 |
| Source: NetGalley.com |
Publisher: Penguin Books
Publication date: October 28, 2014
Category: Historical fiction
Source: I received this e-galley from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I read my first Jojo Moyes, Me Before You, this past summer (my review). I enjoyed it and knew I'd read another of Moyes's books when one came across my path. Sure enough, I soon found The Ship of Brides on NetGalley and here we are.
The Ship of Brides is historical fiction about a topic on which I've read very little: women who married soldiers during WWII and later left their homes to join their husbands on foreign soil. Goodreads has a concise summary: The year is 1946, and all over the world, young women are crossing the seas in the thousands en route to the men they married in wartime - and an unknown future. In Sydney, Australia, four women join 650 other brides on an extraordinary voyage to England, aboard the HMS Victoria, which also carries not just arms and aircraft but 1,000 naval officers and men. Rules of honor, duty, and separation are strictly enforced, from the aircraft carrier's captain down to the lowliest young stoker. But the men and the brides will find their lives intertwined in ways the Navy could never have imagined.
The story follows four women making this journey to their husbands. They come from different walks of life - the farmer girl, the socialite, the unruly sixteen-year-old, and mysterious war nurse - and don't always mesh well. I cannot imagine traveling six+ weeks in such living conditions as the aircraft carrier Moyes describes! I would be freaking out the first day on board. Besides the confines of the ship, there are so many issues that arise to knock the brides' lives off course. Husbands who change their minds, rival brides, and checkered pasts all make an already challenging situation nearly impossible.
I have to say, I found the two books surprisingly different. Me Before You was a good story that seemed like just that, a good story with a touch of romance, which I had no problem with. The Ship of Brides seems more literary. I'm sure the true-to-life setting impacts the tone and mood greatly. As different as I felt they were, I enjoyed both books. If I had to pick a favorite of the two, I'd say The Ship of Brides; however, be aware that the literary feel (historical fiction genre) sways me.
Do you have a preference when it comes to "the feel" a book gives you (such as literary, etc.)?
And I've just added this to my TBR pile. I've never read Moyes and even with all the rave reviews Me Before You was getting, I didn't want to read it. But this is right up my alley.
ReplyDeleteIdentical sentiments here, even though I did like Me Before You, I enjoyed this one more.
DeleteYeah thanks Jennine, my TBR list isn't long enough already ;)
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of the historical aspect to this novel. I haven't read too much about war brides either but it does sound like it would make for a good story idea. And if you ultimately liked it better than Me Before You! It probably needs reading.
Haha! I know...reading posts from the blogs I follow is always bittersweet. I want to know, yet...that TBR keeps growing!
DeleteThe feel I look for from a book varies a lot depending on my mood. I've read and loved a bunch of Moyes's books and I also enjoy literary historical fiction, so I definitely want to pick this up!
ReplyDeleteYou'll like it then. I hope to read more of her books this year!
DeleteIt's interesting that the publisher chose to use the same typographical style for both very different books...it's good that you explained what it was about, because otherwise I would have no idea!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it's to keep all of the author's books recognizable as hers? I had no idea at first either - I have never heard of this piece of history until this book.
DeleteI haven't read any Jojo Moyes books but people keep telling me that I need to start. I don't know if this is one I'd start with, but maybe I'd start with "Me Before You". Here's hoping I get a BN gift card for Christmas! :)
ReplyDeleteThe Ship of Brides didn't seem like typical Moyes to me, compared to the other one I read and reviews of others.
DeleteI haven't read any of JoJo Moyes books, I like the sound of this one, though. It seems interesting and literary but not too heavy going. I might pick up this one first.
ReplyDeleteYes, more literary than her other books, but not heavy at all.
Delete