Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Pamela Dorman Books (2011), Hardcover, 336 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Historical Fiction. HTML:A tour de force that echoes modern classics like Suite Francaise and The Postmistress. "Housekeeper or housewife?" the soldier asks Silvana as she and eight- year-old Aurek board the ship that will take them from Poland to England at the end of World War II. There her husband, Janusz, is already waiting for them at the little house at 22 Britannia Road. But the war has changed them all so utterly that they'll barely recognize one another when they are reunited. "Survivor," she answers. Silvana and Aurek spent the war hiding in the forests of Poland. Wild, almost feral Aurek doesn't know how to tie his own shoes or sleep in a bed. Janusz is an Englishman now-determined to forget Poland, forget his own ghosts from the way, and begin a new life as a proper English family. But for Silvana, who cannot escape the painful memory of a shattering wartime act, forgetting is not a possibility. One of the most searing debuts to come along in years, 22 Britannia Road. is the wrenching chronicle of how these damaged people try to become, once again, a true family. An unforgettable novel that cries out for discussion, it is a powerful story of primal maternal love, overcoming hardship, and, ultimately, acceptance-one that will pierce your heart.… (more)
Media reviews
Successfully weaving three narrative strands and three different viewpoints is a challenge to any novelist, let alone a tyro, but it's one that Amanda Hodgkinson meets with accomplishment. She intersperses the wartime past with the present in a series of tense, sharply observed scenes: the couple's
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first meeting, in 1937; the blissful early days of their marriage in Warsaw; the birth of their beloved child....Although the English neighbours are a little stereotypical, the strength of this novel lies in its characters. The Nowaks are tenderly and imaginatively evoked, and the glamorous Italian black marketeer whose young son befriends Aurek is a magnificent creation. Silvana is utterly individual; one doesn't sympathise with some of her prickly or naive reactions, but one is forced to understand them and to long for her happiness. The ending does not disappoint.
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User reviews
LibraryThing member tututhefirst
This stunning novel focuses on a Polish couple, Silvana and Janusz and their son Aurek, who are separated for six years during World War II. They are finally reunited after not hearing from each other during that entire time. Their new home, at 22 Britannia Road in Ipswich England, offers them both
Hodgkinson gives us a masterful story as she weaves chapters from the present with flashbacks to the past, giving us the same glimpses that the couple allows themselves and sometimes each other. It is a story of loss, of fear, of courage, of incredible bravery, mother love, and serendipity. Ancillary characters help flesh out the deep anxieties of all three of the major players.
Highlighting an aspect of war that is not often detailed---the plight of refugees having to adjust to a new country and new language at the same time they are readjusting to each other and their marriage--this is a story that is sure to please. For anyone looking for another view of the fallout of war, this is a not to be missed book. It certainly will be included in my top of the year list.
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a place of safety, but also is a place where each must come to terms with their own war time experiences, deciding what, when and how much to share with the other. The young son's story is especially poignant as he has no memory of his father (who left when he was only about a year old), has been raised solely by his mother and regards all men as "the enemy."Hodgkinson gives us a masterful story as she weaves chapters from the present with flashbacks to the past, giving us the same glimpses that the couple allows themselves and sometimes each other. It is a story of loss, of fear, of courage, of incredible bravery, mother love, and serendipity. Ancillary characters help flesh out the deep anxieties of all three of the major players.
Highlighting an aspect of war that is not often detailed---the plight of refugees having to adjust to a new country and new language at the same time they are readjusting to each other and their marriage--this is a story that is sure to please. For anyone looking for another view of the fallout of war, this is a not to be missed book. It certainly will be included in my top of the year list.
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LibraryThing member DubaiReader
A WWII novel with a difference.
I have read a number of novels set around the time of WWII and enjoyed that 22 Britannia Road varied from these in two respects. Firstly, we knew that the couple were reunited right at the beginning and the body of the book covered the problems of this reunion, with
Silvana meets Janusz as a young woman in Poland and Aurek, their son, is born soon after their marriage. Although life is frugal, it is happy, until the approach of the German army to Berlin prompts Janusz to sign up as a soldier. Eventually it becomes impossible for Silvana to remain in the city and she leaves with Aurek, little knowing what horrors await her.
The present tense is used for current time, their struggles to make a life together after 6 years of horrors and desperate lack of basic necessities. Two other strands, in past tense, follow their individual experiences during this time and reveal the secrets that they subsequently hide from each other in their new life together. The strands join as the secrets start to reveal themselves and the problems that these secrets cause loom larger.
It is a thought provoking book, as we are made to realise that the miracle of a reunion, after all the deaths of WWII, is really just the beginning of the story. Having changed so much, it is not easy for any of them to revert to 'normal' life again, least of all in a foreign country where they are viewed with suspicion.
I particularly liked Aurek who, at the age of 6 and after so much depriavtion, is jealous of his mother's relationship with Janusz and names him 'enemy'.
This was my first experience of reading an e book on my new reader. It was well written and full of feeling and harsh experiences for all three parties, but I often found that I wasn't quite sure who was speaking when we switched from one chapter to the next. I do not know if this would have been the same problem in hard copy.
Certainly well worth a read, recommended.
I have read a number of novels set around the time of WWII and enjoyed that 22 Britannia Road varied from these in two respects. Firstly, we knew that the couple were reunited right at the beginning and the body of the book covered the problems of this reunion, with
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flashbacks to their individual war-time experiences. Secondly, the protagonists were Poles, not British, escaping from the awful realities of their homeland, which gave a refreshing new slant to the book.Silvana meets Janusz as a young woman in Poland and Aurek, their son, is born soon after their marriage. Although life is frugal, it is happy, until the approach of the German army to Berlin prompts Janusz to sign up as a soldier. Eventually it becomes impossible for Silvana to remain in the city and she leaves with Aurek, little knowing what horrors await her.
The present tense is used for current time, their struggles to make a life together after 6 years of horrors and desperate lack of basic necessities. Two other strands, in past tense, follow their individual experiences during this time and reveal the secrets that they subsequently hide from each other in their new life together. The strands join as the secrets start to reveal themselves and the problems that these secrets cause loom larger.
It is a thought provoking book, as we are made to realise that the miracle of a reunion, after all the deaths of WWII, is really just the beginning of the story. Having changed so much, it is not easy for any of them to revert to 'normal' life again, least of all in a foreign country where they are viewed with suspicion.
I particularly liked Aurek who, at the age of 6 and after so much depriavtion, is jealous of his mother's relationship with Janusz and names him 'enemy'.
This was my first experience of reading an e book on my new reader. It was well written and full of feeling and harsh experiences for all three parties, but I often found that I wasn't quite sure who was speaking when we switched from one chapter to the next. I do not know if this would have been the same problem in hard copy.
Certainly well worth a read, recommended.
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LibraryThing member bachaney
22 Britannia Road tells the story of one family torn apart by war trying to rebuild itself after the war is over. Silvana and Janusz fell in love in rural Poland before World War II. They married and had a son, but soon after the war breaks out, it tears them apart. Six years later, Silvana, Janusz
I thought 22 Britannia Road was an excellent novel. The story is very powerful, and explores the trauma and tragedy of the war on everyday people and then how difficult it is to leave those memories behind in the wake of the conflict. The author used an effect technique to explore both sides of her story--she alternated chapters in the novel's present (post war England) with flashback chapters to the main characters experiences during the war. This allowed the reader to understand the deeper motivation for the characters actions. I also thought the language of the novel--which was sparse but powerful, added something to the overall story telling.
Although parts of this novel are very sad, I do feel like there was an underlying message of hope. Fans of literary fiction or historical fiction set in the World War II period should check out this excellent novel.
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and their son Aurek are reunited in England. Will they be able to heal the wounds the war has inflicted on their lives and souls, or will it be too much for them to overcome? I thought 22 Britannia Road was an excellent novel. The story is very powerful, and explores the trauma and tragedy of the war on everyday people and then how difficult it is to leave those memories behind in the wake of the conflict. The author used an effect technique to explore both sides of her story--she alternated chapters in the novel's present (post war England) with flashback chapters to the main characters experiences during the war. This allowed the reader to understand the deeper motivation for the characters actions. I also thought the language of the novel--which was sparse but powerful, added something to the overall story telling.
Although parts of this novel are very sad, I do feel like there was an underlying message of hope. Fans of literary fiction or historical fiction set in the World War II period should check out this excellent novel.
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LibraryThing member techeditor
22 BRITANNIA ROAD by Amanda Hodgkinson is a wonderful book. It was rated one of the best of 2010 by amazon.com, but I just got around to reading it. Hodgkinson manages to tell four stories at once without confusing the reader. Instead, her organization of the four stories to tell one story creates
This is the story of a Polish couple, Silvana and Janusz, and their baby/child, Aurek, during and after World War II. They were separated for 6 years when Janusz went off to join the Polish army. Therefore, Silvana's story of her experiences during the War is told separately from Janusz's story of his experiences at the same time.
In chapters between these chapters are the stories of Silvana, Aurek, and Janusz after they are reunited in England. These stories are told from Silvana's point of view and Janusz's point of view.
Sound confusing? It isn’t.
I'm so glad I didn't read many reviews of this book because reviews often say too much. I promise I won't. But, as a teaser, I will say that there comes a point in Silvana's story after the War when she divulges a secret that just about knocked my socks off. You may do as I did and page through what you already read, looking for a clue. It's there. I missed it.
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more drama.This is the story of a Polish couple, Silvana and Janusz, and their baby/child, Aurek, during and after World War II. They were separated for 6 years when Janusz went off to join the Polish army. Therefore, Silvana's story of her experiences during the War is told separately from Janusz's story of his experiences at the same time.
In chapters between these chapters are the stories of Silvana, Aurek, and Janusz after they are reunited in England. These stories are told from Silvana's point of view and Janusz's point of view.
Sound confusing? It isn’t.
I'm so glad I didn't read many reviews of this book because reviews often say too much. I promise I won't. But, as a teaser, I will say that there comes a point in Silvana's story after the War when she divulges a secret that just about knocked my socks off. You may do as I did and page through what you already read, looking for a clue. It's there. I missed it.
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LibraryThing member Carolee888
This is a wonderful book, I felt like I was in a movie theatre, just sitting back and enjoying the story. I kept imagining a very young Meryl Streep as Silvania.
This book is set in 1946 in England but has flashbacks to Poland during WWII. The flashbacks were handled flawlessly so you always knew
Pre-war Poland was not so bad. There were many movie theatres and Silvania was proud of the beautiful uniform that she wore as an usherette at the Kine cinema. She was very glad to escape her depressing home to marry Janusz. In 1937, the grass was green and full, the trees blossuming with hope. Janusz had decided to not follow his father's advice to be a lawyer but to do what he loved, to work with mechanical things instead. The future was full with promise.
Then the war came to Poland. The Germans invaded Warsaw and entirely changed the lives of Janusz, Silvania and little Aurek. As the story unwound, events were the starting points of long held and scary secrets. Some secrets were not so obvious and I had literally gasped out loud.
Living in the forests outside Warsaw for Silvania and Aurek seemed so real that I often forgot that that I was reading a book! What they had to do to survive, how they had to completely depend on each other. They seemed like one unit. Janusz also had some life experiences that became memories and memories that became secrets.
With this book, you realize how much wartime experience can take over the souls of people and utterly change their inner life. Secrets from Silvana held both by Janusz and those terrible life changing memories held by Silvana from her husband take on a life of their own.
This book is a must read. The author, Amanda Hodkinson is very talented and is a joy to read. All the major and minor characters were vividly fleshed out and the scenes in Poland and England were rich with visual images. You will forget that you are reading and will feel that you are in England and Poland. The Polish customs, food and farms were beautifully interwoven in the story. By the end of the book or maybe before, you will be thinking of what war does to people and if and how those experiences can be overcome.
I received this book as a part of the Amazon Vine Program but my review is based entirely my own thoughts.
This book is set in 1946 in England but has flashbacks to Poland during WWII. The flashbacks were handled flawlessly so you always knew
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which character and what place you were going back to. The book opens with Janusz, a Polish immigrant to England trying to immerse himself in English culture and customs. He desparately wanted to fit in and not be the guy with Polish accent. He had been separated from his long ago sweetheart and wife, Slivania and his young son, Aurek since 1937. Pre-war Poland was not so bad. There were many movie theatres and Silvania was proud of the beautiful uniform that she wore as an usherette at the Kine cinema. She was very glad to escape her depressing home to marry Janusz. In 1937, the grass was green and full, the trees blossuming with hope. Janusz had decided to not follow his father's advice to be a lawyer but to do what he loved, to work with mechanical things instead. The future was full with promise.
Then the war came to Poland. The Germans invaded Warsaw and entirely changed the lives of Janusz, Silvania and little Aurek. As the story unwound, events were the starting points of long held and scary secrets. Some secrets were not so obvious and I had literally gasped out loud.
Living in the forests outside Warsaw for Silvania and Aurek seemed so real that I often forgot that that I was reading a book! What they had to do to survive, how they had to completely depend on each other. They seemed like one unit. Janusz also had some life experiences that became memories and memories that became secrets.
With this book, you realize how much wartime experience can take over the souls of people and utterly change their inner life. Secrets from Silvana held both by Janusz and those terrible life changing memories held by Silvana from her husband take on a life of their own.
This book is a must read. The author, Amanda Hodkinson is very talented and is a joy to read. All the major and minor characters were vividly fleshed out and the scenes in Poland and England were rich with visual images. You will forget that you are reading and will feel that you are in England and Poland. The Polish customs, food and farms were beautifully interwoven in the story. By the end of the book or maybe before, you will be thinking of what war does to people and if and how those experiences can be overcome.
I received this book as a part of the Amazon Vine Program but my review is based entirely my own thoughts.
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LibraryThing member nicx27
This is the story of Silvana and Janusz, and their little boy Aurek. Silvana and Janusz were separated during the war, when Janusz joined up and Silvana was left behind to fend for herself, living in forests for much of the time.
After the war, Janusz finds Silvana and Aurek and brings them to
This is a fairly bleak sort of read in a lot of ways, and quite sad, but I did enjoy it and the contrasting chapters worked very well. I also enjoyed reading about the life of foreigners in England after the end of World War II. It's a well written book and shows real promise for Amanda Hodgkinson's future novels.
After the war, Janusz finds Silvana and Aurek and brings them to
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England to live in the house he has found for them at 22 Britannia Road in Ipswich. The story is told in alternating chapters, first of all in Ipswich and then looking back on each of their separate experiences during the war.This is a fairly bleak sort of read in a lot of ways, and quite sad, but I did enjoy it and the contrasting chapters worked very well. I also enjoyed reading about the life of foreigners in England after the end of World War II. It's a well written book and shows real promise for Amanda Hodgkinson's future novels.
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LibraryThing member teeth
This is a story about a Polish couple during and after World War II. it gives us a picture of what it was like for people who lived through that period.Janusz and Sivana were separated at the beginnig of the war and reunited in England after the war.It tells of their struggle to put their lives
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back together after their individual esperiences of the war. Show Less
LibraryThing member ReginaR
This is a powerful and moving, but sad story about a family torn apart by war. The story moves back and forth in time (pre-WWII, during the war, and after the war), location (Poland, France, crossing the channel, and England) and between three characters – wife/mother, husband/father and
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child/son. Despite the fact that the story involves very painful topics – death of family members, rape, loss of loved ones, separation, witnessing violent deaths, etc. – the story was not depressing. I won this book from First Reads hear on goodreads, but I chose to listen to the narrated version instead. I believe the story is a good first start from this author. I think the transition from each character’s point of view, was done well but perhaps could have been done better. I did not like the male protagonist. I thought he was weak and easily influenced, but ultimately he does right by his family. I also thought that the silence and secrets between the reunited characters was overly dramatic, I just did not believe the level of secrecy and lack of intimacy between them but then I have never survived a war while separated from my spouse. I was completely surprised by the twist in the story and the revelation still breaks my heart. I am giving this 4 stars, while I think it is a 3.5 star book because the story left me emotionally moved and thinking about the characters. I believe if a reader is a fan of literary fiction, interested in the post-WWII time period, or interested in stories of surviving and moving on – then this book will be enjoyed. It isn’t the best book I have ever read, but it is good. Show Less
LibraryThing member Enamoredsoul
Janusz and Silva are a young married couple, with a beautiful son named Aurek, and just beginning to settle into the family life when Poland is invaded by Germany. The war coming home results in Janusz joining the Military, and this results in the separation of this beautiful little family. Having
Going through every hardship imaginable, living in the wilderness and almost becoming part of it, Silva manages to survive for six long years, and eventually finds her way into a refugee camp. Janusz, with the help of a social worker, locates his wife and child in this camp. The horrors of the war, and the fight for survival for Silva and Aurek was really difficult to read. As for Janusz, we see him becoming number and number to the effects of war, a common practice for soldiers trying to keep their wits about them, and detach themselves from the pain of having been separated from their loved ones. It is as if he has decided that he will become like water, complacent and moulding to whichever situation he is thrust into.
The real story in this emotional novel, is of the homecoming of Silva and Aurek. Of this family getting back together - except, they are no longer a family. Time, and the difficulties of war, have hardened Janusz, Silva and even Aurek. Janusz and Silva are no longer the young, happily married couple - they are both soldiers, having fought for their lives through a war. "22 Britannia Road" is the story of the re-mapping of Janusz and Silva's lives. "22 Britannia Road" is where Janusz and Silva must re-discover themselves, re-learn each other, and decide how much of who they were before the war has been retained. This book is a prime example of how the fighting doesn't end with war...people find themselves fighting themselves, each others, and fate long after the battles of war are over.
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been left to survive in Poland, Silva takes her Aurek and flees towards the forest, where she must fend for herself and her son.Going through every hardship imaginable, living in the wilderness and almost becoming part of it, Silva manages to survive for six long years, and eventually finds her way into a refugee camp. Janusz, with the help of a social worker, locates his wife and child in this camp. The horrors of the war, and the fight for survival for Silva and Aurek was really difficult to read. As for Janusz, we see him becoming number and number to the effects of war, a common practice for soldiers trying to keep their wits about them, and detach themselves from the pain of having been separated from their loved ones. It is as if he has decided that he will become like water, complacent and moulding to whichever situation he is thrust into.
The real story in this emotional novel, is of the homecoming of Silva and Aurek. Of this family getting back together - except, they are no longer a family. Time, and the difficulties of war, have hardened Janusz, Silva and even Aurek. Janusz and Silva are no longer the young, happily married couple - they are both soldiers, having fought for their lives through a war. "22 Britannia Road" is the story of the re-mapping of Janusz and Silva's lives. "22 Britannia Road" is where Janusz and Silva must re-discover themselves, re-learn each other, and decide how much of who they were before the war has been retained. This book is a prime example of how the fighting doesn't end with war...people find themselves fighting themselves, each others, and fate long after the battles of war are over.
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LibraryThing member asigg44
I won this book as a First Reads book from Goodreads.
This book is about a young Polish couple who fall in love right before WWII begins. They get married and Silvana becomes pregnant and gives birth to a boy named Aurek. Janusz is her husband and soon after his son is born, he leaves to join up
Meanwhile, Silvana, trying to escape the war, takes her young son and makes a trek from Warsaw, trying to get back to where Janusz's parents and her parents live. She travels and hides in the forest, living in the forest until the red cross finds her and sends her to Brittain to meet with Janusz. There is so much more to this book: betrayal, lies, lost love that stands the test of time, etc.
This is not a very happy book, but it is a book that draws you in and shows a brief snippet of what some people had to do to survive the war. I love how the author makes you feel like you know these people, showing a bit of the sorrow, fear, uncertainty and betrayal of trust. There are a few twists in this book; things that I didn't expect to happen. The happy ending is there, you just have to see the struggle to get to it.
Very good book, I would recommend it to anyone. I will be looking for more books from this autho
This book is about a young Polish couple who fall in love right before WWII begins. They get married and Silvana becomes pregnant and gives birth to a boy named Aurek. Janusz is her husband and soon after his son is born, he leaves to join up
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with the army. On his way to his post, the train he is riding on comes under fire from the Germans. The Germans open fire on the to-be soldiers that are taking a break outside the train. Janusz hits his head on a rock and passes out, missing the train as it departs. He meets up with another soldier who was left behind and is convinced to walk to find his company with him. He eventually ends up in Italy where he falls in love, leaves Italy to come to Britain and buys a house so that he can have something when the red cross finds his wife and child.Meanwhile, Silvana, trying to escape the war, takes her young son and makes a trek from Warsaw, trying to get back to where Janusz's parents and her parents live. She travels and hides in the forest, living in the forest until the red cross finds her and sends her to Brittain to meet with Janusz. There is so much more to this book: betrayal, lies, lost love that stands the test of time, etc.
This is not a very happy book, but it is a book that draws you in and shows a brief snippet of what some people had to do to survive the war. I love how the author makes you feel like you know these people, showing a bit of the sorrow, fear, uncertainty and betrayal of trust. There are a few twists in this book; things that I didn't expect to happen. The happy ending is there, you just have to see the struggle to get to it.
Very good book, I would recommend it to anyone. I will be looking for more books from this autho
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LibraryThing member booklovers2
A book about survival, a mother's love, truth, secrets, reunion and new beginnings. A Must Read!
LibraryThing member SimoneA
A gripping tale of a Polish husband and wife who live through WWII separately, with the wife taking care of their child. When they are reunited after the war, in England, both of their secrets get in the way of their future. The story is quite bleak, with a lot of hardship. The reader is not spared
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in describing these things. However, this made me really empathize with the characters and sucked me into the book. 22 Britannia Road tells a very personal story from this dreadful time, in a beautiful way. Show Less
LibraryThing member SherylHendrix
I read three books this week - this one was compelling and drew me into the story in a way neither of the others did; I cared about the Nowak family - Silvana, Janusz, and Auric - even as I suspected early on the secret that Silvana was carrying. I wanted to know what would happen, where they would
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end up, how their family drama would play out in the end. The randomness of war, the events that turn one person into a hero and another into a villain and the difficulties in determining one from another, are all cleverly woven into this story of love, fear, and chance. A good read. Show Less
LibraryThing member asomers
Although there was no surprise at the ending, it was an enjoyable read.
LibraryThing member wendytrim
Starts off slow but is really a poignant story that I enjoyed. I'm a sucker for a good war novel.
LibraryThing member BillPilgrim
This is the story of a Polish family that gets separated at the beginning of World War II, when the husband joins the Polish army just before the Nazi invasion. He ends up escaping, first to France for a short time, then to England where he joins the British armed services. His wife unsuccessfully
I enjoyed the book a lot. The characters are well-developed and believable. And, for the most part, the events all resonated and seemed real.
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tries to travel to his parents' home, and ends up living in the forest with her very young son until the end of the war. Then, when he tries to find her, she is located in a refugee camp that they are reunited in London. He has a job in a factory and home in a suburban neighborhood. He tries to establish a typical British lifestyle for the family, but they have been damaged by their war-time experiences, especially the boy, who has a hard time accepting his father's presence in this life, and the regular life that is being imposed on him. And each adult is keeping a secret from the other of what happened during the war.I enjoyed the book a lot. The characters are well-developed and believable. And, for the most part, the events all resonated and seemed real.
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LibraryThing member MadMooseMama
22 Britannia Road is a fiction romance set during WWII.
Silvana Nowak is a young Polish woman living in Warsaw at the time the Germans take over the city. When her husband, Janusz is called away to fight for their country, he leaves her and their young son, Aurek, behind.
After setting out on the
Along the way many things happen to Janusz that changes who he was and after the war is over, he settles in England to become a proper Englishman and buys a house located at 22 Britannia Road. He then sets out to find what happened to his family.
Silvana and Aurek are soon left at the mercy of the German soldiers and after being raped, she escapes with Aurek and stunned, scared and lonely, she follows the other people heading out of the city. She wanders for weeks and along the way she befriends a woman who helps them find shelter for the winter.
When Silvana and Hanka part ways, her and Aurek must learn to take shelter and survive in the woods. Finding another group of survivors they spend the winter with them before moving on to another family, who save them from near death.
Always Silvana is fighting for their survival, seeking shelter and food when there was none to be found. When the English find them, they are taken to a refugee encampment. It is there that she learns that Janusz is alive and is looking for them.
However, Silvana has mixed feelings about returning to her husband's arms. She has many secrets that she cannot share, and many situations she wishes never to have to remember again.
When the three finally come together, they must learn to live and love all over again. Will their love be enough to see them through the past; a past they had no control over? Or will their lies and secrets drive a wedge through them forever?
I thought this was a fantastic debut novel. The period that the book was set in was wonderfully written. It had clarity and mystery and immersed you into the novel, wearing the heartaches that Silvana had to endure.
The horrors of the war were graphic and the imagery given made you grip the book as you read on. Then the realization sets in that things really did happen this way; war really does this to people. It was heart-rendering to read at times as the prose left you aching at humanity's animalistic barbarity.
The characters were strongly portrayed and balanced the plot with grace and understanding. The back story characters were equally impressive in their impressions upon the reader. I did happen to guess all the secrets of the two early on in the book but I do believe the hints were subtle in their rendering and I am quite sure those who enjoy love stories will enjoy this book.
Silvana Nowak is a young Polish woman living in Warsaw at the time the Germans take over the city. When her husband, Janusz is called away to fight for their country, he leaves her and their young son, Aurek, behind.
After setting out on the
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train with his unit, they are attacked by German planes and he becomes lost from his troops. However, after months go by, he realizes that his heart is not in this and he is befriended by two other deserters and the trio make their way across Poland to France in order to join up with troops already stationed there.Along the way many things happen to Janusz that changes who he was and after the war is over, he settles in England to become a proper Englishman and buys a house located at 22 Britannia Road. He then sets out to find what happened to his family.
Silvana and Aurek are soon left at the mercy of the German soldiers and after being raped, she escapes with Aurek and stunned, scared and lonely, she follows the other people heading out of the city. She wanders for weeks and along the way she befriends a woman who helps them find shelter for the winter.
When Silvana and Hanka part ways, her and Aurek must learn to take shelter and survive in the woods. Finding another group of survivors they spend the winter with them before moving on to another family, who save them from near death.
Always Silvana is fighting for their survival, seeking shelter and food when there was none to be found. When the English find them, they are taken to a refugee encampment. It is there that she learns that Janusz is alive and is looking for them.
However, Silvana has mixed feelings about returning to her husband's arms. She has many secrets that she cannot share, and many situations she wishes never to have to remember again.
When the three finally come together, they must learn to live and love all over again. Will their love be enough to see them through the past; a past they had no control over? Or will their lies and secrets drive a wedge through them forever?
I thought this was a fantastic debut novel. The period that the book was set in was wonderfully written. It had clarity and mystery and immersed you into the novel, wearing the heartaches that Silvana had to endure.
The horrors of the war were graphic and the imagery given made you grip the book as you read on. Then the realization sets in that things really did happen this way; war really does this to people. It was heart-rendering to read at times as the prose left you aching at humanity's animalistic barbarity.
The characters were strongly portrayed and balanced the plot with grace and understanding. The back story characters were equally impressive in their impressions upon the reader. I did happen to guess all the secrets of the two early on in the book but I do believe the hints were subtle in their rendering and I am quite sure those who enjoy love stories will enjoy this book.
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LibraryThing member kiwifortyniner
This is the story of a Polish couple separated by the war. Both believe the other party is dead but somehow after the war they are reunited in England when Silvana and her son come to join Janusz in the house he has been living in. So much has happened to both of them and the question is how much
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do you tell when keeping secrets may bring you undone. Both of them have to realise that what has happened to the other has changed them, that they are not the same person they were. A good but not great read. Show Less
LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
This book tells the story of the Nowaks, Silvana and Janusz, who were living in Warsaw with their baby, Aurek, when Poland was invaded. Janusz goes to join up with the Polish army and they end up separated for the duration of the war. Janusz eventually reaches England, after a long stay in a French
This novel has interesting things to say about loss and survivor's guilt and how the joyous reunion is only the beginning of the story, rather than the end. There's a lot going on, between everyone's wartime experiences and their new life in Ipswich, so the characters remain opaque. Still, the story is hard to put down, even if the "big secret" is pretty clear, at least to the reader, from early on. Not a great book, but a good read that approaches a familiar theme from a slightly different angle.
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farmhouse, while Silvana has a much more traumatic experience, ending up surviving in the forest. Janusz works hard to find his family and to build a new life in Ipswich, but both Janusz and Silvana hold secrets and sorrow and guilt, and are now different people from the young couple beginning married life in Warsaw so long ago. This novel has interesting things to say about loss and survivor's guilt and how the joyous reunion is only the beginning of the story, rather than the end. There's a lot going on, between everyone's wartime experiences and their new life in Ipswich, so the characters remain opaque. Still, the story is hard to put down, even if the "big secret" is pretty clear, at least to the reader, from early on. Not a great book, but a good read that approaches a familiar theme from a slightly different angle.
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LibraryThing member karenlisa
22 Britannia Road By Amanda Hodgkinson A young couple with a small child are separated for 6 years during WWII. They are from Warsaw and Januscz goes off to war, Sylvana is left with little baby Aurek. She tries to get to her inlaws home but the bus runs out of gas and all their lives are forever
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changed. They survive in the forest. By some miracle the family is reunited when she arrives with her son in England and Januscz tries in vain to make them a proper home, and start a new life. But the past is full of secrets and mysteries of war. Love and loss that is buried deep but cannot be forgotten. The reader can picture the characters and feel their sadness and their hope. Excellent story of love, history and moving on even if you have to take the past with you. Show Less
LibraryThing member picardyrose
Post-WWII, a Polish couple tries to reunite. He spent the war in the RAF, she spent the war in the woods.
LibraryThing member jakesam
A little different twist on WWII, from the Polish point of view, I really enjoyed this book, eveny thou it is fiction, it just makes you think what people went thru during WWII.
LibraryThing member vietnambutterfly
A guaranteed great read. An engaging story of a family who survives the invasion of Poland during World War 11. But will this survival and the individual experiences cause the family relationship to break down. I wanted to stay with the family as they emerge from the darkness of the war.
LibraryThing member labfs39
"Profession?" the customs agent asks.
"Survivor," she whispered, the first word that came to her.
For Silvana, survival has been a full-time job for years, and one that has changed her irrevocably. Now the war is over, and her husband Janusz, who has settled in England, has sent for her. Her and the
Janusz waits anxiously in England, trying to forget a wartime love in France, and hoping that his wife and son will fill the aching void in his heart. He longs to be accepted, no longer the outsider, the Pole. Perhaps having the ideal family will help him achieve the peace he needs.
Aurek is seven years old and has spent his entire remembered life living in the forest hiding. At one with the natural world and knowing only his mother, leaving the forest is a dislocation that he neither wants nor adapts to easily.
What follows survival? Trust is hard, even when there is love, especially after a long, traumatic separation. How can you share experiences that are outside the other person's experience? Should you? These questions create a haunting theme that I found engaging, I only wish there had been more philosophical depth in exploring these fascinating questions. I think it is a promising debut novel.
"Survivor," she whispered, the first word that came to her.
For Silvana, survival has been a full-time job for years, and one that has changed her irrevocably. Now the war is over, and her husband Janusz, who has settled in England, has sent for her. Her and the
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boy. It's been so many years, will Janusz even recognize her? Understand her? What will she tell him?Janusz waits anxiously in England, trying to forget a wartime love in France, and hoping that his wife and son will fill the aching void in his heart. He longs to be accepted, no longer the outsider, the Pole. Perhaps having the ideal family will help him achieve the peace he needs.
Aurek is seven years old and has spent his entire remembered life living in the forest hiding. At one with the natural world and knowing only his mother, leaving the forest is a dislocation that he neither wants nor adapts to easily.
What follows survival? Trust is hard, even when there is love, especially after a long, traumatic separation. How can you share experiences that are outside the other person's experience? Should you? These questions create a haunting theme that I found engaging, I only wish there had been more philosophical depth in exploring these fascinating questions. I think it is a promising debut novel.
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LibraryThing member Tammy.Ford.Cuevas
In order to survive, Silvana and her infant son Aurek hid in the woods of Poland for the six years that Janusz was away during World War II. By the end of the War, Janusz is now living in England. With the help of the Red Cross, he finds Silvana and Aurek, only to discover that six years away from
This is my kind of novel; the one that keeps you up all night reading "one more chapter". Set in World War II and post-WWII, primarily in Poland, France, and England, Ms. Hodgkinson has drawn such a clear picture of what it was like in those areas that the reader can almost feel as though they have stepped into Silvana or Janusz's shoes. Her descriptions of the forests were so vivid that I could almost smell the earthy smell of the forest. Silvana's character is such a sympathetically written one that even when the reader finally understands what she has done to survive, it is easy for the reader to understand and forgive.
If this is what she can do for a first novel, I look forward to reading Amanda Hodgkinson's future works. 5 stars
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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one another is a lifetime of secrets. Although they attempt to put things back together, the attentions of another man toward Silvana cause the facade they have so carefully built to come crumbling to the ground. This is my kind of novel; the one that keeps you up all night reading "one more chapter". Set in World War II and post-WWII, primarily in Poland, France, and England, Ms. Hodgkinson has drawn such a clear picture of what it was like in those areas that the reader can almost feel as though they have stepped into Silvana or Janusz's shoes. Her descriptions of the forests were so vivid that I could almost smell the earthy smell of the forest. Silvana's character is such a sympathetically written one that even when the reader finally understands what she has done to survive, it is easy for the reader to understand and forgive.
If this is what she can do for a first novel, I look forward to reading Amanda Hodgkinson's future works. 5 stars
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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Awards
Waverton Good Read Award (Shortlist — 2011)
Historical Novel Society Editors' Choice (Literary)
Original publication date
2011-04
Physical description
336 p.; 9.1 inches
ISBN
1905490704 / 9781905490707