Radar Girls: a novel of WWII

I was really excited to read Radar Girls by Sara Ackerman as I love historical fiction, especially with female main characters. Ackerman starts readers out on a beautiful Hawaiian beach where Daisy Wilder is digging her toes in the sand moments before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. What follows is a beautifully written story of friendship, family, and love, as Daisy joins the Women’s Air Raid Defense (W.A.R.D.) team guiding the US flyboys to safety.

Ackerman’s loveable characters lure you into new friendships and the bonds created during that difficult time. The romance involves not only the main characters but also those looking for love and those trying to maintain their love during time of war. It’s all told with a show more splash of nail-biting excitement as the women work to protect the Hawaiian Islands.

Although I really liked this book, I did feel that the title is a little misleading. I felt like the W.A.R.D was nothing more than the backdrop for a story about love and friendship. I would have liked to see a greater tribute to these amazing women. One thing I did find difficult was the use of Hawaiian words that I was not familiar with. I wish there was a little more context provided to help us mainlanders. show less

4.5 Land Girls, Bomb Girls and now from Sara Ackerman, a new WWII novel - Radar Girls.
Radar Girls is based on reality. The Women's Air Raid Defense was created in the Hawaiian Islands following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Stations were formed on every island and the women staffing them were local, military wives and recruits from the mainland. This is a fascinating piece of history and Ackerman does a wonderful job bringing it alive.

Daisy Wilder is the protagonist in Ackerman's novel. A native islander, she has been making her living as a horse trainer when she is recruited for the WARDs. Having dropped out of school in grade ten, she's determined to prove to herself, and to the other women, that she can do this. She's very likable. I'm show more always looking forward to meeting the supporting cast in these WWII novels - having a team is (IMO), a mandatory element. Ackerman's supporting group of 'gals' is perfect. (There are some mean 'gals' too, but isn't there always?) I admit to having a soft spot for the bubbly Fluff. I think it's the 'can do' attitudes, the camaraderie of the women and their determination to help the war effort that really appeals to me. There's a romantic storyline as well for Daisy, but it doesn't overwhelm the work these trail blazing women are doing. Many of the other women also have their own matters of the heart.

There's lots of detail about how the radar actually worked. It seems so rudimentary compared to today's technology. But it worked and saved many lives. As well, her descriptions of the beaches had me wanting to visit Hawaii! The other settings are just as well drawn and I was able to easily imagine them.

I chose to listen to Radar Girls, especially after seeing that it was read by one of my favorite narrators - Cassandra Campbell. Her voice is quite pleasant to listen to - she has a smooth polished tone to her voice. Her speaking is well enunciated, easy to understand and the pacing is just right. She captures the female characters with different voices that perfectly suited each one. Daisy's voice was a little hesitant in the beginning, but as she builds her confidence it get stronger. The voice for Fluff was fun and sassy. She does male voices very well too, lowering the tone and cadence. The male voice for Daisy's love interest is believable. I've said it before and I'll say it again - listening to a book completely immerses me in the story. An excellent performance from Campbell.

Radar Girls is an excellent entry in the WWII fiction genre and one I would easily recommend! Well done Sara Ackerman! show less

This takes place in Hawaii, in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Twenty-three year old Daisy Wilder has just lost one of her employer’s horses -- and thus, lost her job -- when she’s recruited to join the Women’s Air Raid Defence.

This isn’t as harrowing as the WWII fiction of Kate Quinn, whose recommendation adorns the cover, and while I certainly don’t want everything I read to be harrowing, I do think a more poignant, less tidy, ending could have been more powerful. But even though this isn’t in the running for Favourite Book of the Year, I enjoyed it a lot! It was so interesting to read about wartime Hawaii (actually, it was interesting just to read a book set in Hawaii, full stop) and about Daisy’s show more experiences as a WARD. I liked seeing Daisy develop supportive friendships, and I particularly liked how her knowledge of horses influences her perspective in other situations -- that made being a horse girl something that’s unique, rather than generic, about Daisy.

Her father had taught her at a young age to pay attention not only to a horse's eyes, but postures and gestures and subtle cues they sent off. Humans were no different from horses. In that respect at least. She imagined herself in a room full of horses. Nixon would be the stallion with twitchy ears and tension around his eyes while Dunn would be the one flehmening and sniffing for pheromones. The girls would all be in various states of relaxation, with some, like Thelma, having their heads high and ears turned back, keenly listening in on others’ conversations. show less

This historical novel set in Hawaii at the bombing of Pearl Harbor gives a thorough description of the roles women played in supporting the radar technology. The story focused on the lives of 4 women who bonded and supported each other despite coming from widely different backgrounds and social strata. Daisy, the main character, was in her early 20's, had to leave school after her father's death to support her emotionally withdrawn mother by working at a horse stable. She also loves to swim in the ocean and forages for fish and other seafood for their meals. She is so smart with her survival skills and animal empathy, but has low self esteem because of her lack of education and their poverty.
It was very interesting to read about all the show more work needed to track plane and ship locations that were picked up by radar so they could be identified as friend or foe, and to provide verbal guidance to friendly aircraft that had received damage or were otherwise unable to view ground cues.
The ending skimmed forward several years and the book became more of a standard romance novel with a fairy tale ending--not as satisfying. The "explanatory" letter she received from her mother was so lame it showed more about her mother's self-absorption than any caring for Daisy. I didn't realize it was a Harlequin novel when I received the audiobook and probably wouldn't have read it if I had known, but I do think learning about the Women's Air Raid Defense was well worth it. I also appreciated that so many different native Hawaiian plants were mentioned throughout the book. Even if I didn't know what most of them were, it helped set the scene of a diverse jungly island. show less

Daisy Wilder is born and raised in the Hawaiian islands and is there that fateful day Pearl Harbor is bombed. She finds herself on the beach watching a dog fight between an American and Japanese plane. The entering of the US into World War II meant that there were open positions for nearby women. Daisy enlists in the Women's Air Raid Defense (WARDS)and learns how to use radar to guide home US troops and identify possible invading troops. Through testing and hands-on learning, Daisy discovers a love for the job and an understanding of what she can accomplish.

I have never read a first chapter that caught my eye as much as this one did. It starts with a lovely horse ride and time spent underwater and then out of nowhere there is suddenly show more the overhead sound of a plane, flying low, being chased by another. It is an energetic scene that helps you understand the seriousness of what happened on December 7, 1941, and how quickly it changed the lives of those who lived on the island. I was drawn in from the first chapter and it held my attention throughout. Despite taking a class on the topic of World War II, I had never heard of the WARDS and felt compelled to do a little research and learn more about these amazing women. Sara Ackerman has done a wonderful job giving credit to women who may have otherwise drifted into history without her beautifully told story. show less

Beautiful Story Of Life On Hawaii Between Pearl Harbor and Midway. This is one of those books where you almost audibly hear Faith Hill singing through parts, particularly the obligatory romance subplot - and particularly its later stages. Fortunately the romance subplot is well done yet mostly muted in favor of showing the women's bonds and work, which was an area of WWII I'd never heard of. Specifically, while college football player men were being rounded up to bolster island security forces, these ladies - both natives and those there because their husbands were already military - were being recruited (almost drafted, really) to man the very radar stations that had failed to realize what the Japanese were on that fateful morning in show more December 1941. It is actually on that morning that our story opens, with main character Daisy "borrowing" a horse and going skin diving for subsistence... when she witnesses an air battle directly above her. The story then spends most of its time in the next few months, culminating in the Battle of Midway from the perspective of these "Radar Girls". (And following with the obligatory post-war epilogue.) Beautifully written and full of heart, this is one that fans of historical fiction / WWII fiction will definitely love, and readers of all types should read even if it isn't normally your thing. Very much recommended. show less

Daisy Wilder loves horses and is an exceptional trainer, like her father. But when Pearl Harbor is bombed, Daisy leaves the male-dominated pastures of Oahu to do her part by joining the island's newly created WARD (Women's Air Raid Defense) program. She finds herself living and working in close quarters with women from all walks of life in stressful situations. The WARDs are trained to use one of the newest technologies of the war, radar, to act as a warning system in the event of another invasion and to guide pilots when they are in trouble or flying blind. Daisy is determined to succeed for reasons both patriotic and personal.

I like reading about WWII and I knew little about the WARDs, so I was looking forward to this novel. It was a show more little light for my taste, but it's not badly written; more entertaining than enlightening. show less