I don't usually purchase books based on their covers alone, but this book was one of those exceptions. I first came across this book in February of this year, when I was looking for a mother's Day present for my mum. It's not the sort of book she would go far, but the title and the cover stayed in my mind and I was forever debating buying it from my love bookshop. Eventually I gave in a bought it as my holiday book, and I do not regret it!
The story is based in 1914 England and revolves around the character Nell, May and Evelyn.These girls encounter many struggles in their lives, such as having to fight to attend university, fighting for the right to vote for what they believed in and not being given a job because they were a girl. This is a struggle that many girls at this time went through and although this is a fictional story, their worldly encounters were very life like and true to facts.
The three women who lead our story are a part of the suffragette movement, and are involved in campaigns for equality and the right to vote. They each come from a different background - Evelyn being the upper class girl who is expected to marry at a young age, May being a middle class girl with an opinionated mother, and Nell being a working class girl who does what she can to help her large family scrape by - and all experience conflations, but they all have something in common - they all want to fight for change. Everything changes for then when England goes to war against Germany, but this is not in the way they hoped or imagined.
This story offers a historical snapshot of a society in turmoil, following strong themes of feminism, equality, social class, divisions and the massive impacts of World War One.
The main characters all show intelligence and are driven in their own way be it May's desire to change the world for the better, or Nell's determination to take care of her family, which is one of the main reasons why I find this book so empowering - particularly for my own demographic. Another thing I loved was that the narrative took place through the duration of the First World War as it allowed us to witness the development of the character over time, and we saw how each of them were affected by the devastation of the war.
Evelyn was a favourite character of mine; I admired her determination to defy her parents to join the suffragette movement, as well as win a place at Oxford University. I was a little disappointed that she did not quite turn into the feisty revolutionary that I expected, but despite this I loved her determination and the ways she tried to modernize the way society viewed women.
The historical context is a key part of the novel, and it's plain to see that Nicholls has researched the topic incredibly well. It's fascinating to hear about the key events in the journey to achieve women's suffrage intertwined with the hardships many Brits faced during the Great War. A theme of social divisions is built upon by the varying degrees of hardships that the characters encounter in their story, with Nell and May's romance showcasing the different worlds they inhabit, whilst the privileged Evelyn struggles to adapt to hard work and a much less lavish lifestyle.
Feminism is another strong theme that can be felt throughout the novel, as we see various strong women fight for their right to be able to vote, witnessing their resilient campaigning and unapologetic determination to share their views. The novel still feels relevant today, given the number of young women involved in the feminist movement currently, and this is something Nicholls should be applauded for.
Although there is a political message in this book, it is important to remember that it also tells the tale of two romances, both of which are very different. One is between Nell and May, two people from incredibly different backgrounds, and the other one is between Teddy and Evelyn, who are both from upper class backgrounds and have been expected to marry for a long time. The romances also explore some very different issues. On one hand, Nell and May's secret relationship showcases the perils LGBT people would have faced in a society that refused to acknowledge that they existed, especially taking place in a time that was recently after Queen Victoria's reign. May tells Nell of other LGBT women they have encounted while taking part in the suffragette movement; before this, Nell believed that she is somehow abnormal. On the other hand there is Evelyn's socially acceptable romance, which explores history's stereotypical view of young women as housewives, as she is expected to marry at a young age despite her protests against this. Nicholls creates genuinely heartwarming romances that she should be praised for, as well as showing distinct political undertones.
The novel is great for teaching readers about historical events and important issues, with the romance stopping it from becoming overly hard-hitting or political. It is a novel that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
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