Erik and Hans are German boys. Ruby and Kate are English girls. They grow up in worlds that would never meet, until war tumbles their lives together.
Then one September afternoon there are choices to be made.
How is courage lost, and found?
Who is really the enemy?
And what does friendship truly mean, in the middle of a war?
Meanwhile Rupert and Clarry work secretly for peace – and a brighter future for them all . . .
This is described as a sequel to
The Skylark's War. I haven't read that one and was worried about getting lost in this one. However, from what I can gather, the
Skylarks characters are parents to some of the characters in this one; I didn't find it hard to follow at all.
Don't go into this book looking for action or adventure. This is a slow, deliberate read stretching over years in both Germany and England, as a generation born after WWI grows up in its shadow and watches WWII loom closer. There are some details here that may frighten or upset younger readers; for instance, although it makes a horrible kind of sense, I had never realised that the British government advised its people to euthanise their pets ahead of the expected bombing. I've read one other book where it was said that strays were being put down; however, that was said to upset a character, so I was never sure it was true and had never connected it to pets before. That must have been awful for so many people, including the vets.
This is a great look at a very particular period in history, and a reminder that people are people, more or less, and their countries of origin shouldn't matter. Wonderful. And I'll need to look up Skylarks next!
The Swallow's Flight publishes on the 27th of May, 2021. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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