SuzanneRating:
Review
Another story set in the WWII era, this time without much new to add. Silvana and Janusz are a young married couple with a baby in Poland. They are separated as so many were when Janusz goes off to fight. Instead of going to stay with her in-laws or her parents, Silvana and their baby, Aurek, end up leaving Warsaw on foot when the Germans invade, and living in the forest with a few other people for a number of years. Janusz is separated from his regiment almost immediately and is convinced by a fellow Pole to try to make his way to England to fight with the Royal Air Force there. Six years later at the end of the war they are reunited in England when Janusz seeks them out and sends for them. I thought the story of how Aurek grew up in the forest and his adjustment to living in a town had potential that wasn’t fully developed. There was a surprise that I never saw coming late in the story, but even that didn’t change my reaction that “ho-hum” best describes this novel.
Best Line:“But it is not her watery thoughts that bother her; it is the knowing that as surely as the boy holds her up, he is also pulling her under.” (pg. 200)
KimRating:Review
Set mostly after WWII, this uneven story is filled in with flashbacks from Polish immigrants Silvana, her husband Janusz and their son Aurek as they attempt to start a new life together in England, which proves difficult for all after the horrors of living through a war. As German forces near Warsaw, Janusz decides to join the army, forcing Silvana and newborn Aurek to fend for themselves since he leaves without telling her where he’s going. Who does that? Strike one for Janusz. Silvana has no choice but to run for the hills, and spends the next six years living in a forest until British forces arrive and rescue them. Meanwhile, Janusz spends his time not fighting for his country, but running from the Polish army until he lands in France, where he takes up with a farmer’s daughter for crazy amounts of sex and hollow promises of always being together and blah, blah, blah. Strike two, Janusz. Eventually Janusz finds Silvana and Aurek, brings them to England, and they try to make a happy family on 22 Britannia Road in Ipswich. More drama ensues since none of the main characters are actually dealing with their real issues, making this a disappointing read for me. I thought that the sex scenes were gratuitous and rang false most of the time, I never believed these people had it in them to do the right things in life, and rest assured that Janusz gets a much-deserved third strike. This story does move along though, and kept me reading it, so it gets one flip flop for that, and one for the best line, since I’ve often thought that very same thing. My suggestion is to ignore all the rave reviews this book is getting lately, and choose a different book.
Best Line:“And how was it that love and loss were so close together?”
