Una historia de esperanza y superación del pasado.
Sometida al yugo de una madre dominante, Cecily ansía que su prometido vuelva de la Gran Guerra para dejar la casa familiar, pero sus planes se ven truncados cuando él desaparece en alta mar. La tragedia, sin embargo, no apaga su anhelo de independencia y Cecily decide entonces trasladarse a Francia para actuar ante las tropas. Allí, la vida resulta peligrosa y violenta, pero a la vez satisfactoria y activa. Los problemas reaparecen justamente cuando su familia acude también al frente. Su hermana, Merryn, se enamora de un joven soldado que esconde un lado muy oscuro. Su madre, Queenie, atormentada por un dolor oculto, parece empeñada en seguir un camino de autodestrucción. Así, a medida que se acerca el final de la guerra y todos recobran la esperanza en el futuro, Cecily y Merryn se unen para descubrir la verdad sobre su madre. ¿Qué les ha escondido? ¿Por qué? ¿Podrán ellas mismas alcanzar la felicidad o se hallan condenadas por esos secretos del pasado?
Born in Lancashire, I've been a teacher, bookseller and in a mad moment, a smallholder on the freezing fells of the Lake District where I tried my hand at the ‘good life’, kept sheep and hens, various orphaned cats and dogs, built drystone walls, planted a small wood and even learned how to make jam. I now spend the winter in Spain and summer in the UK. I have now published 48 books including many bestselling family sagas and historical novels. For more information, visit my website www.fredalightfoot.co.uk.
Voy a la biblioteca y veo este libro que me llamó muchísimo la atención por la portada y porque se desarrolla en la Primera Guerra Mundial.
Cecily es una chica decidida que vive junto a su madre y su hermana. Le gusta el canto pero teme incursionarse en sus sueños por no desilusionar a su madre. Su prometido va a la guerra y muere en ella. Por lo que la joven decide honrar su nombre y su amor, y decide ir a la guerra a alegrar las tropas inglesas y a la vez desarrollar sus dotes artísticas.
En la guerra, la acompañan: 1. Su madre(egoísta, soberbia y alcohólica; con un pasado que la destroza poco a poco). 2. Su hermana(introvertida, servicial y de poco carácter). 3. Johnny( baterista, machista y mujeriego).
La primera mitad del libro cuenta cómo Cecily vivió la Primera Guerra Mundial y el cambio drástico que experimentaron las mujeres en esa época.
La segunda parte cuenta la Posguerra. La alegría de que terminara la guerra y volvieran los soldados a casa y a la vez, la desesperación y preocupación de reconstruir un futuro con escaso empleo para hombres y mujeres.
Creo que la autora se centró mucho en los personajes y no en la guerra y posguerra en sí. No me gustó para nada el personaje de Queenie(madre de Cecily). Se creía una reina y trataba a sus hijas como sirvientas. Entiendo qué pasó por un momento doloroso en su pasado, pero no es excusa para lo que le hizo a sus hijas. Principalmente a Merryn, la hermana de Cecily.
Las novelas históricas son de mi agrado, pero ésta no me gustó. Diálogos repetitivos, narración repetitiva. Pudo ser mejor.
Es un libro interesante de leer y que recomiendo a aquellos que les guste la novela histórica, primera guerra mundial... Aunque es cierto que el primer 90% por cierto es estable, sin muchos sobresaltos y el último 10% es telenovélico y pasa todo muy deprisa. Espero leer más historia de esta escritora 😊
I couldn't read it anymore. Flat characters. Repetitive circumstances. Felt like the characters were blind to what was happening around them. And they continued acting the same way which made it feel like there was nothing to look forward to.
Although I've seen documentaries and movies about World War I, it is a period that I haven't read much in fiction. So it was with great anticipation that I picked this book up.
The story follows Cecily who is eager to escape her mother's bossy and stifling presence who is a fast-fading stage performer. Cecily yearns to be reunited to the man she loved, Ewan, with whom she was secretly engaged and who was out to sea at war. But when Cecily receives tragic news about Ewan, she decides to find happiness another way and goes to France to entertain the soldiers. When her family joins her in France, things don't exactly go all that smoothly.
I loved many things about this book -- the ease of travelling back in time and living in the moment with the characters and their sentiments, the dramatic journeys they took individually and as a family during a difficult time in the world and descriptions and references to important historical events. I liked that the writing style seemed to reflect the period portrayed, not that I'm an expert.
Overall, a wonderful read with quite a few twists and surprises. Easy to recommend for fans of historical fiction. 4.5 Love bites
The story of Cecily Hanson,living in france during the great war with her sweetheart lost at sea,she is joined by her sister merryn and her mother Queenie who is nursing a secret heartache. And so Cecily and merryn are all out to find out the truth. I loved this book full of twists and turns,the author has planned out the whole story brilliantly,that keeps you not knowing what more the sisters find out. Harrowing accounts that just keep you reading
Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres and when i had the opportunity to read 'Girls of the Great War,' i knew it was going to be a page turner for me. I have read a few books by Freda Lightfoot and have always found them to be excellent. Loved the cover! Recommended.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers. This is my honest review, freely given.
Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge for an honest and unbiased opinion
I really took my time with reading this story. Girl of the Great War By: Freda Lightfoot was a great book. Freda Lightfoot has a nice easy to follow writing style. The imaginary she creates with her words is wonderful. Freda Lightfoot's book Girls of the Great War was very well planned and led me into a world I could at time feel was real. This is a great book. I found myself feeling sympathy for characters I should love to hate. This book was a roller coaster of emotions for me but my friend's will be the first to tell you I get to involved with the characters. All in all this was a great book and I would highly recommend this book to anyone who love or even enjoys historical fiction.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
First of all, I absolutely LOVE historical fiction. It is my favorite fiction genre. I tend to have high expectations for this beloved genre of mine, and I will tell you that this book never disappointed. From the beginning, I was hooked. Be advised this is written by a British author, but that only added to the charm of this tale.
I have almost no cautions concerning the content of this book. There is no overt profanity. Sex is implied, and the reader gets a brief glimpse into the bedroom at times, but I never felt it was offensive in any way. It was tasteful without the detailed description sometimes found in contemporary and historical romances.
I salute the author for creating such phenomenal, three-dimensional characters. I adored Merryn and Cecily. There was mystery, intrigue, romance, romance, and a few heart-tugging moments. The author did an incredible job of setting the stage and truly drawing the reader into the world of WWI. In one sense, the tale is rather ordinary, and perhaps in the hands of a less-skilled writer, it would be a bit flat and boring. However, Freda Lightfoot's expertise made the story entertaining and never vapid in any way. Even until the very end.
While I simply adored so many moments within this well-crafted tale, I loved the fact that the plight of women was emphasized as it demonstrated just how strong these women were during the time. In fact, we should bless each and every one of them who stood up for themselves and broke cultural stereotypes to ultimately push us into the modern era where women were allowed and even encouraged to work.
My other favorite part is the twist the author propels into the mix towards the end of the story. I won't spoil it here, but I advise all readers to read all the way until the conclusion of the book. You'll be glad you did!
I received Girls of the Great War as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
Cecily and Merryn Hanson are English sisters in the midst of World War I, working to support their mother Queenie, a once-talented singer now struggling with age, alcoholism, and selfishness. When Queenie must take an extended leave due to her numerous problems, Cecily takes over her mother's act, and soon finds herself (and her family) on a European tour, entertaining the Allied troops. Over the next several years, Cecily and Merryn experience life and liberation in a changing world while also suffering love and heartbreak. But their mother's past is shrouded in mystery, and both sisters feel that they cannot truly move forward until they discover her past and its impact on their own lives.
This was a reasonably interesting novel set during the Great War. I really enjoy the time period, and am glad authors are giving more attention to it. I also like the family secret angle, and just wish more attention had been given to it rather than Cecily and Merryn's relationship, which frankly, I didn't find terribly engaging. There's some really blatant expository dialogue, which felt heavy-handed, and while I was hoping for grittier historical fiction, it felt more like a romance novel. Still, I enjoyed the setting and think Lightfoot's real talent lies in family history rather than romance.
I have a strong love for unique stories set during the Great War. Cecily is singing for the soldiers in France after her fiance was lost at sea, her sister, Merryn and her mother, Queenie follow her there.
In the first pages, you learn that Queenie is a real doozy. She's a fading performer and an alcoholic who has secrets of her own. She's a character that you really can't like. She's hard to describe, except as purely unlikable. In some ways, you want to feel sorry for her, but it is impossible to come to care for her.
Cecily is the stronger and more likable of the two sisters. She has gumption and wants to do so much more than just be a wife, and she actually does it. The only thing she doesn't have much luck with is love. Her romances seem to all end badly with the exception of one.
Merryn....oh how I wanted to shake her, like every minute of the book. She was desperate to be married and to the scummiest guy. I mean Johnny was the worst guy. There was nothing nice about him, and I found it hard to believe that Merryn loved him, and his treatment of her was despicable.
The book goes from wartime to the years following The Great War as everyone tries to return to normalcy. From looking for work to dealing with marriage, this book takes you through these three women's lives.
The ending reveals the secrets their mother Queenie has kept hidden for years, even as Cecily and Merryn want to know the secrets of their father.
This was a stunning read about three women trying to find their place in the work
I absolutely adored this book and any fan of historical fiction will enjoy it.
Cecily Hanson and her sister help their mother, Queenie, with her singing career along with her everyday activities. Cecily yearns for more but doesn't know if she can start a career for herself. After her fiancee dies at sea Cecily decides she wants to help out the soldiers at war. So she decides to join as a volunteer singer. Queenie, her sister and Johnny (a drummer) also join. For the most part things go okay in France. Once the war ends they try to rejoin society and get jobs but that is harder than it seems with so many soldiers back from the war who want their old jobs back.
Overall this was an alright read. The characters were good but nothing spectacular about them. Johnny was so bad you couldn't help but love hating him. The romantic relationships Cecily and Merryn get involved in were lackluster. I didn't feel like the characters were in love. If the author wouldn't have written how much Cecily or Merryn loved so and so I wouldn't have known.
The plot was good but I found it didn't have a lot of focus. It tended to jump from one issue to another. It wasn't till the end with the "big" reveal did everything start to make sense, it was about family. Not the war or the woman's movement.
The best part of the novel for me was reading about the war and the woman's movement in 1919. I would have loved to hear more about how woman were fighting for their jobs, their right to vote and their right to work and take care of their families.
In summary, this is a good historical fiction novel set during WWI with a good plot, alright characters and a lackluster romance.
Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC.
The title of this book does not go with the story - in my personal opinion.
This is the story of Cecily Hanson, her sister Merryn and her overbearing mother "Queenie". Cecily looses her boyfriend/fiance in the war. So to help her overcome her grief she decides to go to France and sing for the troops. She takes her sister and a drum player along with her and her mother insists she must also come as she is the star. The group goes around to different troop locations and they sing and even perform small plays for the troops, mostly at hospitals.
Cecily is constantly trying to find out who her father was as her mother will not give any good information about him. She does know his last name and a prominent suffrage speaker has the same last name. Cecily tries to get information from her, but she tells nothing. At the end of the book you will find out who Cecily and Merryn's father is.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Goodreads for facilitating the giveaway.
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway and I have mixed emotions. I love historical fiction so I thought this book would be a slam dunk. However, I struggled to get through about 75% of the book.
My biggest concern were the characters. I just didn't love any of them. Queenie was just unlovable - even the few times she seemed sincere, it wasn't enough to make up for the rest of the times she was a mess. I didn't understand why Cecily and Merryn never stood up for themselves or took actions to protect themselves from their mother. Merryn was such a weak character and I was disappointed to see who she ended up with (why did Cecily, her loving/adoring sister not warn her more!?).
The last 25% of the book was pretty decent and there were a couple good twists right at the end. Not sure the 25% of the book made up for the first part, though.
Definitely not a bad read, but there are better options in historical fiction.
This is the story of Cecily Hanson and her sister, Merryn, as well as their overbearing mother, Queenie. It starts briefly at the beginning of the war when Cecily is awaiting the end of the war and the return of her fiance, Ewan. When she receives news about Ewan, she decides to travel France along with her sister to perform for the troops. During the course of the book, all of the women suffer love, loss and life during the war, as well as after the war ends.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It was a tad slow for me at times; however, toward the middle, it really picked up for me and I could not put the book down, as I really wanted to know how it ended. I really like how the author went into detail about the strength of the women during this difficult time. At the end of the book, there is an amazing twist that you really DO NOT WANT TO MISS!!!
The story of a British mother and her two daughters who become entertainers for the troops in WWI. The mother is a narcissistic, amoral woman who uses and abuses the people in her life, including her daughters. There were parts of the story that were hard to believe but overall it was a story that kept me turning the pages.
One thing I noticed was there was no mention of influenza in the book. Influenza killed 50% of the soldiers in WWI and I would expect any story about WWI to include that within the story.
Turn of the century England was still bound in many Victorian rules. The era of change with World War 1 caught and broke many people. This story of a family with secrets and lies brings a flash of insight into change and women's roles in society. We follow Queenie, her daughters Merryn and Cecily,who attempt to survive with a mother of scandalous past, their unknown paternity, and search for the love never given. Their strength and stubbornness tested and failed sometimes, will change their new lives at the end. Good family history based storytelling.
The story content was good but I did have some problems with the flow of the story. A look at WWI with a family of two daughters & their mother entertaining the troops in France. Cecily loves entertaining but always has problems with her mother and her drinking. The story goes on to tell about the trouble in finding work after the war and the girls always wondering about their mom's early life & who their father was. Gives you a good idea of how hard the war was and coming home afterward.
I am amazed that either daughter felt any love for this hate filled, spiteful woman, who treated them more like slaves than daughters. It is a really good author who holds you in the grip of the story after you have finished the book. Well done, Ms Lightfoot. You had me in your power from the beginning; which I revisited after finishing the book.
I enjoyed this book. The characters were believable and I found myself thinking they were real people. World war 1 was a terrible war as is any war. The author did a fantastic job of describing the agony this solders went thru. I felt that I was on the battlefield. I would recommend this book to anyone!!!
Es una buena historia, se lee con calma, pero sin grandes sobresaltos, quizas eso fue lo que me falto para que me fascinara. pero me impresiona como ha cambiado la vida de las mujeres desde 1918 al día de hoy. 1918 era ya el siglo XX sin embargo, las mujeres eran menos que un caballo, ningun derecho, cero independencia, creo que esto fue lo que mas me impacto del libro.
A delightful story, starting with the horrors of the first world war and the lives of the entertainers who went to France to entertain the troops. This was followed by what happened to two sisters afterwards. Full of twists and turns it keeps the reader engrossed.
No le doy una estrellita porque tampoco me pareció taaan malo, pero, sin duda, me ha dejado tan fría que me ha dado pena. La sinopsis prometía, no obstante me he encontrado con personajes planos, situaciones repetitivas, diálogos absurdos... Mujeres en el frente pudo haber sido una gran obra, pero para mi gusto se ha quedado en un mero intento. Me ha costado terminarla.
Story line quite interesting, concert singing then taking their show to the troops in WW1. But the selfish self centered mother, the two daughters pandering to this stupid women was a bit much, my mind is screaming "grow a backbone ". Then the younger daughter married a creep!!! Everything that happened was so obvious. I hung in there and finished it although I was going to stop many times.
Not my normal type of reading so took me an age to rrad. I found it quite iong winded but the end redeemed it with.it's twisted story. Not an author I would read again jeanj
It took me a wee while to get in to this book which is unusual for this author but when I got started I couldn't stop, what a beautifully accurate story, she has not taken away the harsh reality of war, well done Freda I highly recommend your work
I tried really hard but I couldn’t like this book. The characters were unappealing and the writing jarred, there was something about it that was just off. I don’t think I will bother with any other books by this author.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I found it very interesting and it held me in its grip. A very difficult book to put down. Taking me through WW1 and the roaring twenties.
My mistake in choosing this text. Could not get started in it. Definitely not my cup of tea. The character portrayed in the prologue did not fit in the story line.