It is 1940. France has fallen, and only a narrow strip of sea lies between Great Britain and invasion. The war could go either way and everyone must do their bit. Young copy writer Catrin Cole is drafted into the Ministry of Information to help ‘write women’ in propaganda films – something that the men aren’t very good at. She is quickly seconded to the Ministry’s latest endeavour: a heart-warming tale of bravery and rescue at Dunkirk. It’s all completely fabricated, of course, but what does that matter when the nation’s morale is at stake? Since call-up has stripped the industry of its brightest and best, it is the callow, the jaded and the utterly unsuitable who must make up the numbers: Ambrose Hilliard, third most popular British film-star of 1924; Edith Beadmore, Madame Tussauds wardrobe assistant turned costumier; and Arthur Frith, whose peacetime job as a catering manager has not really prepared him for his sudden, unexpected elevation to Special Military Advisor. And in a serious world, in a nation under siege, they must all swallow their mutual distaste, ill-will and mistrust and unite for the common good, for King and Country, and – in one case – for better or worse…This is a great read. If you like the TV show Foyles War and loved The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society then you should probably give this one a go. This is full of the kind of British humour that only the British can do - witty, wry, vaguely absurd and very stoic in the face of adversity!
Rating - I give this 4/5
GREAT!! Get this from the library
Reviewed by Sarah @ Hamilton library
Reviewed by Sarah @ Hamilton library
1 comment:
I read this post last week while scrolling through the posts - thanks for the heads-up, Sarah; got the book out last week, loved it and have put the author's two other titles on hold.
Post a Comment