I’m delighted to be sharing my thoughts about Daughters of War by Dinah Jefferies.
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- Publisher : HarperCollins; 1st edition (16 Sept. 2021)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 544 pages
- ISBN-10 : 000842702X
- ISBN-13 : 978-0008427023
France, 1944.
Deep in the river valley of the Dordogne, in an old stone cottage on the edge of a beautiful village, three sisters long for the end of the war.
Hélène, the eldest, is trying her hardest to steer her family to safety, even as the Nazi occupation becomes more threatening.
Elise, the rebel, is determined to help the Resistance, whatever the cost.
And Florence, the dreamer, just yearns for a world where France is free.
Then, one dark night, the Allies come knocking for help. And Hélène knows that she cannot sit on the sidelines any longer. But secrets from their own mysterious past threaten to unravel everything they hold most dear…
The first in an epic new series from the No.1 Sunday Times bestseller, Daughters of War is a stunning tale of sisters, secrets and bravery in the darkness of war-torn France…
Daughters of War Review
I like this new direction of Dinah Jefferies writing. It’s more character-driven and less figurative language; more action and less descriptive. Her characters are still wonderfully flawed but there’s also a new depth. I found myself totally absorbed in the sister’s lives.
Helene, Elise and Florence. Left in the family home in France to fend on their own by a cold and distant mother who stays in England, I was invested in them all.
The sisters have very different personalities who by the end of this first story in the trilogy have been through experiences that have taken them to the darkest of emotions, stripping them of all they knew, and yet they take the knocks and find strength to face the world anew.
Secrets are uncovered that impacted on their lives in small ways as they were growing up and has an even bigger impact during the war. There are betrayals and sacrifices but also support from the unexpected. Their bonds are tested but they don’t shatter. They grow stronger. And find a way through, no matter the cost to them as individuals.
I was on tenterhooks for most of the story, wondering what was coming next. And in Nazi occupied Sainte Cecile, I can tell you it’s a lot. Dinah Jefferies packs an emotional punch and at times, left me feeling bereft. Daughters of War is brutal. And I loved it. It’s one of those stories that will stay with me for a long time.
Three kick-ass heroines who are an inspiration and I can’t wait to see what the future holds!
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Dinah Jefferies began her career with The Separation, followed by the number 1 Sunday Times and Richard and Judy bestseller, The Tea-Planter’s Wife. Born in Malaysia, she moved to England at the age of nine. As a teenager she missed the heat of Malaysia, which left her with a kind of restlessness that led to quite an unusual life. She studied fashion design, went to live in Tuscany where she worked as an au-pair for an Italian countess, and there was even a time when Dinah lived with a rock band in a ‘hippie’ commune in Suffolk.
In 1985, the death of her fourteen-year-old son changed everything and she now draws on the experience of loss in her writing. She started writing novels in her sixties and sets her books abroad, aiming to infuse love, loss and danger with the extremely seductive beauty of her locations.
Thanks so much for the blog tour support x
Thanks for the opportunity Anne x