Island in the East by Jenny Ashcroft

 

Setting

The book is based in the island country of Singapore and spans from 1897 till after the Second World War. Singapore was an important British colony and a major allied base in south-east Asia. During World War II, it became Japan's prime target in its bid to capture south-east Asia. After the invasion of the Malay peninsula in December 1941, Japan proceeded to attack Singapore. Ultimately, on 8th February 1942, Japanese troops landed in Singapore. The battle continued for the next seven days and eventually led to the fall of Singapore and the largest British surrender in history. All the British and Australian soldiers and citizens were sent to Changi prison 

Storyline

The story unfolds in dual timelines of 1897 and 1941 in Singapore. In 1897, identical twins Mae and Harriet travel to Singapore from India with a scandalous past for new beginnings. Their benefactor wants one of them to marry David Kelley. While Harriet takes an instant dislike to David, Mae tolerates him bearing in mind their future. Both the sisters fall for the same man, Alex Blake and the sisterly rivalry comes to the fore. Mae turns bitter as despite being identical, Harriet hogged all the male attention. This soured their relationship too. When Harriet rejected David's proposal for marriage, he turned vengeful. It prompted a chain of events that led to heartbreak and betrayal. In 1941, Ivy-Mae's granddaughter suffered from nightmares after she nearly died, buried under the rubble after a bombing. She got posted to wartime Singapore much against the wishes of her grandmother. Mae had lived for a year in Singapore, a fact she had hidden from her granddaughter. With the Japanese invasion of the island country imminent, Ivy falls in love with Kit, an Australian officer. As she builds new relationships in Singapore, secrets from the past unravel. 

My Thoughts

After reading umpteen number of World War II fiction based in Europe, I wanted to read a book about World War in South-East Asia. Island in the East is essentially a love story with the backdrop of the Second World War. Jenny Ashcroft has managed to seamlessly bridge the two timelines. Both the periods hold your attention equally. She has crafted complex characters with passionate love stories. Harriet/Mae's story has intense love, betrayal, heartbreak and sacrifice. Ivy's love story begins during the war when so much uncertainty prevailed. I got emotionally invested in both the stories. She has evocatively described the endless summer, intense heat and humidity of the island nation. The vivid description of the Fall of Singapore and the appalling living conditions of the inmates of Changi prison are well done by the author. A moving tale of love that I highly recommend. 

Rating - 5/5

Recommend - Go for it !

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Setting

Nightingale is set in the time of World War II in France. During the German occupation of France, it was divided into Occupied Zone and Free Zone. Nazis requisitioned everything of value, took over homes to house their officers. Jews were ostracised and sent to concentration camps. This gave birth to the French Resistance movement. Resistance planned and coordinated attacks on Nazis. They also aided Allied forces.  

Storyline

The book follows two sisters who were poles apart. Vianne Mauriac, the elder one, was more restrained and homely, while Isabelle was an impetuous and rebellious nineteen-year-old who was not afraid of taking risks. With France run over by the Nazis, Isabelle runs off to join the resistance. She assumes a new identity and runs numerous daring missions right under the noses of Germans. Contrarily, Vianne believed in keeping her head down, while waiting for her husband Antoine's return from the war. For her, the primary concern was to keep her daughter Sophie safe. With time she realises that she can also help in saving other children. She imperils herself to hide the children who else would have been sent to the labour camps.

My Thoughts

After reading umpteen number of books about World War II, there is one thing I have learnt, war is not only about men. Soldiers are not the only heroes of the war, heroes are also the women and children left behind who show exemplary courage. We tend to overlook the crucial role played by women in the war. During the war, valour is not only about facing the enemy on the front. But also keeping the family together and persevering in adverse circumstances. Vianne had to make some tough and undesirable choices. But she does not let that break her spirit and stays tenacious. I was especially impressed by the way the author has shown Isabelle's character growth. In the beginning, she is shown as an immature girl who is not the least mindful of how her actions might affect her family.  From an annoying girl, she soon matures into a woman who does not hesitate in risking her life to help others and who believes in freeing her country from Nazi clutches with gusto and great verve. The last part is especially is an emotional roller coaster that moved me to tears. Immaculate storytelling by Kristin Hannah will tug at your heartstrings. It is a beautiful and heartbreaking story that shows the resiliency of the human spirit. 

Rating - 5/5

Recommend - Not to be missed!

 

The Girls From the Beach by Andie Newton

 

Setting 

The book is set in Lorraine, a region in north-eastern France that was part of operations of the U.S. Army during 1944. The book also talks about the Normandy landings which were the landing operations of the Allied forces during the invasion of Normandy. It was the largest seaborne invasion in history. Utah Beach was the code name of one of the sectors of German-occupied France that the Allies invaded during the Normandy landings. The werewolf was a Nazi plan to create a resistance force to operate behind enemy lines. 

Storyline

The book is about four American battlefield nurses - Red, Kit, Roxy and Gail serving at the Lorraine near the French-German border during 1944. When they are tricked into a top-secret mission that takes them into enemy territory, they face the challenge head-on without batting an eyelid. They put their lives at risk to steal something that would make the difference between winning and losing the war. They endured everything that was thrown at them with temerity and grit, from being shot at or walking into the house of Nazi supporters. In the other timeline, a wartime nurse suffers from PTSD, still trying to come to terms with all the brutality she encountered during the war. 

My Thoughts

The Girls from the Beach have all the elements which are pre-requisites for a good story - emotions, friendship, drama, action and thrill. It is an incredible tale of exemplary fortitude, tenacity and endurance. Being a battlefield nurse was not a job for the faint-hearted, treating soldiers who had lost body parts or may not see the next sunrise. But Kit, Gail, Red and Roxy not only excel at that but go a step further. The bond between Kit, Red, Roxy and Gail is the epitome of friendship. The camaraderie between them was a treat to read. It made me cry and laughed with them. It is an action-packed fast-paced story that does not slacken its pace at any point. Though it is another dual timeline book, the author has handled the timelines so well that nowhere the flow of the story breaks. The transitions are seamless. The author has responsibly dealt with PTSD emphasising that not only soldiers but all those who served at the frontline could suffer from it, be it, doctors or nurses. It is a page-turner that brought tears to my eyes. If you love historical fiction then it is a book you must not miss. I am definitely going to read other books by Andie Newton. 

Rating - 5/5

Recommend - Oh Yes! Don't miss it!

 

The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister

Setting

The 1840s and 1850s was the time of one of the largest mass migration in American history. More than 300,000 gold-hungry people migrated to California to build their fortunes. Thousands of people travelled from mid-west travelled in wagon trains and mules across the country with many perishing much before reaching their destination. Amongst the several Arctic explorers of the time, Sir John Franklin was a prominent name. The Franklin Expedition left for the Arctic in 1845 and was never heard of again. The fate of Franklin and his crew remained a mystery. 

Storyline

In 1853, Lady Jane Franklin recruited Virginia Reeve, a California Trail guide to lead an expedition of 12 women into the treacherous environs of the Arctic. Virginia's task was to locate Lady Franklin's husband, Sir John Franklin who went missing on one such expedition. Lady Franklin believed women can succeed where men failed. 

"Women can do far more than the narrow lens of society deems fitting. I suspect there is nothing, literally nothing, of which women are not capable."

A motley group of women from diverse backgrounds were assigned to Virginia for the expedition. The group comprised of a dog breeder, a mountaineer, a navigator, a nurse, a medical student, a journalist etc. They all set out together to brave the perilous terrain of the Arctic but tragedy strikes early. Battling extreme climate and dwindling food supplies, soon it became a fight for their survival. The book is written in a dual timeline. In the second timeline, a year and a half later, a courtroom scene unfolds before us where Virginia is on trial, accused of murdering a fellow expedition member. 

My Thoughts

The Arctic Fury has an excellent and promising premise. It is set in a period when women stepping out of their houses to work was unheard of, let alone going on an expedition to the Arctic. It truly depicts the women's extraordinary physical and mental strength. Though the group loses a lot in the harsh conditions of the Arctic, still it could not break their spirits. Writing is fast-paced and gripping. The journey is vividly described, transporting you to the chilly environs of the Arctic. The court scenes are well-written wherein one could feel the tense environment of the trial while Virginia's fate hung in balance. The author has cleverly woven the story around two events of the period- the Donner Party and the Franklin Expedition. Also, she has subtly touched on the taboo topics of that period. My only peeve with the book is that though it is about the expedition, the expedition ended much before it even began. After that, it was all about survival. Anyhow, it's a book about strong and determined women who despite their issues dare to venture into the unknown.   

Rating - 4/5

Recommend- Yay!

The Shut Away Sisters by Suzanne Goldring

Setting

During the First World War or the Great War, England was at war with Germany. Across Britain, men joined the army to fight in the war and serve their country. Later conscription was introduced wherein single men between the age of 18-40 were liable to be called to serve in the army. In 1918 a global pandemic called Spanish Flu struck Britain resulting in a large number of fatalities. 

Storyline

The books run in two timelines. First is in 1999, where Kate discovers the unfaithfulness of her partner David. She seeks refuge in her Great-Aunt Florrie's Victorian House. Her father also tasks her with the sorting of the house. While sorting, she comes across a closed door with no idea what is behind it. She starts digging into the life of her reclusive aunts. 

The other timeline takes us back to the beginning of the First World War, in 1915. Florrie as a young girl lives with her parents and siblings- elder sister Edith and younger brother George. Edith's fiancée Frank was out fighting the war. Edith shuts herself away from the outside world, always writing to him, leaving young Florrie to lend a hand to their mother in the running of the household. Furthermore, Spanish flu struck rendering a two-fold blow to the populace. Florrie’s family doesn't remain untouched by the disease leaving the family devastated. Everyone responds to grief in their own way. Edith’s answer to her grief was shutting herself into an illusionary world where Frank was still alive. 

My Thoughts

Another historical fiction with dual timelines though it appeared that I was reading two altogether different stories or as well different books. The link between the two is threadbare and barely there. The book is more about the toll the First World War took on the people, the cost each family had to pay rather than about the war itself. But only reading about the daily toil of Florrie’s family with a detailed description of their meals, bored me to tears. Florrie is a dutiful daughter who takes care of her family selflessly. Her self sacrificing and ungrudging attitude was beyond my comprehension. I found it too good to be true. During our current covid times reading about Spanish Flu would have been interesting. But even the spread of pandemic is not delved into in-depth. Overall, it was a disappointing read. 

Rating - 3/5

Recommend  - No 

The Girl Behind the Wall by Mandy Robotham

 

So after numerous World War II fiction this year, this one is about the aftermath of the war, the tribulations of the people who ended up on the losing side. It's about those who suffered first through the war because of the oppressive regime and later as they lost the war - the plebeians.  

Setting

Post the Second World War there was an ideological and political divide between the Allies and the Soviet Union and thus began the Cold War. Germany was divided into West Germany led by Allies and East Germany under the Soviet occupation. Amidst this was Berlin situated entirely in East Germany but still divided into two parts one under Allies (west) and the other under Soviets (east). West Berlin was the symbolic presence of Allies behind the iron curtain. 

"It's hard to picture an entire metropolis as floating in the land-sea of East Germany, 160km adrift from the remainder of West Germany, but that's how it is in the post-war world."

Storyline

August 1961, the people of Berlin wake up one morning to realise that barbed wire has been put up between East and West Berlin with no way to access the other part. This barbed wire gradually transformed into a concrete wall. Karin, a West Berliner unfortunately gets separated from her family and her twin Jutta as she was hospitalised in the eastern part of the city. Karin was the quiet and the creative type and Jutta was the ambitious one out of the two. Unable to cross the wall, Karin builds a life for her on the eastern side with Otto. Despite the constant fear of Stasi and a life of always looking over your shoulder, she made peace with her predicament and tried to adjust to life in East Berlin. While Jutta spends almost all her waking minutes trying to reach or get a message across to her twin. But with the love of her life on the eastern side, would Karin ever decide to get back to her family?  

My Thoughts

Mandy Robotham has written the book in a single timeline which does not break the flow of the story and kept me engrossed. The exposition of people separated and divided by the wall is done beautifully and vividly. Their anger, fear, misery and helplessness are palpable. I was completely invested in Jutta's character. She went to great lengths to reach her twin. For some reason, I was unable to understand Karin's indecisiveness and hesitation to cross over. But then maybe love does that to you. The book is slightly slow and at times some events appear repetitive and stretched. But overall a good book and worth reading. It made me go back and research about Berlin Wall. 

Rating - 4/5

Recommend - Yes!

The Vine of Desire (Anju and Sudha #2) by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

 

Setting

The book is set in California, United States of America, where Anju is settled with her husband Sunil.

Storyline

Vine of desires continues where the first book (Sister of My Heart) left off after Sudha with her daughter travels to the US to live with/visit her cousin Anju. Sudha had left her marital home because her husband’s family was against the birth of a girl child. Anju had suffered a loss plunging her into an abyss. This creates a distance between her and Sunil. At the same time, Sunil is suffering from a double loss - of his child and his relationship with his wife. This rekindles his repressed feelings for his wife's cousin. Although Anju, Sudha and Sunil live together under the same roof, their world couldn't be more further apart. Each of them is fighting their insecurities, vulnerabilities and inner demons, struggling to deal with real life.

My thoughts

Even after reading not so good reviews on Goodreads, I read this book only because I had read the previous one - Sister of My Heart which was a decent read. A big mistake! I should have stopped at the first one. The big reveal at the end of the last book was pushed to the back of the shelf in this. It was referred to only once which seemed more like an afterthought. Everyone came across as extremely inconsiderate and wrapped up in themselves. The book starts on a miserable note and is full of it. At times I felt misery was seeping out of the book, making me miserable too. Honestly, reading it was emotionally draining. I would not recommend the book to anyone.

Star Rating - 1/5

Recommend - A big no!

The Clockmaker’s Wife by Daisy Woods

 

Setting

The story alternates between two time periods- the 1940s and the current time that is 2021. Set in London during the time of the blitz when it was under constant threat of German bombing. Londoners were fleeing to the relative safety of the countryside to escape from the bombing and certain death. There was a scarcity of items of daily needs and food items were rationed which created a black market. In 2021, the story begins in New York and later moves to London.

Storyline 

The story in 2021 follows Ellie who lives in New York with her 80-year-old mother, Alice. Ellie is seeking her roots and history of maternal grandparents much against the wishes of her mother. She travels to London after she uncovers some shocking information in her mother's apartment. There she meets her mother's half-sister, Aunt Gillean who is also not eager to dig up the past. In the 1940s London, Nell lives modestly with her husband Arthur and daughter Alice. Arthur is a clockmaker and works at the Palace of Westminster, maintaining the clocks and also the Great Clock(Big Ben). He is an upright and diligent man. When their house gets bombed during the blitz, he is finally able to convince Nell to move to the countryside with their daughter. But then, he gets arrested and Nell falls headlong into the mystery behind his arrest. Nell finding the answers and Ellie uncovering the truth about her grandmother forms the crux of the story. 

My Thoughts

Both the timelines are very well interwoven and transitions between them are smooth. It's a perfect blend of historical fiction and espionage. It started slow but picked up momentum after Arthur's arrest. 

"History unfurled before her in a gorgeous tapestry of statues, paintings, robing rooms and thrones: remote and academic."

The description of historical London and in particular of Big Ben is very detailed and evocative. The way its inner workings has been described brings it alive in front of you. The state of down-at-the-heels London has been recounted vividly and makes you feel the helplessness of the Londoners. I especially enjoy stories with a female character as the central lead. Here there are two- Nell and Ellie. Ellie is a headstrong and independent woman. But I admired Nell as a woman. She is vulnerable yet spirited and determined. She does not cower after Arthur's arrest but instead was resolute in proving him innocent. The part I felt could have been given less attention was about all the evacuees in Nell's parent's home. All in all an engaging read.

Star Rating - 4/5

Recommend - Definitely 

Note - I received a free copy of the book for ARC review from Netgalley and Avon Books. However, all views expressed here are my own.

Sister of My Heart (Anju and Sudha #1) by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

This is my second book by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. The first one being The Palace of Illusions, which I enjoyed thoroughly.

Setting 

Sister of My Heart is set in Calcutta when old upper-caste families were held in high regard and young girls were discouraged from going out alone. 

Storyline

It's the story about Sudha-the beauty and Anju- the brains who were born in a well respected  Calcutta family. They are cousins, best friends and more so soul sisters. The story alternates between Anju and Sudha's perspective. They led a very sheltered life in the house full of women having lost their fathers even before they were born. They live with their mothers and pishi ma(father's sister). Anju and Sudha grow with their own set of different dreams but have unconditional love for each other. Always supporting and covering for each other. Anju is the ambitious one. Whereas, Sudha is a storyteller, always weaving fairy tales and expects life to be one too. When a secret about her past is revealed to Sudha, she feels that she is somehow indebted to Anju. She takes critical decisions of her life out of guilt and to right the wrongs done by her father. Later both of them get into arranged marriages with neither of them happy or contented. The book ends with the reunion of the sisters and with another secret in Sudha's heart.

My Thoughts

Though the story kept me engrossed, I didn't connect with either Sudha or Anju. At certain places, I couldn't grasp their reactions or actions. Anju appears to be mean in certain parts. Contrastingly, Sudha is depicted as the quintessential heroine willing to make sacrifices for her cousin's happiness. Overall a good read. Now waiting to see how the second book in the series turns out to be. 

Star Rating - 3/5

Recommend - Can give it a try.

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

 

The Bletchley Circle on Netflix piqued my interest in the female code breakers of Bletchley Park during World War II. It made me conversant with the existence of such unsung heroes and also the contribution of women in the Second World War. Thenceforth I have been hunting for books based in Bletchley Park. Rose Code fits the bill to a T, so I dived into it without second thoughts.

Setting

The story alternates between two time periods- 1939 to 1944 during  WW2 and 1947 with a countdown to the royal wedding of the future queen of Great Britain with Prince Philip of Greece. Kate Quinn has evocatively painted a word picture of the inner workings of Bletchley Park. People were assigned huts based on their capabilities and everything was on the need to know basis. Workers were not allowed to discuss or disclose the nature of their work to even their colleagues. These people worked relentlessly to break German codes to help Allied forces. 

Storyline

Mab Churt was a plain-speaking, tough as nails East Londoner who yearned to be a well-read lady married to a gentleman. She met Osla Kendall, a Canadian debutant on a train to Bletchley. Osla belongs to an affluent family with Lord Mountbatten as her godfather. She was out to disprove the silly deb label which she loathed. She was dating Prince Philip. Her character is based on Osla Benning, Prince Philip's first girlfriend who also worked at Bletchley Park. Mab and Osla were billets- mate and their landlady's daughter was Beth Finch. Beth was a twenty-four-year-old girl living with her parents. She was often called slow-witted and incessantly mentally abused by her mother. Osla and Mab encourage her to join Bletchley Park where she finds her real calling, the code-breaking. 

Advance to the year 1947,  the world was waiting with bated breath for the royal wedding and on the other hand, Beth was incarcerated in an asylum for over three years on charges of treason. Trying to keep herself sane, she was trying to figure out the traitor amongst her BP co-workers. She, Beth and Mab overcome their differences to nail the turncoat.

My Thoughts

The Rose Code is a story of the role of code breakers during WW2. It is a gripping tale with friendship at its heart, a story of love, betrayal and heartbreak. The writing holds your attention throughout and never slackens its pace. The characters are well-sketched out and leave a lasting impression. I was unable to put it down and breezed through it in no time. To all historical fiction buffs out there, this is a book to read. The Huntress by Kate Quinn is definitely next on my list.

Star Rating - 4.5/5

Recommend - A big yes!