*I received a copy of this book in eBook format via NetGalley in return for this review. All reviews published on Yours, Chloe are completely honest and my own, and are in now way influenced by the gifting opportunity. This review is being posted as part of the The Island Girls blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources.
Title: The Island Girls
Author: Rachel Sweasey
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: ★★★★
1941: For the townspeople of Poole on the Dorset coast,
the war feels like it's right on their doorstep. And with more and more men
leaving to fight, one fisherman’s daughter is determined to do whatever she can
to help. Peggy volunteers to use her skills on the water to work with the
flying boats alongside the RAF based in the harbour. But when she is asked to
undertake a special mission, she will have to make a terrible choice – between
her duty to her country and her only chance of happiness.
1998: Rebekah has travelled halfway around the world to
take up a role on Brownsea Island. This tiny island off the coast of England is
a treasure trove of natural wonder, but it still carries the scars of fighting.
And when Rebekah discovers a lost letter from the war, hidden all this time,
she becomes determined to deliver it, fifty years later.
But the idyllic
Dorset harbour hides many more secrets, and Rebekah’s search for the truth will
change her life in ways she never imagined possible…
The Island Girls is the latest compelling historical fiction
novel from author Rachel Sweasey. This is a beautiful story exploring themes of
love, sacrifice, secrets and fresh starts, all set against the backdrop of Dorset
in both wartime and the 1990s.
Our narrative is made up of multiple timelines sharing the
stories of multiple people, all of which interweave. It was fun to try and
piece the stories together gradually as the novel progresses, predicting how
the different individuals we meet were connected. The story does primarily focus
on two women: Peggy – in 1941 – and Rebekah – in 1998. They were brilliant
strong female characters and both women have a romantic arc to their individual
stories which was a really nice addition.
This was my first time reading anything from Rachel Sweasey
but her engaging writing style had me hooked from the prologue and now I’m
looking forward to reading her other books. The narrative was well paced and
the split between the different timelines was perfect. The history was all
well-researched and provided a really interesting insight into the British
Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and the work they did during the war.
The Island Girls does generally feel more light-hearted than
other World War Two historical fiction works of a similar nature. Whilst there
are still lots of gripping moments and touches of darker topics – outlined in
the content warnings at the beginning of my review – the setting of the home
front and multi-timeline aspect means that this is ideal for historical fiction
readers who want a refreshing break from reading harder-hitting novels in the
genre, whilst not sacrificing the compelling writing style and history-packed
narrative we love the genre for.
Rachel Sweasey’s love for her hometown of Poole was clear
through her vivid setting descriptions of the beautiful landscape of the Dorset
coast, particularly around Brownsea Island. Similarly to Dorset (where the majority of the
narrative is set) the other settings we visit – Rotterdam and Brisbane
respectively – were also described in a truly beautiful way which made each
setting come alive on the page.
Overall, The Island Girls is a brilliant addition to the historical fiction genre. This beautiful story, spanning multiple decades and continents, is a must-read and one which will stay with readers for some time.
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