Mary Gibson (4)

Hattie’s Home by Mary Gibson sweeps you back in time to 1947 in Bermondsey, England. Hattie Wright is returning home after serving eight years as a sergeant in the ATS. Hattie received a letter from her mother, Cissie asking her to return because she was “almost blind”. Bermondsey was hit hard by the bombs during the war leaving devastation behind. Many homes were destroyed causing a severe housing shortage. After traveling two days from Belgium to get home and then being attacked by a show more gang of kids, Hattie discovers her mother is just fine and has a new beau living with her in the one habitable room of their house. Unable to find office work, Hattie returns to the Alaska-a fur factory (thanks to her friend, Buster). While working in the factory, she takes Clara and Lou under her wing. Clara is returning from Australia disgraced and with a child. She has no money and her parents will not welcome her in their home. Clara fell in love with an Australian soldier who was not white and hiding a terrible secret. Lou is a widow with a mischievous (and unruly) son and a new baby. She is grieving the loss of her daughter, Sue who died in the bombings along with her husband. Unable to take living on her mother’s couch, Hattie seeks out a new place to live. She discovers empty army huts that would be habitable with a few improvements. One is occupied by a chemist from the Alaska named Joe. Hattie and others move in to the dwellings, but then Hattie’s ex-fiancé (a dangerous man) decides they want them (and force people to pay rent). He will go to great lengths to get the tenants to vacate. Will the tenants be able to defeat the bullies?

Hattie’s Home is well-written, and I was drawn into the book at the beginning. I thought it was an engaging story. The author captured the city and what it was like after World War II (the devastation—the bombed-out buildings). Rationing was still in effect for many years (on food and clothing) and housing was impossible to find (unless you had deep pockets). The author did her research for the book and incorporated the facts without overwhelming the story (or making it seem like a textbook). I thought Hattie’s Home was realistic. Life was hard for these people, but they had hope, love, family, resilience, determination, community and friendship. The author did not sugar coat the grim realities. I liked how people came together to help each other out (something we do not see today). Hattie was a great main character. She is strong, independent, intelligent and spunky. I liked that Hattie’s Home takes place after the war. It affected each person differently and we get to experience it from different perspectives in Hattie’s Home. The book has a slower pace, but it goes with the story (suits it). I found the children flats program creative and a wonderful way to get the kids off the street where they were wreaking havoc (and getting killed from unexploded ordinances). The ending is heartwarming and will have readers smiling. This was the first book that I have read by Mary Gibson, but it will not be my last. show less

It took me a while to settle into the story, but it was worth it. The Bermondsey Bookshop was beautifully narrated by Anne Dover, bringing alive the cruel poverty of the time, and the rich local accent. Indeed, a couple of times I thought I could hear my own family speaking; the language was so familiar.

The story is about a young girl's struggle to survive after her mother's untimely death. Kate Goss is left with her Aunt Sylvie and loathsome cousins Janey and Stan by her father Archie Goss, show more who has set off to Canada to make his fortune. Kate is treated badly by everyone in that household but finds some comfort with her Aunt Sarah. Aunt Sarah is not able to look after her, so there is no option but to stay with Aunt Sylvie. She dreams of her father's return, where he will take Kate live with him and punish his sister, Sylvie, for her cruel treatment of Kate.

Aged fourteen Kate is sent to work at Boutle's, a tin makers, but the work is seasonal, and when Boutle's begin laying off staff, she finds herself a cleaning job at the Bermondsey Bookshop. Working here, takes her life in a different direction. She makes new friends, and becomes reacquainted with an old friend.

I really enjoyed this story, probably more so because of the wonderful narration. I love early 20th century sagas, and this is set at a time when my paternal grandparents would be struggling to bring up a large family in Sard's Rents, taking me back in time to walk a while in their shoes.

Told in the third person, we see the unfolding drama through Kate's eyes. The characters are well described and feel authentic. It was easy to like Kate and feel animosity towards her vile family. Kate is kind and compassionate, despite her own experiences, and I was hoping for the happy ending she was wishing for herself; that she would be reunited with her father and all would be well again.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy a between wars saga with drama and romance, and would highly recommend the audiobook to get a real flavour of 1920s Bermondsey. show less

I was provided an advanced copy of the book via NetGalley but all opinions are most definitely my own.

The Bermondsey Bookshop was a real place, but as a book title, it's deceiving, as it's merely the setting for part of the book. (I did appreciate learning about the bookshop and its owner.)

The real story here is about Kate Goss, and she is a vividly painted, engaging character. She is tough, spunky, self-sufficient and resilient, clever, and endearing. Through her, we get a clear picture of show more the poverty-stricken working class in London in the 1920s, and how their lives contrast with those in the upper class who she meets working a second job at the Bermondsey Bookshop.

The writing has a lovely flow. The setting is descriptive, the dialogue really cements both the tone and place in time, and the plot is compelling with a few surprising twists. My favorite part, though, was the characters themselves - faceted and intriguing.

If you are a fan of historical fiction, this is one I can highly recommend. show less

The Bermondsey Bookshop by Mary Gibson is an intriguing historical novel. I found it to be well-written that moved along at a thoughtful pace and it has a strong female protagonist. Kate Goss had a loving mother until she had an accident coming down the steep garret stairs. Archie Goss, Kate’s father, deposited Kate with his sister, Sylvie and then departed. Sylvie did not like Kate’s Romany mother, Bessie which she takes out on Kate. Her cousins, Janey and Stan are just as mean and show more spiteful. Kate holds out the hope that her father will return one day and take her away. Kate is a spirited girl who works hard. She makes some unfortunate choices, but Kate also makes some memorable friends. We get to see Kate go from a teenager to an adult. I could feel Kate’s struggles and her sadness. Of course, Kate had some unforgettable moments as well. There were a variety of interesting characters in The Bermondsey Bookshop. There were some kindhearted souls and some truly terrible people. I especially liked the various people that frequented the Bermondsey Bookshop. It was interesting reading about the Bermondsey Bookshop (it was a real place). It was open for hours that suited the working class and offered a variety of classes (reading, elocution, French, drama) as well as lectures. After reading this book, I searched out more information on this unique bookshop. I thought Mary Gibson captured the accents of the people along with their attitudes especially when it came to education and money. Children were not allowed to enjoy their childhood for long. They were expected to go to work and turn over their wages. There is some mild foul language along with violence (parents or relatives hitting children, men beating their wives, men wanting certain “favors”) which was, unfortunately, typical of the time period. The Bermondsey Bookshop is a book that will have you reading long into the night to find out how Kate’s story ends. The Bermondsey Bookshop has a sharp tongued shrew, a conniving cousin, a fetid factory, a vanished father, and one feisty female. show less