The opening chapters are very effective when it comes to the different characterisation of the two sisters at the heart of the novel. There's Emma, who has a strong bond with Sylvia and an equally strong desire to help out with the war effort which is not necessarily shared by the rest of her family (especially her mother), and then there's polar opposite Audrey who has a preoccupation with her appearance and is soon made a life-changing proposition by her ongoing lover Richard.
The other thing that stands out is the reader has to pay close attention to the text. This can be seen with the historical element of World War II which, with the references to things like sirens, gunfire and gas masks, is never too far away from the reader's mind, while there's an interesting stylistic choice in terms of no quotation marks for dialogue which makes the interaction between characters more direct.
The other thing that stands out is the reader has to pay close attention to the text. This can be seen with the historical element of World War II which, with the references to things like sirens, gunfire and gas masks, is never too far away from the reader's mind, while there's an interesting stylistic choice in terms of no quotation marks for dialogue which makes the interaction between characters more direct.