It’s always rather a thrill to be helping launch one of Bookouture’s Books-on-tour – and a particular pleasure today, as I’m sharing my publication day review of The English Wife by Anna Stuart. Published today (26th March), this is the first book in her new series of Inspirational WW2 Stories, and is now available as an e-book, in paperback, and as an audiobook. My thanks to Sarah Hardy and Bookouture for the invitation and support, and for my advance reading e-copy (provided via netgalley).
This is a series I’m very much looking forward to – I’m always a particular fan of the blending of history and fiction, and already know that Anna’s customary depth of research and wonderful storytelling will make it something I’m really going to enjoy. You’ll already know that I found her Women of War series totally stunning – slices of lesser known wartime and post-war history, woven together with the most compelling, emotional and beautifully written personal stories filled with authentic historical detail. The Midwife of Auschwitz, inspired by the life of a Polish midwife who delivered over 3000 children while incarcerated at Auschwitz (you’ll find my full review here), was followed by The Midwife of Berlin, following midwife Esther’s life during the Cold War and in the shadow of the Berlin Wall (you’ll find my review of that one here). The War Orphan told the fictional but very real story of sixteen-year-old Tasha, separated from her mother when Auschwitz was liberated, and her experiences during and after her time in Windermere in the Lake District, her refuge and temporary home (you’ll find my review here): and The Resistance Sisters was perhaps the most powerful of them all, combining the fictional story of the Dabrowska sisters with a meticulously researched account of the dark days of the Warsaw uprising, a wonderful story of courage and resilience that vividly brought the history to life and moved me really deeply (you’ll find my review here).
But enough – it’s time for a new series, and I couldn’t wait to find out more about the life and wartime experiences of Clementine Churchill…
Her husband is trying to save the country, but can she save him?
1940, England: Clementine Churchill stands alone on a rooftop in London as bombs rain down on the city. A nearby explosion almost knocks her off her feet, but she gets back up again and shouts into the night: ‘Hitler will not take Britain; not on my watch.’
Rushing back to 10 Downing Street, Clementine is relieved to see the famous building is still standing despite the heavy bombing. It means the Prime Minister – her husband – is alive. Stepping through the door and into Winston’s arms, she is reassured by his steady heartbeat. Every day has been a fight for survival, with people losing loved ones all around her. She prays that this war will not cost her Winston.
Her husband has always dreamed of being Prime Minister; she knew from the moment they married thirty years ago that he wanted to lead the country. Since then, they’ve been a partnership in love and in politics. But, with the war against Hitler, it’s a much bigger responsibility than either of them ever expected. The world needs Winston, and Winston needs her.
While Winston co-ordinates battles across Europe, Clementine finds herself in the spotlight for the first time. Her husband’s name may be on the lips of every soldier and politician but she knows as she visits hospitals and air raid shelters, that the ordinary people speak her name just as much. She realises she has the potential to make a difference – not as Winston’s shadow in the background but as Clementine Churchill.
One evening, as she looks into Winston’s dear face, Clementine can tell his bravery comes at a cost. Can she help the man she loves finish the fight for freedom – or will this war cost them everything?
This is a fictional novel inspired by the remarkable life of Clementine Churchill. It is a story of the power of love and courage. It is the story of how a husband and wife saved the world. It is a story like no other…
I’ve always been rather fascinated by Winston Churchill – I guess many of us were enthralled by the 2017 film starring Brian Cox, and I also remember a wonderful afternoon I once spent at the Churchill War Rooms (an experience I’d very much recommend) which really brought to life the wartime experience. Of course, I’ve always been aware of his wife Clementine – but the major part she played in supporting his wartime efforts and the role she played in her own right have always felt a little more sketchy. This extraordinary book moves her out of the shadows, allowing her star to shine – and I have to say I loved every single moment.
Combining fact with fiction – the depth of the author’s research is exceptional, described in the fascinating historical notes that end the book – we learn that theirs was very much a love match, filled with tender moments, with concerns about the toll his gruelling schedule had on his precarious health, but both of them sharing the same dream of ending the bloodshed and delivering a lasting peace. But we also learn about her more personal involvement – the hands-on rooftop firewatching as the bombs fell, but also the vast amount of humanitarian work she undertook both at home and overseas. Co-ordinating relief efforts, visiting hospitals to see those injured in the bombing, or having lost loved ones, recognising their delight when invited to join her for tea – just a part of seeing how her interventions could make a real difference to ordinary people’s lives. Horrified by the state of the London shelters, she single-handedly drove a programme of change, ensuring they had more sanitary conditions – and her support for those in hardship on the Russian front, raising a significant amount of much-needed funding, even found her on an overseas visit rather than at her husband’s side when VE Day finally arrived.
The book delves into their wider family – the relationships important in both their lives, and some of the detail entirely new to me – but also into their friendships and alliances. I very much enjoyed “meeting” the Roosevelts – Eleanor, of course, was a similar force of nature, totally inexhaustible – and the glimpses into their relationship with the royals, the Queen an absolute delight. There’s also a young American friend taken under Clementine’s wing, Jenny (based on the real character of Janet Murrow), a war correspondent whose own achievements were constantly overshadowed by those of her more flamboyant husband – her personal story, her own struggles and her yearning for a family, provide a nice counterpoint to the Churchills’ own story, reinforcing the issues around the invisibility of female achievement despite their “Amazonian hearts”.
The historical detail – the approach of war when no-one would listen to Churchill’s warnings, the progress of the fighting on its various fronts, the political and practical efforts to end it, the privations at home and the impact on people – are all wonderfully captured, with just the right amount of detail to engage and fascinate. But it’s also very much a personal story, with real emotional depth – an insight into the private lives of public figures, their real-life concerns and fears, their sheer determination to do all they possibly can when faced with such insurmountable challenges. And it’s the most wonderful portrait of an incredibly strong woman, striving to balance steadfast support for her husband and providing care to those she loves with the actions she’s able to take to bring about change and make the world a better place.
This really was an exceptional read, and one that will stay with me – it entirely transported me into its world, bringing to life a magnificent woman who’s largely become a footnote in history, filling me with tremendous admiration for her many achievements. I really couldn’t recommend it more highly…
And I’m already looking forward to the next book in this remarkable series – The President’s Wife, the story of Eleanor Roosevelt, will follow on 23rd September, and is available for preorder.
About the author
Anna Stuart lives in Derbyshire with her campervan-mad husband, two hungry teenagers and a slightly loopy dog. She was hooked on books from the moment she first opened one in her cot, so is thrilled to now have several of her own to her name. Having studied English literature at Cambridge University, she took an enjoyable temporary trip into the ‘real world’ as a factory planner, before returning to her first love and becoming an author. History has also always fascinated her. Living in an old house with a stone fireplace, she often wonders who sat around it before her and is intrigued by how actively the past is woven into the present, something she likes to explore in her novels.
Anna loves the way that writing lets her ‘try on’ so many different lives, but her favourite part of the job is undoubtedly hearing from readers. You can reach her on Facebook or Twitter, and sign up to be the first to hear about her new releases here.
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This sounds right up my street!
Most definitely one you’d enjoy! x