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A Rose for the ANZAC Boys
The 'War to end all Wars', as seen through the eyes of three young women
It is 1915. War is being fought on a horrific scale in the trenches of France, but it might as well be a world away from sixteen–year–old New Zealander Midge Macpherson, at school in England learning to be a young lady. But the war is coming closer: Midge's brothers are in the army, and her twin, Tim, is listed as 'missing' in the devastating defeat of the ANZAC forces at Gallipoli.
Desperate to do their bit – and avoid the boredom of school and the restrictions of Society – Midge and her friends Ethel and Anne start a canteen in France, caring for the endless flow of wounded soldiers returning from the front. Midge, recruited by the over–stretched ambulance service, is thrust into carnage and scenes of courage she could never have imagined. And when the war is over, all three girls – and their ANZAC boys as well – discover that even going 'home' can be both strange and wonderful.
Exhaustively researched but written with the lightest of touches, this is Jackie French at her very best.
It is 1915. War is being fought on a horrific scale in the trenches of France, but it might as well be a world away from sixteen–year–old New Zealander Midge Macpherson, at school in England learning to be a young lady. But the war is coming closer: Midge's brothers are in the army, and her twin, Tim, is listed as 'missing' in the devastating defeat of the ANZAC forces at Gallipoli.
Desperate to do their bit – and avoid the boredom of school and the restrictions of Society – Midge and her friends Ethel and Anne start a canteen in France, caring for the endless flow of wounded soldiers returning from the front. Midge, recruited by the over–stretched ambulance service, is thrust into carnage and scenes of courage she could never have imagined. And when the war is over, all three girls – and their ANZAC boys as well – discover that even going 'home' can be both strange and wonderful.
Exhaustively researched but written with the lightest of touches, this is Jackie French at her very best.
290 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2008
70 people are currently reading
1879 people want to read
About the author
Jackie French
320 books867 followersJackie is an award-winning writer, wombat negotiator and the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2014-2015. She is regarded as one of Australia’s most popular children’s authors, and writes across all genres - from picture books, history, fantasy, ecology and sci-fi to her much loved historical fiction. In her capacity as Australian Children’s Laureate, ‘Share a Story’ will be the primary philosophy behind Jackie’s two-year term.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
July 9, 2015
5+ ★s
Nowadays I find that historical fiction is my favourite genre. If a book is well written and well researched, I not only have the pleasure of an entertaining read, but also I learn new things about different aspects of history. A Rose for the ANZAC Boys certainly delivered on both counts.
Reading this book led to a paradigm shift in my understanding of Australian and New Zealander participation in World War 1. All my life I have believed that those glorious young men went off to war, leaving their womenfolk at home, waiting anxiously for their return. Jackie French's novel explodes that myth comprehensively. I had known that some women accompanied their men to war in earlier centuries, but believed that the practice had died out with the advent of modern warfare in the 20th century. To my surprise, thanks to this book I learned that tens of thousands of women beavered away tirelessly behind the front lines of WW1 to provide support for the soldiers.
Although this book is categorised as Young Adult, it is written in such good style that it is appealing to all ages. French’s prose is fluent and polished, readily accessible to a wide readership, but thankfully, not dumbed down for a junior market.
Sixteen year old Margery Macpherson, known as Midge, is the daughter of a prosperous NZ sheep farmer, and is attending a finishing school in the English countryside when WW1 breaks out. Her older brother Douglas and her twin brother Tim both enlist to fight. Douglas is posted to Flanders to fight on the Western Front, with Tim being sent to Gallipoli. Midge's aunt Lallie is also at the war, as a trained nurse in an army hospital. Midge is not unique in having several relatives involved in the war in one way or another.
With two classmates, Ethel and the Honorable Anne, Midge leaves school and establish a canteen at a French railway station, to provide refreshments for the troops who are moving all over the countryside. Ethel is the daughter of a wealthy wholesale grocer, who is able to supply the canteen with a never-ending flow of cocoa, powdered milk, bread flour and tinned beef. Daughter of an aristocrat, the Honorable Anne is able to pull strings and gain supports that only flow to the most influential parts of the socially stratified British society in which they operate.
With the aid of some friends and the extensive support of the local French villagers, Ethel, Anne and Midge provide hot cocoa and bully beef sandwiches to the soldiers passing through the town. It is not long, however, before the grimmer side of warfare is delivered to their doorstep. When big battles are waged at the front, hundreds, sometimes thousands of wounded men are deposited at the railway station for transport to hospitals. These sheltered young schoolgirls are confronted with ghastly scenes of blood, filth, pain and death, and they grow up, gain insight and perform magnificently, all in a very short space of time.
As the war progresses, we are introduced to many other interesting female characters who undertake remarkable feats in support of the troops at the front. We learn of Duchesses who set up private hospitals and convalescent homes for both officers and troops, ambulance drivers, first aid workers, cooks and cleaners. There are several references to the VAD, a term I had never encountered previously. Voluntary Aid Detachments provided low level nursing and domestic services to field hospitals and other wartime infrastructure. For more information about the remarkable efforts of these women, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voluntar... As well as the VADs, there were many women present in an entirely unofficial way, such as Midge and her mates.
Midge’s adventures take her away from the canteen to become, at various times, an ambulance driver, ward assistant at a casualty clearing station and a chauffeur for British officers. While the main story is told through her eyes, we get to read other points of view through French’s frequent use of letters to and from Midge which serve to extend our understanding and illuminate aspects of the war experience. In particular, letters from the men in the trenches gives us insight into the appalling carnage and inhumane conditions at the front.
Not all of the narrative relates to grinding hard work and scenes of bloodshed. Scenes of French village life are colourful, the camaraderie of the workers is joyful, and there are hints of romance for Midge as she engages with some of the wounded soldiers she is helping. But there is also great sadness, as the girls encounter the terrible tragedy of men dying for a cause which is seen as ultimately worthless.
I’m no Anglophile, and I was cheered to see that French did not flinch in slating home some of the atrocious strategic decisions to the ineptitude of the British commanding officers. A hundred years later, they still deserve to be denigrated comprehensively for their callous use of ANZACs as ‘cannon fodder’.
Almost as interesting as the story itself are French’s end notes, in which she explains her research methods and expands information supplied in the narrative. Almost all aspects of the novel, including the characters and the letters, are based on real people and real stories. Even if you didn’t like the book, the end notes are worth reading on their own, as an account of how major was the contribution to the war effort made by women, but largely overlooked in official accounts and military histories.
This is one of the best books I have read in ages, and it has altered my understanding of WW1 history. I think that the best stories coming out of the WW1 tradition these days are those written by women about women. It is a book that should be read by Australians of all ages.
Nowadays I find that historical fiction is my favourite genre. If a book is well written and well researched, I not only have the pleasure of an entertaining read, but also I learn new things about different aspects of history. A Rose for the ANZAC Boys certainly delivered on both counts.
Reading this book led to a paradigm shift in my understanding of Australian and New Zealander participation in World War 1. All my life I have believed that those glorious young men went off to war, leaving their womenfolk at home, waiting anxiously for their return. Jackie French's novel explodes that myth comprehensively. I had known that some women accompanied their men to war in earlier centuries, but believed that the practice had died out with the advent of modern warfare in the 20th century. To my surprise, thanks to this book I learned that tens of thousands of women beavered away tirelessly behind the front lines of WW1 to provide support for the soldiers.
Although this book is categorised as Young Adult, it is written in such good style that it is appealing to all ages. French’s prose is fluent and polished, readily accessible to a wide readership, but thankfully, not dumbed down for a junior market.
Sixteen year old Margery Macpherson, known as Midge, is the daughter of a prosperous NZ sheep farmer, and is attending a finishing school in the English countryside when WW1 breaks out. Her older brother Douglas and her twin brother Tim both enlist to fight. Douglas is posted to Flanders to fight on the Western Front, with Tim being sent to Gallipoli. Midge's aunt Lallie is also at the war, as a trained nurse in an army hospital. Midge is not unique in having several relatives involved in the war in one way or another.
With two classmates, Ethel and the Honorable Anne, Midge leaves school and establish a canteen at a French railway station, to provide refreshments for the troops who are moving all over the countryside. Ethel is the daughter of a wealthy wholesale grocer, who is able to supply the canteen with a never-ending flow of cocoa, powdered milk, bread flour and tinned beef. Daughter of an aristocrat, the Honorable Anne is able to pull strings and gain supports that only flow to the most influential parts of the socially stratified British society in which they operate.
With the aid of some friends and the extensive support of the local French villagers, Ethel, Anne and Midge provide hot cocoa and bully beef sandwiches to the soldiers passing through the town. It is not long, however, before the grimmer side of warfare is delivered to their doorstep. When big battles are waged at the front, hundreds, sometimes thousands of wounded men are deposited at the railway station for transport to hospitals. These sheltered young schoolgirls are confronted with ghastly scenes of blood, filth, pain and death, and they grow up, gain insight and perform magnificently, all in a very short space of time.
As the war progresses, we are introduced to many other interesting female characters who undertake remarkable feats in support of the troops at the front. We learn of Duchesses who set up private hospitals and convalescent homes for both officers and troops, ambulance drivers, first aid workers, cooks and cleaners. There are several references to the VAD, a term I had never encountered previously. Voluntary Aid Detachments provided low level nursing and domestic services to field hospitals and other wartime infrastructure. For more information about the remarkable efforts of these women, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voluntar... As well as the VADs, there were many women present in an entirely unofficial way, such as Midge and her mates.
Midge’s adventures take her away from the canteen to become, at various times, an ambulance driver, ward assistant at a casualty clearing station and a chauffeur for British officers. While the main story is told through her eyes, we get to read other points of view through French’s frequent use of letters to and from Midge which serve to extend our understanding and illuminate aspects of the war experience. In particular, letters from the men in the trenches gives us insight into the appalling carnage and inhumane conditions at the front.
Not all of the narrative relates to grinding hard work and scenes of bloodshed. Scenes of French village life are colourful, the camaraderie of the workers is joyful, and there are hints of romance for Midge as she engages with some of the wounded soldiers she is helping. But there is also great sadness, as the girls encounter the terrible tragedy of men dying for a cause which is seen as ultimately worthless.
I’m no Anglophile, and I was cheered to see that French did not flinch in slating home some of the atrocious strategic decisions to the ineptitude of the British commanding officers. A hundred years later, they still deserve to be denigrated comprehensively for their callous use of ANZACs as ‘cannon fodder’.
Almost as interesting as the story itself are French’s end notes, in which she explains her research methods and expands information supplied in the narrative. Almost all aspects of the novel, including the characters and the letters, are based on real people and real stories. Even if you didn’t like the book, the end notes are worth reading on their own, as an account of how major was the contribution to the war effort made by women, but largely overlooked in official accounts and military histories.
This is one of the best books I have read in ages, and it has altered my understanding of WW1 history. I think that the best stories coming out of the WW1 tradition these days are those written by women about women. It is a book that should be read by Australians of all ages.
May 23, 2022
I've read this three times now and each time I read it I only love it more. There's just something about the way the characters are written, the raw but not too gruesomely detail realities of war and the heartfelt story of three young women trying to do their bit while men are being slaughtered on the battle field. I always end up teary-eyed reading the letters Midge receives from the front.
Midge Macpherson is tired of studying French verbs and rolling bandages at school in England so her and her two best friends set up a canteen in France to feed the many men that pass through the train station on their way to and from the front lines. Soon, however, Midge finds herself in the thick of it in a field hospital amongst the wounded & dying soldiers.
In this short novel Jackie French takes pieces of your heart one by one only to put them back together by the end.
Go. Read. This. Now
Midge Macpherson is tired of studying French verbs and rolling bandages at school in England so her and her two best friends set up a canteen in France to feed the many men that pass through the train station on their way to and from the front lines. Soon, however, Midge finds herself in the thick of it in a field hospital amongst the wounded & dying soldiers.
In this short novel Jackie French takes pieces of your heart one by one only to put them back together by the end.
Go. Read. This. Now
April 30, 2010
This is one of the most moving historical novels I've found. Three girls are attending boarding school when World War I begins. Their brothers are sent to the front, and the three look for ways to contribute to the war effort themselves.
They set up a station canteen in France to serve food to the soldiers who pass through. As the fighting escalates, their station becomes a transport point for the wounded, and in increasingly dire conditions the girls exhaust themselves to make these men a little more comfortable and give them a little more hope.
In such horrific circumstances the heroism, companionship and respect between the men and women is edifying. The author conveys this beautifully without glorifying war itself, but also without the bitterness and resentment that robs heroism of its rightful honour.
Years of history lessons can’t teach the gratitude and admiration for our ANZAC ancestors that this novel inspires.
They set up a station canteen in France to serve food to the soldiers who pass through. As the fighting escalates, their station becomes a transport point for the wounded, and in increasingly dire conditions the girls exhaust themselves to make these men a little more comfortable and give them a little more hope.
In such horrific circumstances the heroism, companionship and respect between the men and women is edifying. The author conveys this beautifully without glorifying war itself, but also without the bitterness and resentment that robs heroism of its rightful honour.
Years of history lessons can’t teach the gratitude and admiration for our ANZAC ancestors that this novel inspires.
February 2, 2015
Having been educated at an all girls school, I have always been told that ‘girls can do anything’. This book proves that saying right – and in doing so recognises the efforts and achievements of millions of women in World War One.
Midge (pronounced ‘Migee’) is a wonderful heroine and I’m sure French has captured the spirit of the women who fought just as hard as the soldiers doing battle. However, she has also captured the spirit of the ANZAC boys.
“...the Anzacs were the bravest, stubbornest troops around...”
So far I’m kind of making this book sound wonderfully empowering and don’t get me wrong it is, but there is a much darker side to this book. It is, after all, a book about war and although it may be aimed at teenagers French has not shied away from graphic descriptions of the injuries Midge sees as she serves cocoa to the soldiers and transports them in ambulances. She also does not attempt to gloss over the hell-on-earth that Midge encounters near the front lines.
“Two rows of tables. Ordinary tables, like the kitchen table back home. But these were draped with sheets, not a tablecloth, and decorated with blood instead of teapots, and on each table, instead of … a plate biscuits, was a living, bleeding man”
“And still the wounded came staggering along the village street, on foot now as well as in the carts, an endless procession, desperate to reach the station and a hospital train, a doctor’s hands.”
The amount of research that has gone into this book really shows and the Author’s Notes at the end are insightful. It is very interesting to note that four young girls did indeed set up a canteen at a railway in France and that while this book may not be true, it is based on true events.
Amongst the moments of heartbreak and sadness in this book there were moments of love, laughter, strength and defiance. A beautiful and truly thought-provoking novel.
“One end of the cemetery was mud, the white crosses the only brightness. But the other, where the graves were months rather than weeks or days old, was a mass of flowers – poppies and yellow mustard flowers dancing between the wooden crosses as though to replace the flowers the mothers, wives and sisters might have bought...”
This book was read to commemorate ANZAC Day. This review and many more can be found at Maree's Musings.
Midge (pronounced ‘Migee’) is a wonderful heroine and I’m sure French has captured the spirit of the women who fought just as hard as the soldiers doing battle. However, she has also captured the spirit of the ANZAC boys.
“...the Anzacs were the bravest, stubbornest troops around...”
So far I’m kind of making this book sound wonderfully empowering and don’t get me wrong it is, but there is a much darker side to this book. It is, after all, a book about war and although it may be aimed at teenagers French has not shied away from graphic descriptions of the injuries Midge sees as she serves cocoa to the soldiers and transports them in ambulances. She also does not attempt to gloss over the hell-on-earth that Midge encounters near the front lines.
“Two rows of tables. Ordinary tables, like the kitchen table back home. But these were draped with sheets, not a tablecloth, and decorated with blood instead of teapots, and on each table, instead of … a plate biscuits, was a living, bleeding man”
“And still the wounded came staggering along the village street, on foot now as well as in the carts, an endless procession, desperate to reach the station and a hospital train, a doctor’s hands.”
The amount of research that has gone into this book really shows and the Author’s Notes at the end are insightful. It is very interesting to note that four young girls did indeed set up a canteen at a railway in France and that while this book may not be true, it is based on true events.
Amongst the moments of heartbreak and sadness in this book there were moments of love, laughter, strength and defiance. A beautiful and truly thought-provoking novel.
“One end of the cemetery was mud, the white crosses the only brightness. But the other, where the graves were months rather than weeks or days old, was a mass of flowers – poppies and yellow mustard flowers dancing between the wooden crosses as though to replace the flowers the mothers, wives and sisters might have bought...”
This book was read to commemorate ANZAC Day. This review and many more can be found at Maree's Musings.
March 12, 2025
4.13 stars honestly it was pretty good
June 19, 2021
Jackie French is always good! This was an excellent book. Great insight into war without being too harsh for the age of the audience. Loved it. Highly recommended.
July 26, 2009
A Rose for the Anzac Boys:
Is about the forgotten army of WWI. The army of women who volunteered their time, supplies, skills and lives to help all the troops that went to war. This story is told through the eyes of a courageous girl called Midge Macpherson who gets sent to a school in England to become a lady, after her two brothers Tim and Dougie have headed off to war. Midge befriends two girls Ethyl and Anne at her school in England and the three of them decided that they are sick and tired of sitting around and they want the adventure and excitement that the war has to offer. So the three girls set off to France where they start up a canteen for the wounded soldiers and soldiers heading out to the front line. To their horror they realize the carnage and devastation the war really is and that it’s not the big adventure they thought it would be. Midge also becomes an ambulance driver as well as a nurse and sees more things than she should have. Midge also learns the sad truth that the army were disapproving of those soldiers who got shell shock and wouldn’t even give the soldiers the pensions they deserved and at times they were even sending these poor victims back into the front line. This book shows the great bonds of Midge and her friends as well as the bonds that can develop with strangers. Throughout the book there are letters written to midge from her relative’s friends and soldiers as well as the letters midge has written to them. The letters really make you feel that you are back in the early 1900s experiencing the war. I believe this book is truly inspiring as it shows the courage and strength that the women went through during the war. And how poorly they were recognized even though without these heroic women many more man would have died. I highly recommend this book it will make you truly admire these wonderful women.
Is about the forgotten army of WWI. The army of women who volunteered their time, supplies, skills and lives to help all the troops that went to war. This story is told through the eyes of a courageous girl called Midge Macpherson who gets sent to a school in England to become a lady, after her two brothers Tim and Dougie have headed off to war. Midge befriends two girls Ethyl and Anne at her school in England and the three of them decided that they are sick and tired of sitting around and they want the adventure and excitement that the war has to offer. So the three girls set off to France where they start up a canteen for the wounded soldiers and soldiers heading out to the front line. To their horror they realize the carnage and devastation the war really is and that it’s not the big adventure they thought it would be. Midge also becomes an ambulance driver as well as a nurse and sees more things than she should have. Midge also learns the sad truth that the army were disapproving of those soldiers who got shell shock and wouldn’t even give the soldiers the pensions they deserved and at times they were even sending these poor victims back into the front line. This book shows the great bonds of Midge and her friends as well as the bonds that can develop with strangers. Throughout the book there are letters written to midge from her relative’s friends and soldiers as well as the letters midge has written to them. The letters really make you feel that you are back in the early 1900s experiencing the war. I believe this book is truly inspiring as it shows the courage and strength that the women went through during the war. And how poorly they were recognized even though without these heroic women many more man would have died. I highly recommend this book it will make you truly admire these wonderful women.
May 25, 2009
This is a beautiful, if often confronting novel.
Plenty has been written about the Australian and New Zealand experience during World War One, both in the realms of fiction and non fiction. Few authors, though, have explored the often untold story of those behind the fronts, those women and volunteers who weren't 'official', but who lived, died, suffered and endured almost as much as the men in the trenches.
That French, one of Australia's most loved and most diverse authors for children and young people, has been able to capture with such engagement this story, and to relate it not just to the Australian experience, but to the universal experience of war, is an enormous achievement.
The novel was recently, and quite deservedly, shortlisted in the older reader's category of this year's Children's Book Council of Australia 'Book of the Year' awards. While I have a vested interest in it not winning, this year around, I really hope it comes second. (And if not, it's a book I'd happily come in behind, if needs be...)
Plenty has been written about the Australian and New Zealand experience during World War One, both in the realms of fiction and non fiction. Few authors, though, have explored the often untold story of those behind the fronts, those women and volunteers who weren't 'official', but who lived, died, suffered and endured almost as much as the men in the trenches.
That French, one of Australia's most loved and most diverse authors for children and young people, has been able to capture with such engagement this story, and to relate it not just to the Australian experience, but to the universal experience of war, is an enormous achievement.
The novel was recently, and quite deservedly, shortlisted in the older reader's category of this year's Children's Book Council of Australia 'Book of the Year' awards. While I have a vested interest in it not winning, this year around, I really hope it comes second. (And if not, it's a book I'd happily come in behind, if needs be...)
August 13, 2016
"Like" is not the word I would choose to use for the subject of war, but this novel is one that helps to introduce young readers to the subject of World War I. It also highlights the contributions that women of all ages and backgrounds made to the war. I am pleased to know that it is on many High School's readings lists.
November 16, 2013
A sweet book, war should never be repeated
March 4, 2024
I can't even begin with how bored I was with this book.
July 23, 2021
I was asked to read this book for school and I honestly thought it would be another boring history book. I had read Jackie French's books before, such as Hitler's Daughter which I enjoyed, but wasn't expecting much from this book. However, after reading through the first few chapters, I realized this wasn't one of the stories I would grow bored of easily. This book wasn't thoughtlessly written with an unnecessary amount of battles and war tales. It was clear to me that the author had thoroughly researched everything there was to research about WWI and had turned all of that information into a heart-warming and honestly written story.
A Rose for the Anzac boys is a novel about three teenage girls who wanted to do their part in the war and so started a canteen in France, handing out food to soldiers coming back from horrific battles. I found this idea extremely touching and it made me think about whether modern day teenagers would do this. The way Jackie French described the girls, each with their own unique persona, made me enjoy the story even more. The letters scattered throughout the book added a more raw and genuine feel to the whole story and I enjoyed being able to read through them and easily visualize everything that was happening.
This story was able to capture my interest almost immediately and I extremely enjoyed the plot and characters along with the moving letters. This book raises awareness to everything women did to aid their countries and men in the war. I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy reading stories based on WWI along with those who just want a wholesome read.
A Rose for the Anzac boys is a novel about three teenage girls who wanted to do their part in the war and so started a canteen in France, handing out food to soldiers coming back from horrific battles. I found this idea extremely touching and it made me think about whether modern day teenagers would do this. The way Jackie French described the girls, each with their own unique persona, made me enjoy the story even more. The letters scattered throughout the book added a more raw and genuine feel to the whole story and I enjoyed being able to read through them and easily visualize everything that was happening.
This story was able to capture my interest almost immediately and I extremely enjoyed the plot and characters along with the moving letters. This book raises awareness to everything women did to aid their countries and men in the war. I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy reading stories based on WWI along with those who just want a wholesome read.
September 13, 2017
History is one of my favourite things to spend time on in the whole world. I think it's important to take a little time to appreciate the past and all the battles - both physical and theoretical - that were fought in order for us to have the liberties we take for granted today. I love reading world war fiction - but that being said, I only enjoy it when it's well written, as this book was. Jackie French really spares no detail in her writing, using all the resources at her disposal to make her stories stand out and truly, this one did. I cried so many times, finding myself immersed in it all, not wanting it to end. The characters were three-dimensional and loveable, the storyline was well thought out and planned. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. A beautiful piece of writing that I well recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
July 3, 2016
Originally published on
My Books Are Me
A thoroughly moving story about love, loss and friendship during such a tragic and horrendous time in world history.
In June 1915, Midge Macpherson receives a letter from her twin Tim, who is serving at Gallipoli, but soon learns that he is missing presumed dead. Sure it's all been a mistake and wanting to help the war-effort more, Midge and her friends Anne and Ethel decide to head to France to set up a canteen to serve soldiers heading to and from the battle line. Midge can also use this as a chance to ask anyone who may have served to Tim what had happened to him. But France and the war isn't as glorious as those back home are lead to believe - every night, ambulance after ambulance arrives at the train station, laying out stretchers of hundreds of injured men waiting for the hospital trains to take them away from the front. New Zealander Midge soon meets some Aussies and starts corresponding with Harry Harrison, a sheep farmer from Biscuit Creek. Soon, Midge is thrust into the carnage, first in as an ambulance driver, then in one of the causality camps, seeing the real horrors of the war. And when the day finally comes to go home, back to New Zealand, Midge realises how much the war has changed not only her, or her brother, but her entire country. But despite the hardship and loss, she manages to find love in it all.
This was an extremely beautiful and moving story that shows the role of women during the war. It wasn't just on the home front that wives, sisters and daughters were helping out the war-effort, but also very close to the front line. War novels always focus on those fighting on the front line, and so it's great to read about these same stories, but from the perspective of not only women, but those who aren't directly in the line of fire.
Reading this on the eve of Anzac Day really made the experience so much more moving and immersive. Jackie French has written such a beautiful story that's rich in history, looking at both the darkest times and the joyous moments of war. At no time does she glorify war.
I love that this story comes full circle, showing the importance of commemorating those who fought in all overseas conflicts, especially remembering those who didn't return home. Yes, this story is very sad, and there is a lot of loss - I definitely shed a few tears - but it's a story of the strength of those who fought. Even more, it shows the strength of the women who served during wartime, the forgotten army.
This is a perfect Anzac Day read, and I urge anyone in Australia or New Zealand to pick u this book. But of course, this isn't a book just for the Aussies or New Zealanders. Anyone can enjoy this story and the message behind it. I highly recommend it, and will definitely read it again around Anzac Day...
A thoroughly moving story about love, loss and friendship during such a tragic and horrendous time in world history.
In June 1915, Midge Macpherson receives a letter from her twin Tim, who is serving at Gallipoli, but soon learns that he is missing presumed dead. Sure it's all been a mistake and wanting to help the war-effort more, Midge and her friends Anne and Ethel decide to head to France to set up a canteen to serve soldiers heading to and from the battle line. Midge can also use this as a chance to ask anyone who may have served to Tim what had happened to him. But France and the war isn't as glorious as those back home are lead to believe - every night, ambulance after ambulance arrives at the train station, laying out stretchers of hundreds of injured men waiting for the hospital trains to take them away from the front. New Zealander Midge soon meets some Aussies and starts corresponding with Harry Harrison, a sheep farmer from Biscuit Creek. Soon, Midge is thrust into the carnage, first in as an ambulance driver, then in one of the causality camps, seeing the real horrors of the war. And when the day finally comes to go home, back to New Zealand, Midge realises how much the war has changed not only her, or her brother, but her entire country. But despite the hardship and loss, she manages to find love in it all.
This was an extremely beautiful and moving story that shows the role of women during the war. It wasn't just on the home front that wives, sisters and daughters were helping out the war-effort, but also very close to the front line. War novels always focus on those fighting on the front line, and so it's great to read about these same stories, but from the perspective of not only women, but those who aren't directly in the line of fire.
Reading this on the eve of Anzac Day really made the experience so much more moving and immersive. Jackie French has written such a beautiful story that's rich in history, looking at both the darkest times and the joyous moments of war. At no time does she glorify war.
I love that this story comes full circle, showing the importance of commemorating those who fought in all overseas conflicts, especially remembering those who didn't return home. Yes, this story is very sad, and there is a lot of loss - I definitely shed a few tears - but it's a story of the strength of those who fought. Even more, it shows the strength of the women who served during wartime, the forgotten army.
This is a perfect Anzac Day read, and I urge anyone in Australia or New Zealand to pick u this book. But of course, this isn't a book just for the Aussies or New Zealanders. Anyone can enjoy this story and the message behind it. I highly recommend it, and will definitely read it again around Anzac Day...
November 19, 2011
I liked this book; I think this is an important book. I always feel like I don’t know enough about history and about the great wars, and it was so interesting to get into the headspace of the 1910s, and into the lives of the women who worked themselves to the bone for their ‘boys’. It was also fascinating to learn of how during the war women had to take charge and gained independence, and like a domino knocked over, the push for women’s rights followed. The back of this book says ‘exhaustively researched, yet written with the lightest of touches’, and I definitely agree. It certainly wasn’t heavy going, and was a very compelling novel. Only trouble was it felt a bit too light really; it’s so unfortunate but I feel like the characters and their relationships never felt truly solid and real. The characters all felt a little sterile somehow, and I never felt like I knew them as people with any fullness to their personalities. Midge with her twin Tim, brother Douglas, her best friends Anne and Ethel, her Aunt Lallie, - I never truly felt those bonds. It was still definitely a touching novel, but I feel it would have had so much more impact if we’d known the characters more. Not trying to sound too negative, though, because I definitely did like this book, and it had great moments. My favourite part was when Midge is given the drawing of roses for her birthday from Harry and his mates, drawn by his artist friend who’s blind from being gassed. And it’s all a bit shaky, rose stems don’t match rose heads, but it’s seems as though the little roses are glowing, and it’s the most beautiful thing Midge has seen. The bookend chapters were quite effective, it gave the feeling that this is all over now, long in the past and the people who lived through this are gone. And yet they should not be forgotten; their legacy lives on. And yet the meat of the story, it’s like travelling back through the brittle yellowed pages of diaries and letters, and getting a sense of living through the war years with these people, gaining some little understanding of what they went through.
December 11, 2016
Jackie French is a wonderful young people's writer because she chooses aspects of history that are often overlooked. In this instance, it is the varied roles of women in the First World War. Midge Macpherson is a noble young sixteen year old when we first meet her. She is at a finishing school in England; sent over from distant New Zealand, now an orphan with two brothers enlisted in the Australian and New Zealand armies. Her twin brother Tim has lied about his age ( he is 16) and the novel is peppered with letters from her brothers, her nurse aunt, various soldiers and relatives as well. The letters are a superb literary device as they bring the reality of war in a very personal way. Pages 260 to 290 set out the historical background of the various events. In my own family history, the Spanish Flu killed a great aunt of mine who had nursed her family of four through its scourges, only to die suddenly a day later. Jackie French has resurrected the stories of women manning ambulances, setting up food and drink canteens and sending parcels of food and knitted goods to the men in the front lines. She also does not go in for happy endings; returning from the war was painful for the war ravaged minds of the soldiers and difficult for the women who had learnt to be self reliant. Adults would enjoy this easy read as much as a 12 year old.
July 14, 2012
This book was sweet, but expectantly sad, giving a very realistic picture of what it could have been like for three young girls (from England and New Zealand) who decided to go the edge of the war zone in France during World War One ... to help. This was the attitude of so many of the soldiers and volunteers, and the reason so many of them volunteered for this unknown adventure. It was about the soldiers they met in the course of their duties at their canteen and how the people and the experience affected each of these young female lives and many of those they worked with or met. I purchased this book in Sydney, Australia while I was visiting in 2010 from Canada. I had a personal interest in the subject of this book as my Australian grandfather had probably served very near the location of this story during that Great War. I wanted to get a feel for what he would have experienced and Jackie French, a very popular Australian author, did just that. Her research of this horrendous historical event was touching, honest and forthright. She weaves a realistic and poignant story around the lives of the main characters and although it was a novel aimed at young adults, I found it both entertaining and historically enlightening.
May 22, 2011
OMG THIS BOOK IS SO SAD! like i dont think i even encountered ONE happy bit! srsly it was super depressing. Also, I didnt get t enjoy the book properly (the end bit anyway) because we were reading it for school and had to answer four REALLY INDEPTH questions about EVERY CHAPTER which took about 2 weeks to do (like every single day). But anyway, half way through doing the activity I was so into the book I just stopped and read the whole thing, because it's that kinda book where you can't keep putting it down to do some stupid question. So, anyway, what I'm saying is, THIS BOOK was VERY VERY good! Now not to give anything away, but the reason I gave it three stars was because, as I said, it was so sad, and i would've liked at least a happy ending. I mean come ONNN! and it kinda was but I just feel it wasn't the happiest of happy. Anyway, read it for yourself and find out, but I reccomend this book, especially if your into history fiction, like me.
Oh. p.s I didnt think I'd ever say this but this book could possibly be more gory than Hunger Games and that saying something. So if your not into soldiers stepping on their dead comrads' heads, then prbably dooont read it ;)
Oh. p.s I didnt think I'd ever say this but this book could possibly be more gory than Hunger Games and that saying something. So if your not into soldiers stepping on their dead comrads' heads, then prbably dooont read it ;)
October 6, 2011
I really enjoyed being able to read a historical fiction novel about World War I. I haven't read too many books during this era. I felt like I learned a lot, especially about women during this time period. The book did a great job at displaying how horrible war can be.
That being said, I was disappointed with the writing in this book. The author used letters frequently in her narration which felt more like her place to include facts about World War I then actual letters that people would write. The writing often felt like a long to do list. I missed the use of dialog. I also found the main character, Midge, strangely unfeeling. She witnessed truly horrible events, but only seemed to feel numbness. She rarely broke down or had a moment of "I can't do this any more!" I wish that there would have been more stories with the patients she treated. Instead, the reader is frequently reminded about the glaring number of them. The book ended abruptly and I wish that the reader would have been able to witness more of the healing that happened after the war.
Despite these weaknesses, I found this to be a great book for information about WWI and the horrors involved in war.
That being said, I was disappointed with the writing in this book. The author used letters frequently in her narration which felt more like her place to include facts about World War I then actual letters that people would write. The writing often felt like a long to do list. I missed the use of dialog. I also found the main character, Midge, strangely unfeeling. She witnessed truly horrible events, but only seemed to feel numbness. She rarely broke down or had a moment of "I can't do this any more!" I wish that there would have been more stories with the patients she treated. Instead, the reader is frequently reminded about the glaring number of them. The book ended abruptly and I wish that the reader would have been able to witness more of the healing that happened after the war.
Despite these weaknesses, I found this to be a great book for information about WWI and the horrors involved in war.
October 5, 2011
I read this book for my book club and it was such a touching read. I never really knew much about World War 1 and it has opened my eyes to how bad it was back then. It wasn't an overly gruesome tale of the war but a story based on truth from a teenage girls point of view. The story and characters were written so well and I really liked the extra stuff at the end of the book from the author explaining specific details in the book. This Anzac day I'll not only think of the men who fought in our wars but the women from behind the scenes as well.
October 8, 2012
For Yr9 ESL. I'm really glad they put this on the syllabus because there is nothing less awkward than explaining to one's ESL class that the phrase 'He's a white man' is another way of saying 'He's a great guy'. At least I got to bake the kids some Anzac biscuits. I think the real take-home message here is that golden syrup is delicious.
July 31, 2015
Sad at some times but a good read if you are interested in World War 1 as seen from the ANZAC and English side of the War.
June 14, 2022
Jackie French’s insightful novel, A Rose for the ANZAC Boys, explores the changing attitudes of war and of societal roles during the Great War. French discusses how attitudes to war altered throughout the duration of the worldwide conflict, with characters in the novel viewing war as an adventure and a positive experience in the beginning, and those characters altering their views of war as the novel progresses. Alongside this, the novel explores the changing roles and responsibilities of women during the 1900s. Due to the war, women begun to contribute to a meaningful role in society by assisting in the war effort. French’s novel perceptively highlights the drastic changes that occurred due to the Great War.
French’s novel discusses the changing attitudes of war. The novel portrays war in a positive light to persuade young men to serve. There is a profound sense of duty in the beginning of the novel, where characters are adamant on ‘doing [their] bit’ (French 2008, p. 23) to serve their country. British, Australian and New Zealand societies portrayed the war as being a ‘great cause’, an ‘adventure’ full of ‘glory’ (French 2008, p. 12). The media, government and society at large portrayed war in a positive light, and thus soldiers – especially Australian and New Zealand young men who had never left their country – would be enticed into contributing to the war effort. This duty and romanticism manipulated people into contributing to the war, which unfortunately resulted in tens of thousands of deaths.
However, as soldiers experienced the war first-hand, their attitudes to war changed drastically. French employs the protagonist of the novel, Midge Macpherson, to illustrate these changing views of war. Midge was originally eager to serve in the war, however her attitudes change after assisting in a French canteen for eighteen months serving coco to injured soldiers. She often becomes speechless by the ‘horror’ stories of what soldiers ‘must have seen [and must] have done’ and finds ‘no words’ to comfort them (French 2008, p. 90). Midge later reflects on her romantic ideals of the war, where she ‘long[ed] for excitement’ and to be a ‘part of it’, to realising her life now consisted of an ‘aching repetition of cutting, stirring, serving and unloading’ (French 2008, p. 98). The war did not provide a glorious adventure, but rather a repetitive, horrific, frightening and stressful experience. Midge extends her duty by becoming a driver and a nurse which brings her more suffering as she experiences the repercussions of war immediately. The trauma Midge experiences leaves an imprint that makes Midge feel as if she will never be the same again. Midge believes that people serving in the war are ‘part of a world the people back at home can never understand’ (French 2008, p. 196). The Great War imprinted lasting trauma that for many people, they were never able to heal from. These people were manipulated into contributing to a war that was romanticised, and consequently were thrown into months – and years – of unimaginable pain and suffering. If these men and women were lucky to survive, they would have to live the rest of their lives with their trauma. For some, they had to experience it all again in a few decades.
In summary, I can only give this novel 2 stars due to it not being very engaging. As a year 9 text, this novel appeals to teenage girls as the protagonist is a love-struck young female. I did not particularly enjoy the floury, romanticised writings as it is not my preferred genre. This is a good text study to illustrate the archaic societal roles of women, and how these responsibilities changed during and after the war. Furthermore, the novel highlights the naivety of young soldiers with their outlook to the war, and how these attitudes change through the real experience of the atrocious war. A Rose for the ANZAC Boys is an insightful novel and a worthwhile read for all.
French’s novel discusses the changing attitudes of war. The novel portrays war in a positive light to persuade young men to serve. There is a profound sense of duty in the beginning of the novel, where characters are adamant on ‘doing [their] bit’ (French 2008, p. 23) to serve their country. British, Australian and New Zealand societies portrayed the war as being a ‘great cause’, an ‘adventure’ full of ‘glory’ (French 2008, p. 12). The media, government and society at large portrayed war in a positive light, and thus soldiers – especially Australian and New Zealand young men who had never left their country – would be enticed into contributing to the war effort. This duty and romanticism manipulated people into contributing to the war, which unfortunately resulted in tens of thousands of deaths.
However, as soldiers experienced the war first-hand, their attitudes to war changed drastically. French employs the protagonist of the novel, Midge Macpherson, to illustrate these changing views of war. Midge was originally eager to serve in the war, however her attitudes change after assisting in a French canteen for eighteen months serving coco to injured soldiers. She often becomes speechless by the ‘horror’ stories of what soldiers ‘must have seen [and must] have done’ and finds ‘no words’ to comfort them (French 2008, p. 90). Midge later reflects on her romantic ideals of the war, where she ‘long[ed] for excitement’ and to be a ‘part of it’, to realising her life now consisted of an ‘aching repetition of cutting, stirring, serving and unloading’ (French 2008, p. 98). The war did not provide a glorious adventure, but rather a repetitive, horrific, frightening and stressful experience. Midge extends her duty by becoming a driver and a nurse which brings her more suffering as she experiences the repercussions of war immediately. The trauma Midge experiences leaves an imprint that makes Midge feel as if she will never be the same again. Midge believes that people serving in the war are ‘part of a world the people back at home can never understand’ (French 2008, p. 196). The Great War imprinted lasting trauma that for many people, they were never able to heal from. These people were manipulated into contributing to a war that was romanticised, and consequently were thrown into months – and years – of unimaginable pain and suffering. If these men and women were lucky to survive, they would have to live the rest of their lives with their trauma. For some, they had to experience it all again in a few decades.
In summary, I can only give this novel 2 stars due to it not being very engaging. As a year 9 text, this novel appeals to teenage girls as the protagonist is a love-struck young female. I did not particularly enjoy the floury, romanticised writings as it is not my preferred genre. This is a good text study to illustrate the archaic societal roles of women, and how these responsibilities changed during and after the war. Furthermore, the novel highlights the naivety of young soldiers with their outlook to the war, and how these attitudes change through the real experience of the atrocious war. A Rose for the ANZAC Boys is an insightful novel and a worthwhile read for all.
January 12, 2022
Buku udah lama, dapetnya juga cuma dari loakan di FB, tujuannya beli buat anak, berhubung his-fic saya jadi curious, apalagi ini tentang ANZAC, yang tiap tahun kita rayain di sekolahan tapi gak terlalu ngerti.
Oh my..love it love it love it, suka karena penulis riset abis2an sebelum nulis, ada keterangan di belakang. Love it karena it's very human, tokoh utama yg wishful pengen ikut berjuang, bored bikin kaos kaki di asrama, ternyata setelah dia makin ke depan dan makin ke depan, dia ketemu hal2 yang confronting dan bikin dia shock dan disillusioned.
Love it gimana penulis menggambarkan cinta yang bersemi dengan begitu subtle-nya, tanpa kata cinta..aihh...dan bagaimana ketika dia udah balik ke farm dia sadar dia gak diinginkan, mending pergi, gimana Tante-nya bilang, kalau lu udah pernah kerja, bisa apa lu balik ke kehidupan lama di rumah di farm gak ngapa2in?
Karena baca2 saya jadi expand pengetahuan, memang PD1, yang merenggut nyawa banyak laki2 itu membuat 'vakum kekuasaan' di kampung halaman, dan perempuan terpaksa jadi nyupir truk, manage farm, bikin senjata di pabrik, dan mereka pun mulai mempertanyakan posisi mereka dlm masyarakat, yang mana mendorong mereka utk menuntut pengakuan lebih- suffragette etc..
Masih ada beberapa buku dia yg ada di gudang, dan saya pasti baca!
Oh my..love it love it love it, suka karena penulis riset abis2an sebelum nulis, ada keterangan di belakang. Love it karena it's very human, tokoh utama yg wishful pengen ikut berjuang, bored bikin kaos kaki di asrama, ternyata setelah dia makin ke depan dan makin ke depan, dia ketemu hal2 yang confronting dan bikin dia shock dan disillusioned.
Love it gimana penulis menggambarkan cinta yang bersemi dengan begitu subtle-nya, tanpa kata cinta..aihh...dan bagaimana ketika dia udah balik ke farm dia sadar dia gak diinginkan, mending pergi, gimana Tante-nya bilang, kalau lu udah pernah kerja, bisa apa lu balik ke kehidupan lama di rumah di farm gak ngapa2in?
Karena baca2 saya jadi expand pengetahuan, memang PD1, yang merenggut nyawa banyak laki2 itu membuat 'vakum kekuasaan' di kampung halaman, dan perempuan terpaksa jadi nyupir truk, manage farm, bikin senjata di pabrik, dan mereka pun mulai mempertanyakan posisi mereka dlm masyarakat, yang mana mendorong mereka utk menuntut pengakuan lebih- suffragette etc..
Masih ada beberapa buku dia yg ada di gudang, dan saya pasti baca!
April 18, 2021
A Rose for the ANZAC Boys by Jackie French is one of the best books I have read in a very long time. Impeccably researched and detailed, this novel follows three school girls (16 yo) who travel to France during WWI to set up a canteen to feed soldiers on their way to the front.
Through a series of letters back home, to family and to soldiers they meet, the full horror of this war is unveiled. This is a beautifully written story and the passages where characters reminisced about their country homes, evoked memories of my rural childhood and were particularly poignant for me. The sections regarding soldiers post war and our ANZAC day parades reminded me of my WWII veteran grandfather.
It is a tale of bravery and a reminder that those bearing guns are not the only heroes. This book sheds light on the role of thousands of women during this conflict from those at home knitting, sending food parcels, organising fundraisers, food drives through to ambulance drivers and nurses. There are some very interesting author notes at the end regarding French's research and WWI history. Whilst she has changed names, much of what is written is based directly on diaries and letters she discovered during her research.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Through a series of letters back home, to family and to soldiers they meet, the full horror of this war is unveiled. This is a beautifully written story and the passages where characters reminisced about their country homes, evoked memories of my rural childhood and were particularly poignant for me. The sections regarding soldiers post war and our ANZAC day parades reminded me of my WWII veteran grandfather.
It is a tale of bravery and a reminder that those bearing guns are not the only heroes. This book sheds light on the role of thousands of women during this conflict from those at home knitting, sending food parcels, organising fundraisers, food drives through to ambulance drivers and nurses. There are some very interesting author notes at the end regarding French's research and WWI history. Whilst she has changed names, much of what is written is based directly on diaries and letters she discovered during her research.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
May 15, 2017
It isn't often that I finish a book and am speechless, but this book did it.
A Rose for the ANZAC Boys is one of those books that make you realise how little you know. The majority of the book is set in France during WWI. All I knew about WWI is that we (the Netherlands) declared neutral and were not bothered with the war that was mostly played out in trenches. This book gives you a whole new insight. About the women that tried to play their part in the war, about the many soldiers from Australia and New Zealand that were brought into this war and fought for years, about the many wounded and killed, about the scars that were left (both visible and invisible), about returning home and finding your home again.
The book is written with a good reading pace. The scenes which are alternated with letters from different characters, keeps you sucked in the book. Some of the scenes are written in such a language that it almost feels like you are on the battlefield.
Definitely recommended!!!
A Rose for the ANZAC Boys is one of those books that make you realise how little you know. The majority of the book is set in France during WWI. All I knew about WWI is that we (the Netherlands) declared neutral and were not bothered with the war that was mostly played out in trenches. This book gives you a whole new insight. About the women that tried to play their part in the war, about the many soldiers from Australia and New Zealand that were brought into this war and fought for years, about the many wounded and killed, about the scars that were left (both visible and invisible), about returning home and finding your home again.
The book is written with a good reading pace. The scenes which are alternated with letters from different characters, keeps you sucked in the book. Some of the scenes are written in such a language that it almost feels like you are on the battlefield.
Definitely recommended!!!
August 15, 2021
I must say this was a difficult book to get through and I remember complaining about it all the time to my friends. I was forced to read this book for my English class and couldn't help feeling bitter about it, but the funny thing is, now that I think back I don't know why I didn't enjoy reading this book. Overall, now that I can look back with the full story in mind, it's quite a wholesome and beautiful story with lovable and inspiring characters. The ending of the book was beautiful and I thought it brought everything together especially that Lachie followed in Pa (Harry's) footsteps. Midge was a lovely main character and I LOVE her so much!!!!! She's such an outstanding incredible person and so is Harry and Ethel and Anne!! It's such a great story and it sheds such a different light on war. Jackie French did wonderfully :) The only thing I didn't like was at times parts of the story were dragged out for too long and it became uninteresting but besides that I really enjoyed this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2020
This book tells the story of World War 1 from the perspective of the women working towards the war effort, mostly in a voluntary capacity. Movements of Midge (the main character) give us a broad glimpse into the main role of women during the war, as does the description of what those left in England were doing. The book also uses letters to and from Midge (she writes to 2 soldiers at the front, as well as her brothers, aunt, former teacher and friends) to give the reader a picture of the fighting and the general morale of those in different parts of the war. It is a fictional story but based on years of research and the letters are often actual letters written during the war .
November 5, 2023
I'm a huge fan of historical fiction and I think this book was the catalyst of that love for me - I read this book as a teenager and wanted to see if it held up.
It's well-researched and a perfect age appropriate read for it's intended audience. While it doesn't shy away from it's gruesome origins it leaves in the right amount of detail - it's informative but not gory. It gets a bit repetitive at the end, but overall it's an enjoyable read. The focus on the women during WW1 - the nurses, canteen operators, ambulance drivers, the women who stayed home to look after the households and farms - is what really makes this book a keeper.
Glad I re-read it.
It's well-researched and a perfect age appropriate read for it's intended audience. While it doesn't shy away from it's gruesome origins it leaves in the right amount of detail - it's informative but not gory. It gets a bit repetitive at the end, but overall it's an enjoyable read. The focus on the women during WW1 - the nurses, canteen operators, ambulance drivers, the women who stayed home to look after the households and farms - is what really makes this book a keeper.
Glad I re-read it.
November 17, 2024
This was recommended to me a few years ago by a friend - and I finally got around to reading it!
I really enjoyed this, with all the bittersweet tears of hope and sorrow.
Enjoyed:
- The girls using their talents for the war effort
- Their friendship through thick and thin
- The glimpse into history & feeling like I experienced it myself
- The little bit of romance :)
- The references to New Zealand (my home country!)
Didn't enjoy:
- Use of coarse language
- The book hangover I have xD
Definitely a middle-grade book, but it did well in holding my attention. I read this in two days. I think I'll read this again next year for ANZAC Day!
I really enjoyed this, with all the bittersweet tears of hope and sorrow.
Enjoyed:
- The girls using their talents for the war effort
- Their friendship through thick and thin
- The glimpse into history & feeling like I experienced it myself
- The little bit of romance :)
- The references to New Zealand (my home country!)
Didn't enjoy:
- Use of coarse language
- The book hangover I have xD
Definitely a middle-grade book, but it did well in holding my attention. I read this in two days. I think I'll read this again next year for ANZAC Day!
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