Dorothy's War

by Ruth Hamilton

ONE WOMAN'S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM AND LOVE...

Born into the First World War, Dorothy has a bleak childhood under the iron fist of an implacable mother and the silent compliance of a browbeaten father.

Her escape is achieved just before the disastrous advent of Hitler, and there is further tragedy to come.

Follow her through childhood and adolescence, then on into her twenties. Can she win her own battle for freedom, for love and for her own place in the world?

Genres: Historical

549 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 1, 2005

About the author

Ruth Hamilton was one of North West England's most popular writers. She was the bestselling author of twenty-five novels, including Spinning Jenny, The Bells of Scotland Road, Mulligan's Yard, Mersey View and That Liverpool Girl. She was born in Bolton, which is the setting for many of her novels, and spent most of her life in Lancashire.

(source: http://www.panmacmillan.com/author/ru...)

Reviews

[Eirlys · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very satisfying story

I loved reading about Dorothy's life and that of her mother, Molly. I was fascinated by the way that their stories were told by weaving together both their past and their present. The characters were varied and believable, formed with a sound knowledge of human nature.

[shirley humber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

[Christine Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

A have to read book

As always of Ruth very good reading. Fantastic storylines that seem so real. Heartbreakingly sad growing towards happy and good times.

[rosemonde hartley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it but it kept jumping about from time to time.

[Anne Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the title misleading at first as I thought it would be about Dorothy's experiences in WWII. Once I got into it, I realised that, although it is set in the early stages of the war, it is really about Dorothy's war with her mother, Molly Cornwell. And what a manipulative, scheming, controlling woman Molly is. From an early age, she keeps Dorothy a virtual prisoner, never allowing her to mix with other children, even forbidding her to take the 11-plus examination for the grammar school. It is only when Dorothy loses the husband she eloped with and their unborn baby, that she finally breaks free and starts a new life. However, this novel is less about Dorothy than about Molly, whose character is excellently portrayed. It is only when Molly's hidden (even from herself) secret is exposed that mother and daughter can form a proper relationship. A very moving novel.

[Annette Hart · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't get into this one.

[Baz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't engage with the swapping between different time periods & I thought the plot was rather lightweight. I actually gave up & didn't finish the book