What first attracted me to this book was that it is Susanna Bavin’s debut as Polly Heron and she comes extremely highly recommended so having seen the first impression on readers first I jumped at the chance to get a sneak preview.
War books are not my usual go to book but from the first few pages I knew this would be an incredible read and quite the journey.
I am hugely grateful to readers first and the publisher for letting me have an advanced reader copy of this amazing book.
The surplus girls are the women I don’t think anyone really thinks much about. The women left alone after the war had ended and whose men had died during the war. Stuck in a life with no men, love or affection, heartbroken by the tragic losses of war.
Despite being sad the characters are warm and you engage with them immediately. Facing struggles and difficult times with such stout determination and focus. Poor Belinda living in black and the pressure she felt not to wear colour when she felt ready to and the upset it was causing other members of both families. The pressure and strain so much for one young woman to bear.
At such a young age of boy 22 to go from happy and in love to a surplus girl facing a bleak and uncertain future is so moving and devastatingly sad.
To work so hard and in mill conditions to support herself and her family whilst her father drank away what money he had just made the story even more heartbreaking. It is impossible not to warm to Belinda. I wanted to meet her and hug her and reassure her. Truly wonderful character. I felt like I really got to know her and her story reading this
Book.
With huge thanks to Readers First and also the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
War books are not my usual go to book but from the first few pages I knew this would be an incredible read and quite the journey.
I am hugely grateful to readers first and the publisher for letting me have an advanced reader copy of this amazing book.
The surplus girls are the women I don’t think anyone really thinks much about. The women left alone after the war had ended and whose men had died during the war. Stuck in a life with no men, love or affection, heartbroken by the tragic losses of war.
Despite being sad the characters are warm and you engage with them immediately. Facing struggles and difficult times with such stout determination and focus. Poor Belinda living in black and the pressure she felt not to wear colour when she felt ready to and the upset it was causing other members of both families. The pressure and strain so much for one young woman to bear.
At such a young age of boy 22 to go from happy and in love to a surplus girl facing a bleak and uncertain future is so moving and devastatingly sad.
To work so hard and in mill conditions to support herself and her family whilst her father drank away what money he had just made the story even more heartbreaking. It is impossible not to warm to Belinda. I wanted to meet her and hug her and reassure her. Truly wonderful character. I felt like I really got to know her and her story reading this
Book.
With huge thanks to Readers First and also the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.