Daughters of War by Dinah Jefferies

 

                                           

Hardback: 538 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Harper Collins 2021

Source:  Tywyn Public Library

First Sentences: If only it was late summer, and she could smell the sun-soaked scent of fir and spruce and be able to stand and watch the finches and starlings flitting between the branches. Her optimism might have outweighed the claustrophobic sensation of life leaning in, of ancient lichen-covered stone houses enclosing her as she walked through the village and the light began to fail.

Setting: Dordogne, France 1944

Series: Daughters of War (#1)

Review Quote: ‘A warm and engrossing tale of passion and courage. I loved it’ Rachel Hore, author.

My Opinion: Dinah Jefferies is a favourite author of mine, she has the skill of transporting the reader to locations that come alive on the page.’Daughters of War’ is the first volume in a trilogy about three sisters. Set in 1944 in France it is all about their lives living in occupied territory during WWII.

The story is told from the different perspectives of the protagonists, three sisters, Helene, Elise and Florence. Living in difficult times, experiencing the terrors of occupation, Helene the eldest, tries to keep her sisters safe but it becomes increasingly difficult. The author has a very descriptive style of writing which I feel helps the reader  immerse themselves in the surroundings and know the characters. However, this also means that the horrors the girls witness are also hard hitting and emotional to read.

A captivating read with engaging characters that makes the reader realise just how devastating  life in such circumstances must have been. The sisters story continues in the next volume ‘The Hidden Palace’, which I am looking forward to reading soon having already requested from the library. Highly recommended to fans of historical WWII fiction.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

A  sweeping historical novel of World War II from the international bestselling author of The Tea Planter’s Wife. 
France, 1944. In an old stone cottage, on the edge of a beautiful French 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… 

Author Profile:         

                                                                                               

                                                  Courtesy of Twitter Profile

Biography in her own words from her website

I was born in Malaysia but moved to the UK at the age of nine, going on to study fashion design, work in Tuscany as an au pair for an Italian countess, and live with a rock band in a commune in Suffolk.

A family tragedy changed everything, and I draw on the experience of loss in my writing, infusing love, loss, and danger with the seductive escapism of my locations. The sense of place, of history and of human nature is a heady mix in the novels.

Published in 29 languages in over 30 countries, I am currently writing an epic series for my new publisher Harper Collins (my 8th, 9th, and 10th novels) starting with Daughters of War set in 1944 in France (Sept  2021). I’ve always loved Italy but spent some years living in a tiny 16th Century village in Northern Andalusia, Spain. Now I’m delighted to have settled close to my family in the South West of England along with my husband and two enormous and very lovely Maine Coon cats.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Goodreads Author Profile  Twitter Profile. Dinah Jefferies - Official Website

Amazon Author Page