writing, you feel you are journeying with Jessica. Every smile, every tear shed stays with you.
Meanwhile, Sam Foster is living a very different life over 100 years later. Residing in a household that is struggling with problems, Sam feels stuck between her parents rows. Her Dad, a pilot, is away quite often and Sam’s mother is unable to cope with his continuous absences.
Growing up an only child, Sam had always sought the company of her imaginary friends. Her parents were concerned when she was younger, but as the years moved on, Sam no longer felt the presence of her special friends.
An accident involving her Dad results in Sam’s life changing forever.
The story of Sam and Jessica is beautiful. Two girls in two different centuries become intertwined as this book unravels it’s secrets.
The reader is sensitively transported from the trenches of World War 1 to the wards of a modern day hospital.
We’ve Come To Take You Home is a very poignant and beautiful read about discovering past secrets and finding yourself along the way.
I really enjoyed Susan’s book and look forward to her next novel which I have no doubt will be just as special.
Just a quick mention about the cover – it is so very striking. It portrays the trenches of the war with the red of the poppy flowers peeking out, as a young girl’s head is lowered in obvious grief. It definitely catches the eye of the prospective reader.
June 8, 2017
We've Come to Take You Home is a poignant read about family, history, war and reconnecting with your past to form your future. I had no idea of what to expect when I started to read this debut novel. Was it a love story? An historical read? The genre I find very hard to define, even now once I have read it, but I loved this book for its ghostly themes of love and the past, and strong female characters who both eloquently told their stories.
We've Come to Take You Home tells the story of two women, four generations apart. Although the stories appear to be separate, as I progressed through the book I realised that the two stories were linked in some way. Jess is living through the hardship of the First World War. Her father has been recently deployed and she needs to help support her mother and new baby brother. The depictions of war are harrowing and brutally honest. When Jess is forced to move to London to work as a maid of all jobs, my heart ached for her. She was thankful for a roof over her head and food in her belly, but at what cost? Was she truly living life?
We also read Sam's story, which is just as moving as Jess's, although in an entirely different way, there are similarities to what they are both going through. They are both young, they are having to adjust to life without a father, and they are both mature beyond their years. She lives in the present day with her mother and pilot dad. She has always seen things, people, that are not really there, and as we read her story , she shares with us the fact that she sees images of war. She sees war nurses attending the sick, the bombed out fields and the sick and dying soldiers. This happens to her without warning, she is simply sucked back in time, living via another person. This is obviously terrifying, but she keeps what she believes are visions to herself, as who would believe her? She has no idea why she sees such images, and neither do we.
This is such a clever story, and on paper you would think it could not possibly work. But, it does. Through both Sam and Jess we learn about what it must have been like for a normal, working class family to live through the hardship of war. Although this is the primary story, we also have Sam's struggle, in her trying to reunite her broken family. Her father is a pilot, and on the day that he leaves the family home, he is involved in an accident that leaves him in a coma. Sam has to deal with her father's critical condition, as well as having to learn to cope with the evolving relationship with her mother.
This is a deeply moving book about the horrors of war, about family and of the important bond between father and daughter. It is beautifully written and the ending couldn't have happened any other way. I highly recommend this novel and look forward to reading more work by Susan Gandar.
With thanks to the author who sent me a paperback copy for review purposes.
January 30, 2018
A beautifully written time-slip novel covering World War I and modern day. The level of research that Susan Gandar must have carried out in order to write the first period is really impressive. It was a heart-wrenching story, but with uplifting parts and an ending that was a satisfying as it was unexpected.
July 28, 2016
I truly love a novel that takes you back in time, to a place long before your own. In We've Come To Take You Home, Susan Gandar achieves a brilliant job of doing so.
Within this novel, the author introduces her readers to Samantha Foster and Jessica Brown. Living in completely different times, I loved picking up on the contrasts between the girls and accepting, not for the first time, how life was so very different back then. Gandar's descriptions and characterisation allowed me to summon up vividly in my mind the settings and characters on the page, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading as the characters' layers were stripped away and their separate circumstances began to take shape and form. I was eager to see how Gandar would lead her two characters towards each other, and really couldn't wait for this moment to take place.
Set amid war and devastation, this novel was packed with emotion, and it was powerful to experience war from a young girl's perspective. It was sad and really struck a chord with me. Gandar's emotional descriptions were spot-on and allowed me to take in these emotions as if they were my own. As the novel picked up and I was pulled further and further into this story, my eagerness to see how it would end was enough to have me racing through the final pages.
All in all, We've Come To Take You Home by Susan Gandar was a fabulously rich and captivating tale that I thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end. Becca's Books will be awarding this book with four cupcakes. Special thanks to Jenny from Neverland Blog Tours and the author Susan Gandar for providing me with a gorgeous proof copy of this book.
Within this novel, the author introduces her readers to Samantha Foster and Jessica Brown. Living in completely different times, I loved picking up on the contrasts between the girls and accepting, not for the first time, how life was so very different back then. Gandar's descriptions and characterisation allowed me to summon up vividly in my mind the settings and characters on the page, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading as the characters' layers were stripped away and their separate circumstances began to take shape and form. I was eager to see how Gandar would lead her two characters towards each other, and really couldn't wait for this moment to take place.
Set amid war and devastation, this novel was packed with emotion, and it was powerful to experience war from a young girl's perspective. It was sad and really struck a chord with me. Gandar's emotional descriptions were spot-on and allowed me to take in these emotions as if they were my own. As the novel picked up and I was pulled further and further into this story, my eagerness to see how it would end was enough to have me racing through the final pages.
All in all, We've Come To Take You Home by Susan Gandar was a fabulously rich and captivating tale that I thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end. Becca's Books will be awarding this book with four cupcakes. Special thanks to Jenny from Neverland Blog Tours and the author Susan Gandar for providing me with a gorgeous proof copy of this book.
March 29, 2016
I'd like to thank Netgalley and Cameron Publicity & Marketing Ltd for giving me the opportunity to read this.
While I tried as hard as I could to enjoy this book, I couldn't quite click with it and found I had to push myself to continue reading it. The book was written beautifully and the story is tragic and heart breaking but uplifting in its own sense, however it's not the sort of book I'd normally read.
I felt the description made this book feel more like a suspense novel, when really it was a tragic drama and in some aspects reminded me of Sarah Waters, The Paying Guests (another book I wasn't a fan of).
For me the story just didn't flow well enough. While I understood the plot and the connection of the two main characters there was still some aspect of it that I just didn't get. I felt as though some of the "big reveals" in this book were subtly skipped over to provide as little information about it as possible which made the big reveals not so big and a lot less exciting.
By the end of the novel I had lost the will to read this and really had to force myself to read the last couple of chapters. Towards the end of the book I began to lose track of the story, the two peoples lives merging into one.
While it may seem like all in doing is complaining, I still found this book interesting in the sense that it was very well written, the story was unique and I actually managed to get through it. I think this book would be excellent for drama and war genre lovers, but for me this lacked the excitement I'm used to in a book and so three stars is all I can give.
While I tried as hard as I could to enjoy this book, I couldn't quite click with it and found I had to push myself to continue reading it. The book was written beautifully and the story is tragic and heart breaking but uplifting in its own sense, however it's not the sort of book I'd normally read.
I felt the description made this book feel more like a suspense novel, when really it was a tragic drama and in some aspects reminded me of Sarah Waters, The Paying Guests (another book I wasn't a fan of).
For me the story just didn't flow well enough. While I understood the plot and the connection of the two main characters there was still some aspect of it that I just didn't get. I felt as though some of the "big reveals" in this book were subtly skipped over to provide as little information about it as possible which made the big reveals not so big and a lot less exciting.
By the end of the novel I had lost the will to read this and really had to force myself to read the last couple of chapters. Towards the end of the book I began to lose track of the story, the two peoples lives merging into one.
While it may seem like all in doing is complaining, I still found this book interesting in the sense that it was very well written, the story was unique and I actually managed to get through it. I think this book would be excellent for drama and war genre lovers, but for me this lacked the excitement I'm used to in a book and so three stars is all I can give.
May 5, 2017
If the first page of the book told the story, I would not be writing this review . With each page that I turned, I became more involved with both Sam and Jessie. The horror of war is told from a different perspective and holds the reader captive. To try to understand what the average working family went through , this book gives us a glimmer of insight. In 2015 I bought Andy Wards book about my hometown and the bitterness that developed between the people who did not serve during the first world war. Without giving any of the plot away I will say that the book is thought provoking and well worth reading
March 21, 2017
Sam sees things....not so much daydreams or visions but rather visions with feelings. She feels herself as the someone else she is seeing through the eyes of. And that's just it. She is not a bystander in her visions....she is the one that is in them. She is seeing everything through the eyes of the person involved. She sees things as they are real live events...morbid and tragic scene of death and destruction. At first I was confused on what I was reading. One minute she is with friends hanging out with some boys then something happens..she sees a different scene than what is actually before her. She does not know what to make of it. She is lost and confused..and in a sense it makes the reader a bit lost and confused with her. I don't know if that was the intended affect but for me it happened that way. We learn later the reason these visions are playing out as they are.
As the story unfolds...Sam's dad and mother are having a few marital issues. Sam's dad works as a pilot..and is in and out of the house a lot. I think there was a little more to it...but I can't remember right now. We learn that Sam has always had these strange ways...imaginary friends...and peculiar habits which may or may not tie into the whole vision stuff. Then while with her mother one day they discover that her father was in a serious accident. And although things did not appear bad at first...they got worse. There is a mystery behind this accident...another one of those things we learn at the end of the book. Which by the way...I love...because one has to read the entire book to discover the explanations to some of these mysteries and tie-ins.
So now for the other twist to this tale. Jess. A young girl of about 15, living in poverty with her father and mother and baby brother. The year is 1914. War is going on between France and England. Many men are forcefully serving..many men are dying. Then it's 1916 and the war is still going on. Men are still dying. Devastation is still everywhere...and all of that hits home when Jess' dad is forced to serve. Leaving mother and daughter and baby on their own...to fight for what little finances they can muster for survival. Life is grim and Jess does not know if she will ever see her father again.
Tragic and beautiful. Jess is sent away to work for a very rich family...The Major and his family to work as a maid in their mansion. The same family that Jess' mother worked before. Adjusting to life as a maid...and then she meets the Major's son, Tom, a young man much older than Jess, back from the war. At first she finds him odd...intimidating even...but things change. Another tale unfolds. Aaaaaaah.
We flip back and forth between stories. We go back and forth to the past and back to the future again. Sam and Jess...Jess and Sam. And then it all comes together in the end. GENIUS.
There was a book that I read by Alice Hoffman that I fell madly in love with a few years ago...The Marriage Of Opposites. This was as great as that book. Beautiful...bittersweet...full of despair and sadness but hope. Romance tickling at my back with every page turned. It took me a little more than a day to get through it because I kept giving myself excuses to staying sitting enjoying it. DID NOT WANT TO PUT IT DOWN.
Yes..read this book!! We've Come to Take You Home is one of those "fave" books that I will be recommending to anyone that wants to know what they should be reading next.
Thanks as always to the wonderful peeps over at goodreads and toSusan Gandar for my free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review to which I gladly and voluntarily gave. Also a big thanks for the fact that my copy is personally autographed and showed up to my doorstep quicker than what I was expecting.
As the story unfolds...Sam's dad and mother are having a few marital issues. Sam's dad works as a pilot..and is in and out of the house a lot. I think there was a little more to it...but I can't remember right now. We learn that Sam has always had these strange ways...imaginary friends...and peculiar habits which may or may not tie into the whole vision stuff. Then while with her mother one day they discover that her father was in a serious accident. And although things did not appear bad at first...they got worse. There is a mystery behind this accident...another one of those things we learn at the end of the book. Which by the way...I love...because one has to read the entire book to discover the explanations to some of these mysteries and tie-ins.
So now for the other twist to this tale. Jess. A young girl of about 15, living in poverty with her father and mother and baby brother. The year is 1914. War is going on between France and England. Many men are forcefully serving..many men are dying. Then it's 1916 and the war is still going on. Men are still dying. Devastation is still everywhere...and all of that hits home when Jess' dad is forced to serve. Leaving mother and daughter and baby on their own...to fight for what little finances they can muster for survival. Life is grim and Jess does not know if she will ever see her father again.
Tragic and beautiful. Jess is sent away to work for a very rich family...The Major and his family to work as a maid in their mansion. The same family that Jess' mother worked before. Adjusting to life as a maid...and then she meets the Major's son, Tom, a young man much older than Jess, back from the war. At first she finds him odd...intimidating even...but things change. Another tale unfolds. Aaaaaaah.
We flip back and forth between stories. We go back and forth to the past and back to the future again. Sam and Jess...Jess and Sam. And then it all comes together in the end. GENIUS.
There was a book that I read by Alice Hoffman that I fell madly in love with a few years ago...The Marriage Of Opposites. This was as great as that book. Beautiful...bittersweet...full of despair and sadness but hope. Romance tickling at my back with every page turned. It took me a little more than a day to get through it because I kept giving myself excuses to staying sitting enjoying it. DID NOT WANT TO PUT IT DOWN.
Yes..read this book!! We've Come to Take You Home is one of those "fave" books that I will be recommending to anyone that wants to know what they should be reading next.
Thanks as always to the wonderful peeps over at goodreads and toSusan Gandar for my free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review to which I gladly and voluntarily gave. Also a big thanks for the fact that my copy is personally autographed and showed up to my doorstep quicker than what I was expecting.
November 8, 2017
Although I feel that this book was probably aimed at a much younger audience, I really enjoyed it.
It is a well written yet easy to read novel about loss and the power of love, intertwining the lives of 2 teenagers, one in the present day and the second in WW1. The writing was sensitive and certainly stirred the emotions. Beautiful work.
It is a well written yet easy to read novel about loss and the power of love, intertwining the lives of 2 teenagers, one in the present day and the second in WW1. The writing was sensitive and certainly stirred the emotions. Beautiful work.
July 22, 2016
I was lucky enough to be offered this book to read, the cover is incredibly powerful and has an intensity that pulled me in. I admit I was attracted more to the war aspect, the first world war is fascinating on so many levels and I was curious how this would work in dual timelines.
Two young girls, separated by time .. Sam and Jess, their lives couldn’t be more different but there is a connection that pulls them together.
I absolutely adored the parts involving Jess, the graphic, cruel, heart-wrenching description of her life in service, the struggles she endured in all areas of her life. The background story of the war bubbling along in the background was incredibly well researched and delivered in a way that makes history captivating. The reader can almost smell and hear the atrocities happening. The decisions she was forced to consider made me want to weep.
While Sam had just as much impact on the book her life story seemed (in my opinion) to take a back seat, while it was all very cleverly woven in and thought out I never really connected with her like I did with Jess. I could sympathise with the situation with her father but got slightly confused as to the connections at times.
It was only when I got to the end and thought it through, everything slotted into place and it did actually show what a unique concept this was. I’m giving it 4 stars, and it would have got that on the Jess sections alone.
Many thanks to Susan and Neverland Blog Tours for the opportunity to read this.
Two young girls, separated by time .. Sam and Jess, their lives couldn’t be more different but there is a connection that pulls them together.
I absolutely adored the parts involving Jess, the graphic, cruel, heart-wrenching description of her life in service, the struggles she endured in all areas of her life. The background story of the war bubbling along in the background was incredibly well researched and delivered in a way that makes history captivating. The reader can almost smell and hear the atrocities happening. The decisions she was forced to consider made me want to weep.
While Sam had just as much impact on the book her life story seemed (in my opinion) to take a back seat, while it was all very cleverly woven in and thought out I never really connected with her like I did with Jess. I could sympathise with the situation with her father but got slightly confused as to the connections at times.
It was only when I got to the end and thought it through, everything slotted into place and it did actually show what a unique concept this was. I’m giving it 4 stars, and it would have got that on the Jess sections alone.
Many thanks to Susan and Neverland Blog Tours for the opportunity to read this.
September 4, 2020
This was a time slip novel with a difference. One period was set in 1914 at the outbreak of war; the other in modern day. The difference is that whilst Sam was living in the present, she kept seeing things from the past but couldn't understand what she was seeing. Jess meanwhile was living in the past.
I love these types of reads. It was an incredibly moving in parts and did make you think about what our young men went through during the war.
It was good how the author blended the past and the present together . I did however get confused sometimes, as although one chapter could be in the present and the next in the past, on several occasions the two would merge in the same chapter, and I found myself having to re-read chapters, which took away some of the enjoyment. The storyline though is well thought out and was an ok read.
I love these types of reads. It was an incredibly moving in parts and did make you think about what our young men went through during the war.
It was good how the author blended the past and the present together . I did however get confused sometimes, as although one chapter could be in the present and the next in the past, on several occasions the two would merge in the same chapter, and I found myself having to re-read chapters, which took away some of the enjoyment. The storyline though is well thought out and was an ok read.
February 7, 2017
We've Come to Take You Home was awarded with Chill with a Book - Book of the Year Award 2016
July 4, 2019
I really loved this book, it had so many elements to it, the horrors of the first world war interspersed with a modern day teenager having to deal with her father in intensive care, and the way it all came together at the end was brilliant.
March 4, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyable read - recommended for sure
July 27, 2016
Wonderfully written, intricately plotted and powerful, We’ve Come to Take You Home is a breathtaking tale of family, friendship and the ties that bind that is guaranteed to hold you spellbound!
In 1916, the Great War has transformed and blighted the lives of families everywhere. Pain, anguish and heartbreak are emotions every one is familiar with and the Brown family are certainly no strangers to such feelings of despair. Thousands of men have been slaughtered on foreign fields, leaving wives, mothers, daughters, sisters and sweethearts mourning their loss. Jessica’s father is about to join the legion of men doing their duty for king and country. Despite the odds, her father manages to stay alive for a year after fighting for his country on the front line, but life is anything but easy on the home front. With poverty a cruel reality for most families, Jessica must steal food in order to keep her family from starving. However, there are bigger tragedies to come for Jessica and her family when a telegram arrives declaring that her father has been killed in action.
Four generations later, Sam Foster is in intensive care after her father is admitted with a suspected brain haemorrhage. Sam wants to be as far away from that hospital room as possible. When she is asked by a nurse to take her father’s hand, she immediately refuses. Haunted by disturbing dreams and frightening visions, Sam wants to be free from the shackles of the horrific torment she has found herself in. However, when her dreams start getting even more vivid, she soon realises that she is trapped and experiencing somebody else’s living nightmare…
Will Sam ever be freed from this unsettling experience? Or will she be condemned to a lifetime of fear, evil and terror?
An intelligent, thought-provoking and compelling tale that grabs you by the throat from the very first line, We’ve Come to Take You Home is an astonishing tale that packs plenty of emotional punch. Susan Gandar is a talented storyteller who effortlessly juggles two narratives and the dual compelling stories will leave you enthralled, shocked, startled and astonished. Her ability for bringing the past to vivid life is effortless and her descriptions about life during the First World War are visceral and effective without resorting to melodrama or cliche.
A fantastic story that is as hard to put down as it is to forget, We’ve Come to Take You Home is a highly recommended tale from a very gifted and talented writer – Susan Gandar!
In 1916, the Great War has transformed and blighted the lives of families everywhere. Pain, anguish and heartbreak are emotions every one is familiar with and the Brown family are certainly no strangers to such feelings of despair. Thousands of men have been slaughtered on foreign fields, leaving wives, mothers, daughters, sisters and sweethearts mourning their loss. Jessica’s father is about to join the legion of men doing their duty for king and country. Despite the odds, her father manages to stay alive for a year after fighting for his country on the front line, but life is anything but easy on the home front. With poverty a cruel reality for most families, Jessica must steal food in order to keep her family from starving. However, there are bigger tragedies to come for Jessica and her family when a telegram arrives declaring that her father has been killed in action.
Four generations later, Sam Foster is in intensive care after her father is admitted with a suspected brain haemorrhage. Sam wants to be as far away from that hospital room as possible. When she is asked by a nurse to take her father’s hand, she immediately refuses. Haunted by disturbing dreams and frightening visions, Sam wants to be free from the shackles of the horrific torment she has found herself in. However, when her dreams start getting even more vivid, she soon realises that she is trapped and experiencing somebody else’s living nightmare…
Will Sam ever be freed from this unsettling experience? Or will she be condemned to a lifetime of fear, evil and terror?
An intelligent, thought-provoking and compelling tale that grabs you by the throat from the very first line, We’ve Come to Take You Home is an astonishing tale that packs plenty of emotional punch. Susan Gandar is a talented storyteller who effortlessly juggles two narratives and the dual compelling stories will leave you enthralled, shocked, startled and astonished. Her ability for bringing the past to vivid life is effortless and her descriptions about life during the First World War are visceral and effective without resorting to melodrama or cliche.
A fantastic story that is as hard to put down as it is to forget, We’ve Come to Take You Home is a highly recommended tale from a very gifted and talented writer – Susan Gandar!
April 5, 2016
Captivating and moving
I read this novel quite quickly-by that, I mean it took me under three hours. I found that this was a novel suited for a Sunday morning. It made me feel such intense appreciation for what we have today, in comparison to the uncertainty that wars bring. As I wrote that last sentence I came upon the realisation that it's actually a lot like today's wars.
Anyway, I will recommend this novel: it follows the life of Sam a modern day teenager, who has, what we begin to discover, a gift. She, like most children, had imaginary friends. And as she gets older, she begins to see their lives, their journeys, whilst she lives through her own.
The story flows smoothly from both their lives and Jess, Sam's imaginary friend, is a remarkably well developed character. I sympathised with Jess during her experience of love, her short period of motherhood and her willingness to let go.
The writer wrote in such a sophisticated prose that I understood what was happening despite the complex interlinking of the stories, this was a novel style I have come across before. In spite of this, this novel was better, if not unique, it incorporated the story and the unwinding events so subtly that one wouldn't even begin to think they were linked.
The outcome of Jess' life was bitterly akin to the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. They become United later, and I suppose it becomes bittersweet. I loved this.
I received this novel through NetGalley and I thank the author, publisher or editor for the opportunity.
I read this novel quite quickly-by that, I mean it took me under three hours. I found that this was a novel suited for a Sunday morning. It made me feel such intense appreciation for what we have today, in comparison to the uncertainty that wars bring. As I wrote that last sentence I came upon the realisation that it's actually a lot like today's wars.
Anyway, I will recommend this novel: it follows the life of Sam a modern day teenager, who has, what we begin to discover, a gift. She, like most children, had imaginary friends. And as she gets older, she begins to see their lives, their journeys, whilst she lives through her own.
The story flows smoothly from both their lives and Jess, Sam's imaginary friend, is a remarkably well developed character. I sympathised with Jess during her experience of love, her short period of motherhood and her willingness to let go.
The writer wrote in such a sophisticated prose that I understood what was happening despite the complex interlinking of the stories, this was a novel style I have come across before. In spite of this, this novel was better, if not unique, it incorporated the story and the unwinding events so subtly that one wouldn't even begin to think they were linked.
The outcome of Jess' life was bitterly akin to the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. They become United later, and I suppose it becomes bittersweet. I loved this.
I received this novel through NetGalley and I thank the author, publisher or editor for the opportunity.
January 30, 2016
I found this book to be a tragic story of love and loss- one set in World War 1 and the second in the 21st century.It was very descriptive of the war era and chimes with personal research I am undertaking myself at the moment, even to the extent of having the exact family name, which is slightly spooky!!
However, I found the story to be disjointed with no real or necessary connection between Jess and Sam. Jess lost her entire family, her true love and abandoned her daughter, whereas Sam lost her father and through the power of love and the intervention of two ghosts found happiness again.
The story would have worked best as a straight forward story of love and despair during World War 1.
I found the modern day events intrusive and they didn't work for me. At the end of the book, events blurred and merged but not successfully but by this stage I am afraid I was past caring. Nevertheless I thank NetGalley for the chance to read and honestly review this book.
However, I found the story to be disjointed with no real or necessary connection between Jess and Sam. Jess lost her entire family, her true love and abandoned her daughter, whereas Sam lost her father and through the power of love and the intervention of two ghosts found happiness again.
The story would have worked best as a straight forward story of love and despair during World War 1.
I found the modern day events intrusive and they didn't work for me. At the end of the book, events blurred and merged but not successfully but by this stage I am afraid I was past caring. Nevertheless I thank NetGalley for the chance to read and honestly review this book.
February 25, 2016
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
We’ve Come To Take You Home is written from the view point of two young women in different timelines.
Sam is a modern day girl whose life seems to be in intrinsically linked to that of Jessica, whose father is sent to fight in the first world war.
I loved the concept of this novel and was fascinated by the way comparisons were drawn between the two girls, whose stories took place so many years apart.
I did, however find myself far more interested in the life of Jess than that of Sam, which is odd when you would naturally expect to relate more to a character in the modern day. I found myself almost wanting to skip to Jess’ parts!
Having said that, I would certainly recommend this novel. It is a powerful & emotive story & is very neatly ended.
We’ve Come To Take You Home is written from the view point of two young women in different timelines.
Sam is a modern day girl whose life seems to be in intrinsically linked to that of Jessica, whose father is sent to fight in the first world war.
I loved the concept of this novel and was fascinated by the way comparisons were drawn between the two girls, whose stories took place so many years apart.
I did, however find myself far more interested in the life of Jess than that of Sam, which is odd when you would naturally expect to relate more to a character in the modern day. I found myself almost wanting to skip to Jess’ parts!
Having said that, I would certainly recommend this novel. It is a powerful & emotive story & is very neatly ended.
February 15, 2016
A well told tale of hardship and longing in the times of elemental despair. Sam, a fifteen year old girl living her life with her battling parents, is sobered when her father is in a car accident after swerving to avoid a girl mindlessly stepping into traffic. In the midst of all this trauma, she begins to slip between time and begins to experience life in 1917 through the eyes of Jess, who is her age who is living in the thick devastation of war. A traumatic love story ensues that transcends time and defines what guardian angels can do to protect those they love and innocent life. I highly recommend this book because of the beautiful story that winds into a heart rendering ending.
February 21, 2016
It's a dream like story, in which two girls of 15 or 16 meet, after bad things happen to each of them. They seem to be related but separated by 100 years.
The way the story is written is very attractive, but sometimes confusing. To understand what is real or dreamed is not always obvious.
Still, an attractive and sad book, full of lost possibilities. If the author had managed to make Sam's story a bit clearer and get us a hopeful glimpse at the future -rational or irrational, it would turn into a great book. I regretted the abrupt end. Jess finally knows she is loved, but is it enough? what happened to her during the last century? what is Sam going to do?
The way the story is written is very attractive, but sometimes confusing. To understand what is real or dreamed is not always obvious.
Still, an attractive and sad book, full of lost possibilities. If the author had managed to make Sam's story a bit clearer and get us a hopeful glimpse at the future -rational or irrational, it would turn into a great book. I regretted the abrupt end. Jess finally knows she is loved, but is it enough? what happened to her during the last century? what is Sam going to do?
March 1, 2016
Two girls, Jess and Sam from different times - First World War and present day. Their lives are colliding as Sam keeps blacking out to find herself being Jess. This is a beautifully written book, part timeslip, part ghost story. Great descriptions of life as a maid of all work i.e. a general dogsbody who has to do everything, hardly any time off and certainly not much sleep. So much drudgery and for little reward plus don't even look at the family let alone speak! I loved reading this book and didn't want it to end - enchanting. Probably the best book I've read this year. I was given this ARC by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 3, 2016
I was given a copy of this book in return for a review, thanks to the publishers Matador. This fast paced book tells the parallel stories of Sam in the present and Jess in First World War London. The two are connected but we have to wait for the final pages of the story to find out how and why. The girls' stories are both well told and the plot certainly kept me turning the pages as I couldn't wait to find out how all the threads would be knitted together. This would be a good book to read on holiday or on a journey. However, the pedant in me spotted a couple of factual inaccuracies which were irritating and should really have been weeded out in the editing.
August 21, 2017
I'm not a massive fan of historical fiction and I very rarely read anything that is set before I was born. However this book really intrigued me and I loved the idea of this story taking place with these two girls who happen to be living in different times.
I liked the format of the way it was written with alternating shorter chapters between the two times but it just didn't flow very well for me and I struggled to keep up with it. Unfortunately I couldn't read past 40% and ended up DNF-ing this one.
You can find more of my reviews at Broc's Bookcase
I liked the format of the way it was written with alternating shorter chapters between the two times but it just didn't flow very well for me and I struggled to keep up with it. Unfortunately I couldn't read past 40% and ended up DNF-ing this one.
You can find more of my reviews at Broc's Bookcase
February 3, 2016
This book had a lot to recommend it. Susan Gandar captures the era of the First World War very well and makes us really care about Jess. Sadly I found the Sam side of the equation somehow lacking. I can't quite put my finger on why. Perhaps it was because, whereas Jess's experiences are clear, Sam's are often very confused. I did enjoy this book but not enough to give it four stars. Three and a half would be where I would place it.
Thanks to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read & review this book
Thanks to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read & review this book
April 5, 2016
I enjoyed the different parts of the story and the characters were well portrayed but at no stage did I understand the relationships between the various parts. It didn't spoil the story for me but left a lot of unanswered questions
July 25, 2016
I've just finished this and it was a lot to take in towards the end. I enjoyed it a lot, although I may have to read the last couple of chapters again to make more sense of the ending which happened so quickly! Review to come on my blog soon (wonderfullybookish.wordpress.com).
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