What do you think?
Rate this book
Never Forget You: The Times Children’s Book of the Year 2022 Based on a true story, the most heartbreaking WW2 historical fiction novel of heroism and female friendship.
A stunning and heartbreaking new novel from Jamila Gavin, the bestselling ana award-winning author of Coram Boy and The Wheels of Surya.
England, 1937.
Gwen, Noor, Dodo and Vera are four very different teenage girls, with something in common. Their parents are all abroad, leaving them in their English boarding school, where they soon form an intense friendship. The four friends think that’s no matter what, they will always have each other. Then the war comes.
The girls find themselves flung to different corners if the war, from the flying planes in Air Training Auxiliary to going undercover in the French Resistance. Each journey brings danger and uncertainty as each of them wonders if they can make it through - and what will be left of the world. But at the same time, this is what shows them who they really are - and against this impossible backdrop, they find new connections and possibility of love.
Will the four friends ever see each other again? And when the war is over, who will be left to tell the story?
A heartbreaking and gripping story of hope, fear and unbreakable friendship.
England, 1937.
Gwen, Noor, Dodo and Vera are four very different teenage girls, with something in common. Their parents are all abroad, leaving them in their English boarding school, where they soon form an intense friendship. The four friends think that’s no matter what, they will always have each other. Then the war comes.
The girls find themselves flung to different corners if the war, from the flying planes in Air Training Auxiliary to going undercover in the French Resistance. Each journey brings danger and uncertainty as each of them wonders if they can make it through - and what will be left of the world. But at the same time, this is what shows them who they really are - and against this impossible backdrop, they find new connections and possibility of love.
Will the four friends ever see each other again? And when the war is over, who will be left to tell the story?
A heartbreaking and gripping story of hope, fear and unbreakable friendship.
447 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 7, 2022
14 people are currently reading
280 people want to read
About the author
Jamila Gavin
88 books65 followersJamila Gavin was born in Mussoorie, India, in the foothills of the Himalayas, to an Indian father and an English mother. Jamila has written many books with multicultural themes for children and young adults. She won the Whitbread Children’s Book Award in 2000 and was runner-up for the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. Her work has been adapted for stage and television. Jamila Gavin lives in England.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 4, 2023
I struggled at the beginning of this book. The boarding school setting isn’t what I usually look for in a book, but it was loaned to me by a friend and I felt obliged to finish it.
I’m so glad I did. Once the girls left school, their stories grabbed my attention and i enjoyed following them on their different paths in life.
It was set in WWII and it was this that grabbed my attention and pulled me in. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys stories of friendships and struggles during this historic time.
I’m so glad I did. Once the girls left school, their stories grabbed my attention and i enjoyed following them on their different paths in life.
It was set in WWII and it was this that grabbed my attention and pulled me in. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys stories of friendships and struggles during this historic time.
December 26, 2025
I have read WW2 historical fiction books before, but this was different. We follow the stories of 4 different girls, who have one thing in common. They both go to a boarding school in England. We have Noor (who was the only person in this book that was actually real), Dodo(Dorothy), Gwen, and Vera. Throughout the book, we see these characters grow immensely, and figure out how to survive during the war. I liled that this was told with a different sort of perspective, with some of the girls being spies, as well as the fact that it wasn't told from the Jew's POV, rather from girls from England. From the start, I was obsessed with this book, it hooked me from the start, and I continued loving it all the way through. There were a few typos throughout the book, however they were infrequent. Overall, I loved this book, and I will most likely be rereading it.
Beyond this point will have MASSIVE spoilers. DO NOT READ PAST HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK.
Okay, so when we found out that Dodo's parents were German supporters, I was so scared that she would go that way too, but then I was so happy when she became a spy. When she died, I was shocked, but that way she did was kind of sweet. Also, at the end when Gwen and Ralph (extremely cute couple btw) went to find Noor's father after she died, that bit nearly killed me. The fact that he already knew? Anyway, that is all the stuff I wanted to rant about lol.
Beyond this point will have MASSIVE spoilers. DO NOT READ PAST HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK.
Okay, so when we found out that Dodo's parents were German supporters, I was so scared that she would go that way too, but then I was so happy when she became a spy. When she died, I was shocked, but that way she did was kind of sweet. Also, at the end when Gwen and Ralph (extremely cute couple btw) went to find Noor's father after she died, that bit nearly killed me. The fact that he already knew? Anyway, that is all the stuff I wanted to rant about lol.
January 25, 2024
Trigger warnings: war, antisemitism, death, racism, death of a loved one, torture, espionage, gun violence, blood, concentration camps, animal death
3.5 stars
The second half of this was fantastic. It was gripping and tense and I really enjoyed seeing the vastly different ways in which the girls live out the war. That being said, there was absolutely no reason for this book to be a fraction under 500 pages long, and basically everything that happens before 1940 - which was a good 150-odd pages of the book - didn't contribute much to the story other than showing us the girls becoming friends. And honestly? That could have been done in flashbacks or "do you remember?" conversations.
I also ultimately found myself wishing that this were JUST Noor's story or JUST Vera's story etc etc. I honestly think I would have liked to read four interconnected 200 page novels about these four girls than one 500 page book. There were extensive time jumps and I feel like the overall plot and character development suffered as a result.
3.5 stars
The second half of this was fantastic. It was gripping and tense and I really enjoyed seeing the vastly different ways in which the girls live out the war. That being said, there was absolutely no reason for this book to be a fraction under 500 pages long, and basically everything that happens before 1940 - which was a good 150-odd pages of the book - didn't contribute much to the story other than showing us the girls becoming friends. And honestly? That could have been done in flashbacks or "do you remember?" conversations.
I also ultimately found myself wishing that this were JUST Noor's story or JUST Vera's story etc etc. I honestly think I would have liked to read four interconnected 200 page novels about these four girls than one 500 page book. There were extensive time jumps and I feel like the overall plot and character development suffered as a result.
July 3, 2022
This book has so many good things going for it. It interweaves the stories of the four main characters really well. By having four very different viewpoints, Jamila Gavin has been able to show how the war impacted multiple communities. I have spent a lot of time through my primary teaching role, focusing on the Home Front and how the war impacted those in England, and through my own research, I have learnt how it impacted those who were sent to the concentration camps. However, I have never really considered the experiences of the countries that German actually occupied and how the citizen's there coped under Nazi rule. This book opened my eyes and my thoughts to that. It was really well told, helping me understand the fear that some people felt, the disbelief and denial of others and the actions that people took to protect themselves and those they loved. In places the story is very dark. It talks of Nazi sympathisers on British soil and of the treachery of those living under Nazi rule. It also doesn't have an entirely happy ending for all of the characters, so I would think very carefully about whether all the children in my Year 6 class would be able to cope with that. I think it would make a great addition to any World War 2 collection of books and I was fascinated by the bravery and resilience of the characters.
March 4, 2023
Many a complaint but it made me cry so it got bumped up from 2 to 3 stars
February 17, 2023
I have always had a lot of time for Jamila Gavin. Her writing is always very classy stuff and I admire it intently. She has this skill of restraint and clarity that makes you understand something, whatever that something is, very deeply before you quite realise what she's done. I will always want to read her work because I think she's one of the best authors that we have right now, quietly carving out this big and classic stories that feel like they've always been waiting for somebody like her to tell them.
Never Forget You is the story of four young women and how their lives are impacted by World War Two. The first thing to note is that it sits a little older than I expected it to sit, based on my first impressions, and so I'd encourage you to read it prior to using it in a classroom or educational context. If your readers are comfortable with things like Back Home, Code Name Verityor Tamar then they'll be in the right area for this. It is also worthwhile noting that there's nothing here that isn't handled with grace and delicacy. Gavin's with the reader every step of the way.
In terms of style, Never Forget You shifts between four different characters in very different circumstances. We begin with everybody at boarding school before the shattering effects of the war push people into new worlds, new lives. As is the nature of books like this, certain things will happen 'off-screen', so to speak, and that can feel difficult some times to swallow. Yet that's kind of the whole point of it: the style tells you as much as the plot does itself. The sun rose, the sun set, people lived, people died, and the war whirled on.
(I'm thinking a lot about style as storytelling at the moment due to having recently read Tender Is the Night - the way that almost 'collapsed' at the end, the lack of interest it showed in anything but the lead, told you everything about his state of mind at that point...)
I loved, very much, how Gavin envelopes you in the wholeness of the story she has to tell. I love it when she lets go - there are some really interesting choices made here. She slips tenses, she uses extracts from The Song of The Stormy Petrel alongside wartime diaries, and she does it all very deliberately to make you feel the totality of this story, the immensity of this. This book really is the work of a storyteller.
Never Forget You is the story of four young women and how their lives are impacted by World War Two. The first thing to note is that it sits a little older than I expected it to sit, based on my first impressions, and so I'd encourage you to read it prior to using it in a classroom or educational context. If your readers are comfortable with things like Back Home, Code Name Verityor Tamar then they'll be in the right area for this. It is also worthwhile noting that there's nothing here that isn't handled with grace and delicacy. Gavin's with the reader every step of the way.
In terms of style, Never Forget You shifts between four different characters in very different circumstances. We begin with everybody at boarding school before the shattering effects of the war push people into new worlds, new lives. As is the nature of books like this, certain things will happen 'off-screen', so to speak, and that can feel difficult some times to swallow. Yet that's kind of the whole point of it: the style tells you as much as the plot does itself. The sun rose, the sun set, people lived, people died, and the war whirled on.
(I'm thinking a lot about style as storytelling at the moment due to having recently read Tender Is the Night - the way that almost 'collapsed' at the end, the lack of interest it showed in anything but the lead, told you everything about his state of mind at that point...)
I loved, very much, how Gavin envelopes you in the wholeness of the story she has to tell. I love it when she lets go - there are some really interesting choices made here. She slips tenses, she uses extracts from The Song of The Stormy Petrel alongside wartime diaries, and she does it all very deliberately to make you feel the totality of this story, the immensity of this. This book really is the work of a storyteller.
July 20, 2022
Not a story for younger children- sensitive themes.
As an adult, I thought the story was poignant, beautifully weaved together with threads of history and fiction. The story is told in 4 voices: 4 girls who become women over the course of the book, travelling from English boarding school to different roles in World War 2, both in London and Paris. So many themes and topics of world war 2 are interweaved: Dunkirk, Kristallnacht, holocaust, French resistance, Nazi sympathisers, air raids, patriotism, evacuation, spies.
The only difficulty was figuring out who was narrating each chapter which could be a little frustrating, and jumping between threads of the story. The story has tragedy and loss and so is not recommended for primary school (maybe a mature year 6 might be ok with it, but it’s more suited to secondary pupils).
As an adult, I thought the story was poignant, beautifully weaved together with threads of history and fiction. The story is told in 4 voices: 4 girls who become women over the course of the book, travelling from English boarding school to different roles in World War 2, both in London and Paris. So many themes and topics of world war 2 are interweaved: Dunkirk, Kristallnacht, holocaust, French resistance, Nazi sympathisers, air raids, patriotism, evacuation, spies.
The only difficulty was figuring out who was narrating each chapter which could be a little frustrating, and jumping between threads of the story. The story has tragedy and loss and so is not recommended for primary school (maybe a mature year 6 might be ok with it, but it’s more suited to secondary pupils).
November 28, 2022
I loved this book - it was so compelling and offered viewpoints that I have rarely discovered in other WWII novels that I have read. I adored the dynamic between the four main characters, and thought that the exploration of their friendships, particularly at the beginning but continuing throughout the book, made their eventual storylines so much more harrowing and impactful.
The only small thing I felt didn’t work for me was the split narratives between the characters - I didn’t feel it was balanced enough. But that being said, I still loved it on the whole and give it five stars!
(Also, my copy had quite a few editing (?) errors - sentences without endings and words/phrases repeated, and not in an intentional way, im sure!)
The only small thing I felt didn’t work for me was the split narratives between the characters - I didn’t feel it was balanced enough. But that being said, I still loved it on the whole and give it five stars!
(Also, my copy had quite a few editing (?) errors - sentences without endings and words/phrases repeated, and not in an intentional way, im sure!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2022
Jamila Gavin is an exceptional author. My sister gave this book to me as a present. I read the first few pages and wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy it but a fee chapters in and I was hooked. Gavin was able to perfectly allow us as the readers to see the lives of these four, young and courageous women through their lens- each with a story to tell of their own . Four best friends tell their coming of age story ridden by the events of world war 2. Each character gets time to tell their side and reflect on what’s happening around them. I honestly wanted to keep reading and reading. Noor and Dodo made me teary more times than I could count!!! I wish it was longer!
November 25, 2022
It took me a little while to get into this book but by the end I was really invested in finding out what happened to the characters. The author says in her notes that only Noor is a real person, all other characters are fictional which disappointed me to be honest. My only observation is that using 4 different POV means that you only see bits of each story and as it covers the whole period of the war, it's quite a lot to condense and the book only touches on the real horror. Possibly deliberate as it is an older children's book.
Jamila Gavin is a fine writer and this is definitely one to recommend for 11+ able readers.
Jamila Gavin is a fine writer and this is definitely one to recommend for 11+ able readers.
March 8, 2023
My 10 year old grand daughter lent me her twice read copy to read. Never Forget You is a remarkable moving story written with considerable skill and sensitivity. Jamila Gavin introduces some really tough issues within a captivating and exciting story that is a powerful page turner. She gives the reader significant insight into philosophical concepts and a spiritual dimension to life in a non-preachy, non-didactic manner which is respectful to the reader. This is, in my 69 year old opinion, a book for all ages - the 10 year old grand daughter was captivated and moved by the story just as I have been and I am about to read it for a second time.
March 3, 2024
I bought this as an audiobook and was not disappointed. The narrator is excellent which really made the story for me as I could fully concentrate instead of being irritated by silly voices or drawling or robotic narration that a lot of audiobooks have.
I have watch a lot of documentaries and talks about SOE and particularly about Vera Atkins and Noor Inayat Khan. So although this was fictional I enjoyed that it is very much based on true historical events and people. I hope that the target YA audience will be stimulated to further research the true stories of both Vera and Noor.
For me it was very enjoyable and thought provoking and I definitely recommend it.
I have watch a lot of documentaries and talks about SOE and particularly about Vera Atkins and Noor Inayat Khan. So although this was fictional I enjoyed that it is very much based on true historical events and people. I hope that the target YA audience will be stimulated to further research the true stories of both Vera and Noor.
For me it was very enjoyable and thought provoking and I definitely recommend it.
December 20, 2022
This is an absolutely amazing piece in regards to WWII. I loved the gradual decent from normal schoolgirl life, to possibility of war to war happening. I loved how Gavin showed us what all the girls were doing during the war and the different challenges they all faced.
The only reason I marked it down one star is at the start, for me, it was incredibly slow to read, however it did get faster paced towards the end.
The epilogue was incredibly gut-wrenching, but also heart-warming! All in all this is an incredibly well written and beautiful novel
The only reason I marked it down one star is at the start, for me, it was incredibly slow to read, however it did get faster paced towards the end.
The epilogue was incredibly gut-wrenching, but also heart-warming! All in all this is an incredibly well written and beautiful novel
February 2, 2024
Friendship and war
The four main characters who started as strangers; became friends and really family.
I like how they discussed their lives, traditions, things they had in common and their differences. I like how despite different cultures firm bonds were made. I liked how you saw them grow from school friends, to young women in dangerous roles in ww2. I liked the honesty.
I think that anyone could read this, it opens your eyes to how war changes things, but also the bonds that form in times of peril. A real eye opener, about some of ways war effects people.
The four main characters who started as strangers; became friends and really family.
I like how they discussed their lives, traditions, things they had in common and their differences. I like how despite different cultures firm bonds were made. I liked how you saw them grow from school friends, to young women in dangerous roles in ww2. I liked the honesty.
I think that anyone could read this, it opens your eyes to how war changes things, but also the bonds that form in times of peril. A real eye opener, about some of ways war effects people.
February 3, 2025
Compelling and heartbreaking young adult (YA) novel for ages 11+ about four very different teenage girls (parents all live abroad) who forge a friendship at boarding school in 1937. Novel follows their individual journeys during WW2 as they take on different roles in the conflict. Author cleverly weaves narratives of girls’ stories as they come and go in each other’s lives (keeping their lives secret from each other) so we see war from different perspectives. Narrative peppered with quotes from poetry and wartime diaries which add to poignancy.
Novel is a tribute to real life character.
Novel is a tribute to real life character.
July 13, 2022
What a wonderful book. Writing from so many different perspectives could have been difficult to follow but this was done by following the paths of a group of schoolfriends. It was easy to follow who was talking and how the events leading up to war were seen by and affected them. Perfect history based book for older children.
July 4, 2023
polished this off in a day by the pool!
felt simone’s betrayal was a little random (as in she wasn’t present enough for it to be fully cathartic in a negative way) and there were so many names at points i could barely keep up with them, but other than that this was fantastic! i enjoyed the transition between their schoolgirl days to adults in different sections of the war. very well interwoven!
felt simone’s betrayal was a little random (as in she wasn’t present enough for it to be fully cathartic in a negative way) and there were so many names at points i could barely keep up with them, but other than that this was fantastic! i enjoyed the transition between their schoolgirl days to adults in different sections of the war. very well interwoven!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2025
Quite honestly the best book I have ever read.
Amazing story that keeps you engaged and has you guessing with enough twists and turns.
Great characters that have you bought in to their lives and dilemmas.
The way jamila Gavin has you rooting for her characters and living the story with them is a gift.
This was thought provoking, endearing, thrilling and an all around incredible read.
Amazing story that keeps you engaged and has you guessing with enough twists and turns.
Great characters that have you bought in to their lives and dilemmas.
The way jamila Gavin has you rooting for her characters and living the story with them is a gift.
This was thought provoking, endearing, thrilling and an all around incredible read.
July 18, 2022
An epic World War II novel for readers of 11+, powerful and heart breaking. You can read my full review here: http://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home....
July 24, 2022
A slightly slower paced book that I would usually go for, but the story and characters kept me engaged the whole way through. It is a beautiful, yet heartbreaking story that I would recommend to anyone who likes War stories!
February 21, 2023
A weighty snd moving story of 4 girls, close friends, whose lives are transformed due to their active service during WW2.
Suitable for 11+ in terms of content, but perhaps for age 12+ in terms of interest level?
Suitable for 11+ in terms of content, but perhaps for age 12+ in terms of interest level?
December 25, 2022
Such a good book! I loved every second of it and it was very interesting to hear the perspectives of all the different girls. Strongly recommend to anyone who is a fan of historical fiction.
February 7, 2023
4.2 stars
March 26, 2023
Loved it
April 17, 2023
Highly underated
August 24, 2023
The most depressing book iv ever read
Read
January 14, 2024good book, very interesting plot with a mildly sad ending
August 10, 2022
I really enjoyed this book particularly the differing experiences of WWII they showed as each of the girls' stories went off on a different tangent because of their different roles within the war effort. I really enjoyed every single page and didn't want it to end.
August 5, 2022
I love any stories about WWII, fictional or no. Even though this is a YA book, I think both adults and teens will enjoy.
We meet a group of 4 young girls in a boarding school on the cusp of the break out of WWII. Two of the young girls are real life people: Vera Atkins and Noor Inayat Khan. If you have never heard of either, then I highly recommend reading further about them. The bravery and acts these young women did, particularly Khan, was truly remarkable and humbling.
We follow all 4 girls from school until the war hits and they all end up being scattered in different parts of Europe as they each do their bits for the war effort. Although the subject matter is tough (as war should be), you end up feeling very invested and want to continue turning the pages until you find out each of their fates (be warned, you may end up needing tissues at the end).
It isn't graphic in terms of some of the aspects of war as it is aimed at teens, but the implication is there and haunting.
I'd never read anything by Gavin before, but I most certainly will be on the look out for more of her books.
Absolutely beautiful book, I highly recommend.
We meet a group of 4 young girls in a boarding school on the cusp of the break out of WWII. Two of the young girls are real life people: Vera Atkins and Noor Inayat Khan. If you have never heard of either, then I highly recommend reading further about them. The bravery and acts these young women did, particularly Khan, was truly remarkable and humbling.
We follow all 4 girls from school until the war hits and they all end up being scattered in different parts of Europe as they each do their bits for the war effort. Although the subject matter is tough (as war should be), you end up feeling very invested and want to continue turning the pages until you find out each of their fates (be warned, you may end up needing tissues at the end).
It isn't graphic in terms of some of the aspects of war as it is aimed at teens, but the implication is there and haunting.
I'd never read anything by Gavin before, but I most certainly will be on the look out for more of her books.
Absolutely beautiful book, I highly recommend.
September 2, 2022
This is a good story and quite tense and exciting in parts. However it felt a little disjointed to me and I never quite got to like the characters as much as I would want to. There seemed something not quite right about the balance of time we spent with each character. Nevertheless it was a book I was glad to return to.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews