Tricia Wastvedt

Set before and during the Second World War we meet two families. Elizabeth and Karen, two sisters, are friends with Rachel who has a brother Michael, who paints. It is 1927, they live in London and Michael is adopted by a rich supporter of the arts and given a studio. He paints portraits of her rich friends. There is a connection between Elizabeth and Michael. The novel works through twenty years from 1927 but begins in 1947 and near the end I was constantly flipping back to that early chapter to remind myself who was there. In 1947 Stefan, Karen's German son comes to live with his aunt and uncle. He is clearly a troubled boy who has seen more than a 16 year old should. Moving out of London, much of the action of the novel takes places on the marshes near Rye and Dungeness and these are described beautifully in all sorts of weather. Rachel marries a farmer and they work hard when it floods keeping the sheep safe. Elizabeth marries a man with a yellow Daimler who owns a foundry and we hear about the ups and downs of his business, which enjoys a huge up as preparations for war begin. There are sections of melodrama in this novel but also stories delicately and movingly written. The relationship between Karen and Elizabeth is interesting and difficult and some of Karen's actions are almost impossible to understand. I found this a gripping read once I had settled into remembering who was who.… (plus d'informations)

The title of this book is a little misleading. There is a German boy in the story, and in fact him coming to England to live with his aunt Elisabeth after the death of his mother and father in the war is how the book begins and ends. However, it is only a very small part of the story, which focuses on Elisabeth, her all-consuming love for a man named Michael, her sister, Karen, Michael's sister, Rachel, and a few other members of their families and friends.

This is a true saga of a book in that it starts off in 1947, when Stefan (the German boy) arrives in England, goes back to 1927, and then moves on through the years until it ends where it began, in 1947. It is cleverly plotted and I particularly liked the fact that the reader is told various things at the beginning and along the way, which then fall into place later on. The spectre of the First World War and the unstoppable ascent towards the Second World War are very much features of this novel, and I did get a real sense of what it must have been like for British people and for the Germans at this time.

I found this to be quite a slow-burning book and it did take me a while to get into it, but I then found myself really enjoying it and looking forward to picking it up again. It's got a lot going on and a fair few coincidences that somehow did work.

I'm definitely going to read Patricia Wastvedt's first book, The River, now. Her lyrical style and interesting characterisations and storylines are very appealing.… (plus d'informations)

The River is, at times, brilliant writing regarding description. I loved how Wastvedt captured the river and the village with its inhabitants. And while I had trouble keeping track of all the characters at first, once I got a handle on them I enjoyed how the various threads of the story wove together. Unfortunately, multiple characters acting as the narrator was confusing.

The plot was entertaining, at times a little boring, but I wouldn’t say captivating. And Isabel came across as fake to me on more than one occasion.

On the other hand, it did have a couple of quotes I enjoyed.

“But there were plenty of places that the war had not touched. And even when they turned a corner and came upon a bombed building, grass and wild flowers had already taken root.” {pg. 6}

“And if I run fast enough those hours will not happen, that night will be left behind like the tail of a comet, dust that is lost in the black of nowhere, and I am scorching bright, alive again.” {pg. 37}

“…you are very young, Sarah. Life is kind and forgiving through your eyes and we all long for a glimpse of the world as you see it.” {pg. 59}

The ending was unpredictable, though the whole story was nothing I had expected from reading the blurb about it online. And I felt it was a bit too dramatic.… (plus d'informations)