Amanda Hodgkinson

This book was oh so close to a five star read. But it just missed it for me.

The story is about a married Polish couple and their son. The couple is separated when the husband goes off to war. Both parties are tremendously impacted by the war, and when they finally reunite, all is not smooth sailing.

This book does several things extremely well.

First, the narrative structure is fantastic. The book is written from the perspective of the two main characters, and it alternates between time periods. So you see the war time from the husband's point of view and then separately from the wife's POV. Then, you move into the present and look into their current family life. This structure just propels you through the book like a rocket. It definitely has that "I can't put this down!" quality . . .

Second, the book definitely has some revealing moments that I think are cleverly done and believable. You sense there's something there the whole time you are reading . . .and when these moments are revealed you aren't shocked. But they do make the book feel as though it has more impact than a simple narrative of husband and wife.

The characters are all very well drawn, both likable and flawed at the same time.The writing is totally engaging.

What I didn't like is that there is one major relationship in the book that I found to be somewhat unbelievable, and unfortunately, this relationship is a cornerstone to the plot. I want to say more about it, but I am afraid I could spoil the book. It is interesting because in the end, the author does something that makes it much more credible, BUT that is after you have almost finished the book and have been skeptical the entire time. The rationale for this relationship is revealed so late in the game and so without warning that it just becomes harder to swallow at that point. Oddly, the author is so so careful with all the other plot points - - giving the reader enough fodder throughout the book to make it believable. But she neglects to do the same with this particular relationship when it would have been pretty easy to set it up a little differently.

At any rate, it truly is one flaw in an otherwise very outstanding piece of writing. I'm probably being a bit of a grinch not to bestow that fifth star… (more)

I read a lot of WWII stories, this one was unique. It deals with the emotional aftermath of war.

The story is told from 2 POV's, a husband who has gone into the war fighting for Poland and a wife and mother left behind in Warsaw. Janusz ends up in France and then England while Silvana spends the years living in the forests of Poland. The contrast, of how they lived and what happens when they are reunited, is told in a heartbreaking tale.

On a personal note: My husband was born in Poland. He defected in the 70's and spent 20 years never being able to go home-so this story affected me in a lot of different ways.

This was Amanda Hodgkinson's first book and I found her writing beautiful yet simple. I will look into her other works.

I completed my personal GR goal of 120 books read with this book, ending my year of reading on a high-note-… (more)

This is another offering to the plethora of WWII novels. Amanda Hodgkinson’s debut novel is the story of a Polish family that is separated at the beginning of the war, Janusz goes off to fight for his country, and Silvana, his wife, is left in Warsaw to somehow get herself and their small child, Aurek, to her in-laws. After the war they are reunited in England, and try to create a typical English suburban life, but they both have suffered too much and harbor too many secrets to make this a reality.

This is a well-written novel, fluid and descriptive, but it lacks the power to evoke any real emotion for any of her characters or their situations. Janusz actually has a pretty easy time of it during the war compared to Silvana, but he comes across as self-pitying. Silvana who survives living in the forest for most of the war and witnesses many horrors comes across as weak and indecisive. In the hands of a more skillful writer I think she could have created an unforgettable and haunting novel such as the Gendarme or The Pearl Diver, but instead I think it will be quickly forgotten shortly after reading.

I did like that she explores themes of redemption, the definition of family, and the power to overcome loss; themes that give the reader pause to think of their own ideas and beliefs.

I also liked that her characters were Polish and much of the book was set in Poland. This seems to be a country that is overlooked in WWII novels for some reason (Why is that?)

Overall I would give this 3.5 stars and would say it was worth the time to read, but certainly not a must read, nor a particularly memorable one.
… (more)

Silvana and Janusz were married and had a baby boy in Poland before Janusz went to war in 1939. When the war ended, he found himself in England and brought Silvana and their son, Aurek, there to be with him. It's been 6 years, though, and they barely know each other anymore.

The book alternates back and forth between what happened during the war for both of them and what was happening after, while in England. I especially enjoyed the "current" storyline in England, after Silvana and Janusz were reunited. I also quite liked some of the "current" storyline's secondary characters... mostly. I listened to the audio and thought the narrator did a nice job with the accents.… (more)