Blurb:
An exceptionally moving story of triumph against all odds set during World War 2, from the acclaimed author of Jefferson’s Sons and for fans of Number the Stars.
Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.
So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?
This masterful work of historical fiction is equal parts adventure and a moving tale of family and identity—a classic in the making.
Review:
'The War That Saved My Life' is set during WWII and opens up in the Summer of 1939. This is a captivating and lovely story about Ada and her brother James. She was 10 then and crippled by an untreated clubfoot and imprisoned at home by Mom. When the kids hear that children will be evacuated to the countryside, Ada and Jamie escape. There, they live for several months with Susan Smith. Together, the three become a family, while the war begins. I felt all of Ada's pain and struggle. I hoped she got her leg fixed though.
Fast forward to the next day, all the kids are lined up at the train station in a sort of orphan train adoption process. No one wants them, but they are finally taken away to stay with Susan Smith.
We come to know that Susan didn't particularly love to adopt them as such but she also didn't want to leave them in a state of uncertainty. Author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley has crafted an unforgettable and wonderful tale that shares with us an unseen perspective. Who would have thought that for Ada and Jamie, the war was a gift...
I feel that this book deserves a 4-star rating from my side. Hey middle-schoolers out there, check this book out for sure! This is probably my favourite Middle-Grade novel I have ever read.
Comments