A Sister's Struggle

by Mary Gibson

London, 1935.

Ruby is always hungry, but she will go without if it means her young brothers can eat. 1930s Bermondsey might be called the larder of London, with its pie, pickle and jam factories, but for the poor working classes, starvation is often only a heartbeat away.

When Ruby's neighbour suggests she ought to go to the Methodist Mission for free food, Ruby knows her father will be furious, but that she has no other option.

It is a decision that will change the course of her life forever, split her family and in the end lead her to face a terrible choice between duty and a great love.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Audiobook

400 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2019

About the author

Mary Gibson was born and brought up in Bermondsey, south east London. In 2009, after a thirty year career in publishing, she took the opportunity of early retirement to write a book of her own! Her début novel, Custard Tarts and Broken Hearts was inspired by the lives and times of her grandparents in World War One Bermondsey and went on to become a top ten Kindle best seller. It was selected as one of twenty titles for World Book Night 2015. Six more Bermondsey novels have followed, Jam and Roses, Gunner Girls and Fighter Boys, Bourbon Creams and Tattered Dreams , Hattie's Home, A Sister's Struggle and The Bermondsey Bookshop.

Reviews

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The setting is England in the 1930s. Although Bermondsey is a place of food factories, for the poor working class there is a constant struggle to survive and stave off hunger. Ruby does her best to care for her younger brothers and risking her father’s ire, she goes to the Methodist Mission for food, but soon becomes attached to the place and its people. She seeks to help others as best she can. Her faith in God grows. Ida, her best friend, does not share her views but that does not affect their friendship. Meeting, George who has shown interest in her should be good. But problems result. Problems are compounded for Ruby by her father;s alcoholism and her brother’s involvement with the Blackshirts.
Ruby is a beautifully drawn character and as a reader I just wanted the best for her. Life is a struggle but somehow despite setbacks she keeps going. Her neighbour Nancy and friend Ida are also interesting characters. The book raises issues about family, loyalty, alcoholism, beliefs, responsibility and how to handle conflict. It certainly feels historically accurate in descriptions of the area and conditions. At times it does get a bit repetitive, which is a shame as the basic story is good. An enjoyable read that kept me mostly engaged throughout.

[Silvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A digital ARC of this book was provided to me by the publishing house, House of Zeus, via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review

"A Sister's Struggle" is an historical fiction romance (?), that's how I bought it, set in London in 1935. It follows the struggles, literally, of Ruby and her family. Her mother died when she was young, and her dad has always been very absent, so she had to raise her two younger brothers by herself.

This is basically the synopsis of this book, so I was a little bit confused that the main genre that NetGalley propose is romance. Cause there's very little romance in this book, this is sure.
At some point there's even an attempt to a love triangle, but no, I was not sold. Luckily the guy I rooted for (the only one with a bit of brain in this book) was the guy she ends up with.
I was also very frustrated for the abundance of time spent to talk about more or less the same things. Some chapters really were the same in my eyes, and I found the book to be really long. We could have done with less.

I liked Ruby as a main character (most of the time), but some religious concept this book was trying to teach I thought were a little bit too much.
I also liked the description of a London on the edge of another war, I found it to be really historically accurate. I didn't like how some bad choices the main characters made were forgotten and forgiven pretty easily, but oh well.
I liked the (bitter)sweet ending, though, I liked that this felt a bit like a Christmas book in diguise and I liked some of the morals (but not too much, they were a lot).

But if you want to read a good historical fiction go for it, this surely IS NOT a romance book, though.

[Sarah Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruby hasn't had chance of much of a childhood, with no mother and 2 brothers to look after.

Ruby's dad sometimes comes home, other times disappears for weeks on end, and with no money in their apartment Ruby tends to scrimp and save to feed her brothers and goes hungry herself.

Then Nancy Ruby's neighbour suggests they go to the mission where they will get a free meal, but Dodge Ruby's father doesn't except charity, but when you have no money and no food, beggars can't be choosers, so Ruby takes her brothers and herself off to the mission and they are given food which I’d desperately needed.

Ruby also meets her best friend Ida at the mission, Ida becomes a life long friend to Ruby and helps her to get food etc for her little family.

Ruby thinks she has found her calling and uses all her free time with the mission and church. Is this Ruby's future or will she realise there are other options.

Well written, great saga with the struggles of the time.

[Stacy Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an emotional rollercoaster of a journey I have just been on with this beautifully written book. I feel so honoured to have witnessed this raw and heartfelt story and I'm hoping this review will give the book the justice it deserves. I won't divulge any details regarding the storyline as I don't want to give away any hints or spoilers but I will say that it's a journey you must take.


The numerous characters that fill the book are created with such vivid descriptions, breathing life into the story and developing a world of harsh realities that depict life in London. I felt as though I was picked up and placed in the 1930s as a sympathetic bystander to the difficult situations that befell the folk of Bermondsey and I'm still reeling from the journey this story took me on. Each character had a key part to play in the book with a voice to be heard. Ruby our leading lady is a wonderful character that captured my attention and held it throughout the book. Her sheer strength, grit, piety and determination ensured that she shone brightly and I was right behind her every step of the way and hoping for that much sort after happy ending. Charles was a character I could have happily spoken a few choice words too and one I found myself gasping in sheer horror and frustration at, which says so much about Mary Gibson's ability to create believable characters. Ida was a glorious creation of female friendship and solidarity and her storyline reduced me to tears. But all in all my biggest shout out has to go to little Davey, what a sweetheart, my heart broke for him several times throughout the story and I one hundred percent fell in love with the little man.


I could go on about how much I loved this epic story but what I will say is that I urge each and every one of you to grab your nearest copy of The Sister's Struggle and start reading immediately. This book is an emotional and heartfelt journey of the struggles that faced not just Bermondsey but the world during a time of change and uncertainty and it is told with pure honesty and heart. This is the first time I have encountered Mary's writing but having just searched the vortex that is my Kindle I have made a glorious discovery that I own two other books by this wonderful author waiting to be discovered which I couldn't be happier about.

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Sister’s struggle is a heart-wrenching tale of a young woman's struggle to raise her brothers, follow her faith, beliefs and try and keep food in the house, all while her father did shady deals on the side.

But A Sister’s Struggle is not set in modern day, this is set in the troubling times between the first and the Second World War when there was a rise in anti-Semitism and specifically the black shirts in the poorer areas of London. When a woman's reputation could be destroyed with no evidence, based on one selfish man's lies, which is exactly what has happened to our lead character Ruby’s life. But Ruby is stronger and fights for what is right and just, even if that means kicking her father out, for an unforgivable lie!

A Sister’s Struggle is a truly beautiful book, extremely well written and it gives you a glimpse into real London in the 1930s and the people that struggled, and really brought light to me just how tough it was, more than my grandmother telling me about that time.

I give A Sister’s Struggle 5 stars! It’s an eye-opening book, and if you love Call the Midwife, you will LOVE this book.

[Luke Esdale · Rating 3 out of 5]

This took me far too long to finish but I powered through today and got it done. What attracted me to this book was its being set in 1930s London which is an instant winner for me. The story itself was sweet but felt like it could have been shortened somewhat. The romances that string the whole book together can get a little tedious and I wanted more scene setting. There were several plot lines running throughout the book and focusing on just one or two might have made this a bit better. Ultimately a nice read but probably best as a pool side read.

[Marilyn Friesen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very intense book. It sharply contrasted the light and darkness found in love and hate as well as in good and evil. Never before have i found myself rooting so earnestly for the heroine of a book and hoping she would see the villian as he really was. I was a bit disappointed in the ending, however. Ruby lost her faith in God because of the bitter trials she went through and He had been her only real source of comfort for many years. The book ended just before World War Two which is when things got a whole lot worse. How can a person cope with suffering without God to lean on?

[Katherine Hayward Pérez · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1930s London, times were tough. Ruby and her young family have no food and no money but try to live life despite extreme hardship. I found the book so detaileed and the emotions were so raw and heartwrenching.

Ruby's dad does not want charity yet Ruby is the stronger person looking for help at a mission which feeds her family.

I have not reviewed books by Mary Gibson before but yes I have reviewed many historical fiction books. Mary Gibson does not make us wonder what will happen, she launches into the story and I felt like I was there with Ruby and her family.

Brilliant depiction of London and life during trying times. I immediately wanted Ruby and her family to be OK and was rooting for them. I was happy when Ruby and Ida met and with how supportive Ida was towards her and the children.

Thanks to Mary Gibson and Aria for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review and my place on the blog tour for the book.

Enjoyable pace and my heart broke at how grateful the characters were for small mercies. A trip to the country, food friendship and love.

Recommended if you like Call the Midwife and similar tales.

4 stars.

[Karen Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1930s Bermondsey, London this tells the story of ten year old Ruby who is struggling to feed and care for her brothers with a rogue for a Dad and no Mum. It covers ten years of the family's struggles against a backdrop of a difficult time in national and worldwide politics.
Ruby turns to the Methodist church as a way of feeding her brothers and finds love, friends and belonging there.

[Lesley Puncher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened on audio and as always Anne Dover's narration was spot on. The story itself was interesting and quite gripping but a bit long ,I think because various points were repeated too much almost as if you would forget that Ruby's mother was dead which you knew from the first chapter. Aside from that I would recommend the story.

[Carli Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a perfect coming of age story that managed to make me feel every emotion from worry to anger to sadness and the joy that exists between those moments. My only complaint would be the pacing of the story. I felt like it’s started off very slow, and then everything wrapped up extremely quickly in the last chapter. Other than that, I loved it!

[Carol Mageean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book the history of the miners and the hardships suffered along with family relationships it was all brought to life and in such great detail - a real page turner thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend

[Kat Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

[Sharlene Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. I haven't read a historical fiction book for ages. Forget how real things can be. Takes you right back which is great for scene setting

[Claire Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed in a wholesome kind of way

[Dora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts were good, parts not so good. I felt it was rather too drawn out and at times I switched off from it and went to other books but finished it in the end.