TAKING HEART- Rowena Summers
TAKING HEART: poignant and heart-felt story of love, loss and war.
Written by Summers- a pseudonym for Jean Saunders- Taking Heart was originally written in the 1980s but has recently been re-issued, and I’m so glad it was! Based on the Caldwell girls in the build up to WW2, the story follows the likeable, strong and independent protagonist Imogen Caldwell (Immy). Her character was powerful and well-written and I was genuinely interested in her story: she reminded me so much of the character Emmy from Dear Mrs Bird. Characterisation was strong and whilst there is a large number of supporting characters Summers did a great job at making them integral to the story and the bigger picture- I was definitely invested in the other characters stories alongside Immy’s and they added more depth to the story and helped you understand more about Immy. Whilst I would have loved it if the story was told in first person, the way it is written allows you to see snapshots of Immy through the eyes of her family and friends, something that further contributed to my love of the book.
The book itself is largely focussed on the romantic lives of the Caldwell girls but it also showcases the denial of the people and how they failed to believe and admit the war was coming. This historical fiction aspect was particularly well-written and I personally felt it was an accurate representation of what we know today- a great feat as often this genre can have holes or errors around periods of history. It was also a refreshing take to pitch the storyline from the perspective of the girls left behind during the war- it’s always great to hear different perspectives on events that help build a bigger picture (albeit fictional).
Overall I loved this book; it had the history, romance and great characterisation which meant it was easy to devour! Likewise it had its fair share of unexpected tragedy which took me by surprise and left me emotional to say the least! Personally likened to Dear Mrs Bird, If you love historical fiction then it’s a great read!
Rating: 4 stars
This book was gifted by Agora in exchange for an honest review.
Written by Summers- a pseudonym for Jean Saunders- Taking Heart was originally written in the 1980s but has recently been re-issued, and I’m so glad it was! Based on the Caldwell girls in the build up to WW2, the story follows the likeable, strong and independent protagonist Imogen Caldwell (Immy). Her character was powerful and well-written and I was genuinely interested in her story: she reminded me so much of the character Emmy from Dear Mrs Bird. Characterisation was strong and whilst there is a large number of supporting characters Summers did a great job at making them integral to the story and the bigger picture- I was definitely invested in the other characters stories alongside Immy’s and they added more depth to the story and helped you understand more about Immy. Whilst I would have loved it if the story was told in first person, the way it is written allows you to see snapshots of Immy through the eyes of her family and friends, something that further contributed to my love of the book.
The book itself is largely focussed on the romantic lives of the Caldwell girls but it also showcases the denial of the people and how they failed to believe and admit the war was coming. This historical fiction aspect was particularly well-written and I personally felt it was an accurate representation of what we know today- a great feat as often this genre can have holes or errors around periods of history. It was also a refreshing take to pitch the storyline from the perspective of the girls left behind during the war- it’s always great to hear different perspectives on events that help build a bigger picture (albeit fictional).
Overall I loved this book; it had the history, romance and great characterisation which meant it was easy to devour! Likewise it had its fair share of unexpected tragedy which took me by surprise and left me emotional to say the least! Personally likened to Dear Mrs Bird, If you love historical fiction then it’s a great read!
Rating: 4 stars
This book was gifted by Agora in exchange for an honest review.
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