Synopsis (from TLC Book Tours page):
A story of love, war, loss, and the scars they leave, Next to Love follows the lives of three young women and their men during the years of World War II and its aftermath, beginning with the men going off to war and ending a generation later, when their children are on the cusp of their own adulthood.
Set in a small town in Massachusetts, the novel follows three childhood friends, Babe, Millie, and Grace, whose lives are unmoored when their men are called to duty. And yet the changes that are thrust upon them move them in directions they never dreamed possible—while their husbands and boyfriends are enduring their own transformations. In the decades that follow, the three friends lose their innocence, struggle to raise their children, and find meaning and love in unexpected places. And as they change, so does America—from a country in which people know their place in the social hierarchy to a world in which feminism, the Civil Rights movement, and technological innovations present new possibilities—and uncertainties. And yet Babe, Millie, and Grace remain bonded by their past, even as their children grow up and away and a new society rises from the ashes of the war.
It's no secret that I am a huge fan of novels set in the 1940s, so I have quite a few books of this era on my bookshelf. In company with The Book Thief, Sarah's Key and A Fierce Radiance, it's not often that a book impresses or surprises me. NEXT TO LOVE made me see this era in a whole new way.
Babe, Millie, and Grace, the narrators of this story, were changed by the war and its aftermath. Friends since childhood, with dreams of the future, they were among those who rushed to get married before the boys went to war. Three friends had three very different roads ahead of them.
Not only did the characters change, but the face of America was forever changed.
I never realized just how much the women's movement, and the civil rights movement, began with WWII. Women were called to work, with the understanding that they would go back "where they belonged" after the men returned from the war. Women wanted to know, What did that mean? Anti-semitism was still alive and well, and black Americans still had a long way to go to earn equality, even though they were all American soldiers fighting on the same side overseas.
Was this book about the civil rights movement? Not entirely. This was just one of the details that I took away from it. NEXT TO LOVE is ultimately about love, friendship, and a changed nation. It's about sacrifices, loss, and growth.
The first person present tense, and the switching of the narrators, kept this book from being perfect for me. Babe, Millie, and Grace did not always have unique voices, so I had to pay very close attention to whose chapter I was reading.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It was unique, entertaining, and heartfelt.
Book Extras:
Ellen Feldman website
About the Book:
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau (July 26, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0812992717
ISBN-13: 978-0812992717
Ellen Feldman, a 2009 Guggenheim Fellow, is the author of Scottsboro, which was shortlisted for the UK’s prestigious Orange Prize, as well as The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank, which was translated into nine languages, and Lucy. In addition to writing novels, she contributes to several blogs and has lectured extensively in this country, England, and Germany. Her new novel, Next to Love, will be published July 2011.
For more information on Ellen and her work, please visit her website, http://www.ellenfeldman.com/.
Many thanks to TLC Book Tours and Spiegel & Grau for inviting me to be on this tour with Next to Love. Click HERE for the official Next to Love TLC Book Tour page.
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13 comments:
That timeperiod provides a rich backdrop for any kind of story. Thanks for the review.
I really enjoyed this book too, there were so many little details about this time in history that made it come alive for me- great review!
This does sounds good! I like stories centered around friendships.
I have been fascinated by this book since reading the first reviews. I am so glad that you liked it, and thought you wrote a great review on it!
Thanks for this great review. This novel is so compelling and I enjoy this era greatly.
I also enjoy novels set in this era and am looking forward to reading this one.
Hey -
Great review! I usually stay away from this subject matter and this time period, but I think I will check this one out for those days when a good cry is warranted - like when I have the house blissfully to myself!
Thanks so much for the review! :)
Ammy
I love stories from this time period too. Thanks for the great review and info!
Present tense is difficult to pull off in a novel, but when it's done right, it can be fantastic. This book sounds wonderful!
This book sounds amazing! I never thought about the connection between WWII and the women's movement, either--it's something I'd love to learn more about. Thanks for a great review!
I LOVED this book so I'm thrilled that you did as well!
Thanks for being on the tour. I'm featuring your review on TLC's Facebook page today.
I also happen to really enjoy reading books set in this time period. And I love women's fiction and this book seems to have elements of both. The reviews for this book have been really great so I'm thinking I need to get my hands on this one ASAP.
I truly enjoyed the experience of reading Next to Love. While the story spans decades, it never feels too long or complicated. Instead, the reader is treated to an in-depth understanding of the three major characters, and a clear view of how World War Two affected everything about their lives. I would absolutely recommend Next to Love to any fans of contemporary and historical fiction.
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