Land Girls

Huth follows three girls who are sent to a farm as part of the war effort in Great Britain. Prue is flighty and promiscuous (in a casual and thoughtless way that seems to me to be unrealistic for the time period in question), Ag is studious and serious, and Stella is searching for what it means to be in love. Through their interactions with one another, the farmer and his wife, and the farmer's son, Joe, who has been given a medical deferment because of his asthma, the girls develop from soft and silly to mature and a bit hardened by life.

The details of life on the farm are interesting and quite realistic. The relationships between the girls and Joe a bit less so. I did enjoy the flow of the story, though, and the unexpected outcome show more beat the formulaic one I was bracing for. By and large, an easy and enjoyable read. show less

This is the story of three women - Prue, Ag and Stella - who served in England during WWII as land girls. Land girls volunteered to serve their country by working at rural farms since so many men were serving in the military who had previously helped farmers. These three women from disparate backgrounds lived and worked at the farm owned by the Lawrences and their son, Joe. Joe's asthma prevented him from enlisting in the military to his great disappointment. Despite their differences, these women bonded with each other and the Lawrences and shared a work ethic that impressed the family. The work was demanding and included caring for cows, pigs and chickens, all of which were foreign to city girls.

This was an interesting glimpse into show more WWII in the farming communities, and the toll it took. The women's love interests were a significant part of the novel, and the epilogue answered every question. I liked all the characters, and felt a particular compassion for the elderly farm hand, Ratty Tyler, at the Lawrence farm as his wife descended from ill-tempered harridan into madness. show less

An entertaining book set during WWII in England. The farming life may seem familiar if you've read other books set during that time, such as James Herriot's memoirs. Three young women from very different backgrounds come to a farm to serve as "Land Girls," paid volunteer laborers meant to help farmers as young men laborers and assistants were called up for military service.

A frame story wraps around the tale, where two of the three are waiting for the third to turn up for their annual reunion luncheon in a modern restaurant.

There's certainly a good helping of references about the farm work and the way the Land Girls operated, but there's more about the romantic/sexual/emotional lives of the young women and the family around them. show more Nothing graphic, really, but certainly modern-novelish.

A good light read which appears to have been well-researched. show less

J'ai eu beaucoup de mal à apprécier ma lecture au-delà de 50 pages. Les personnages sont assez stéréotypés sans grande nuance avec une étiquette sur le dos : celle qui flirte avec tout le monde et qui est coquette, celle qui lit, vierge et sérieuse, la femme mariée aigrie etc.

Le profil des hommes n'est guère plus reluisant et entretiennent des relations un peu malsaines avec les trois filles ou leurs propres femmes.

Bref j'ai eu beaucoup de mal à trouver du positif alors qu'on partait pourtant bien et que je me faisais une joie de suivre les activités à la ferme au temps de la guerre.

Vraiment pas une lecture pour moi.

J'ai eu beaucoup de mal à apprécier ma lecture au-delà de 50 pages. Les personnages sont assez stéréotypés sans grande nuance avec une étiquette sur le dos : celle qui flirte avec tout le monde et qui est coquette, celle qui lit, vierge et sérieuse, la femme mariée aigrie etc.

Le profil des hommes n'est guère plus reluisant et entretiennent des relations un peu malsaines avec les trois filles ou leurs propres femmes.

Bref j'ai eu beaucoup de mal à trouver du positif alors qu'on partait pourtant bien et que je me faisais une joie de suivre les activités à la ferme au temps de la guerre.

Vraiment pas une lecture pour moi.

Such an interesting and well written book. The book follows the experiences of three young women from divergent backgrounds and their time as workers on a farm during WWII. As part of the war effort in England, young women would work on farms where men that had been called up to fight would normally have been employed.
This is one of those books that you don't want to end.

Un face à face classique ruraux/citadins écrit avec beaucoup d'humour et de tendresse.