The Soldier's Wife

A great Summer Read!

**Review of Advanced Reading Edition**
Husband off to war, caring for two girls and an addled mother-in-law, our heroine, Vivienne, must quickly decide if she should evacuate to the mainland from Guernsey and the Channel Islands. Each choice is fraught with potential problems. It's early in World War II and England herself is being bombed. London, where Vivienne has connections, is perilous. An impending invasion by the Nazis carries unknown risks, but rumors are rife. Surely the War won't last long? At the last, she packs up her daughters and trundles granny to a neighbor. Waiting to board the last boat out, she belatedly opts for perceived safety once she sees the tiny boat and the numbers of refugees queuing to board her. And this only takes us through the first 25 pages!

Vivenne must live with this decision, despite bombings, deprivation and the stationing of Nazi officers at the house next door. Where does compromise to survive bleed into complicity with the enemy? How does one raise teenagers in wartime? How far does one go to protect a stranger?

I truly enjoyed this book. The description of the bombing of the harbor was particularly harrowing. Leroy's portrayal of the daughters, one in grade school, the other a teenager were spot on. So believable. Also ringing true was the relationship with the mother-in-law whose mind is starting to wander. These are true, fleshed out characterizations. The story is fast paced - the pages just kept on turning. I wish the love story with Gunther was equally compelling. Yes, it is forbidden, yes, it was alive with danger, but no, it didn't work for me. Because the other story lines were so involving, I kept with it to the end, although I would have been quite happy without the epilogue.

8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

Really good

Good story of civilian life during WWII in occupied channel island Guernsey. She is torn between caring for her daughters and mother-in-law, embarking on a love affair with a German captain and trying not to ignore the suffering of the Todt workers on her island. Very good story and writing.

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Another historical fiction set in Guernsey.

This book comes out later this month and I was able to get an advance copy. When I read the synopsis and found out this story takes place in Guernsey during WWII, I was a little irritated because it seemed a repeat of the book Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I ended up liking it better than Guernsey partially because Guernsey is told in a series of letters the main characters write to each other which doesn't seem to delve deeply enough into the story. The main character is Vivienne, a soldier's wife left to take care of her two children and ailing mother in law. After she fails to leave Guernsey, she is forced to deal with the Nazi Occupation of their island. Soon she finds herself in a love affair with the German Officer living next door. Hiding her affair from her family and community, she is forced to make a choice when her daughter befriends a prisoner in one of the Nazi work camps. Vivienne is not a strong person. She doesn't marry her husband for love, which results in a marriage only in name and not emotion. She is plagued with indecision when faced with the choice to take her children to London before the Occupation, or to stay. After the German's occupy Guernsey, she finds herself fumbling with how she should behave. She tries to harden herself against the Germans they are at war with but finds herself lusting over the Officer next door. In spite of the attitudes of her family and community, she continues her secret love affair because of the need and lack of physical intimacy she has had in her life. Only after helping a prisoner in the Nazi work camp, is she able to question how well she knows the man she is falling in love with. The reality of the War is that not everyone was able to take a hard, strong stance. Vivienne behaves very selfishly in her affair but then makes up for it by risking her life to help someone else. She ends up being a very reluctant heroine. I felt the story was slow progressing and then the ending was rushed compared to the speed of the rest book. I really enjoyed the the author's imagery and descriptive writing.

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Captivating Novel and Writing

"writing ruins recreational reading ... but it can't be helped."

I was immediately captured by Margaret Leroy's storytelling ability. One minute I was sitting poolside, the next, I was in Guernsey during World War II and following Vivienne de la Mare as she copes with life and family, love and responsibility, and an uncertain future for all. Ms. Leroy is an excellent writer who knows how to draw the reader into the story, and she does so efforlessly. Writers pay attention to how she writes description ... and introduces the characters. She never drops the ball. Readers this is the perfect summer read. You would be selfish not to share this story with your friends.

Patricia Punt

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Great read

Great characters. Very entertaining.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

:,)

Veryy good story ive never read anything like it. Buy it. Read it. You'll love it. <3

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Beautifully Written

First few pages won me over. Wonderfully descriptive without being overly so.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

very good

I enjoyed all the characters especially her younger daughter's
key part in the story. Very interesting and also sad at times.
You learned how people at a tough time worked and helped each other and used everything they had and wasted nothing. Good read.
I would like to look for more books by this author.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Loved this book!

It wasn't the typical story of the horribleness of this war. It was about those struggling to find peace and love during it. I thought it was a great read.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A Good Read

I enjoyed this book. I especially loved Millie, the youngest daughter of the main character, Vivienne. The story was heartbreaking in parts. I really felt for Vivienne, and all she had to endure. She grew and changed in many ways as the story progressed and the war and occupation continued. There were harrowing moments as well as tender oned that kept me reading and interested in the characters.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Having problems with this one

I'm having problems getting through this book. It's really slow reading and shallow. I'm not connecting with the characters either. I've enjoyed reading other books about war, occupation and interaction with the enemy, so it's not the topic. I don't think I would read another book by this authori.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A Love Story

This is a story that will evoke emotions from you and you will either love this book or hate it. While there are many issues that can get nit-picked, I overall loved this story. True, there are situations in this book that are not very believable and will certainly cause a reader or two to really question the authenticity of this storyline. However, I really fell in love with Vivienne and her daughters. While the love affair between Vivienne and Gunther didn¿t seem very plausible and the ending had me re-reading chapters, I did love the relationship between her and her daughters. This is a story with WWII and the Nazi invasion of this beautiful as a backdrop, but it really is about the strength and perseverance of a woman and the love she has for her daughters. I did love Gunther and wished the relationship between both of them would have been further explored, as well as the deplorable conditions that they really were living in, however felt that it would also have taken away from the primary story in some way. I found myself crying in some parts, laughing in others, and wanting more in the end. I read this book over the course of 2 nights, which goes to show that even though there are some gaps in the book, this book was amazing and it left me wishing there were more chapters!

Overall, I recommend this book to anyone that loves a good love story, reading about the relationships and dynamics between mother and daughter, and the ways in which WWII changed and impacted lives.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A Bitter Sweet Story of Love and War

The Soldier's Wife is a touching story of love and survival and what it takes to endure when life is turned upside down by war. Leroy's lyrical writing brings to life the island of Guernsey and the inhabitants during WWII. The characters are nicely developed, especially Vivienne and her spunky daughter, Millie, and the reader feels tremendous empathy for the difficult choices that need to be made. A warm, sad tale with a bitter sweet ending...I loved it!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Anynomous

Suspenseful, emotional, and thought provoking. I loved the rich description of Guernsey landscape and the historical background of the time.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Not as in depth as one would hope

while the story is compelling at times, the writing seems a bit jumpy. Not quite finishing a thought before its on to the next point.

lovely read

Margaret Leroy writes in a soft lovely style. This contrasts nicely with the powerful story she tells. This is a romantic tale but not a romance. I enjoyed lerning about life on one of the channel islands during WWII. The characters were very good and the story well told. Wonderful book.

This is a great book

I love the details the author gives of life back then. My only sadness is that I am finished. I will just have to read it again!

Great Story!!

Loved this book! The story flowed well and kept my interest throughout the entire book. The characters were wonderful as well. Highly recommended.

Very highly recommended!

I labsolutely loved this book. It was very well written.
I loved and had great empathy for the characters. It is a story of war and love. I thought of this book for some time after I finished reading It.

if you like short stories.

Interesting story easy read, but too short. I would have like more of a story.