⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Jennifer Chiaverini’s Canary Girls shines a spotlight on a little-known chapter of World War I history—the British “munitionettes” who risked their lives making bombs while their brothers, husbands, and sweethearts fought on the front lines. Through the perspectives of three women from different walks of life—April, a former housemaid; Lucy, the wife of a football star; and Helen, the boss’s socially conscious wife—the novel captures both the camaraderie and the danger of working in the factories. The women’s skin literally turns yellow from handling TNT, earning them the nickname “canary girls,” yet they persist, fueled by patriotism and the fellowship they find on the soccer pitch. Chiaverini blends historical fact with […]
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Russian Women’s Family Saga
This debut novel spans three generations of Russian women, from the 1917 revolution to the final days of the Soviet Union, with an enduring love story at its core. It starts with a young girl living happily in Moscow with her sister, father, and eccentric mother, who collects porcelain dolls and tells fairy tales. One summer night changes everything, leaving only the girl and her mother. A decade later, Rosie, studying at Oxford with an English name and a loving fiancé, seeks to understand and bury her past. When her mother dies, Rosie returns to Russia with her mother’s folklore and a single key. She uncovers a devastating family history […]
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Amy’s February 2022 Book Reviews
I love it when literary luck has me reading several genres in any given month. In February, I enjoyed historical fiction, contemporary fiction, memoir. My absolute favorite was The World Played Chess. Read on to see my reviews: The World Played Chess By Robert Dugoni In 1979, Vincent Bianco has just graduated from high school. His only desire: collect a little beer money and enjoy his last summer before college. So he lands a job as a laborer on a construction crew. Working alongside two Vietnam vets, one suffering from PTSD, Vincent gets the education of a lifetime. Now forty years later, with his own son leaving for college, the […]
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