Friday, January 31, 2020

Book Review - A Sister's Courage by Molly Green

My Review
A Sister's Courage is the story of Raine (Lorraine) Linfoot beginning in 1939 England.  Raine dreams of being a pilot and begins flying lessons at the age of 17.  When war is declared, she joins the Air Transport Auxiliary, ferrying airplanes to military pilots. This is also the story of Raine's relationships with her parents and sisters, and her romantic interest in two very different men.

I wanted to read A Sister's Courage because I love World War II settings. I have never read a book about a female pilot during the 1940's and also found that aspect of the novel interesting.

The historical details in this book, the first in a trilogy (The Victory Sisters) were wonderful. The author captured little day to day aspects of home front life, like rationing and women collecting aluminum for the war effort.

I found Raine's courage in pursuing flying inspiring and interesting. She persisted in her dreams despite a lot of family related challenges.

Raine's family added an additional dimension to the story.  Her father was supportive but her mother was very negative and there was a lot of tension between her and Raine.  When hardship hit the family, I liked the way that Raine and her younger sisters came together.  I am assuming the other books in the series will be about her younger sisters Suzy and Ronnie.

Raine is an interesting character. She is rather prickly and impulsively outspoken.  She is self aware of these traits:  

"She'd  always had difficulty making friends.  Too acerbic, Maman told her more than once;  too self important - not an appealing trait.  Was this how others saw her?" (p. 202)

Raine has romantic interest in two men -- Douglas, who is a bit older and who teaches her to fly in 1939, and later Alec, an airman that she has a bantering relationship with.  I thought this storyline was well done, and it kept me up late reading to see what would happen!

I recommend A Sister's Courage to other fans of historical fiction who love books set in the 1940's.  You will enjoy this novel, the start of a new series.


Book Synopsis
It’s 1939 and the threat of war hangs over Britain…

The most ambitious of three sisters, Lorraine ‘Raine’ Linfoot always dreamed of becoming a pilot. As a spirited seventeen-year-old, she persuades her hero Doug Williams to teach her to fly.

When war breaks out in 1939, Raine is determined to put her skills to good use. She enlists in the Air Transport Auxiliary, becoming one of a handful of brave female pilots flying fighter planes to the men on the front line.

Raine embraces the challenges of the job, despite its perils. But when Doug is reported missing after his Spitfire is shot down, she realises the war could tear apart not only her country, but also her heart…

A gripping story of family, friendship and courage, perfect for fans of Natasha Lester, Lizzie Page and Call the Midwife.


 

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble


Author Bio
Molly Green is a seasoned author of fiction and non-fiction. She has sold lipstick in a Denver store, modelled in Atlanta, assisted the UN Narcotics Director in Geneva, chauffeured a Swiss Gnome in Zurich, assisted a famous film producer in the UK, and cooked in a sanatorium in Germany. She now lives and writes in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins and TLC Book Tours.

1 comment:

trish said...

It's the small details in historical fiction that I really love, and this book sounds like it has plenty of that!

Thank you for being on this tour!