The Summer Before the War in Around the World in 80 Books

Jun 18, 2019 Laura rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019, hf, library-request, british, overdrive, on-dj, lib-has-audio, love-stories, library, wwi

I was going to give this book 4.5 stars until I got about 30pp from the end and almost couldn't read for the tears.

I've checked this book out (and returned it) many times, but it finally found its time. A beautiful read that almost feels like a classic, and reminded me numerous times of Downton Abbey, it explores a community's response to the time period just prior to and during WWI.

I think what I'll be left with after the months pass is the strength of the women in this, women of all classes ...more

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May 11, 2017 Rachel N. rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2017, england, historical-fiction, world-war-i

Beatrice Nash arrives in the small town of Rye to become the new school Latin teacher after the death of her father. It is 1914 and WWI is about to start. Meanwhile Beatrice is befriended by Agatha Kent, who helped get Beatrice hired, and her nephews Hugh and Daniel. Another captivating story by Helen Simonson of life in an English small town. Filled with memorable characters with lots of humor though there were heartbreaking scenes as well.

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Nov 22, 2016 Georgia Carvalho rated it liked it

I enjoyed this book, although not quite as much as Major Pettigrew's Last Stand-- which I absolutely loved. The WWI small town England setting was delightful, but there was something about how the story developed at a really s-l-o-w pace (over the nearly 500 pages!), and about the inner dialogue of so many of the characters was a bit overwritten, and also about Agatha's contradictory character that was not quite what I was looking forward to. ...more

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Sep 07, 2017 Kay Green rated it liked it

Shelves: bookclub

Just an OK book for me. I did like the characters of Hugh, Beatrice and Daniel - and Bill and Archie stole the show when the action switched to the actual front. But I think Downton Abbey did a better job of describing how lives changed when WW1 came. I think I have read this all before and some of the characters seemed like one of each type for good measure. Just not my cup of tea I guess. I did hate reading the part about the actual war - and all the unnecessary deprivation and cruelty. Seems ...more

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