The Power Of The Story

The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green is a powerful historical novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The action is set on the American home front in Maine in 1942. It is seen through the eyes of four women, each with different life experiences and united by a book club. We see that there is power in stories. They bring people together, provoking discussion, out of which, friendships are formed.

You are never too old to begin to read. We see that whereas some have enjoyed books from childhood, others have been reluctant readers, well into adulthood. Books will open hearts, minds and imaginations, uniting the old and the young.

There is power in our stories too. We ‘hear’ of a character’s backstory from 1918. It helps us to understand why a character behaves as she does. We also see that her nursing skills never leave her.

Part of the book is set out in the form of minutes from the book club. This helps to involve the reader in the story as we feel included.

At times of war there are prejudices against those of foreign descent. “Spaniards, Portuguese, and especially Italians, all tarred with the same racial slur. Marked as something different, distasteful, un-American.” A family of Italian origin has to work hard in order to earn trust and to fit in.

Characters long to trust God. “Martina prayed as she ran, but it had been months since she’d attended Mass. What if no-one was listening?” God hears all our prayers. There is no tally of attendance or non-attendance in heaven.

I found the following very sad. “Too much time to think, to worry, to try to pray, and hear nothing but the silence of an offended and long-ignored God.” We must not equate human characteristics with God. If there is silence, God will still be working on our behalf. If God feels far away – guess who moved?

A character is hiding a secret but “the past won’t stay buried.” Sooner or later secrets will be dug up.

During World War II, the telegram boy was feared. Grief reaches beyond the pages as we read, he “knew the unfairness of funerals without bodies and grief without someone to blame.”

Amy Lynn Green has included real life events in her novel – the black-outs that were needed; patrol boats to spot German subs; and more.

We see the effect that being refused entry to the forces has on a young man. He feels less of a man and useless. He wants to do his bit in order to help the war effort. Only when he finds his purpose in war, does his mood lift.

Women kept the home front going. They stepped into the shoes vacated by the men, working in the factories and on the land. This could be hard if there were young children as there were no nurseries. The women stepped up.

The soldiers appreciated the parcels from home, including books. “Were they [soldiers] finding that a good book had the power to take them away… from the brutalities of war?” A good story could remove their minds from the battlefield.

All the characters were well drawn, likable and believable.

Amy Lynn Green has constructed a marvellous tale that entertained me from the start. Books unite us with the characters as we know there is power in a good book – and The Blackout Book Club is a good book.

I will leave you with my favourite quote:

“Giving and receiving love is the greatest risk and the greatest joy.”

I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

JULIA WILSON