From Innocence To Experience
The Girl From The War Room by Catherine Law is an epic historical tale that I read in just two sittings.
It is a powerful tale of family; of war; and of love. The novel opens during the 1930’s and finishes in 1948. We ‘experience’ the war through the eyes of the lead character, Cassie. The action is told in the third person.
As the novel opens, Cassie is just fifteen-years-old and in the Devon countryside surrounded by family. As the novel progresses, she moves from innocence to experience.
Families are complicated affairs, often with more going on behind closed doors than we would first imagine. Families love us. Families can be messy but the love shines through.
We see that love comes in many forms – family; friendship; attraction. What is true about real love is that it is sacrificial. This is illustrated in several cases within the novel. People love others enough to let go.
World War II followed quickly on the heels of World War I. Families who had already experienced loss, would soon do so again.
We see life in the London during the war – from the frightening Blitz to the activity in Churchill’s war rooms. Having recently visited Churchill’s war rooms, it was easy for me to become immersed in the atmospheric action.
London speaks of activity and experience. Dartmoor is innocence and tranquillity. They are polar opposites of the same coin.
All the characters were well drawn, believable and likable.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Girl From The War Room. It was an epic tale.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
JULIA WILSON
The Girl from the War Room
Through the trees in St James’s Park she spotted the white facades of the Whitehall offices, and her stomach contracted. But it wasn’t nerves. Fortitude, yes, and a kind of hell-bent willingness. An understanding of the importance of her work; to do something, however small, to help. A privilege.
1941: A world away from idyllic childhood summers spent in Devon, Cassie Marsh steps through the sandbagged entrance to the War Room, determined to do her part for the war effort.
The air crackling with tension, the urgency of whispered conversations, the weight of secrets – nothing in her quiet upbringing has prepared her for this. Here, women like her are expected to work tirelessly, remain composed, even as their homes – and lives – are devastated by the Blitz.
But Cassie’s heart is already divided between love and duty. She dreams of rich summers at Greenaways from a lifetime ago, before her world was torn apart. She dreams of one person… the one she cannot – but must – forget.
And as her family begs her to return to safety, to the soothing, reassuring walls of the country house, Cassie must decide where her heart really lies. In times of war, can you ever afford to question your loyalty?
Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/WarRoom
Author Bio –
Catherine Law is the author of several historical novels set in the first half of the 20th century, in and around the First and Second World Wars. Her stories are inspired by the tales our mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers tell us, and the secrets they keep. She lives ten minutes from the sea in Margate, Kent.
Social Media Links –
Facebook: @catherinelawbooks
Instagram: @catherinelawauthor
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Bookbub profile: @lawcatherine
