Coventry [Suzie's review]

Coventry only disappoints Suzie by ending:

This is mainly the story of Harriet, a British widow who lost her husband in the First World War. But it is also about how her life becomes entwined with the lives of Maeve and her son Jeremy during the German bombing of Conventry, England on November 14, 1940.

I normally am not that interested in "war stories" but this one was so much more. At its root, it was a story about loss but also, of course, about love and of survival. The feelings Harriet had were very real and I almost felt at times that I was there with her. I was sad, and scared, and hopeful just as she was. I did find Harriet's reunion with Maeve a little bit too much of a coincidence but I didn't find this took away from the flow of the story. I just allowed myself to get caught up in it (as I have with Humphreys' other books).

My one complaint about this book is that the end came too fast. This was due, in part, to Helen Humphreys' writing style (very lyrical from her poetry background) and the short length of the book. But it was also die to the fact that I was so engrossed in the story that I couldn't get enough. It was not exactly a happy story but I just didn't want it to end. Thanks Mini BookExpo and Harper Collins for sending this book my way.

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More information

• Harper Collins | Chapters.ca  | Amazon.com
• ISBN-10: 0393067203 
• ISBN-13: 978-0393067200