Play Book Tag discussion

Mary North was just eighteen when the World War II began. She left her finishing school and returned to London and volunteered with the War Office. She thought:
What was war, after all, but morale in helmets and jeeps? And what was morale if not one hundred million little conversations, the sum of which might leave men brave enough to advance? The true heart of war was small talk, in which Mary was wonderfully expert.

Her assignment didn't go as planned and she found herself as a teacher to children who were to be evacuated. That didn't go as planned and she remained in London. London, of World War II, The Blitz, 11 straight weeks of bombing every single day. London, one third of which was destroyed.

So we have Mary, but the story also shifts to Alistair Heath, a conservator at a museum, who has volunteered. Heath receives the following advice from a doctor after returning from Dunkirk:

“Good luck. Take quinine if it’s Cairo, take salt if it’s the desert, take precautions if it’s a local girl. Avoid gin unless good tonic is available, smoke no more than one pack, and keep anything made of metal on the outside of your skin. Dismiss.”

I loved Chris, Cleave's book Little Bee, so I was anxious to read Everyone Brave is Forgiven especially after reading favorable reviews here at PBT and yet in languished on my shelf, with always another book being chosen before. The London Tag was perfect for me.

I loved the dialogue in this book, snappy like a 1940's movie with a bit of stiff upperlip thrown in. I loved the characters and their relationships, with the gray shades and the twinge of discomfort that some of the scenes caused the reader.

There were a few scenes and such which might have perhaps been a bit overblown and points that stretched incredulity. I have forgiven these and not docked points, because I loved reading this book so much.

You liked it more than I did, but parts of the story stayed with me. It felt like a realistic depiction of the hardships.

I debated between 4 and 5 stars. If it doesn't stick with me or I begin feeling more critical, I will adjust.

It really captured me, while reading it. I have some quibbles and they aren't entirely minor, but decided I wouldn't focus on them.

This book sounds so interesting to me, but I absolutely loathed Little Bee by this author and I think it has ruined all other books by him for the rest of my life.

I feel the same way about Yann Martel after the perplexing and unenjoyable Life of Pi and Ian McEwan after after the smoldering trash heap of Atonement. lol!

I really liked Little Bee, so I'm not sure you would like this.

Cleave is one who seems to keep me engaged while reading, but as I said there were some issues that I would be holding onto if I had enjoyed the reading of it less..

I also loved Life of Pi, and I haven't read Atonement. :)

Then I lend no credit to your review of those books 😂

Nicole R wrote: "Then I lend no credit to your review of those books 😂"

It sounds like a must read Atonement then, and love it !

Booknblues wrote: "Nicole R wrote: "Then I lend no credit to your review of those books 😂"

It sounds like a must read Atonement then, and love it !"

I admit that Atonement is very well loved by many, many readers. So, you should give it a try! But, it is one of my most loathed books of all time. lol.

I may put Atonement up next and see if I can manage another London read this month. I have it in paperback, so I might actually read 2 DTB this year.

Nicole R wrote: "This book sounds so interesting to me, but I absolutely loathed Little Bee by this author and I think it has ruined all other books by him for the rest of my life.

I feel the same w..."

I'm not a big McEwan fan, but did like one of his books better than another-both read for a British reading group. I have never read another book by Yann Martel after Life of Pi, either.

So, I may just pass on this book for now.

I never read Life of Pi, but for Horizons I read The High Mountains of Portugal and only gave it 2 stars...I just did not get it

I read this a couple of years ago and, although some of the prose was a bit too flowery for my taste, I still couldn't put it down. And I'm a sucker for WWII stories, so I gave it a 5.

Joanne wrote: "I never read Life of Pi, but for Horizons I read The High Mountains of Portugal and only gave it 2 stars...I just did not get it"

Life of Pi had its moments, but the ending just ruined so much of it.

Karin wrote: "Life of Pi had its moments, but the ending just ruined so much of it."

I understand how you could feel that way, because the ending is jarring. I thought about it a long time when I finished and I came to believe that it was the right ending even if I was a bit miffed about it.

Booknblues wrote: "Karin wrote: "Life of Pi had its moments, but the ending just ruined so much of it."

I understand how you could feel that way, because the ending is jarring. I thought about it a long time when I ..."

I can see that people would think that, but it still ruined it for me :). I think it ruined it for a number of people, and it put me off reading him again even though I thought he wrote very well.

It sounds like I must read Everyone Brave Is Forgiven. I may try to get to it by the end of this month's tag.

I loved both Atonement and Life of Pi. I even liked The High Mountains of Portugal, though I am sure I didn't understand all of what he was getting at.

Joy D wrote: "It sounds like I must read Everyone Brave Is Forgiven. I may try to get to it by the end of this month's tag.

I loved both Atonement and Life of Pi. I even liked The High Mountains of Portugal, th..."

Ditto for Atonement and Pi. Never finished High Mountains although I started it at least twice over a period of several years. Did you see film of Pi? I thought they did a neat job with that ending. Made me like the book ending better.

I did not see the film, Susan, but I should look it up.