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The Last Reunion
Five women come together at a New Year's Eve's party after decades apart, in this thrilling story of desire, revenge and courage, based on a brave group of Australian and British WWII servicewomen
Burma, 1945. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy: five young women in search of adventure, attached to the Fourteenth Army, fighting a forgotten war in the jungle. Assigned to run a mobile canteen, navigating treacherous roads and dodging hostile gunfire, they become embroiled in life-threatening battles of their own. Battles that will haunt the women for the rest of their lives.
Oxford, 1976. At the height of an impossibly hot English summer, a woman slips into a museum and steals several rare Japanese netsuke, including the famed fox-girl. Despite the offer of a considerable reward, these tiny, exquisitely detailed carvings are never seen again.
London and Galway, 1999. On the eve of the new millennium, Olivia, assistant to an art dealer, meets Beatrix, an elderly widow who wishes to sell her late husband's collection of Japanese art. Concealing her own motives, Olivia travels with Beatrix to a New Year's Eve party, deep in the Irish countryside, where friendships will be tested as secrets kept for more than fifty years are spilled.
Inspired by the heroic women who served in the 'forgotten war' in Burma, The Last Reunion is a heartbreaking love story and mystery by the international bestselling author of The Botanist's Daughter and The Silk House. It is also a tribute to the enduring power of female friendship.
Praise for Kayte Nunn:
'The stories of three fascinating women weave seamlessly together in this atmospheric book. I found myself racing towards the final pages. Utterly spellbinding' NATASHA LESTER
'This evocative tale of mystery and secrets continued to haunt me long after I turned the last page' JOANNA NELL
'A sensitive, atmospheric and often heartbreaking story told with real mastery' WHO Weekly
'Compelling storytelling' The Australian Women's Weekly
Burma, 1945. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy: five young women in search of adventure, attached to the Fourteenth Army, fighting a forgotten war in the jungle. Assigned to run a mobile canteen, navigating treacherous roads and dodging hostile gunfire, they become embroiled in life-threatening battles of their own. Battles that will haunt the women for the rest of their lives.
Oxford, 1976. At the height of an impossibly hot English summer, a woman slips into a museum and steals several rare Japanese netsuke, including the famed fox-girl. Despite the offer of a considerable reward, these tiny, exquisitely detailed carvings are never seen again.
London and Galway, 1999. On the eve of the new millennium, Olivia, assistant to an art dealer, meets Beatrix, an elderly widow who wishes to sell her late husband's collection of Japanese art. Concealing her own motives, Olivia travels with Beatrix to a New Year's Eve party, deep in the Irish countryside, where friendships will be tested as secrets kept for more than fifty years are spilled.
Inspired by the heroic women who served in the 'forgotten war' in Burma, The Last Reunion is a heartbreaking love story and mystery by the international bestselling author of The Botanist's Daughter and The Silk House. It is also a tribute to the enduring power of female friendship.
Praise for Kayte Nunn:
'The stories of three fascinating women weave seamlessly together in this atmospheric book. I found myself racing towards the final pages. Utterly spellbinding' NATASHA LESTER
'This evocative tale of mystery and secrets continued to haunt me long after I turned the last page' JOANNA NELL
'A sensitive, atmospheric and often heartbreaking story told with real mastery' WHO Weekly
'Compelling storytelling' The Australian Women's Weekly
367 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2021
128 people are currently reading
1980 people want to read
About the author
Kayte Nunn
16 books583 followersKayte is the author of seven novels, including the international bestsellers The Botanist's Daughter, The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant, The Silk House and The Last Reunion.
The Botanist's Daughter was awarded the 2020 Winston Graham Historical Fiction Prize, and was selected as the National English Honour Society's Common Reader for 2023/4..
Her books have been described as, 'sensitive, atmospheric and often heartbreaking' (Who Weekly), offering 'compelling storytelling' (Australian Women's Weekly), and 'deliciously immersive' (The Daily Telegraph).
Kayte's novels are available worldwide in English, and have been translated into ten languages.
Born in Singapore, raised in the US and the UK, she now lives in Northern NSW, Australia.
The Botanist's Daughter was awarded the 2020 Winston Graham Historical Fiction Prize, and was selected as the National English Honour Society's Common Reader for 2023/4..
Her books have been described as, 'sensitive, atmospheric and often heartbreaking' (Who Weekly), offering 'compelling storytelling' (Australian Women's Weekly), and 'deliciously immersive' (The Daily Telegraph).
Kayte's novels are available worldwide in English, and have been translated into ten languages.
Born in Singapore, raised in the US and the UK, she now lives in Northern NSW, Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
February 21, 2021
This author knows how to develop a good piece of fiction out of historical fact and she seems to try something different in each of her books.
In The Last Reunion she introduces something totally new to me. It is 1945 in Burma and we find women working near the front bringing food and other necessities to the forces fighting there. Apparently these brave women from Australia, New Zealand and the U.K., operating under the acronym WASBIES, really existed and must have really aided the war effort there.
The book moves to 1999 and a group of these brave women are meeting up again for a reunion in Galway in Ireland. Of course it is not that simple. There are many issues for them to address before real friendships can be regained.
I always enjoy the way Kayte Nunn writes. She obviously does her research but then she develops wonderful characters who we can care for and want to see succeed. The story in this book is real and very enjoyable. This is the way historical fiction should be written.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
In The Last Reunion she introduces something totally new to me. It is 1945 in Burma and we find women working near the front bringing food and other necessities to the forces fighting there. Apparently these brave women from Australia, New Zealand and the U.K., operating under the acronym WASBIES, really existed and must have really aided the war effort there.
The book moves to 1999 and a group of these brave women are meeting up again for a reunion in Galway in Ireland. Of course it is not that simple. There are many issues for them to address before real friendships can be regained.
I always enjoy the way Kayte Nunn writes. She obviously does her research but then she develops wonderful characters who we can care for and want to see succeed. The story in this book is real and very enjoyable. This is the way historical fiction should be written.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
May 12, 2021
4★
“Beatrix, once ensconced in a tub chair in the ferry’s lounge, closed her eyes and seemed to sleep for almost the entire duration.
‘This is nothing compared to piggy-backing a plane-load of stores in a DC-3,’ she told Olivia when she eventually stirred. ‘At least there’s a comfortable seat this time.’”
Beatrix, Bea, was a Wasbie (Women’s Auxiliary Service – WAS(B) ) during WWII. Olivia is a young Aussie who lives in London, working (unpaid!) for an independent art dealer who has sent her to find a particular piece of artwork that Beatrix has offered for sale.
This is a three-timeline story, and it actually didn’t take me long to get into the rhythm of each. Although I read a preview copy on a Kindle, which doesn’t give me the advantage of blank pages and good physical paper breaks between chapters or sections, the author has made use of helpful introductions like:
“Calcutta, 1944”
“Oxford, 1976”
“London, 1999”
There are a few reunions, but the main one is the one that Bea and Olivia are headed to on the ferry – the fifty-fifth reunion of the Wasbies of the Number fifty-five Canteen. The girls who joined up came from England, Australia, and India and drove trucks and canteens into the war zones in Asia for the soldiers.
”Bea had resigned herself to sitting out the war contributing nothing more than rolling bandages with her mother and – with precious little enthusiasm, it must be said – attending secretarial college, while her father and brother served in the British Indian Army.”.
Then she learned about the Wasbies, and she and pal Plum joined up and formed a close-knit group with Joy, Bubbles, and Lucy, a jill-of-all-trades from Australia.
“After lunch, they gathered outside again and presently a Jeep carrying the Lieutenant General pulled up. Captain Taylor stepped forward to salute him, and he shook the hand of each of the women in turn, exchanging a few words, asking them where they had come from and thanking them for their service.
‘Morale is one of the most underestimated factors in winning a war,’ he said as he faced them. ‘Never forget that you ladies are playing a big part in that. The sight of a cheerful face from home does more to support the war effort than you might realise.’”
They get their uniforms, their orders (Joy is in charge of that side of things), and start work. Basically, they are a travelling commissary. They make tea and sandwiches and more.
“When the women had arrived, the temperature was easily over eighty degrees as they prepared to serve hot tea, lukewarm lemonade and slabs of cake from the side of the mobile canteen. ‘Leave your hats there, chaps,’ said Joy, as they handed out drinks in return. ‘You’ll get them back when you bring back your mugs.’
There were gallons of tea, piles of bacon butties, trays of fudge and dozens of sheet cakes baked that morning by a team of Indian cooks. The floor-to-ceiling shelves were crammed with everything from razor blades, Macleans toothpaste and shaving cream, to cigarettes and Gold Flake tobacco, greasy leather bootlaces, even tins of Bird’s custard powder and Huntley & Palmers biscuits.”
The story alternates primarily between the Wasbies and Olivia working for the art dealer and meeting Bea. Olivia knows nothing of Bea’s wartime service – she knows only that Bea is selling her husband’s collection of Japanese art.
We are suspicious, because the book opens with ‘a girl’ in a museum, reaching into a cabinet and stealing the netsuke that were on display.
“Oxford, 1976
It was the work of a moment; a tiny revenge for a much graver crime.”
Nunn has done a terrific job of describing the dreadful conditions and the privations the Wasbies and soldiers suffered during the so-called Forgotten War. I am writing from Australia, and I’d suggest it certainly isn’t forgotten here. But I suppose Americans’ and Europeans’ knowledge of it may be based only on the film “The Bridge on the River Kwai”, but by golly that was back in 1957.
Today, we also have Richard Flanagan’s 2014 Booker-winning novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North. I hope some younger generations have read that and realise how widespread (and absolutely dreadful) the war was in Asia.
The Monsoon scenes in the girls’ camps and trucks are wet and muddy and miserable, but when there are bigger buildings and halls, they sing and dance with the soldiers, boosting morale. Mostly, they are exhausted all the time. At the end of the war, they do what they can to help build the morale of the skeletal men who survived the Japanese POW camps and the Burma Railway. Horrifying stuff.
As we move between then and ‘now’ (1999), we gradually find out who, what, and where. Who’s falling in love, who’s shooting at enemy soldiers, who’s not going to make it home again.
This seems to be well-researched (but really, what would I know?) and the writing style will bring the story of the ‘Forgotten War’ to many readers who might otherwise never read about it. Thanks to Hachette and NetGalley for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted, so quotes may have changed.
“Beatrix, once ensconced in a tub chair in the ferry’s lounge, closed her eyes and seemed to sleep for almost the entire duration.
‘This is nothing compared to piggy-backing a plane-load of stores in a DC-3,’ she told Olivia when she eventually stirred. ‘At least there’s a comfortable seat this time.’”
Beatrix, Bea, was a Wasbie (Women’s Auxiliary Service – WAS(B) ) during WWII. Olivia is a young Aussie who lives in London, working (unpaid!) for an independent art dealer who has sent her to find a particular piece of artwork that Beatrix has offered for sale.
This is a three-timeline story, and it actually didn’t take me long to get into the rhythm of each. Although I read a preview copy on a Kindle, which doesn’t give me the advantage of blank pages and good physical paper breaks between chapters or sections, the author has made use of helpful introductions like:
“Calcutta, 1944”
“Oxford, 1976”
“London, 1999”
There are a few reunions, but the main one is the one that Bea and Olivia are headed to on the ferry – the fifty-fifth reunion of the Wasbies of the Number fifty-five Canteen. The girls who joined up came from England, Australia, and India and drove trucks and canteens into the war zones in Asia for the soldiers.
”Bea had resigned herself to sitting out the war contributing nothing more than rolling bandages with her mother and – with precious little enthusiasm, it must be said – attending secretarial college, while her father and brother served in the British Indian Army.”.
Then she learned about the Wasbies, and she and pal Plum joined up and formed a close-knit group with Joy, Bubbles, and Lucy, a jill-of-all-trades from Australia.
“After lunch, they gathered outside again and presently a Jeep carrying the Lieutenant General pulled up. Captain Taylor stepped forward to salute him, and he shook the hand of each of the women in turn, exchanging a few words, asking them where they had come from and thanking them for their service.
‘Morale is one of the most underestimated factors in winning a war,’ he said as he faced them. ‘Never forget that you ladies are playing a big part in that. The sight of a cheerful face from home does more to support the war effort than you might realise.’”
They get their uniforms, their orders (Joy is in charge of that side of things), and start work. Basically, they are a travelling commissary. They make tea and sandwiches and more.
“When the women had arrived, the temperature was easily over eighty degrees as they prepared to serve hot tea, lukewarm lemonade and slabs of cake from the side of the mobile canteen. ‘Leave your hats there, chaps,’ said Joy, as they handed out drinks in return. ‘You’ll get them back when you bring back your mugs.’
There were gallons of tea, piles of bacon butties, trays of fudge and dozens of sheet cakes baked that morning by a team of Indian cooks. The floor-to-ceiling shelves were crammed with everything from razor blades, Macleans toothpaste and shaving cream, to cigarettes and Gold Flake tobacco, greasy leather bootlaces, even tins of Bird’s custard powder and Huntley & Palmers biscuits.”
The story alternates primarily between the Wasbies and Olivia working for the art dealer and meeting Bea. Olivia knows nothing of Bea’s wartime service – she knows only that Bea is selling her husband’s collection of Japanese art.
We are suspicious, because the book opens with ‘a girl’ in a museum, reaching into a cabinet and stealing the netsuke that were on display.
“Oxford, 1976
It was the work of a moment; a tiny revenge for a much graver crime.”
Nunn has done a terrific job of describing the dreadful conditions and the privations the Wasbies and soldiers suffered during the so-called Forgotten War. I am writing from Australia, and I’d suggest it certainly isn’t forgotten here. But I suppose Americans’ and Europeans’ knowledge of it may be based only on the film “The Bridge on the River Kwai”, but by golly that was back in 1957.
Today, we also have Richard Flanagan’s 2014 Booker-winning novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North. I hope some younger generations have read that and realise how widespread (and absolutely dreadful) the war was in Asia.
The Monsoon scenes in the girls’ camps and trucks are wet and muddy and miserable, but when there are bigger buildings and halls, they sing and dance with the soldiers, boosting morale. Mostly, they are exhausted all the time. At the end of the war, they do what they can to help build the morale of the skeletal men who survived the Japanese POW camps and the Burma Railway. Horrifying stuff.
As we move between then and ‘now’ (1999), we gradually find out who, what, and where. Who’s falling in love, who’s shooting at enemy soldiers, who’s not going to make it home again.
This seems to be well-researched (but really, what would I know?) and the writing style will bring the story of the ‘Forgotten War’ to many readers who might otherwise never read about it. Thanks to Hachette and NetGalley for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted, so quotes may have changed.
March 21, 2021
It was 1945 in Burma when five young women in their early twenties joined the Wasbies – Women’s Auxiliary Service (Burma) – where they were sent to the front lines of the fighting in their mobile canteen trucks, bringing good cheer, smiling faces, gallons of tea plus sandwiches and cakes to the Allies. The soldiers were grateful for the food, but also to the women who did it tough, never complained, always happy to share a smile and a laugh with those men. It took the friends awhile to settle in but with Lucy from Australia and Joy from the United States, the three others from London, they became as close as sisters.
As 1999 wound to a close, Australian born Olivia was doing an internship with an art dealer in London when she was asked to visit Beatrix, owner of some pieces of Japanese art which had belonged to her late husband. Beatrix hadn’t wanted to sell, but needs must, and with her old home needing more repairs than she could afford, Beatrix knew her precious fox-girl could be what saved her house. When Beatrix asked Olivia to accompany her to Ireland for a reunion, Olivia was happy to go. She wanted to see Ireland and the castle in Galway would be worth visiting. But deep, dark secrets from a long ago past would surface before the visit was over. What would be said? And how would it affect Olivia?
The Last Reunion by Aussie author Kayte Nunn is inspired by the women of the Wasbies – the women who were pretty well forgotten, except by those who served. The harsh conditions in the Burma countryside with the cruel and heartless Japanese soldiers always too close for comfort; the dreadful stories of the Burma Railway and the POW camps that housed the skeletal prisoners – this was the life of those women as well as the Allied soldiers for the years of the war. The women were courageous, always had one another’s backs, and friends for life. The Last Reunion is an exceptional read from the pen of Ms Nunn, who is fast becoming a favourite ‘go to’ author. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
As 1999 wound to a close, Australian born Olivia was doing an internship with an art dealer in London when she was asked to visit Beatrix, owner of some pieces of Japanese art which had belonged to her late husband. Beatrix hadn’t wanted to sell, but needs must, and with her old home needing more repairs than she could afford, Beatrix knew her precious fox-girl could be what saved her house. When Beatrix asked Olivia to accompany her to Ireland for a reunion, Olivia was happy to go. She wanted to see Ireland and the castle in Galway would be worth visiting. But deep, dark secrets from a long ago past would surface before the visit was over. What would be said? And how would it affect Olivia?
The Last Reunion by Aussie author Kayte Nunn is inspired by the women of the Wasbies – the women who were pretty well forgotten, except by those who served. The harsh conditions in the Burma countryside with the cruel and heartless Japanese soldiers always too close for comfort; the dreadful stories of the Burma Railway and the POW camps that housed the skeletal prisoners – this was the life of those women as well as the Allied soldiers for the years of the war. The women were courageous, always had one another’s backs, and friends for life. The Last Reunion is an exceptional read from the pen of Ms Nunn, who is fast becoming a favourite ‘go to’ author. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2021
Kayte Nunn is a new author for me and I will certainly be reading more of her books.
This is a story that weaves a contemporary story, set in 1999, with a historical one, set in 1944 during WW2.
Olivia doing an internship with an art dealer and is sent to a country location in England from London to visit an elderly lady who may have a rare Japanese netsuke to sell. Olivia is sent off a couple of days out from Christmas and due to being unwell finds herself an unexpected guest of Beatrix Pelhem for the duration.
Interwoven with this is the story of young 20 year old Bea (Beatrix) who volunteers for the 'Wasbies' - a group of women who served in Burma offering support services to soldiers in the form of a mobile canteen/shop. This was a new and interesting perspective of the war and quite an eye opener.
A lovely story of friendship, trust and loyalty. I can highly recommend this book.
Thank you Netgalley and Hachette Australia for the opportunity to review this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a story that weaves a contemporary story, set in 1999, with a historical one, set in 1944 during WW2.
Olivia doing an internship with an art dealer and is sent to a country location in England from London to visit an elderly lady who may have a rare Japanese netsuke to sell. Olivia is sent off a couple of days out from Christmas and due to being unwell finds herself an unexpected guest of Beatrix Pelhem for the duration.
Interwoven with this is the story of young 20 year old Bea (Beatrix) who volunteers for the 'Wasbies' - a group of women who served in Burma offering support services to soldiers in the form of a mobile canteen/shop. This was a new and interesting perspective of the war and quite an eye opener.
A lovely story of friendship, trust and loyalty. I can highly recommend this book.
Thank you Netgalley and Hachette Australia for the opportunity to review this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2021
⭐️5 Stars⭐️
The Last Reunion by Kayte Nunn is set in multiple timelines that are both intriguing as each other. It’s a beautiful book filled with spirt, friendship, courage, secrets, art and revenge. A book you won’t want to put down!
1944 - The Last Reunion is inspired by The Wasbies, a group of women during World War II where little information exists about them. The Wasbies were the women Auxiliary Service (Burma) a group of around two hundred and fifty formidable women from Australia, England and Candada. They ran mobile and static canteens in the dense Burmese jungle, battling the monsoon rain, mosquitoes, treacherous roads and deadly enemy fire. They did more than hand out cups of hot tea and slices of home made cake, they boosted the morale of the troops and provided vital work supplying sundries like toothpaste, razor blades, lemonade and gum etc.
Beatrix, and her friends Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy are five young women in search of adventure who become Wasbies and find themselves alongside the Fourteenth Army, fighting a forgotten war in the jungle against the Japs.
1999- Olivia, is a young Australian and assistant to an art dealer, she meets Beatrix an elderly widow who wishes to sell her late husband's collection of Japanese art, in particular a valuable small intricately carved Japanese netsuke named the fox-girl.
Elaine who is Olivia’s boss has instructed her to visit Beatrix and not to return without proof of provenance for the valuable netsuke! Olivia is fully aware that procuring the fox-girl, the one that had gone missing in 1976 would give her career the step up she needed and if she failed she probably wouldn’t have a job any longer.
The five ex-Wasbies, now elderly women are brought together again decades later through the unique history of the fox-girl netsuke.
A unique, compelling and brilliantly written story. Highly recommended.
I wish to thank Netgalley and Hachette Australia for the opportunity to read an advanced copy
The Last Reunion by Kayte Nunn is set in multiple timelines that are both intriguing as each other. It’s a beautiful book filled with spirt, friendship, courage, secrets, art and revenge. A book you won’t want to put down!
1944 - The Last Reunion is inspired by The Wasbies, a group of women during World War II where little information exists about them. The Wasbies were the women Auxiliary Service (Burma) a group of around two hundred and fifty formidable women from Australia, England and Candada. They ran mobile and static canteens in the dense Burmese jungle, battling the monsoon rain, mosquitoes, treacherous roads and deadly enemy fire. They did more than hand out cups of hot tea and slices of home made cake, they boosted the morale of the troops and provided vital work supplying sundries like toothpaste, razor blades, lemonade and gum etc.
Beatrix, and her friends Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy are five young women in search of adventure who become Wasbies and find themselves alongside the Fourteenth Army, fighting a forgotten war in the jungle against the Japs.
1999- Olivia, is a young Australian and assistant to an art dealer, she meets Beatrix an elderly widow who wishes to sell her late husband's collection of Japanese art, in particular a valuable small intricately carved Japanese netsuke named the fox-girl.
Elaine who is Olivia’s boss has instructed her to visit Beatrix and not to return without proof of provenance for the valuable netsuke! Olivia is fully aware that procuring the fox-girl, the one that had gone missing in 1976 would give her career the step up she needed and if she failed she probably wouldn’t have a job any longer.
The five ex-Wasbies, now elderly women are brought together again decades later through the unique history of the fox-girl netsuke.
A unique, compelling and brilliantly written story. Highly recommended.
I wish to thank Netgalley and Hachette Australia for the opportunity to read an advanced copy
June 23, 2021
New Year's Eve's 1999, after not seeing each other for over fifty years, five friends meet in Ireland and reflect on their time serving in the Women’s Auxiliary Service in Burma during WW II.
Burma, 1945. Not willing to spend the war years rolling bandages, Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy join the Women’s Auxiliary Service in Burma and are assigned to the British Fourteenth army and who are constantly on the move and fighting the Japanese. The Wasbies operate mobile canteens, selling necessities to all ranks, boosting morale and working in very primitive and dangerous conditions.
Oxford, 1976. A middle aged woman visits the Ashmolean museum and steals five rare Japanese artifacts called netsuke and including the precious fox-girl. Made of ivory, the ancient toggles used to attach items to men’s obi’s or the wide sash that wrapped around their kimonos. Despite the offer of a large reward, the small and distinct treasures have never been found.
London and Galway, 1999. Aussie Olivia Goddard is working as an intern for art dealer Elaine, to gain experience and she’s hopeful it may lead to a permanent position. Given very little notice Olivia is sent to Wiltshire to meet with Beatrix Pelham, a long term client who wants to sell her deceased husband's Japanese art collection and use the money to fix her crumbling house. Olivia unexpectedly stays with Mrs. Pelham over Christmas holidays; she’s been invited to a New Year’s Eve party in Ireland and she asks Olivia to take her. Olivia has no idea she will be caught up in the drama of fifty year old war time secrets and complicated friendships.
The Last Reunion has a dual timeline it seamlessly flows between the jungles of Burma during WW II and England/Ireland in the late 1990’s. Inspired by the true stories of the brave members of the Women’s Auxiliary Service in Burma and they were the only women involved in the front-line action during the war. The Wasbies endured the same hardships as the soldiers, tough terrain, tropical weather, leeches, mud and Japanese armies harassment.
I absolutely loved The Last Reunion, I was completely engrossed in the book after reading a couple of pages and I didn’t want it to end. It’s a really unique WW II story; it’s emotional, fascinating and brimming with so many interesting details and facts about a little known military campaign. With a plot full of secrets and mystery and it’s one of the best dual timeline WW II historical fiction books I have read. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, thanks so much to Hachette Australia and Kayte Nunn for mine and five big stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
Burma, 1945. Not willing to spend the war years rolling bandages, Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy join the Women’s Auxiliary Service in Burma and are assigned to the British Fourteenth army and who are constantly on the move and fighting the Japanese. The Wasbies operate mobile canteens, selling necessities to all ranks, boosting morale and working in very primitive and dangerous conditions.
Oxford, 1976. A middle aged woman visits the Ashmolean museum and steals five rare Japanese artifacts called netsuke and including the precious fox-girl. Made of ivory, the ancient toggles used to attach items to men’s obi’s or the wide sash that wrapped around their kimonos. Despite the offer of a large reward, the small and distinct treasures have never been found.
London and Galway, 1999. Aussie Olivia Goddard is working as an intern for art dealer Elaine, to gain experience and she’s hopeful it may lead to a permanent position. Given very little notice Olivia is sent to Wiltshire to meet with Beatrix Pelham, a long term client who wants to sell her deceased husband's Japanese art collection and use the money to fix her crumbling house. Olivia unexpectedly stays with Mrs. Pelham over Christmas holidays; she’s been invited to a New Year’s Eve party in Ireland and she asks Olivia to take her. Olivia has no idea she will be caught up in the drama of fifty year old war time secrets and complicated friendships.
The Last Reunion has a dual timeline it seamlessly flows between the jungles of Burma during WW II and England/Ireland in the late 1990’s. Inspired by the true stories of the brave members of the Women’s Auxiliary Service in Burma and they were the only women involved in the front-line action during the war. The Wasbies endured the same hardships as the soldiers, tough terrain, tropical weather, leeches, mud and Japanese armies harassment.
I absolutely loved The Last Reunion, I was completely engrossed in the book after reading a couple of pages and I didn’t want it to end. It’s a really unique WW II story; it’s emotional, fascinating and brimming with so many interesting details and facts about a little known military campaign. With a plot full of secrets and mystery and it’s one of the best dual timeline WW II historical fiction books I have read. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, thanks so much to Hachette Australia and Kayte Nunn for mine and five big stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
September 10, 2021
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**4.5 stars**
The Last Reunion by Kayte Nunn. (2021).
Burma, 1945. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy: in search of adventure, attached to the Fourteenth Army, fighting a forgotten war in the jungle. Assigned to run a mobile canteen, they become embroiled in life-threatening battles of their own. Oxford, 1976. A woman steals several rare Japanese netsuke, including the famed fox-girl, from a museum. London and Galway, 1999. Olivia, assistant to an art dealer, meets Beatrix, an elderly woman who wishes to sell a collection of Japanese art. Olivia travels with Beatrix to a New Year's Eve party in Ireland where friendships will be tested as secrets kept for more than 50 years are spilled.
I can't help but appreciate a historical novel that mixes fiction and fact so that while I'm enjoying the storytelling side, I'm also learning about a piece of history that I didn't previously know about. This particular novel is inspired by the women who served in WWII Burma; I'm going to be totally honest and say I had zero knowledge of this prior to this book so it was quite fascinating. The storyline alternates between 1945 and 1999, my preference was definitely the 1945 as it was so absorbing (although the 1999 parts were also intriguing). In terms of characters, the book has strong female leads with Bea and Olivia, and I thought each had significant personal growth in finding their assertiveness and courage when needed.
Overall: I highly recommend this extremely well-written historical fiction. Another fabulous novel from this author!
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
**4.5 stars**
The Last Reunion by Kayte Nunn. (2021).
Burma, 1945. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy: in search of adventure, attached to the Fourteenth Army, fighting a forgotten war in the jungle. Assigned to run a mobile canteen, they become embroiled in life-threatening battles of their own. Oxford, 1976. A woman steals several rare Japanese netsuke, including the famed fox-girl, from a museum. London and Galway, 1999. Olivia, assistant to an art dealer, meets Beatrix, an elderly woman who wishes to sell a collection of Japanese art. Olivia travels with Beatrix to a New Year's Eve party in Ireland where friendships will be tested as secrets kept for more than 50 years are spilled.
I can't help but appreciate a historical novel that mixes fiction and fact so that while I'm enjoying the storytelling side, I'm also learning about a piece of history that I didn't previously know about. This particular novel is inspired by the women who served in WWII Burma; I'm going to be totally honest and say I had zero knowledge of this prior to this book so it was quite fascinating. The storyline alternates between 1945 and 1999, my preference was definitely the 1945 as it was so absorbing (although the 1999 parts were also intriguing). In terms of characters, the book has strong female leads with Bea and Olivia, and I thought each had significant personal growth in finding their assertiveness and courage when needed.
Overall: I highly recommend this extremely well-written historical fiction. Another fabulous novel from this author!
March 31, 2021
The Last Reunion is the first book by Australian author Kayte Nunn that I have read and I am already looking out for more. It was a wonderful story of friendships, war, secrets and courage and I read it in less than a day. Told over 2 timelines we learn the women’s stories, as well as the history of the artwork at the centre of it all. Based on true facts, this is a heartwarming and intense look at these women who are not spoken of when discussing the war.
In 1945, 5 women came together to help the war effort in the best way that they knew how. They joined the Women’s Auxiliary Services, Wasbies, and took their mobile canteens to the men fighting the battles. They gave them food and essentials as well as a friendly face and a chat, helping to boost the morale in such an awful time. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Lucy and Joy are all such different women from different backgrounds and they formed a bond like no other.
In 1999, a young Australian women, working as an art dealers assistant given the job of securing a very rare, and though lost, Japanese netuke called Foxgirl. It is a highly sort after piece and is a big step in her career. She meats the women in possession of the piece, Beatrice, an elderly widow. Her stories intrigue Olivia and she wants to learn more. The pair travel to Ireland for a reunion of the Wasbies, where some hidden truths must come to light and their friendships will be tested.
Thanks to Hachette Australia for sending me an advanced copy of this book to read.
In 1945, 5 women came together to help the war effort in the best way that they knew how. They joined the Women’s Auxiliary Services, Wasbies, and took their mobile canteens to the men fighting the battles. They gave them food and essentials as well as a friendly face and a chat, helping to boost the morale in such an awful time. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Lucy and Joy are all such different women from different backgrounds and they formed a bond like no other.
In 1999, a young Australian women, working as an art dealers assistant given the job of securing a very rare, and though lost, Japanese netuke called Foxgirl. It is a highly sort after piece and is a big step in her career. She meats the women in possession of the piece, Beatrice, an elderly widow. Her stories intrigue Olivia and she wants to learn more. The pair travel to Ireland for a reunion of the Wasbies, where some hidden truths must come to light and their friendships will be tested.
Thanks to Hachette Australia for sending me an advanced copy of this book to read.
March 20, 2021
This is a beautifully written story, taking us back to World War 2 and the year 1999, were we get to meet strong woman, learn about Japanese Netsuke and join the woman in a reunion after being apart for decades, the time has come for rekindling strong friendships and opening up about the past.
Burma 1945 and five woman have joined the forces to run a canteen as close to the frontline as any woman have gone before, building morale in the troops and providing food tea and essentials for them there are dance nights and in some terrible conditions, but lots of fun times as well. Bea, Plum, Joy, Lucy and Bubbles also form friendships to last a lifetime, they are known as The Wasbies and are a formidable team.
London 1999 and Beatrix gets in contact with an art dealer to sell a very valuable Japanese art collection, young Australian Olivia who is working as an intern for the art dealer is sent to meet with Beatrix and find out the details and ensure that all is good to sell, this starts another friendship when Bea is invited to a reunion of her Wasbies friends on New Year’s Eve and Olivia travels with Bea to Ireland and a lot of truths are told to get the paperwork needed to sell the collection, a collection that had been stolen from an exhibit in 1976 and never located.
When Olivia meets the formidable Beatrix she has no idea what she is getting into as she uncovers secrets from fifty years ago, with Bea opening up about her past and Olivia discovering some old journals and sketches this opens up even more to what these woman had gone through, I loved this story getting to know the woman filled me with lots of emotion, the slipping from past to present was done so well and I felt very much part of the story.
This is a story not to be missed I fell into it from the start, compelling and poignant, I loved the mystery and uncovering the truth about the netsuke. I felt the emotions running through these woman the danger they went through and the courage they showed, it is moving and emotional and yes there were tears from me and a lot of cheering as well I had never heard of these woman and am so glad I have now. I do highly recommend this one, it is a keeper.
My thanks to Hachette AUS for my copy to read and review.
Burma 1945 and five woman have joined the forces to run a canteen as close to the frontline as any woman have gone before, building morale in the troops and providing food tea and essentials for them there are dance nights and in some terrible conditions, but lots of fun times as well. Bea, Plum, Joy, Lucy and Bubbles also form friendships to last a lifetime, they are known as The Wasbies and are a formidable team.
London 1999 and Beatrix gets in contact with an art dealer to sell a very valuable Japanese art collection, young Australian Olivia who is working as an intern for the art dealer is sent to meet with Beatrix and find out the details and ensure that all is good to sell, this starts another friendship when Bea is invited to a reunion of her Wasbies friends on New Year’s Eve and Olivia travels with Bea to Ireland and a lot of truths are told to get the paperwork needed to sell the collection, a collection that had been stolen from an exhibit in 1976 and never located.
When Olivia meets the formidable Beatrix she has no idea what she is getting into as she uncovers secrets from fifty years ago, with Bea opening up about her past and Olivia discovering some old journals and sketches this opens up even more to what these woman had gone through, I loved this story getting to know the woman filled me with lots of emotion, the slipping from past to present was done so well and I felt very much part of the story.
This is a story not to be missed I fell into it from the start, compelling and poignant, I loved the mystery and uncovering the truth about the netsuke. I felt the emotions running through these woman the danger they went through and the courage they showed, it is moving and emotional and yes there were tears from me and a lot of cheering as well I had never heard of these woman and am so glad I have now. I do highly recommend this one, it is a keeper.
My thanks to Hachette AUS for my copy to read and review.
March 24, 2021
Kayte Nunn’s novels are always highly anticipated for me and each one is a delight to read. The Last Reunion is inspired by the women who served in Burma during WWII, running canteens near the frontlines. I have read quite widely on WWII, both fiction and non-fiction, yet I hadn’t heard of these service women at all prior to reading this novel. I honestly didn’t even know there were canteens in operation during the war either, much less that they travelled from battle to battle, entirely run by women who had volunteered for the service. I really love what Kayte says in her author note about writing fiction that is inspired by real events:
‘Fiction is about what is possible, not what is actual; my imagining of the events is exactly that – an imagining and not based on an actual event.’ – Author note.
In keeping with this, I think she does a splendid job of paying homage to these service women. Kayte recreates the type of work the servicewomen would have been undertaking, all of it playing out against a backdrop of the war in Burma, an overlooked war that has been dubbed “the forgotten war”. Not for those who served, I’d wager. As always, Kayte’s research into the world she has chosen to immerse us in was second to none. I valued the way in which Kayte used visual journals created by Bea within the narrative as a means of conveying to Olivia (and the reader) what life was like during the Burma campaign.
Along with providing a new fictional perspective on WWII, The Last Reunion is also a novel about friendship, as well as art, specifically, Japanese Netsuke. A quick google brings up some glorious images of these miniature carvings, they are so detailed and incredibly clever. It was surprising to read about the sale value of this type of art – and this was in 1999, as well, so no doubt it would be more nowadays. Normally with dual timelines I gravitate towards the historical timeline more but in this case, I really enjoyed the 1999 (contemporary) timeline immensely. The spark between Olivia and a much older Bea was really enjoyable to read and I liked revisiting that moment in history where we all thought the world was going to go haywire because of Y2K. It’s funny how books can bring little things like that back for you.
I do really love stories about female friendship that also celebrate strength of character and the ties that bind. I also love stories that are structurally interesting and The Last Reunion reveals its story in a captivating back and forth unfolding that built the tension nicely as well as ensuring that both timelines were knitted together cohesively. Kayte has woven important themes into this story about violence against women that raise questions about how much has changed across the decades, or not changed, in terms of speaking out and seeking justice. I really appreciated the way in which she used both timelines – WWII and 1999 – to demonstrate this. There is a third timeline at the opening of the novel, but I’m not going to say too much on that except that it was a cracking good way to start the story off and it hooked me immediately.
The Last Reunion is everything readers have come to love about Kayte Nunn’s novels: a unique story with memorable characters and deeply moving moments. It was thoroughly enjoyable and beautifully written.
Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing me with a copy of The Last Reunion for review.
‘Fiction is about what is possible, not what is actual; my imagining of the events is exactly that – an imagining and not based on an actual event.’ – Author note.
In keeping with this, I think she does a splendid job of paying homage to these service women. Kayte recreates the type of work the servicewomen would have been undertaking, all of it playing out against a backdrop of the war in Burma, an overlooked war that has been dubbed “the forgotten war”. Not for those who served, I’d wager. As always, Kayte’s research into the world she has chosen to immerse us in was second to none. I valued the way in which Kayte used visual journals created by Bea within the narrative as a means of conveying to Olivia (and the reader) what life was like during the Burma campaign.
Along with providing a new fictional perspective on WWII, The Last Reunion is also a novel about friendship, as well as art, specifically, Japanese Netsuke. A quick google brings up some glorious images of these miniature carvings, they are so detailed and incredibly clever. It was surprising to read about the sale value of this type of art – and this was in 1999, as well, so no doubt it would be more nowadays. Normally with dual timelines I gravitate towards the historical timeline more but in this case, I really enjoyed the 1999 (contemporary) timeline immensely. The spark between Olivia and a much older Bea was really enjoyable to read and I liked revisiting that moment in history where we all thought the world was going to go haywire because of Y2K. It’s funny how books can bring little things like that back for you.
I do really love stories about female friendship that also celebrate strength of character and the ties that bind. I also love stories that are structurally interesting and The Last Reunion reveals its story in a captivating back and forth unfolding that built the tension nicely as well as ensuring that both timelines were knitted together cohesively. Kayte has woven important themes into this story about violence against women that raise questions about how much has changed across the decades, or not changed, in terms of speaking out and seeking justice. I really appreciated the way in which she used both timelines – WWII and 1999 – to demonstrate this. There is a third timeline at the opening of the novel, but I’m not going to say too much on that except that it was a cracking good way to start the story off and it hooked me immediately.
The Last Reunion is everything readers have come to love about Kayte Nunn’s novels: a unique story with memorable characters and deeply moving moments. It was thoroughly enjoyable and beautifully written.
Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing me with a copy of The Last Reunion for review.
June 4, 2021
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
4.5 stars
The bonds of war, lasting trauma, bravery, friendship and passion unites the latest historical tale from international bestselling author Kayte Nunn. There is a strong sense of comradery that runs through this heroic story that helps to elevate The Last Reunion to very high proportions.
Opening on the eve of a new century, a group of five women unite in their shared experiences of war and courage, reflecting on a challenging time in their past. As we travel back in time to the tumultuous wartime year of 1945, we meet Bea, Bubbles, Joy, Lucy and Plum. This group of brave and resilient women are part of the Fourteenth Army. This group were involved in a forgotten war, deep in Burma’s jungle surrounds. From attempting to successfully run a mobile canteen and negotiate the dangerous roads of Burma, along with avoiding enemy fire, the women put their lives on the lines for the sake of this deadly battle. The impact of these experiences will continue to follow the women for years to come. Back in 1999, an assistant to an art dealer encounters a widow hoping to sell her husband’s art collection, but in viewing the collection the art dealer finds more than she bargained for. The art dealer’s visit signals the dramatic opening of a long-held secret, which can be traced back to over fifty years ago. How will this story unfold and what age-old mystery will be revealed?
Kayte Nunn is an author that I hold in high regard. I always look forward to a new release from this top ten bestselling author. Last year I was captivated by Kayte Nunn’s The Silk House. While another backlist title by Nunn, The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant, has remained on my all-time favourite book list. So, suffice to say, I was eagerly waiting The Last Reunion and I enjoyed it very much.
Delicately sewing together a wartime narrative thread with a timepiece set in 1976, along with a visit to more recent times in 1999, The Last Reunion covers a expansive territory. Dual timeline and multiple timeline narratives are my absolute favourite kind of novel and this one did not disappoint. I was impressed by Nunn’s ability to shift in and out of each timeline interchange. The book seemed to take on its own pace and flow. Nunn ensures that she never leaves her reader adrift and we are always acutely aware of the time, place and happenings of the era in which we are situated. This is tricky technique to master, but Nunn is now a old hand at delivering this style of narrative.
Nunn is an author passionately dedicated to her research and this is very much evident in The Last Reunion. I was amazed by the forgotten story of the lost women of the Fourteenth Army. It is vital that we dredge up these absent stories and place them in the spotlight via engaging narratives, such as The Last Reunion. I am grateful to Kayte Nunn to drawing my attention to an aspect of the war that I was not previously aware of, despite having read such a wide range of literature around the WWII conflict. I valued the time that I spent with each keynote member of the group that gave up their lives so selflessly during the Burma conflict. These were incredibly testing times for the women, especially in a physical sense. We also learn of the emotional wounds of war from viewpoint of the women decades later. This is a time that continues to haunt them, for good reasons. It was heartbreaking to read.
With plenty of mystery, intrigue, history and a speckle of romance, The Last Reunion has plenty to offer. What I valued the most about reading Kayte Nunn’s latest effort was that this powerful story provided me with a lasting reminder and appreciation of the efforts of our servicewomen during all conflicts of the Second World War. The Last Reunion is an important tale that highlights the continued strength of female friendships, bonds and self-sacrifice. I give Kayte’s Nunn’s new book my full recommendation.
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
The Last Reunion is book #50 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
4.5 stars
The bonds of war, lasting trauma, bravery, friendship and passion unites the latest historical tale from international bestselling author Kayte Nunn. There is a strong sense of comradery that runs through this heroic story that helps to elevate The Last Reunion to very high proportions.
Opening on the eve of a new century, a group of five women unite in their shared experiences of war and courage, reflecting on a challenging time in their past. As we travel back in time to the tumultuous wartime year of 1945, we meet Bea, Bubbles, Joy, Lucy and Plum. This group of brave and resilient women are part of the Fourteenth Army. This group were involved in a forgotten war, deep in Burma’s jungle surrounds. From attempting to successfully run a mobile canteen and negotiate the dangerous roads of Burma, along with avoiding enemy fire, the women put their lives on the lines for the sake of this deadly battle. The impact of these experiences will continue to follow the women for years to come. Back in 1999, an assistant to an art dealer encounters a widow hoping to sell her husband’s art collection, but in viewing the collection the art dealer finds more than she bargained for. The art dealer’s visit signals the dramatic opening of a long-held secret, which can be traced back to over fifty years ago. How will this story unfold and what age-old mystery will be revealed?
Kayte Nunn is an author that I hold in high regard. I always look forward to a new release from this top ten bestselling author. Last year I was captivated by Kayte Nunn’s The Silk House. While another backlist title by Nunn, The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant, has remained on my all-time favourite book list. So, suffice to say, I was eagerly waiting The Last Reunion and I enjoyed it very much.
Delicately sewing together a wartime narrative thread with a timepiece set in 1976, along with a visit to more recent times in 1999, The Last Reunion covers a expansive territory. Dual timeline and multiple timeline narratives are my absolute favourite kind of novel and this one did not disappoint. I was impressed by Nunn’s ability to shift in and out of each timeline interchange. The book seemed to take on its own pace and flow. Nunn ensures that she never leaves her reader adrift and we are always acutely aware of the time, place and happenings of the era in which we are situated. This is tricky technique to master, but Nunn is now a old hand at delivering this style of narrative.
Nunn is an author passionately dedicated to her research and this is very much evident in The Last Reunion. I was amazed by the forgotten story of the lost women of the Fourteenth Army. It is vital that we dredge up these absent stories and place them in the spotlight via engaging narratives, such as The Last Reunion. I am grateful to Kayte Nunn to drawing my attention to an aspect of the war that I was not previously aware of, despite having read such a wide range of literature around the WWII conflict. I valued the time that I spent with each keynote member of the group that gave up their lives so selflessly during the Burma conflict. These were incredibly testing times for the women, especially in a physical sense. We also learn of the emotional wounds of war from viewpoint of the women decades later. This is a time that continues to haunt them, for good reasons. It was heartbreaking to read.
With plenty of mystery, intrigue, history and a speckle of romance, The Last Reunion has plenty to offer. What I valued the most about reading Kayte Nunn’s latest effort was that this powerful story provided me with a lasting reminder and appreciation of the efforts of our servicewomen during all conflicts of the Second World War. The Last Reunion is an important tale that highlights the continued strength of female friendships, bonds and self-sacrifice. I give Kayte’s Nunn’s new book my full recommendation.
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
The Last Reunion is book #50 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
Read
March 9, 2021There are so many fascinating threads in this book that it’s difficult to know which to praise the most! From the gripping opening where a young woman steals a delicate and rare Japanese netsuke I was hooked. Add to this the story of five women blazing a trail by running a mobile canteen on the frontlines of Burma during WWII and you have a book that includes all of my favourite things: art, female friendship and courageous women discovering their true heart and soul against a backdrop of war. Absolutely magnificent. Bravo Kayte Nunn!
March 18, 2021
Thank you Hachette for sending us a copy to read and review.
As the new millennium is about to arrive, a group of women reunite at a New Years Eve party to confront the secrets they have kept hidden for more than fifty years.
1945, five women keen for an adventure, serve at a mobile canteen during battle whilst dealing with the horrors of war.
1976, a valuable mysterious artefact is blatantly stolen from a museum.
1999, an assistant to a art dealer meets a woman selling her rare collection of treasured art and finds out there’s a history of revenge, betrayal, lies and secrets waiting to rise to the surface.
A dual timeline, the power of female friendship and lush in detail make this one a winner.
The historical aspect of this plot is both fascinating and well researched.
The flow of the storyline weaving in and out of 1945 and 1999, is done so naturally and delightfully.
Kayte is very much a mesmerising storyteller, she continues to spoil readers with rich, intricate, atmospheric and captivating tales.
The pacing and creativity is exceptional as the narrative unfolds and the author skilfully develops the mystery and intrigue woven throughout the past and present.
I had a supremely, addictive and very enjoyable experience with this wonderful novel.
As the new millennium is about to arrive, a group of women reunite at a New Years Eve party to confront the secrets they have kept hidden for more than fifty years.
1945, five women keen for an adventure, serve at a mobile canteen during battle whilst dealing with the horrors of war.
1976, a valuable mysterious artefact is blatantly stolen from a museum.
1999, an assistant to a art dealer meets a woman selling her rare collection of treasured art and finds out there’s a history of revenge, betrayal, lies and secrets waiting to rise to the surface.
A dual timeline, the power of female friendship and lush in detail make this one a winner.
The historical aspect of this plot is both fascinating and well researched.
The flow of the storyline weaving in and out of 1945 and 1999, is done so naturally and delightfully.
Kayte is very much a mesmerising storyteller, she continues to spoil readers with rich, intricate, atmospheric and captivating tales.
The pacing and creativity is exceptional as the narrative unfolds and the author skilfully develops the mystery and intrigue woven throughout the past and present.
I had a supremely, addictive and very enjoyable experience with this wonderful novel.
May 24, 2021
In 1945, Bea decides to join the Army in a women's only squad assigned in Burma. They are the forgotten squadron in the forgotten war, serving food and supplies to the Allied forces and coming very close to the front line.
Fast forward to 1999 and Olivia meets Bea as the latter is ready to sell a rare piece of art that was last seen (and stolen) over 30 years ago.
As Olivia tries to unravel the story of the piece, we also learn more about Bea and her Wasbies (Women’s Auxiliary Service – WAS(B) ) while these two make an unlikely friendship.
I enjoyed the historical fiction aspect and I also thought the characterisation was pretty good. As with The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant I just found the ending a little too well put together and it verges on twee. Perhaps best read by those who enjoy a little bit of soap opera in their historical fiction. 3.5 Stars.
Thank to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Fast forward to 1999 and Olivia meets Bea as the latter is ready to sell a rare piece of art that was last seen (and stolen) over 30 years ago.
As Olivia tries to unravel the story of the piece, we also learn more about Bea and her Wasbies (Women’s Auxiliary Service – WAS(B) ) while these two make an unlikely friendship.
I enjoyed the historical fiction aspect and I also thought the characterisation was pretty good. As with The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant I just found the ending a little too well put together and it verges on twee. Perhaps best read by those who enjoy a little bit of soap opera in their historical fiction. 3.5 Stars.
Thank to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2021
The Last Reunion by Kayte Nunn is the story of a group of women who volunteered to serve in the Women's Auxiliary Service (Burma) or WAS(B) in 1945. Known to the troops as the Wasbies, these hard-working women ran mobile canteens for the 14th Army in the Burma campaign during WWII and operated in the same tough conditions in dense jungle as the allied forces.
Beatrix was one of the Wasbies and many decades later in 1999, she is forced to reflect on her experiences when she has to sell her beloved Japanese fox-girl netsuke to fund the repairs to her crumbling estate. A netsuke is a small hand-carved sculpture worn with a kimono and acted as a toggle to suspend personal items in lieu of pockets.
Olivia is a young intern to a renowned art dealer and is instructed to meet Beatrix and establish whether she truly does have the infamous netsuke known as the fox-girl. This and several other Japanese netsuke were stolen from an exhibition in Oxford in 1976, so does Beatrix really have it? If so, how did she acquire it? Where has it been all of these years?
Unfolding in dual timelines in 1999 and 1945, the mystery of the netsuke drives the narrative forward and I'd have loved the title to reflect this. More than that though, The Last Reunion is a story of the bonds of friendship, mateship, love and loss and of course trauma.
The growing friendship between Olivia and Beatrix was a real pleasure to read and Kayte Nunn conveys some of the horrors of the Burma campaign and the conditions of war without giving the reader nightmares. I have enjoyed other historical fiction novels from this author, including The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant and The Silk House and I knew I was in safe hands here.
I know there has been a plethora of new releases set in WWII lately, but The Last Reunion is highly recommended for fans of historical fiction who are interested in character development more than the politics or strategies of war.
* Copy courtesy of Hachette Australia *
Beatrix was one of the Wasbies and many decades later in 1999, she is forced to reflect on her experiences when she has to sell her beloved Japanese fox-girl netsuke to fund the repairs to her crumbling estate. A netsuke is a small hand-carved sculpture worn with a kimono and acted as a toggle to suspend personal items in lieu of pockets.
Olivia is a young intern to a renowned art dealer and is instructed to meet Beatrix and establish whether she truly does have the infamous netsuke known as the fox-girl. This and several other Japanese netsuke were stolen from an exhibition in Oxford in 1976, so does Beatrix really have it? If so, how did she acquire it? Where has it been all of these years?
Unfolding in dual timelines in 1999 and 1945, the mystery of the netsuke drives the narrative forward and I'd have loved the title to reflect this. More than that though, The Last Reunion is a story of the bonds of friendship, mateship, love and loss and of course trauma.
The growing friendship between Olivia and Beatrix was a real pleasure to read and Kayte Nunn conveys some of the horrors of the Burma campaign and the conditions of war without giving the reader nightmares. I have enjoyed other historical fiction novels from this author, including The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant and The Silk House and I knew I was in safe hands here.
I know there has been a plethora of new releases set in WWII lately, but The Last Reunion is highly recommended for fans of historical fiction who are interested in character development more than the politics or strategies of war.
* Copy courtesy of Hachette Australia *
March 22, 2022
On the whole I enjoyed this book. The characters were likeable, the plot wasn’t anything I’d read before and I love historical fiction. That said, it did leave me a little underwhelmed and my attention was waining in places. Good to learn about Burma in WW2 though and the roles women had during that time as my knowledge on that subject was lacking.
April 4, 2021
Historical fiction has been a bit hit and miss for me lately, and from the description, THE LAST REUNION could have gone either way. Would it be, as so many others, simply a Hallmark style romance in disguise? I am very happy to be proven wrong, because this story packed some punch and I really enjoyed it from beginning to end.
Have you heard of the “Wasbies”? The Women’s Auxiliary Service of Burma (“Wasbies”) were an intrepid group of women who supported the 14th Army during WW2 by providing the troops with food and drink and boosting morale. I admit that this piece of WW2 history was new to me, and I applaud the author for bringing the service of these brave and resilient women to our attention. The Burma campaign is often referred to as the “forgotten war” because it did not garner as much attention as the events in Europe at the time, but with the creation of her five plucky female characters Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy, Nunn has made sure that the women’s contribution to the war effort will be remembered.
THE LAST REUNION plays out in two separate timeframes, one during the Burma Campaign and one in the present time, as an older Beatrice is getting ready to meet her fellow ex-Wasbies for a reunion. I was pleased to find that I enjoyed each timeline equally as much, perhaps thanks to the character of Olivia, who stars as the enigmatic second lead in the present-tense timeline. This was further aided by providing the atmospheric setting of Beatrice’s rambling English mansion as a backdrop, serving as a crass contrast to the humid Burmese jungle the five women served in during the war. To connect the two timelines, the author uses a rare netsuke, a miniature Japanese sculpture, traditionally used to secure pouches or other items to kimonos, which were devoid of pockets. I had great fun looking up pictures of netsukes online, and they truly are works of art! And whilst Olivia’s ulterior motive may initially have been to secure the rare netsuke of the “fox girl” for her art dealer boss, she soon falls under Beatrice’s spell as she learns more about her history.
I really enjoyed Nunn’s writing and it is obvious that a lot of research has gone into her story as her characters are brimming with life. It was interesting to find out more about the Wasbies and the harsh life they endured so bravely on the frontier – a part of history that should never be forgotten.
THE LAST REUNION is a perfect example of the way that historical fiction should be written: brimming with interesting, enigmatic characters set against an atmospheric background. The writing just flowed and the characters soon had me in their spell. The details of the era seemed authentic and further enhanced my reading experience. Not only has Nunn mastered the art of bringing history to life, but she also achieved what many writers struggle with – to make each of her two timelines equally interesting. I really look forward to reading more from this author in future!
Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Australia for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
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Have you heard of the “Wasbies”? The Women’s Auxiliary Service of Burma (“Wasbies”) were an intrepid group of women who supported the 14th Army during WW2 by providing the troops with food and drink and boosting morale. I admit that this piece of WW2 history was new to me, and I applaud the author for bringing the service of these brave and resilient women to our attention. The Burma campaign is often referred to as the “forgotten war” because it did not garner as much attention as the events in Europe at the time, but with the creation of her five plucky female characters Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy, Nunn has made sure that the women’s contribution to the war effort will be remembered.
THE LAST REUNION plays out in two separate timeframes, one during the Burma Campaign and one in the present time, as an older Beatrice is getting ready to meet her fellow ex-Wasbies for a reunion. I was pleased to find that I enjoyed each timeline equally as much, perhaps thanks to the character of Olivia, who stars as the enigmatic second lead in the present-tense timeline. This was further aided by providing the atmospheric setting of Beatrice’s rambling English mansion as a backdrop, serving as a crass contrast to the humid Burmese jungle the five women served in during the war. To connect the two timelines, the author uses a rare netsuke, a miniature Japanese sculpture, traditionally used to secure pouches or other items to kimonos, which were devoid of pockets. I had great fun looking up pictures of netsukes online, and they truly are works of art! And whilst Olivia’s ulterior motive may initially have been to secure the rare netsuke of the “fox girl” for her art dealer boss, she soon falls under Beatrice’s spell as she learns more about her history.
I really enjoyed Nunn’s writing and it is obvious that a lot of research has gone into her story as her characters are brimming with life. It was interesting to find out more about the Wasbies and the harsh life they endured so bravely on the frontier – a part of history that should never be forgotten.
THE LAST REUNION is a perfect example of the way that historical fiction should be written: brimming with interesting, enigmatic characters set against an atmospheric background. The writing just flowed and the characters soon had me in their spell. The details of the era seemed authentic and further enhanced my reading experience. Not only has Nunn mastered the art of bringing history to life, but she also achieved what many writers struggle with – to make each of her two timelines equally interesting. I really look forward to reading more from this author in future!
Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Australia for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
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March 25, 2022
A light & easy dual-timeline read with great characters and fascinating themes of ancient Asian artefacts & the Second World War ‘Wasbies’ in Burma. I found all the Burma details really interesting - definitely a unique perspective for a Second World War novel.
I did find it a little slow & laborious to read though & am not totally sure why. It felt as if all the ingredients were there to make a really good cake but the cake failed to rise. I think probably it is down to the ‘information dumps’ throughout the book because the sections with dialogue flowed a lot more easily.
All in all, a nice read but not a particularly gripping one.
I did find it a little slow & laborious to read though & am not totally sure why. It felt as if all the ingredients were there to make a really good cake but the cake failed to rise. I think probably it is down to the ‘information dumps’ throughout the book because the sections with dialogue flowed a lot more easily.
All in all, a nice read but not a particularly gripping one.
November 15, 2021
Four and a half stars.
An engrossing novel of strong women set largely in dual timelines of world war 2 and 1999. A definite recommended read.
An engrossing novel of strong women set largely in dual timelines of world war 2 and 1999. A definite recommended read.
March 20, 2022
Really enjoyed this book. Am reading this with a group of lovely ladies so will hold off my review for now.
December 9, 2021
I enjoyed listening to this story about four women and their friendship forged as members of the Womens Auxiliary Service Burma (Wasbies) in WW2. The story alternates between 1944-45 and 1999-2000 as Olivia, a young Australian starting her career in art dealing, is on the trail of a valuable Japanese netsuke. The netsuke is in the hands of now elderly Beatrice, one of the Wasbies, and as we are taken back to wartime Burma we learn of how it came to be in her possession. It’s an entertaining and interesting story. My only complaint is with the narrator of the audiobook attempting an Australian accent, gee that was hard to listen to.
March 29, 2021
4.5*
All of Kayte's books have been winners for me, so I could not wait to delve into her latest offering. On this occasion, Kayte provides a selection of timelines and themes that she melds beautifully together for an all up fascinating read. Whether it be the mysterious opening with the theft of a rare Japanese artifact, to the jungles of Burma during WWII with the women serving on the frontline, to their reunification fifty years on - this book is loaded with stories of courage and female friendships that are inspiring and make for a most satisfying story.
‘What about the men? They’ll want their jobs back,’ said Plum. ‘Then what will we do?’ Bea asked. ‘One thing I know for certain,’ said Joy, her mouth firmly set. ‘I’m not going to go back to being a wife.’
I was unaware that women were so close to the frontline in Burma during WWII as they served the fighting forces as best they could. The stories these women would live to tell were truly inspiring. To go from afternoon tea parties to fearlessly facing the terrifying scenes of frontline fighting is really quite incredible.
‘... as recently as her mother’s generation, in order to survive the punishing jungles of the East, white women hadn’t been expected to lift a finger, instead they were cosseted by servants who saw to their every need. Now, look at them all.’
The modern day timeline - some fifty years on - see these women meet up again in Ireland and face some underlying issues from the past. This ‘reunion’ will certainly test loyalties that were forged all those many years ago. I also really enjoyed the character of Olivia as a side story - an Aussie trying to live and work in London - her story is more than just a support to Bea.
‘Are you excited about the reunion?’ she asked when they’d settled themselves in the bar, a tumbler of Irish whiskey in front of each of them. ‘I’m not sure excited is exactly the word I’d use ...’
Kayte is a superb writer both in the research she undertakes and the story she then weaves from that, inclusive of characters that you really come to care for. The fact that so much of this story is based on and/or inspired by real life events certainly adds a richness of appreciation to events. This is historical fiction at its best.
All up this a wonderful read that truly opened my eyes to the role women played in Burma during the war. To daily confront such challenging circumstances, one would need to form bonds of support to be able to face it day after day. To find love and friendship amongst such danger and death is what makes this story so incredibly moving.
‘The country had been changed forever; its peaceful people caught in the middle of a war started such a long way from here, in the name of avarice and power. It all seemed so senseless.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
All of Kayte's books have been winners for me, so I could not wait to delve into her latest offering. On this occasion, Kayte provides a selection of timelines and themes that she melds beautifully together for an all up fascinating read. Whether it be the mysterious opening with the theft of a rare Japanese artifact, to the jungles of Burma during WWII with the women serving on the frontline, to their reunification fifty years on - this book is loaded with stories of courage and female friendships that are inspiring and make for a most satisfying story.
‘What about the men? They’ll want their jobs back,’ said Plum. ‘Then what will we do?’ Bea asked. ‘One thing I know for certain,’ said Joy, her mouth firmly set. ‘I’m not going to go back to being a wife.’
I was unaware that women were so close to the frontline in Burma during WWII as they served the fighting forces as best they could. The stories these women would live to tell were truly inspiring. To go from afternoon tea parties to fearlessly facing the terrifying scenes of frontline fighting is really quite incredible.
‘... as recently as her mother’s generation, in order to survive the punishing jungles of the East, white women hadn’t been expected to lift a finger, instead they were cosseted by servants who saw to their every need. Now, look at them all.’
The modern day timeline - some fifty years on - see these women meet up again in Ireland and face some underlying issues from the past. This ‘reunion’ will certainly test loyalties that were forged all those many years ago. I also really enjoyed the character of Olivia as a side story - an Aussie trying to live and work in London - her story is more than just a support to Bea.
‘Are you excited about the reunion?’ she asked when they’d settled themselves in the bar, a tumbler of Irish whiskey in front of each of them. ‘I’m not sure excited is exactly the word I’d use ...’
Kayte is a superb writer both in the research she undertakes and the story she then weaves from that, inclusive of characters that you really come to care for. The fact that so much of this story is based on and/or inspired by real life events certainly adds a richness of appreciation to events. This is historical fiction at its best.
All up this a wonderful read that truly opened my eyes to the role women played in Burma during the war. To daily confront such challenging circumstances, one would need to form bonds of support to be able to face it day after day. To find love and friendship amongst such danger and death is what makes this story so incredibly moving.
‘The country had been changed forever; its peaceful people caught in the middle of a war started such a long way from here, in the name of avarice and power. It all seemed so senseless.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
May 3, 2021
The Last Reunion by Kayte Nunn
Synopsis /
Five women come together at a New Year's Eve's party after decades apart, in this thrilling story of desire, revenge and courage, based on a brave group of Australian and British WWII servicewomen.
My Thoughts /
The Last Reunion, by Australian Author, Kayte Nunn.
Learn something new.
Did you know? Women were conscripted in December 1941. They were given a choice of working in industry or joining one of the auxiliary services.
This is the little-known story of the Women’s Auxiliary Service (Burma), which ran mobile canteens for the Allied troops involved in the Burma campaign during the Second World War. The Women’s Auxiliary Service, Burma was formed on 16 January 1942 and disbanded in 1946. The Wasbies were a group of British and Australian women who manned mobile canteens for the Allied troops of Burma Command in World War II. Across thousands of miles of inhospitable jungle, in conditions of tremendous difficulty and sometimes, within sound of gunfire, the Wasbies ran char and wads (tea and buns for the uninitiated!), mobile and static canteens, providing the Allied troops with a constant supply of food and drink.
This is a book of fiction, but it has come to life, inspired by real events, and details the stories of five extraordinary women during WWII. Five unique individuals, who were assigned to a mobile canteen run by members of the Women’s Auxiliary Service, Burma (Wasbies) touring the forward airfields and isolated units of the RAF. Whatever the conditions or the risk, these women stuck to their motto – “The lads must have their char”.
This book has a dual timeline and it flows seamlessly between WWII and the jungles of Burma (1945), and England in the late 1990’s.
1945: Beatrix, and her friends Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy are five young women in search of adventure who become Wasbies and find themselves alongside the Fourteenth Army, fighting a forgotten war in the jungle against the Japanese.
1999: Four of the five (now all elderly women) are brought together again decades later for a reunion of the Wasbies – where hidden truths will come to light and some of their friendships will be tested.
The book details stories about all five women. Their courage, strengths and the bond that ties them all together. This is such a unique story brimming with many memorable characters and deeply moving passages. The writing just flowed so well and the characters had me captivated. This is such an awesome example of bringing history to life.
I highly recommend this one, it’s a keeper.
Synopsis /
Five women come together at a New Year's Eve's party after decades apart, in this thrilling story of desire, revenge and courage, based on a brave group of Australian and British WWII servicewomen.
My Thoughts /
The Last Reunion, by Australian Author, Kayte Nunn.
Learn something new.
Did you know? Women were conscripted in December 1941. They were given a choice of working in industry or joining one of the auxiliary services.
This is the little-known story of the Women’s Auxiliary Service (Burma), which ran mobile canteens for the Allied troops involved in the Burma campaign during the Second World War. The Women’s Auxiliary Service, Burma was formed on 16 January 1942 and disbanded in 1946. The Wasbies were a group of British and Australian women who manned mobile canteens for the Allied troops of Burma Command in World War II. Across thousands of miles of inhospitable jungle, in conditions of tremendous difficulty and sometimes, within sound of gunfire, the Wasbies ran char and wads (tea and buns for the uninitiated!), mobile and static canteens, providing the Allied troops with a constant supply of food and drink.
This is a book of fiction, but it has come to life, inspired by real events, and details the stories of five extraordinary women during WWII. Five unique individuals, who were assigned to a mobile canteen run by members of the Women’s Auxiliary Service, Burma (Wasbies) touring the forward airfields and isolated units of the RAF. Whatever the conditions or the risk, these women stuck to their motto – “The lads must have their char”.
This book has a dual timeline and it flows seamlessly between WWII and the jungles of Burma (1945), and England in the late 1990’s.
1945: Beatrix, and her friends Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy are five young women in search of adventure who become Wasbies and find themselves alongside the Fourteenth Army, fighting a forgotten war in the jungle against the Japanese.
1999: Four of the five (now all elderly women) are brought together again decades later for a reunion of the Wasbies – where hidden truths will come to light and some of their friendships will be tested.
The book details stories about all five women. Their courage, strengths and the bond that ties them all together. This is such a unique story brimming with many memorable characters and deeply moving passages. The writing just flowed so well and the characters had me captivated. This is such an awesome example of bringing history to life.
I highly recommend this one, it’s a keeper.
March 31, 2021
The Last Reunion is a rich and absorbing story about art, war and friendship from bestselling Australian author, Kayte Nunn.
Art dealer intern Olivia Goddard is excited when she’s given the opportunity to evaluate the authenticity of a unique collection of netsuke (small three dimensional carvings traditionally used by Japanese men to secure their kimono sash) including the elusive figure known as the ‘fox-girl’. Arriving at the Wiltshire estate of its owner, Beatrix Pelham, Olivia is focused on assessing the pieces and returning to London but illness and a snow storm results in an enforced stay. Keen to learn more about the netsuke, Olivia is intrigued as Beatrix reveals how the ‘ fox-girl’ first came into her possession as a gift from her first love when they were both serving in Burma during WWII.
Employing a dual timeline, Nunn seamlessly combines historical fact and fiction that centres on the unique role women played in the ‘forgotten war’, in The Last Reunion. Around two hundred and fifty Women’s Auxiliary Service members were posted to Burma during WWII where the ‘Wasbies’, as they were known, ran canteens that catered to the troops engaged in fighting the Japanese.
In 1944, Beatrix, Plum, Bubbles, Lucy and Joy are assigned to a mobile canteen unit where they find themselves working long days, and nights, to supply soldiers with food, drink, sundries and a dance partner. I enjoyed getting to know these authentically portrayed, interesting female characters, admiring the strength and courage they displayed in such physically, and emotionally, challenging circumstances. Nunn’s vivid descriptions of the environment and the ‘Wasbies’ role in Burma is fascinating, and I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about this relatively obscure facet of wartime history.
Events related in the wartime timeline play into the later time period, as in 1999, to sell her precious collection of netsuke, Beatrix needs to prove provenance, and to do so must confront a shocking incident that occurred during her time in Burma. Fortuitously an invitation to a reunion of the women Bea once served with arrives while Olivia is at Bea’s house, and sets the scene for a long overdue reckoning.
Offering intrigue, action, and a touch of romance, the well paced plot of The Last Reunion is enough to hold any reader’s attention, though it’s the Wasbies and their role in WWII that I found most compelling. This is interesting, well crafted historical fiction that I’m happy to recommend.
Art dealer intern Olivia Goddard is excited when she’s given the opportunity to evaluate the authenticity of a unique collection of netsuke (small three dimensional carvings traditionally used by Japanese men to secure their kimono sash) including the elusive figure known as the ‘fox-girl’. Arriving at the Wiltshire estate of its owner, Beatrix Pelham, Olivia is focused on assessing the pieces and returning to London but illness and a snow storm results in an enforced stay. Keen to learn more about the netsuke, Olivia is intrigued as Beatrix reveals how the ‘ fox-girl’ first came into her possession as a gift from her first love when they were both serving in Burma during WWII.
Employing a dual timeline, Nunn seamlessly combines historical fact and fiction that centres on the unique role women played in the ‘forgotten war’, in The Last Reunion. Around two hundred and fifty Women’s Auxiliary Service members were posted to Burma during WWII where the ‘Wasbies’, as they were known, ran canteens that catered to the troops engaged in fighting the Japanese.
In 1944, Beatrix, Plum, Bubbles, Lucy and Joy are assigned to a mobile canteen unit where they find themselves working long days, and nights, to supply soldiers with food, drink, sundries and a dance partner. I enjoyed getting to know these authentically portrayed, interesting female characters, admiring the strength and courage they displayed in such physically, and emotionally, challenging circumstances. Nunn’s vivid descriptions of the environment and the ‘Wasbies’ role in Burma is fascinating, and I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about this relatively obscure facet of wartime history.
Events related in the wartime timeline play into the later time period, as in 1999, to sell her precious collection of netsuke, Beatrix needs to prove provenance, and to do so must confront a shocking incident that occurred during her time in Burma. Fortuitously an invitation to a reunion of the women Bea once served with arrives while Olivia is at Bea’s house, and sets the scene for a long overdue reckoning.
Offering intrigue, action, and a touch of romance, the well paced plot of The Last Reunion is enough to hold any reader’s attention, though it’s the Wasbies and their role in WWII that I found most compelling. This is interesting, well crafted historical fiction that I’m happy to recommend.
February 21, 2022
This book was recommended by a friend and I’m so glad I read it. What an unusual and interesting plot. Really enjoyed it!
February 16, 2023
Three and a half stars.
This is the story of a young woman called Beatrix Pelham who was brought up in India and joined the Women's Auxiliary Services (Burma), or Wasbies as they were affectionately known, dispensing teas, sandwiches, cake and a reminder of home to Allied Forces in India and Burma. Although it might sound the most English thing possible, this women were close to the fighting and were required to set up camp in the most of basic of conditions, then serve food and drink to up to 1,000 hungry soldiers, day after day after day, moving from one location to another.
Fast forward to 1999 and Olivia, a young Australian art history graduate is interning at a small art dealer in London when her boss gets a call from an elderly widow who wants to sell her husband's Japanese art collection, including a rare Foxgirl netsuke which was reported stolen in 1976. Olivia is sent to assess the collection and determine whether there is provenance for the netsuke, which could be worth tens of thousands of pounds, but falls ill on the woman's doorstep and gets snowed in for Christmas.
Told partly in 1944/5 and partly in 1999 we discover what life was like for young (Bea started in the Wasbies when she was only twenty) girls from sheltered homes who had to endure the heat and humidity of working in a jungle with only rudimentary housing and equipment. How she came to possess the netsuke, how it was lost and how she reclaimed it.
I really enjoyed reading this book, especially because I hadn't heard of the Wasbies before. However, it wasn't without its flaws. First, everything was quite briefly and superficially described, almost like a diary entry, I didn't really get a feel of what it really felt like to open so many cans of tinned meat in a single day that you got blisters or how long they must have spent making sandwiches every day, it was all just touched on briefly. Secondly, it was all a bit predictable, sanitised and happy ever after. So, a good read but not a great one.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
This is the story of a young woman called Beatrix Pelham who was brought up in India and joined the Women's Auxiliary Services (Burma), or Wasbies as they were affectionately known, dispensing teas, sandwiches, cake and a reminder of home to Allied Forces in India and Burma. Although it might sound the most English thing possible, this women were close to the fighting and were required to set up camp in the most of basic of conditions, then serve food and drink to up to 1,000 hungry soldiers, day after day after day, moving from one location to another.
Fast forward to 1999 and Olivia, a young Australian art history graduate is interning at a small art dealer in London when her boss gets a call from an elderly widow who wants to sell her husband's Japanese art collection, including a rare Foxgirl netsuke which was reported stolen in 1976. Olivia is sent to assess the collection and determine whether there is provenance for the netsuke, which could be worth tens of thousands of pounds, but falls ill on the woman's doorstep and gets snowed in for Christmas.
Told partly in 1944/5 and partly in 1999 we discover what life was like for young (Bea started in the Wasbies when she was only twenty) girls from sheltered homes who had to endure the heat and humidity of working in a jungle with only rudimentary housing and equipment. How she came to possess the netsuke, how it was lost and how she reclaimed it.
I really enjoyed reading this book, especially because I hadn't heard of the Wasbies before. However, it wasn't without its flaws. First, everything was quite briefly and superficially described, almost like a diary entry, I didn't really get a feel of what it really felt like to open so many cans of tinned meat in a single day that you got blisters or how long they must have spent making sandwiches every day, it was all just touched on briefly. Secondly, it was all a bit predictable, sanitised and happy ever after. So, a good read but not a great one.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
December 10, 2021
I usually love Kayte Nunn's books, but The Last Reunion left me a little underwhelmed. The story, the dialogue, certain plot points, even the death of characters, were all a bit surface level. Nothing too deep or thought provoking. The friendship of the girls was nice, but it was a bit fluffly for a WW2 novel. Am looking forward to her next novel all the same.
February 10, 2021
Lots and lots of novels set in Europe, the UK about ordinary people during and after WWII. But very few, in comparison, set in Japan, China or what was then Burma, now Myanmar. The cruelty and ruthlessness of the Japanese armed forces to prisoners and civilians is very well documented, but there hasn't been the same tsunami of fiction coming out of this history. This one is all about a group that you have probably never heard of - the Wasbies - the Women's Auxiliary Service (Burma) which ran mobile canteens for the Allied soldiers involved in the Burma campaign - British, Australian, NZers, Canadians, Americans who made up the 14th Army. The Wasbies were mainly young women - early 20s - looking for some excitement as well as wanting to make a contribution to the war effort. Having lived parts of their lives in British colonies such as Singapore, India, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, they were well suited to the climate and living conditions. But things were still very primitive, basic, at times dangerous but almost always exciting. Much of the detail in the story comes from the diary of one of the surviving Wasbies who wrote about her experiences in India and Burma with the 14th Army. Across thousands of miles of inhospitable jungle, mosquitoes, often in difficult conditions, and from time to time within the sound of the front line, these young women ran char and wads - tea and buns - mobile and static canteens providing the troops with a constant and reliable source of food and drink- all the things they were missing from home.
Joining the Wasbies in the 1940s are Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy. Very different personalities and life stories, they are thrown together, depending on each other for companionship, a shoulder to cry on, assistance in times of danger, sharing secrets, coping together. Not only do they have to cope with their living and sanitation conditions but also the amorous attentions from the soldiers - young and pretty women being very few and far between. The story is narrated from Bea's point of view - smart, hard working, a real asset to the team and to the Wasbies.
In later years, 1974, Bea finds herself responsible for the disappearance of a rare piece of Japanese miniature wooden sculpture a netsuke. This special item becomes a key feature in the story, and in the relationships amongst the other characters, but it remains out of sight for many years. In 1999 Bea finds that her home is beginning to fall apart around her, forcing her to bring the netsuke out for auctioning. But first provenance - that the netsuke is hers - has to be proved. How did she come to have this rare and expensive treasure? Into the picture comes Olivia, a young Australian woman who is an expert in Asian and oriental art. She is in living in London on her OE working for a ghastly woman, who despatches her to Bea's place to check out these items Bea wants to auction off. Things happen, resulting in Olivia and Bea striking up a friendship. Bea is an elderly woman by now, but has lost none of her feistiness.
The reunion in the title refers to a New Year's party taking place in Galway at the end of 1999 at the home of fellow Wasbie Plum. Bea doesn't want to go, but to sort the provenance of the netsuke she has to, so she asks Olivia to go with her.
Moving seamlessly between the two time periods, this is a really good story. Great characters - the women are fearless, brave, terrified, funny, smart, positive, defiant. Olivia is a great character too, trying to find her feet in London, living the classic OE on rubbish pay, grotty flat, struggling to make friends. The Burmese jungle is a frightening and unknown place, the Japanese soldiers a constant threat and fear to everyone, Wasbies and soldiers alike. Yet somehow in all this chaos, danger, death, primitive living, they find love, friendship, dancing, laughter. Very uplifting, the power of friendship and shared experiences surviving 50 years.
Joining the Wasbies in the 1940s are Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy. Very different personalities and life stories, they are thrown together, depending on each other for companionship, a shoulder to cry on, assistance in times of danger, sharing secrets, coping together. Not only do they have to cope with their living and sanitation conditions but also the amorous attentions from the soldiers - young and pretty women being very few and far between. The story is narrated from Bea's point of view - smart, hard working, a real asset to the team and to the Wasbies.
In later years, 1974, Bea finds herself responsible for the disappearance of a rare piece of Japanese miniature wooden sculpture a netsuke. This special item becomes a key feature in the story, and in the relationships amongst the other characters, but it remains out of sight for many years. In 1999 Bea finds that her home is beginning to fall apart around her, forcing her to bring the netsuke out for auctioning. But first provenance - that the netsuke is hers - has to be proved. How did she come to have this rare and expensive treasure? Into the picture comes Olivia, a young Australian woman who is an expert in Asian and oriental art. She is in living in London on her OE working for a ghastly woman, who despatches her to Bea's place to check out these items Bea wants to auction off. Things happen, resulting in Olivia and Bea striking up a friendship. Bea is an elderly woman by now, but has lost none of her feistiness.
The reunion in the title refers to a New Year's party taking place in Galway at the end of 1999 at the home of fellow Wasbie Plum. Bea doesn't want to go, but to sort the provenance of the netsuke she has to, so she asks Olivia to go with her.
Moving seamlessly between the two time periods, this is a really good story. Great characters - the women are fearless, brave, terrified, funny, smart, positive, defiant. Olivia is a great character too, trying to find her feet in London, living the classic OE on rubbish pay, grotty flat, struggling to make friends. The Burmese jungle is a frightening and unknown place, the Japanese soldiers a constant threat and fear to everyone, Wasbies and soldiers alike. Yet somehow in all this chaos, danger, death, primitive living, they find love, friendship, dancing, laughter. Very uplifting, the power of friendship and shared experiences surviving 50 years.
March 11, 2021
A story of friendship and resilience
Burma, 1945. Five young women joined the Women’s Auxiliary Service. They are attached to the Fourteenth Army, assigned to run a mobile canteen in support of the Burma Campaign of the Second World War. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy were in search of adventure, keen to do their bit to support those involved in what has often been referred to as ‘The Forgotten War’.
Oxford, 1976. A woman steals several rare Japanese netsuke from a collection in a museum. Although a considerable reward is offered, the tiny exquisitely carved netsuke are not seen again.
London and Galway, 1999. Olivia, an assistant to an art dealer, meets Beatrix. Beatrix wishes to sell her late husband’s collection of Japanese art. Olivia falls ill while visiting Beatrix and ends up accompanying her to a New Year’s Eve party, a reunion between the women who worked together in Burma.
But over fifty years have elapsed since the women worked together, and there are secrets that threaten their friendship.
Until I read this book, I knew nothing about the Women’s Auxiliary Service (Burma) and the role played by the women who served the war effort by running canteens to serve the Allied troops during the Burma campaign. Ms Nunn’s book took me into that world, with the hardships of service in the jungle not far from enemy lines and the power of friendship. And weaving between the friendships and the events of 1945 and 1999, is the story of a particular netsuke. The netsuke itself is important both as a hand carved Japanese artefact and because of its story, its journey.
I enjoyed this wonderful story of friendship and resilience. This is the fourth of Ms Nunn’s novels I have read, and I have enjoyed (and learned from) each one.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Burma, 1945. Five young women joined the Women’s Auxiliary Service. They are attached to the Fourteenth Army, assigned to run a mobile canteen in support of the Burma Campaign of the Second World War. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy were in search of adventure, keen to do their bit to support those involved in what has often been referred to as ‘The Forgotten War’.
Oxford, 1976. A woman steals several rare Japanese netsuke from a collection in a museum. Although a considerable reward is offered, the tiny exquisitely carved netsuke are not seen again.
London and Galway, 1999. Olivia, an assistant to an art dealer, meets Beatrix. Beatrix wishes to sell her late husband’s collection of Japanese art. Olivia falls ill while visiting Beatrix and ends up accompanying her to a New Year’s Eve party, a reunion between the women who worked together in Burma.
But over fifty years have elapsed since the women worked together, and there are secrets that threaten their friendship.
Until I read this book, I knew nothing about the Women’s Auxiliary Service (Burma) and the role played by the women who served the war effort by running canteens to serve the Allied troops during the Burma campaign. Ms Nunn’s book took me into that world, with the hardships of service in the jungle not far from enemy lines and the power of friendship. And weaving between the friendships and the events of 1945 and 1999, is the story of a particular netsuke. The netsuke itself is important both as a hand carved Japanese artefact and because of its story, its journey.
I enjoyed this wonderful story of friendship and resilience. This is the fourth of Ms Nunn’s novels I have read, and I have enjoyed (and learned from) each one.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
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