Archives

The Last Baby In Auschwitz by Anna Stuart

Mar23

The Spider Keeps On Spinning

The Last Baby In Auschwitz by Anna Stuart is a powerful and heartbreaking historical novel that consumed me from the start. It is based in facts.

The reader follows the plight of the Greek Jewish people from freedom to the hell that was Auschwitz. They were always “a heartbeat from death.”

We follow two Jewish female cousins and their fight to survive. It was hope, love and luck that kept them going. “They can’t wash away my heart. They can’t shave off my spirit. The spider keeps on spinning.” The webs of love and friendship were woven in Auschwitz. They had to focus on each other and hope for a better future. They needed to survive in order to tell the world of the horrors.

Even in Auschwitz, the women retained their humanity. “As Naomi sang… she knew that love, not hatred, was the way to truly rouse a rabble, the way to fight oppression.” The women shared what little they had. They did what they did in order to survive, and to help others to survive. “Survival was their only weapon against Nazi oppression.” They realised “guns were strong, but hearts were stronger.”

In the hell that was Auschwitz, it was easy to lose sight of God. “Naomi tried to pray, but it was hard to get through to God these days.” As the months went on, “God was becoming harder and harder to see through all this darkness.” But love was stronger than hate. “She had to… pray that love would win out against the grinding hate.”

There was a powerful quote about the futility of war (from a Nazi Soldier). “I went off to fight thinking it was all about glory and honour, but… it’s just horror and fear and… waste. Waste of money, waste of resources, waste of lives.”

Continue reading →

Second Form At Malory Towers by Enid Blyton

Mar20

Of Lessons & High Jinx

Second Form At Malory Towers by Enid Blyton is a delightful children’s novel and just perfect for the over tens. It is the second book in the Malory Towers series but can be read as a stand-alone. I recommend reading the books in numerical order.

I first read the series fifty years ago in my childhood and when there were only six books in the series. Reading it again now, the story has lost none of its’ charm. I still picture myself as Darryl Rivers as I read!

This book was first written in 1947 and it has lost none of its’ original charm. There are elements that ‘age’ the book – high tea, dorms, etc – but the story has a timeless appeal to new audiences today.

Continue reading →

Five Go Off In A Caravan by Enid Blyton

Mar16

A Timeless Adventure

Five Go Off In A Caravan by Enid Blyton is an exciting children’s adventure. It is the fifth book in the Famous Five series but can be read as a stand-alone.

Written in 1946, the book has withstood the test of time, and is sure to entertain another generation of children. There are elements that ‘age’ the tale but some of them just add to the charm and nostalgia.

It was a quieter time. Children had the freedom to roam.

This time the famous five meet up with a travelling circus. They become friends with, and aid, a young boy and his ape.

Continue reading →

The War Orphan’s Courage by Jenna Ness

Mar13

The Heart Of Everything

The War Orphan’s Courage by Jenna Ness is a fabulous conclusion to the Orphans Of St Agnes trilogy. Although you could read this as a stand-alone, I recommend reading the books in numerical order as the books follow on in time. This is the story of three orphans during World War II in Paris – Jossette, Lucie and Margot.

In this book, we are approaching the end of the war and all the orphans have found their way back to Paris. They all want to fight with the resistance in order to disrupt the Nazi war machine, and one particularly nasty and cruel officer.

All the female characters are loyal and gutsy. Each one thinks of self-sacrifice for the good of the group. Together they are stronger.

The men of the resistance fight for justice. They support the women in attempting to bring down the evil Nazi officer.

Within war, love still blossoms. We see those who try to fight their feelings. In a previous book, we saw forbidden love – we hear what happened next in this book. The fruits of love bring hope for the next generation.

Continue reading →