Publisher: Bookouture
Format: ebook and paperback
Genre: Historical Fiction
Synopsis
Two ordinary sisters. A long and brutal war. A heroic sacrifice…
London, 1915. As German bombs rain down on the East End of London and hungry children queue for rations in the blistering cold, fifteen-year-old Florrie is forced to grow up fast. With her father fighting in the muddy trenches, Florrie turns to her older sister Edith for comfort. But the war has changed Edith. She has grown quiet, with dark shadows under her eyes, and has started leaving the house at night in secret. When Florrie follows her sister through the dark and winding streets of London, she is shocked by what she discovers. But she knows she must keep her sister’s secret for the sake of their family, even if she herself must pay the ultimate price…
Years later Kate, running from her broken relationship, is sorting through her dead aunt Florrie’s house, which she shared with her sister Edith. As she sits on the threadbare carpets, looking at photos of Florrie during the war, she notices the change in her aunt – from carefree young girl with a hopeful smile to a hollow-cheeked young woman, with dark sad eyes.
Determined to put her family’s ghosts to rest, Kate must unearth the secret past of her two aunts. Why is there a hidden locked room in the little house they shared? What is the story behind the abandoned wedding dress wrapped in tissue and tied up with a ribbon? And when Kate discovers the tragic secrets that have bound her family together, will she ever be able to move on?
A heartbreaking historical novel of war, tragedy and the sacrifices we make for those we love. Fans of Fiona Valpy, Kristin Hannah and Victoria Hislop will be hooked by The Shut-Away Sisters.
My Thoughts
The Shut Away Sisters is the story of two sisters, Florence and Edith Henderson, told through journals discovered by their great-niece, Kate, in 1999, after the death of the last remaining sister at the age of 96.
When her long term relationship breaks down, Kate takes up residence in the great Victorian house where the sisters had lived all their lives. In a locked room Kate discovers journals written by her aunt, beginning in 1915 and ending in 1924. They describe Florrie's home life during World War I and its aftermath, including the Spanish flu pandemic, and reveal a traumatic event that sees Florrie abandon the life she would have had to remain in the family home. Reading the journals takes Kate back to the day her own dreams were shattered, from which point the story alternates between two time lines as Kate uncovers what happened to the sisters while discovering what is important in her own life.
Edith, older than Florrie by six years, spends her days writing poetry and letters to Frank, the man she hopes to marry. When no correspondence arrives from Frank, who is away fighting in France, Edith's anxiety about his welfare and whereabouts increases to the point where it becomes an obsession. She shuts herself away in her room, only leaving it to take meals with the family or a daily trip to the town hall to check the casualty lists.
Edith's mental state is largely ignored by their parents, who do not make the same demands of her as they do of Florrie, often allowing her selfish, sullen and rude behaviour to go unchecked. Although she loves her sister and is troubled by the person she has become, the dutiful and resilient Florrie feels resentful. She cannot understand why her sister shouldn't contribute to the running of the household or make use of the secretarial and bookkeeping training she had done so well at. Surely becoming more involved in the world around her would take her mind off Frank.
As the soldiers slowly return from the war, a change comes over Edith. She reverts to the joyful person she was before Frank went away. While Florrie is glad to see her sister restored, she is also alarmed when she discovers the reason behind Edith's new found happiness and is totally unprepared for what happens next.
What I liked most about this novel was the portrayal of family life during the war. I found this much more interesting than Kate's 20th century woes. So, I did favour the historical over the modern part.
I also liked Florrie who lived up to her resilient and dutiful nature, but also proved herself loyal and unselfish. Edith was a tragic character. I can't say I liked her that much, but I did feel sorry for her.
There was one aspect of the novel that I found incongruous. This happened at the beginning and didn't fit with the overall tone of the novel. It wasn't enough to stop me reading and enjoying what was otherwise a compelling story, but it did make me wonder what type of novel I was about to read.
Overall, I found The Shut Away Sisters an emotionally engaging and satisfying read.
Meet the Author
Whether she is working in her thatched cottage in Hampshire or her seaside home in North Cornwall, Suzanne finds inspiration in the secrets hidden by everyday life.
Connect with Suzanne: Website • Facebook • Twitter
Where to Purchase
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It is normal for me to enjoy the historical story in a dual timeline more than the modern story.
ReplyDeleteI usually do,too.
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