The Kitchen Front

by Jennifer Ryan

The setting is a small town in England in 1942, and food rationing is a major concern for the women of the time.  There are four main characters, all women, who participate in a cooking contest to become a co-host for a BBC radio program about cooking with rations.  Audrey is a war widow with 3 sons; Lady Gwendoline is her sister, and they are at odds with each other; Zelda is a chef who wasn’t able to find work in London after the restaurant where she worked was bombed; and Nell is a cook’s helper for Mrs. Quince at Lady Gwendoline’s manor.  Different backgrounds, different personalities, different challenges. 

I thought the writing of the first few chapters was a little simplistic but either that changed or I did.  I really enjoyed this book, especially because of it’s focus on women and their roles in a historical setting.  A ration recipe is included at the end of some chapters.

Quotes

“The reliability of the seasons—the formidable character that shaped months, years, lives—it gave Audrey a comfort that surged through her.”    p. 300  ¶6 (end)

“‘I found that contentment—happiness even—comes in all kinds of ways.  Sometimes you shouldn’t wait for things to be perfect.  You just need to enjoy the small things, every little moment that makes you smile....  I also discovered that it’s all right to admit that you can’t do everything, to accept help from friends.’”    p. 313  ¶8

"'Audrey says this is her favorite time of year,’ Zelda said, kicking a few leaves.  ‘It’s the end of the farming year, marking the start of the rest and recuperation over winter, the magic of renewal.  She loves to talk about the seasons, your sister.’”    p. 327  ¶10

“Gwendoline looked at her, hands on hips.  ‘One thing I’ve learned through this is that family is incredibly precious.  Other things may change us, but we start and end life with our family, whether it’s the one we’re born with or one of our own making.  It means that you love and are loved, whoever you are.’  Her eyes glazed over.  ‘And you know you’re not on your own.’”    p. 330  ¶3

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The Paris Apartment

by Kelly Bowen 

Lia inherits her grandmother’s Paris apartment.  When she arrives she realizes that it hasn’t been lived in for decades.  Then she notices the paintings, the beautiful dresses, and sees the Nazi magazines.  She immediately suspects that her grandmother was a Nazi sympathizer. 

She arranges for Gabriel Seymour, an appraiser and restorer of old paintings, to view the paintings.  She chooses him particularly because his surname and the name on one of the small paintings is the same. 

This is a book set in two time periods with several characters.  Chapters move from one character and time to another.  We learn that Lia’s grandmother, Estelle Allard, was not a sympathizer but one who helped people escape, and that Gabriel’s aunt, Sophie, worked with Estelle for a while.

This drew me in despite the dual time line and the story being told from different characters’ perspectives.  (I should add that there was some language in difficult circumstances.)

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The Last Bookshop in London. A Novel of World War II

by Madeline Martin

Grace and her friend Viv have been best friends since they were children and had always dreamed of moving to London.  When they arrive there as young adults in 1939, it is nothing like they imagined or expected.  They board with Mrs. Weatherford, Grace’s deceased mother’s best friend, at a discount. 

Viv has a (forged) letter of recommendation.  Grace has none, even though she’d worked for years at her uncle’s hardware store.  Mrs. W. to the rescue: she has arranged employment for Grace at a dusty, cluttered, disorganized bookshop.  Grace doesn’t enjoy reading and is not excited about this work.  When she arrives the first day, Mr. Evans, the owner, immediately dismisses her.  Mrs. W. will have none of it and returns to visit Mr. Evans who, the next day, grudgingly acknowledges Grace.  Grace has a good work ethic and a knack for organization.  She begins to put the shop in order.  And then there’s the war, the Blitz, and Grace becomes a warden for the ARP (Air Raid Protection).

This was a great book for putting the reader in the setting of WWII in England with all its limitations and restrictions on citizens—rations, black-out curtains, getting around outside at night without lights, going on little sleep because of the bombings and sleeping in shelters, etc.  And then there was all the dust and debris and the dangers of moving in an environment that was tumbling down.  I realized that while the Germans were trying to obliterate England in order to conquer it, one of the other outcomes (Was it an intentional strategy?) was wearing the people down.  How did the the British survive on so little sleep, with such limited food?  The British are a resilient people!

I keep saying I’m done with WWII books, but I’m glad I read this one.


Quotes

George speaking: “‘Reading is . . . . It’s going somewhere without ever taking a train or ship, an unveiling of new, incredible worlds. It’s living a life you weren’t born into and a chance to see everything colored by someone else’s perspective. It’s learning without having to face consequences of failures, and how best to succeed.” p. 73 ¶5

“As much as she loved reading the story, no one had prepared her for the end being so bittersweet. No one told her finishing the book would leave her so bereft. It was as though she’d said goodby for the last time to a close friend.” p. 115-116

“There was a special scent to paper and ink, indescribable and unknown to anyone but a true reader. She brought the book to her face, closed her eyes and breathe in that wonderful smell.” p. 195, top

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The Beekeeper's Promise

by Fiona Valpy

We meet Eliane in 2017 when she is tending bees.  She is in her 90s.

We meet Abi next, also in 2017, as she tells us her story.  We see that Abi is emotionally lost.  We later learn that she was in an abusive marriage and in a horrible car accident and is just now beginning to heal.  She has come to France with a friend to attend a yoga retreat and ends up taking on employment at the chateau where Eliane lived during World War II. 

We learn Eliane’s story, beginning in 1938 through a narrator.  She was a keeper of bees, a tender of gardens, and quietly did what she could to support’s France’s resistance effort.  The story goes through the end of World War II. 

As Abi learns of Eliane’s story, she gathers strength and courage. 

This was mostly clean—no language or sex, but there was a scene briefly telling the results of Nazi violence.

I'm not a huge fan of books with dual time-lines and major characters, but I thought the author managed both well in this book.

I keep saying I’m done with WWII stories, and then another falls in my lap, and I learn some other experience from the war, of the courage and strength of those who lived through it and see how they can impact others’ and my own life.  I’m definitely glad I read this one.

Quotes
Abi:  “That’ll teach me to be spontaneous, I think, as I trudge along the hot tarmac of the road.  Nothing good ever comes of it.”    p. 6 ¶1

Lisette, Eliane’s mother, before helping several Jewish people past German checkpoints: 
“She put her hand gently on [her husband’s] and smiled at him, although there was a sadness behind the smile.  ‘You know, Gustave, my attitude has always been to try to carry on as normal, ignoring the war as much as possible, just concentrating on getting my family and my patients safely through it.  But there’s a question I ask myself every day.’  She looked past him, out of the window towards the weir.  ‘When do you cross the line?  What does it take to reach that point?  For your country to be threatened?  Your way of life?  Your neighbours’ homes?  Or you own?  For your friends to be in danger?  Or your children?’  She turned back to face him.  ‘Every one of us has to make that decision for ourselves.  Whether we win or lose this war, we will have to live with the consequences of our decisions.  I’ve asked myself:  “What will be on your conscience when all this is over?  What will your decision be when you get to that crossing point?”  Well, I’m at that crossing point now.  And I’ve made my decision.  Just as all of you –‘ she glanced around at Eliane, Yves and Jacques – ‘have done already.’”  [I forgot to note the page and paragraph for this quote.]

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