Bravery Under Fire

Meet Me Under The Clock by Annie Murray is a marvelous epic World War II novel about the life of two sisters on the home front. Set in Birmingham, I was in for a real treat as I recognized many of the locations, making the book feel familiar to me.

The two sisters were chalk and cheese but had a close bond that nothing could sever. One entered the WAAF and the other worked as a porter on the railway. They both did their bit for the war effort.

The reader is entertained by the eclectic mix of characters. People pull together but there are always those who will take advantage. Close bonds were formed with neighbors. Strangers became friends. People shared what little they had with those who had even less. Death was all around. Fear from air raids and the dreaded telegram from the war office loomed large in lives. The reader witnesses the bravery of the ordinary men and women who carried on their lives no matter what happened.

There are themes of trust and betrayal, love and loss, life and death. Prejudice existed even in wartime as illegitimate babies were called names and homosexual love had to be kept hidden.

The family was important. The family in the novel supported each other and their neighbors. They were a delight to behold.

I absolutely loved Meet Me Under The Clock. I loved the characters – ordinary men and women who were extraordinarily brave. Big hearts and big personalities who lodged in my heart.

I am loving Annie Murray’s books. It’s off to hunt down more for me now.

JULIA WILSON