Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce #ajpearce #scribner #ww2 #londonblitz @absltmom

Sometimes no matter how much you try to convince yourself that you are going to love a particular book, it just does not happen the way you planned. Such was the case with   I was so  looking forward to reading this book for it had all the elements of a story I would adore. I love books about the trials and difficulties many experienced during the war, as well as a view of London at that time. Typically, this book should have fulfilled my desire for a wonderful read and yet it fell somewhat short for me.

There were parts of it that I so enjoyed, the descriptions of the devastation of the London blitz were fascinating, as well as often touching at one’s heartstrings. However, much of it seemed a bit repetitious and the characters did seem slightly one dimensional, although at times I did enjoy Emmy’s plucky nature.

Emmy Lake wanted to be a wartime journalist. She is young a, mere twenty three, and has her heart set on a goal. She acquirers a position at a run down magazine thinking she was on her was to the career of her dreams. However, that was not to be as she becomes a part time helper to Mrs Bird, a cantankerous woman, who writes a kind of advice column where one can only ask proper questions. Emmy ensnares herself into reading the letters and eventually becomes Mrs Bird. Of course the inevitable happens and as she, her best friend, Bunty, and William, Bunty’s fiance, encounter the ravages of war. A horrible event befalls the characters and Emmy blames herself for the tragedy. This was a weak point in the narrative as one could easily see that Emmy bore no responsibility for what occurred.

Be that as it may, and with the reservations I had about the connection that the author was able to make, I did like the book. I realize that this was a debut book for this author and I think as she gains experience, she will turn into an excellent historical fiction writer if she chooses to pursue this genre. This was definitely a lighthearted look at a very serious heavy topic. Recommended for those who like a book with likeable characters and is quick to read.

Thank you once again to my local library for having a copy of this amusing story available to this reader.

      

 

  AJ Pearce grew up in Hampshire and studied at the University of Sussex. A chance discovery of a 1939 women’s magazine became the inspiration for her ever-growing collection and her first novel Dear Mrs Bird. She now lives and writes in the south of England.