This character work was absolutely not for me. Hazel was… I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s not as if she had only good traits and thought herself better than the other characters because she did not see herself as a good person. I did not like her and how she treated others; I do not think she was meant to be written in this way. The antagonists were poorly written as well. They were one-dimensional with no depth on why they were the way that they were.
However, I absolutely loved the atmosphere and setting. The first timeline is set during the early stages of World War II, where the children are sent out to the countryside as evacuees from London. The nature writing and the portrayal of the small English village were picturesque. The second timeline is London in 1960, which is my absolute favorite setting throughout history.
The writing was good, and as I stated before, it was very adept at painting a picture. It maintained a medium pace and flowed together nicely.
The plot is great. I love how a story brought together and ultimately tore apart these two sisters. There was this magical feeling and wonderment of childhood. Stories are so important, and it’s amazing to see how they are crafted and how they aid in coping. The mystery was extremely fascinating, and I didn’t predict the finale until quite close, only about a block away rather than a mile. The resolution was very far-fetched, and I don’t think it was realistic
This was an alright book, but the character development really frustrated me. I lean more towards character-driven stories than plots, so it was challenging for me, but I enjoyed everything else about the book.
3 out of 5.
by beaniebaby729