If you’re looking for a short but sweet book which focuses on the lives of those during World War 1, The Stars in the Night by Clare Rhoden might be for you…
The plot:
Harry Fletcher is a confident young man.
Harry’s sure that he will marry Nora MacTierney, no matter what their families say. He’s certain that he will always be there to protect Eddie, the boy his father saved from the gutters of Port Adelaide.
Only the War to End All Wars might get in the way of Harry’s plans…
From the beaches of Semaphore to the shores of Gallipoli, the mud of Flanders to the red dust of inland South Australia, this is a story of love, brotherhood, and resilience.
You can really tell Rhoden has done her research
This review is tough to write, because I can’t really answer my own question of whether The Stars in the Night is long enough. A part of me thinks that the brotherhood aspect was really well done, but I can’t put my finger on why I wanted more.
There’s a dedication at the beginning to the Anzacs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps), noting their sacrifice, endeavour and legacy, which really pulls at the heartstrings, especially with the story to follow.
Much like other World War books, I did cry. I’m not sure whether the story gave you enough about other characters (although what more could’ve been done?), but the ending gave me hope, as well as knowing that there were these relationships during this time.
The Stars in the Night, although being historical fiction, felt like Rhoden was actually Kate, and had written a book on her grandfather’s history.
You can really tell Rhoden has done her research, and it’s so interesting to learn about The Great War from a different country’s perspective.
It’s a good book, and I’m glad I read it, especially as it is short and can be read in one-sitting. I just don’t know whether I’ll remember it, in comparison to other books in this genre.
The Stars in the Night, Clare Rhoden, RRP £9.95 (paperback); Amazon
Pages: 215
Publisher: Odyssey Books
Genre: Historical Fiction
