Tag: Strong Female Character

When reading a historical fiction novel, there are times when I have a sense of dread even before I get to the plot of the story. I know what the general era will be, so I know what to expect. Sometimes it is in the name, but that doesn’t always convey what is coming next.

This is the case with this book.

Putting a disclaimer in, I spent a lot of time in Hawaii when I was a kid, so many of the places in this book were familiar to me – I am sure that gave it a special poignancy. But I don’t think it is a prerequisite to getting emotional over the events.

The historical era is obvious in the title, but the author wisely sets the prologue on the eve before. I wasn’t two paragraphs in when I thought, “Oh no, these poor people had no clue.”

I think that is a strength in a good historical fiction story – if I can put myself into their shoes and wish that I could warn them. Or just simply imagine what it would have been like prior to the historical event.

Anyway, this author does a great job with stories like this. (Check out her other historical fiction novels: The Berlin Zookeeper and The Secret Diary). I’m a big fan of her style, her research, and her commitment to her characters.

Told in alternating eras, we get the story of sisters Robyn and Ashleigh (contemporary) and Ginny (historical). I don’t want to give away the connections, but I absolutely loved how the author weaves the stories of these women together.

It is one of the most unique contemporary storylines I have read in recent memory, and it is an effective way to relate Ginny’s side of the story. By the time I was about 1/3 of the way through, it was Dec 6…and my dread just grew stronger.

I’ll be honest…I read a good section of the middle of the book through tears. It was so raw and so realistic. Which made it even more emotional.

I’ll leave that part alone. Anyone with a knowledge of history and half a heart won’t be able to get through the center of the book without some strong emotions.

But even after you get through that, you’re still not finished – because you still have to go through the rest of Robyn and Ashleigh’s story (as well as Ginny’s).

Historical fiction novels are funny in that even if you know the history there can still be plot points that are important. That is the case in this book. Robyn and Ashleigh experience a lot of growth, as does Ginny. And that personal growth is almost as emotional as history itself.

There is a lot I want to mention: Ginny’s secrets, Ashleigh and Robyn’s relationship, the sports involved, the history of women’s pilots…all of this combined make for a lush and detailed story.

I don’t want to give anything away, though. So, as with this author’s past historical fiction novels, I highly recommend reading it with tissues close at hand. You’ll need them to the very last pages.

Author Bio:
Anna Stuart lives in Derbyshire with her campervan-mad husband, two hungry teenagers and a slightly loopy dog. History has also always fascinated her. Living in an old house with a stone fireplace, she often wonders who sat around it before her and is intrigued by how actively the past is woven into the present, something she likes to explore in her novels.

Anna loves the way that writing lets her ‘try on’ so many different lives, but her favourite part of the job is undoubtedly hearing from readers. You can reach her on Facebook @annastuartauthor or Twitter @annastuartbooks.