Publisher: ChristianAudio.com
Published: April 16, 2015
Source: Library
Summary:
The author of A Fall of Marigolds journeys from the present day to World War II England, as two sisters are separated by the chaos of wartime.
She stood at a crossroads, half-aware that her choice would send her down a path from which there could be no turning back. But instead of two choices, she saw only one—because it was all she really wanted to see
Current day, Oxford, England. Young American scholar Kendra Van Zant, eager to pursue her vision of a perfect life, interviews Isabel McFarland just when the elderly woman is ready to give up secrets about the war that she has kept for decades…beginning with who she really is. What Kendra receives from Isabel is both a gift and a burden–one that will test her convictions and her heart.
1940s, England. As Hitler wages an unprecedented war against London’s civilian population, hundreds of thousands of children are evacuated to foster homes in the rural countryside. But even as fifteen-year-old, Emmy Downtree and her much younger sister, Julia find refuge in a charming Cotswold cottage. Emmy’s burning ambition to return to the city and apprentice with a fashion designer pits her against Julia’s profound need for her sister’s presence. Acting at cross purposes just as the Luftwaffe rains down its terrible destruction, the sisters are cruelly separated, and their lives are transformed.
My thoughts:
I’m so glad that I have been making the time to read Susan Meissner’s backlist of books. She really is an author not to be missed and I haven’t read one that I did not like…and with each one I see just how talented an author she really is!
I loved how this one really brings to life the time during the Blitz in London. This ended up being so much more of an emotional read than I was expecting and that was totally fine. Even though it is a dual narrative, with the young scholar in the present meeting with the elderly Isabel, the story is really deeply rooted in the past and I actually loved that. I was completely captivated by all that went on with the sisters’ – as I have mentioned time and time again, I am such a sucker for any book that delves into these relationships.
I will say this isn’t so much a war book as it is about the lives of the people living it if that makes sense. It definitely has the potential to tug at your heartstrings and I teared up a few times throughout the book. Of course, I loved how the two timelines eventually wove together, as with all dual narratives they eventually do.
This was a beautifully written story and I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a great read set during this time.
Audio thoughts:
When I saw that Alana Kerr Collins was narrating this one, I knew I had to listen to it. She is one of my favorite narrators and boy did she do an amazing job with this one. Her pacing was spot on and she infused just the right amount of emotion into her voice as needed.
