Welcome to Litsy!

I'm glad I discovered this book through #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub. It was a slow start, but I grew increasingly absorbed in the characters' lives as I continued reading. The author provides an insightful look into how people from the different classes of English society dealt with the aftermath of WWII.

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#192025 #1945 @Librarybelle

As @Ruthiella mentioned, it‘s a fast read once picked up! I was absorbed in needing resolutions to each of the characters‘ stories. Angela‘s struggle with trying to help Peter knowing the correct societal norm would be to marry yet she‘s got a brilliant career ahead of her was moving. She‘s lived a life and has one ahead of her. Beauchamp‘s portrayal of the mental and physical results of the war on soldiers along with the impact of their return ⬇️

I enjoyed this once it got going, although I actually found Helen‘s story the dullest, with the Cobb family the most interesting. I wish Laura had gotten some gumption and re-joined the service. Peter Gurney could have used some gumption too.

The term “Civvy Street” was new to me.

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WW2 has ended,and everyone‘s returning home, but neither home nor they themselves remain the same. I have a thing for WW2 British homefront books, so this was a interesting read for me. Being a (now retired) military spouse, I found the discussions of nostalgia & pride in wartime units relatable -there‘s something about surviving a stressful/challenging time together that creates a bond that outsiders just can‘t be part of.
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Using my break to finish up this #furrowedmiddlebrowclub title, which I appreciated more than liked. I found the writing a bit plodding and I didn't really connect with any of the characters. I did like the focus on the demobbed dealing with life on Civvy Street, the contrast between those who served and those on the homefront and that Beauchamp didn't shy away from class issues. I just wish it were a little more heart and a little less head.

This was an interesting look at the post-war upheavals & effects on a cast of characters in a British village. It is ironic how something so disruptive to life & wellbeing—war—was the one way for most middle & upper class British women to imagine different possibilities beyond their role at home. Although the writing here didn't quite sparkle, I enjoyed how the book gently looked into all these altered lives. #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub

A frank look at life right after WWII in an English village as returning forces and civilian population adjust to life after wartime. Some manage the transition better than others.

It reminded me a little of South Riding by Winifred Holtby (though much shorter) in its intimate look at a large cast of characters ranging across class in a specific location, in this case the village of Kirton.

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We are all familiar with the idea that the commencement of World War II caused massive change for the British which required a lot of adjustment. This book explores the ways the end of the war required just as much adjustment as service personnel settled back into civilian life, those who didn‘t serve made room for them and everyone came to terms with all that had happened while they were separated. 👇
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This 1945 novel is an eye-opening and gossipy peek at a group of demobilized villagers who must return to their old lives in the immediate aftermath of WW2. Wartime love affairs, illegitimate babies, soldier‘s PTSD, and the demise of the country house are all touched upon by an author who had herself just returned from war service. Super interesting!

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An interesting look at village life, particularly at the challenges facing women, in the immediate aftermath of WWII. The long-awaited peace brought difficult adjustments for many. I appreciated how Beauchamp highlighted several different personalities and situations.

Anyone else find the switch from first-person POV with Helen to third-person for the others to be an unusual choice? I think it ultimately works given how she bookends the story.

“Group commander! What a lot of nonsense you women got up to during the war. I can‘t think how the army got along at all with a pack of women dressing themselves up as soldiers, strutting about giving orders and poking their noses into a lot of matters that didn‘t concern them”

Laura‘s father is a real piece of work. This part had me fuming 😡

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‘It nearly broke his Mum‘s heart when he joined up , her having lost her husband in the first war …‘

All the happenings in the village of Kirton as World War Two ended.
Showing the deepest fears and anxieties people had to somehow live through. The uncertainty of life and what would happen next ,Lovely characters
Good laughs along the way too. #FurrowedMiddleBrowClub I wish we could all meet in the Cock and Pheasant Arms to chat about this one

I knew that Queen Elizabeth II served in the ATS during WWII, but not much else. Love this recruiting poster. There‘s some interesting history and photos on the National Army Museum site. Also enjoyed this BBC Radio 4 Seriously… episode where a few of the women still alive “tell their extraordinary stories of the Auxiliary Territorial Service and how it changed their lives.” Links to both in comments.

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That made me snort & smirk. 😆 #Furrowedmiddlebrowclub

“I, Helen Townsend, am going to have tea with Laura Watson.”

So excited to get started! Love this cover. #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub
#FirstLineFridays

Hey #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub reading friends! It‘s time to read our bimonthly pick for March 2023. As per usual, read and post as you go and we‘ll aim to be finished by the middle of the month, but no worries if you take longer. 😊

All are welcome to join in! If you want to be tagged, let us know. 😄

Thank you so much @CarolynM for passing on your extra copy for our upcoming #furrowedmiddlebrowclub and the lovely extras. Your beautiful card and message ❤️ I love the pin and bookmark! You're so thoughtful and it was a treat to get this in the mail 😘

Hello, #furrowedmiddlebrowclub members! We thought it might be nice to get our reading for the year lined up, so everyone can plan (and buy!) accordingly, So, here are my nominations for March!

. Hopefully one of them will strike your fancy!