Set in England, this story is of a young girl’s experiences during WWII. While this book does not cover the anti-semantic portion of the war or the concentration camps, it does bring up new perspectives that are not often discussed. For example, her father has a reserved occupation of lighthouse keeper and is not drafted to the war. Her mother is German, which presents a different perspective of the war and introduces new challenges for the family such as alien internment. The concept of sending the children away in a relocation program is also brought up, albeit briefly.

This book has the same feel as To Kill a Mockingbird in that it is from the perspective of a child facing serious adult issues, a touch of mystery and speculation, and a coming of age story. It is written by the same author who wrote The Secret of Nightingale Wood. Readers who love history, especially WWII, would find this book interesting. The element of mystery and intrigue are ever present amidst danger and real threats.

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Chicken House

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  1 mild obscenity

Violence/Gore:  A few reports of shipwrecks; legend of daughters being turned to stone; report of school fight involving split lip, black eye, and scrapped up knuckles; report of war; a few threats of being bombed; report of light house being destroyed before by hurricane, fire, and lightening; individual kicked in shins; individual trips and hits head on rock – blood; elbowed in ribs; imagery of being a magicians assistant and being sawed in half; imagined drowning; knocked sideways by bump; imagined shipwreck by dragon and swallowing of ship and persons by dragon; a few references to nightmare about a dragon in pursuit of minor and dragon attacks; reference to buildings being set on fire – arson; report of a death of a character’s brother during a different war; 3 telephone wires cut intentionally; anti-aircraft shooting and then crashes into field; adult hits son in head; minor shoves minor; minor caught in barbed wire; imagery of being like a gun that was cocked but not fired; reference to storm upturning old shipwrecks with skeletons; bombing of a town 20 miles away; traitors to be hanged; minor cut thumb cooking; report of death of a parent; planes shot down; dead bodies that had been shot, explosions, or drowned; man panicking as a corpse passes; man holds gun to head of another man; report that a boat hit mine; report of something hitting the arm of an individual; extended scene of planes fighting overhead; individual had a bash on head with some blood; broken leg; report of man shot by machine gunfire and died; like drowned animals; another telephone wire cut; minor shoves minor, twists arm of minor and attempts to push off cliff; could get a fist full of hair; bomb hits; minor fell; can’t feel legs; report of wounded soldier caught in barbed wire – another soldier attempts to free him and both soldiers are shot to bits by the enemy; report of death of minor; report of 800 people drowning; physical attack; 2 minors attacked with chloroform by adult; minor shoved adult; threat to hit with metal object; minor attacks adult; minor’s chin is hit by metal object; minor tackles adult; sounds of action in the darkness; unconscious minor; broken leg; thrown back by blast; death penalty for traitors; report of bombing in London.

Sex/Nudity:  Adults kiss; minor kisses minor’s hand.

Mature Subject Matter:

War – bombing, death, fighting aircrafts, alien internment; parental death; separation from parent.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Raisins soaked in brandy, lit on fire, and eaten by minors; drops of brandy given to adult.