Set in present day, it follows Jon Keller, an American Historian, and his fellow guests at a hotel in Switzerland, following a nuclear war. Pretty much every major city in the world has been bombed. The majority of guests have left, trying to get back to their homes even thought the media has advised them against doing so (no aeroplanes, no public transport). Jon and a small group of other guests decide to stay and make the best of it.
Whilst checking water supplies in the roof storage tanks, they find the body of a child, and Jon decides to investigate.
The book is written in Jon's voice as he writes a diary, a history, of his and the other guests survival, and his investigation.
I really liked this. It wasn't sensationalised, it all seemed so reasonable, and in our current worldwide political climate, so plausible - which is what made it really scary. It did have a bit of the "Huis Clos" (a play by Jean Paul Sartre) feeling about it: a feeling of being trapped with the same day coming around again and again, no escape, stuck with the same people that you neither particularly like or trust. And I liked that about it.
By the way, in the advent of a nuclear holocaust, Switzerland would seem to be a pretty civilised place to be 'stuck'.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Viking for the copy of this book to read and review!
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Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated 1917 (2020) in Movies
Oct 25, 2020
Acting: 10
George Mackay is brilliant as Lance Corporal Schofield. He takes you through the entirety of this journey as a man reluctant to accept the fate that’s befallen him. His showcase of fear in the face of danger is really what drives the intensity of this movie.
Beginning: 9
Not the best first ten minutes of action, but a decent setup nonetheless. I was immediately drawn into this wartorn world and was curious to see what would happen next. Not perfect, but it’s definitely full speed ahead from here.
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
Memorability: 10
Pace: 10
There is such a quiet intensity here that drives the pace of the story. Even when shots aren’t being fired, I couldn’t help but be on the edge of my seat. With danger around every single turn, the pace is phenomenal.
Plot: 10
The story is straightforward with a clear objective. Where the plot wins is with a few unexpected turns that throw you off course. Not to mention to be able to do all of this in a set of one shots is remarkable.
Resolution: 10
Overall: 99
1917 touts beautiful imagery seeped in a mountain of dread. There is a scene where the protagonists are wading through heaps of dead bodies that really sets the stage for how harrowing the film is throughout. As war movies go, this one is definitely the most unique.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Secret Midwife in Books
Aug 6, 2023
Although a work of fiction, the author bases her characters on real people who went through the horrors of World War II some of whom miraculously survived when millions of others did not.
The Secret Midwife focuses on the stories of Emelia and Aleksy. Emelia is a midwife who risks her life supporting ALL women regardless of race or religion to give birth safely. Aleksy is a doctor who tries to save his town during occupation. Unfortunately, both were discovered and transported to the hell-hole that was Auschwitz however, they continued to try and care and help their fellow prisoners despite having no resources or equipment and the ongoing risk of immediate selection and execution.
As you can imagine, this is an emotional, harrowing and heart-breaking story but it's also one of bravery and how, despite the ongoing threats, some people did everything they could to help ease the suffering of those around them and whilst Emelia, Aleksy and some of the other characters aren't real people, they and their story will stay with me for some time.
Highly recommended to those of you who enjoy reading historical fiction; this is a must read and I have to thank Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Secret Midwife.
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