Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Lucy

I loved this book. I thought it was a beautiful novel for children and young adults, even older adults. It contains facts about World War Two in England that are hidden in the text in such a subtle way that you dont even know you are learning while you read but you come away from the book with more knowledge than when you started reading. The main charatcer, Willie Beech, is loveable and it is a joy to see him change as he goes through the book. The other character, the old Mister Tom, is also fantastic and brings a sense of practicalness into the book that a story only about a child cant bring. It has its sad and happy moments and this is about the only book I have ever cried at but the touching story leaves you deeply moved. This book does not have specific bad guys, just people who are scared, mixed up or damaged and who make the wrong choices, like Willie's mother. It gives a fairly nuetral view of the war, as much as it can give from an English point of view, because the characters are people who genuinly just want the war to stop and are not worried about winning or losing. I recomend this book for anyone but be prepared to cry at some points but feel overjoyed at others.