Scan barcode
mbenzz's review
5.0
I'm not usually a fan of short stories, but I loved every one of these! These stories of young women during WWI were long enough that you came to know the characters and really feel their loss and heartache, but not so long that you start to lose interest.
There are 9 stories in this collection, and while all are good, a few stand out.
Storm in a Teashop - This was a wonderful story about a young waitress who becomes dazzled by a beautiful young woman who frequents the tea shop where she works. However, she soon learns not all things are how they appear.
Mother and Mrs. Everington - About a young woman whose brother returns injured from the front lines. She finds herself judging his inability to cope with the things he's seen until she herself is sent to the front lines as an ambulance driver and she finally realizes there's only so much the human mind and spirit can take before it starts to crack.
Going Spare - This was my favorite story in the entire book. A young girl in 1977 gets piano lessons from her elderly spinster neighbor upstairs. Most people write these unmarried women off as quiet and sad, but we learn, along with our young narrator, that while Miss Frobisher may be unmarried, her life has been anything BUT quiet and sad.
Overall, I absolutely recommend this book. Especially for anyone with an interest in women during the war years. It's a super-fast read and it really brings to mind an awful war that irreversibly changed an entire generation.
There are 9 stories in this collection, and while all are good, a few stand out.
Storm in a Teashop - This was a wonderful story about a young waitress who becomes dazzled by a beautiful young woman who frequents the tea shop where she works. However, she soon learns not all things are how they appear.
Mother and Mrs. Everington - About a young woman whose brother returns injured from the front lines. She finds herself judging his inability to cope with the things he's seen until she herself is sent to the front lines as an ambulance driver and she finally realizes there's only so much the human mind and spirit can take before it starts to crack.
Going Spare - This was my favorite story in the entire book. A young girl in 1977 gets piano lessons from her elderly spinster neighbor upstairs. Most people write these unmarried women off as quiet and sad, but we learn, along with our young narrator, that while Miss Frobisher may be unmarried, her life has been anything BUT quiet and sad.
Overall, I absolutely recommend this book. Especially for anyone with an interest in women during the war years. It's a super-fast read and it really brings to mind an awful war that irreversibly changed an entire generation.
unlikely_button's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
bookishbeeliss's review
3.0
The stories I liked best in this collection were
Mother and Mrs Everington by Melvin Burgess, Going Spare by Sally Nicholls, and The Marshalling of Angélique’s Geese.
Mother and Mrs Everington by Melvin Burgess, Going Spare by Sally Nicholls, and The Marshalling of Angélique’s Geese.
brightyoungthing's review
This was quite an enjoyable collection, definitely worth reading (storm in a teacup was the first genuine laugh I've gotten from a book in a long time), though I did take a star off as 1. there was absolutely no diversity - every single girl is white, cisgender, and straight, and it got to the point where I felt like I was reading about the same girl doing different things. I feel like adding in perspectives from LGBT+ and POC characters would've made the collection more engaging and given readers more to relate to. Secondly, one of the stories was about a 16 year old and a 20 year old 'in love', which just didn't sit right with me. Overall however this was an enjoyable read.
dramagirl2003's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
This book was very informative and educational. It was great to hear more about women's wartime roles, and imagining the reality that everyone was forced into. There were stories and characters from several countries, not just Britain
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and War
Minor: Vomit, Sexism, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
coconutelfs21's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sophielord's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
mselaceyenglish's review against another edition
4.0
"'Don't they teach you that at school?' She said.
'No,' I said. The first World War at school was almost entirely poets and poppies and dead archdukes. And trenches.'
This conversation, taken from the last short story in the collection 'Going Spare', really encapsulates why this was such an refreshingly interesting read. Having the entire collection of short stories told from a female perspective on women's efforts during WWI was a unique approach on this subject. I learnt a lot too about the diversity of women's roles during the war but also how war paved the way for women's rights that we still fight to uphold today.
'No,' I said. The first World War at school was almost entirely poets and poppies and dead archdukes. And trenches.'
This conversation, taken from the last short story in the collection 'Going Spare', really encapsulates why this was such an refreshingly interesting read. Having the entire collection of short stories told from a female perspective on women's efforts during WWI was a unique approach on this subject. I learnt a lot too about the diversity of women's roles during the war but also how war paved the way for women's rights that we still fight to uphold today.
rosin1's review against another edition
3.0
WW1 is not a topic i have read much about except in the context of the Russian royal family, and since i love women's history it was definitely nice having it coupled. I liked some of the stories better than others, but even my favorites had a lot of grim and depressing endings, though i guess it's kinda silly expecting anything else from war novels.