JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

The Juliet Code by Christine Wells

1947. The war is over, but Juliet Barnard is hiding a secret. While her family believed she was helping the war effort from the safety of England, in truth Juliet was a trained wireless operator, dropped behind enemy lines in Paris to spy on the Germans. But the mission went critically wrong when Juliet was caught and imprisoned in a mansion in Paris’s Avenue Foch. Now she can’t – or won’t – relive the horrors that occurred there, and the people she betrayed…

The last thing Juliet wants is to return to France, but when ex-SAS officer Mac begs Juliet to help him find his sister, another British agent who is still missing, she can’t refuse. And in retracing her past, Juliet begins to realise that in wartime, the greatest enemy isn’t always the one that you’re expecting to fight.

The Juliet Code is a historical fiction novel set in the 1940s in Europe. Protagonist Juliet spends months training with the Special Operations Executive and then in 1943 she parachutes into Paris to spy on the Germans.

When the mission goes horribly wrong, she realises immediately how dangerous the situation is. She is captured by the Germans and subjected to months of physical and psychological torture in an effort to extract information from her about coding that would prove vitally important for the Germans.

The premise of the novel is very engaging and unique, drawing me in with the blurb and keeping me intrigued as I read on.

“In spite of my resolution to defy him, the knowledge that he meant me no immediate harm was an enormous relief. After the harsh, bleak horror of Fresnes, it was disorientating to be met with protective kindness.”

Like most historical fiction novels, the plot switches between past and present. In the present, Juliet has survived her captivity and is now free. But ex-SAS officer Mac begs Juliet to help him find his sister, and Juliet is forced to confront the past that she’s been desperately trying to suppress.

“The Paris of 1947 was very different from the Paris of 1943. It seemed determinedly gay, almost in defiance of what the city went through during occupation.”

I respect the stereotypical role reversal in the book. British code-breaker Felix has to watch the woman he loves leave on a mission that she likely won’t survive, and then he is heartbroken when she is captured by the Germans. It’s very different from the usual male-female roles you hear about from World War II, and I found it to be a refreshing twist on the gender construct.

The Juliet Code is quite a long novel, and I think it could’ve been trimmed down. The plot – whilst interesting – is a little slow to start, and the pacing lulls in the middle.

Christine has captured Juliet’s emotions well — her fear and her pain, but also her determination and her resilience. I have to admit, Juliet isn’t an overly memorable character, and she doesn’t inspire confidence. I think in an effort to paint the character as a reluctant hero, the author has actually constructed a hero who falls a little flat. She’s a little bland, her internal thoughts just skimming the surface and doing little to reveal a strong, authentic voice.

“I said it over and over as he sat sipping wine, gently probing for information, apparently in no hurry to be served. Strasser was unperturbed by my refusal to converse.”

Setting is one of the strengths of this book — Christine captures the fear and tension of World War II set against the backdrop of Paris. These spies possess such strength and determination, despite the risks involved.

I recommend this to fans of historical fiction, particularly anyone with a strong interest in stories set during World War II.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Juliet Code
Christine Wells
May 2018
Penguin Random House

Dear Mrs Bird by AJ Pearce

London, 1940. Emmeline Lake and her best friend Bunty are trying to stay cheerful despite the Luftwaffe making life thoroughly annoying for everyone. Emmy dreams of becoming a Lady War Correspondent and when she spots a job advertisement in the newspaper she seizes her chance – but after a rather unfortunate misunderstanding, she finds herself typing letters for the formidable Henrietta Bird, the renowned agony aunt of Woman’s Friend magazine.

Mrs Bird is very clear: letters containing any form of Unpleasantness must go straight into the bin. Emmy finds herself dismissing problems from lovelorn, grief-stricken and morally conflicted readers in favour of those who fear their ankles are unsightly or have trouble untangling lengths of wool. But soon the thought of desperate women going unanswered becomes too much to bear and Emmy decides the only thing for it is to secretly write back . . .

Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce is a warm, moving, funny tale about female friendship, courage, heroism and life in in 1940s wartime.

Emmeline Lake is a plucky young girl who desperately wants a career as a Lady War Correspondent. She’s determined and she’s confident, and she’s hired by Woman’s Friend magazine to help Henrietta Bird type letters to her readers. It’s not her ideal job, but it’s a start. The problem is that Henrietta doesn’t like ‘unpleasantness’ and so Emmeline is forced to discard the majority of the letters that they receive.

“She won’t. Oh, Bunts, you should see some of them,” I said. I really wanted her to understand. “They’re so sad. People are ever so worried about things — you’ve just said yourself about the war. Everyone’s trying their best, but some of them are in a fix. And Mrs. Bird just throws their problems in the bin. It’s not fair.”

Dear Mrs. Bird puts women in the foreground — it sheds a refreshing light on the women of wartime.

Emmeline is moved by the stories she’s hearing, and the women who are reaching out for help. Emmeline has a kind heart and wants to help others, and I think a lot of readers will find her a thoroughly enjoyable protagonist.

Dear Mrs. Bird is a really touching tale. The friendship between Emmeline and Bunty is really beautiful, and its their chemistry that drives this novel. The war does not consume these ladies’ lives — they’re concerned, yes, and cautious, but they’re also career-driven and they’re seeking a fulfilled life.

This book was (surprisingly) a favourite of mine. I loved Emmeline’s voice and her determination, and I loved the wonderful cast of characters that AJ Pearce has created.

“On nights when there wasn’t a raid, we were allowed to sleep in the volunteer room so we’d sit on our bunk beds and drink cocoa and talk nonsense. And on the nights when the raids were bad, if we had any breaks we’d talk nonsense even more to take out minds off it. Finding me a husband was perfect on that front.”

Unfortunately, the pacing is rather inconsistent — the first half of the book is really slow-moving, with the reader unsure where the story is headed. The romances are drawn out. However, the final third of the book is where most of the action happens. There’s heartbreak and tragedy and Emmeline and Bunty’s lives are turned upside down.

And then everything is resolved in a short amount of time. I think the first half of the book could’ve been trimmed or quickened, and the climax of the novel could’ve been drawn out a little more so that the reader didn’t feel like everything was moving too fast.

“In the middle of Europe being battered by a derange madman and Britain doing its best to keep the hope of a free world alive, the three of us were playing like children in the snow. For these moments it was as if nothing had changed from a time when everything was simple and Mother and Father could make anything horrid just go away.”

I’d recommend this to those of you who love women’s fiction — romance, rural romance, historical fiction. Dear Mrs. Bird is moving and fun, but it’s also got a lot of heart and romance as well. This is a story you’ll devour.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Dear Mrs. Bird
AJ Pearce
April 2018
Pan Macmillan Publishers

When the Mountains Roared by Jess Butterworth

When Ruby’s dad uproots her from Australia to set up a hotel in the mountains of India, Ruby is devastated. Not only are they living in a run-down building in the middle of the wilderness surrounded by scorpions, bears and leopards, but Ruby is sure that India will never truly feel like home – not without her mum there.

Ever since her mum died, Ruby has been afraid. Of cars. Of the dark. Of going to sleep and never waking up.

But then the last remaining leopards of the mountain are threatened and everything changes. Ruby vows to do all she can to protect them – if she can only overcome her fears…

When the Mountains Roared is Jess Butterworth’s second middle-grade novel, following on from Running on the Roof of the World. It’s a vivid, warm and atmospheric adventure set in the mountains of India.

Jess Butterworth is really skilled at capturing setting — I could feel the warmth of that blazing sun and the silence of the mountains. I could sense the seclusion and the danger that lurked. The language is descriptive and engaging, simple enough for young children to understand but detailed enough so that readers of all ages will be lured into this story.

“The mountain is covered in pieces of shiny grey slate. The same slate the roofs in the village are made of. I climb down and with a chalky stone I write a message to Praveen on some slate, before propping it against a branch in the tree.”

Ruby is a determined, courageous young girl, not afraid to face danger to save the defenceless. She does have more spine and more confidence than her father, who actually felt like a really weak, naive character.

He felt a little underdeveloped — a cardboard cut out of a character. He disregarded his daughter and while he cared for her, he didn’t come across as a very smart man. I think the reader is supposed to sympathise for him, but really I just pitied him and disregarded his character altogether.

“I see that his face is now drawn and worried. And I realise that’s the problem. I don’t trust him. No matter how hard I try, after everything that happened in Australia with the moneylenders, there’s still a part of me that doesn’t. A big part.”

When the Mountains Roared explores hope, courage and family. It also illustrates the importance of identity and the discovery of one’s place in the world.

Jess has blended so many different emotions into Ruby’s characterisation — grief, loss and wonder. Ruby is forced to navigate this new life, whilst also learning how to let go of her old life. She has to understand that she can enjoy life without her mother being in it, and even though life will never be the same again, that doesn’t mean it won’t be enjoyable and full of wondrous experiences.

Any children who have experienced loss will really relate to Ruby.

“My stomach twinges as I recognise the buildings and criss-crossing roads outside.
Perth.
It was where we had Mum’s funeral.
She died on a Friday, the same day the roses bloomed. She’d been watching and waiting for them to open every day.”

Jess Butterworth has crafted a fast-paced, entertaining story for children, set within the beautiful Himalayan mountains.

When the Mountains Roared teaches young readers about Tibetan and Indian culture. It also educates readers on animal protection and poaching, but that education feels like osmosis. Jess isn’t beating readers over the head with information, but rather, allowing children to learn the culture and the importance of animal protection slowly as the plot develops. This is fantastic for a children’s novel, because the last thing kids want is to feel like they’re *learning* when reading a fictional novel.

This is a really great book for middle-grade readers, and I actually think it’s a lot stronger than her debut. The characters are more evocative and three-dimensional, and the story is much richer and much more pacy. Young readers will love this story. Animal lovers will devour it.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

When the Mountains Roared
Jesse Butterworth
April 2018
Hachette Book Publishers

One Way by S.J. Morden

A murder mystery set on the frozen red wastes of Mars.
Eight astronauts. One killer. No way home.

WE STAND AT THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA

Frank Kittridge is serving life for murdering his son’s drug dealer. So when he’s offered a deal by Xenosystems Operations – the company that runs the prison – he takes it, even though it means swapping one life sentence for another.

THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO BE ALIVE

He’s been selected to help build the first permanent base on Mars. Unfortunately, his crewmates are just as guilty of their crimes as he is – and he’ll have to learn to trust them if they’re to succeed.

THE FUTURE OF SPACE TRAVEL IS IN SAFE HANDS

As the convicts set to work on the frozen wastes of Mars, the accidents multiply. Until Frank begins to suspect they might not be accidents at all . . .

XENOSYSTEMS OPERATIONS: MAKING DREAMS A REALITY

There’s a murderer amongst them, and everyone’s a suspect.

One Way by SJ Morden is a murder mystery science fiction novel set on Mars. Protagonist Frank Kitteridge has two options: journey to Mars to help build a base for scientists, or remain in prison with a life sentence. What would you choose if you were him?

This may be science fiction, but it’s also a thriller. Frank is sent to Mars among other convicted criminals, and as people start dying, Frank realises that they’ve been murdered. He must find out who is killing and why, before they come for him.

“He checked his air. Twenty per cent. That gave him nominally…OK, that wasn’t a good sign. He should have been able to just come up with a number. He was good with numbers, calculating quantities and part-loads in his head and getting it right. An hour and forty-five.”

The novel is too predictable, unfortunately. It followed a fairly standard plot — one by one people start dying and then right at the end we find out who did it. Additionally, it was quite obvious early on who the murderer was. I didn’t find the ending surprising or shocking.

The pacing was a little uneven; the story took too long to get started. And the pacing was jolted by the need for technical jargon and logistics thrown into the story. There was a lot of set up needed, and I wondered if S.J Morden could’ve begun the novel at a different point to make it more intriguing for the reader.

I found myself skim reading a lot of the book because of all the technical detail. Yes, most of it needed to be there but I do think some of the specific information could’ve been cut. Unless you’re a scientist or astronaut, you’re going to struggle to understand a lot of it and then your interest might wane.

“Frank unplugged it from the RTG, and removed the hoses that fed oxygen to the ship, and he and Zeus — mainly Zeus — lifted it onto a trailer. They coiled up the power lead and the hoses, put them in an empty drum, and collected the empty reserve tanks: big, black, lightweight cylinders made of carbon fibre.”

Frank is a great protagonist. He’s three dimensional and the reader really sympathises for him. He murdered his son’s drug dealer and ever since being convicted and sent to jail, his wife and son have seemingly abandoned him. He’s alone, and he accepts this mission because he wants his son to be proud of him.

I don’t think the other criminals are as layered as Frank. In fact, they felt a little like cardboard cut outs who were only in the story so they could get murdered and further the plot. They could’ve been further developed — particularly their backstories — so that the reader felt something when they died.

As a result, it is hard for the reader to feel the suspense or the tension as the novel progresses. I found myself reading the book to get to the end, but I wasn’t particularly hooked and I think I could’ve stopped reading the book and it wouldn’t have bothered me.

I would recommend this to people who love science fiction, because the technical terminology and the space logistics will really interest them. I don’t think this is best targeted at fans of mysteries or thrillers, because I think the ending is too predictable and you’ll see the twist coming quite early on.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

One Way
S.J. Morden
April 2018
Hachette Book Publishers

Tangerine by Christine Mangan

The last person Alice Shipley expected to see since arriving in Tangier with her new husband was Lucy Mason. After the accident at Bennington, the two friends—once inseparable roommates—haven’t spoken in over a year. But there Lucy was, trying to make things right and return to their old rhythms. Perhaps Alice should be happy. She has not adjusted to life in Morocco, too afraid to venture out into the bustling medinas and oppressive heat. Lucy—always fearless and independent—helps Alice emerge from her flat and explore the country.

But soon a familiar feeling starts to overtake Alice—she feels controlled and stifled by Lucy at every turn. Then Alice’s husband, John, goes missing, and Alice starts to question everything around her: her relationship with her enigmatic friend, her decision to ever come to Tangier, and her very own state of mind.

Set in 1956, Tangerine by Christine Mangan is an extraordinary debut novel that takes you deep into the complicated friendship between two women, one of whom is incredibly smart but manipulative and deceptive.

Written in first person, the book switches POV between Alice and Lucy. The two women have history together, and neither of them are particularly trustworthy. They were roommates at Bennington College in the mid-1950s but a disastrous accident forced them apart and now one year later Lucy Mason shows up in Tangier with mysterious intentions.

“She enveloped me then, a more intimate gesture than the others we had previously shared, and not simply because she was standing in her underwear.”

Alice’s relationship with her new husband John is complex. The two of them have tried for a baby but haven’t had any luck, and her husband is out all hours of the night for work. There appears to be cracks in the foundation of their relationship, but neither Alice nor her husband seem to want to fix that. The two merely co-exist together. Alice is afraid to spend time alone outdoors — mostly because of the heat and the crowds — and her husband finds ways to belittle her and make her feel inferior.

“I let the word settle. A nightclub. We both knew what he actually meant. Despite the pretense, the nightclubs in the city were little more than a gathering piece for prostitutes, geared toward Westerners.”

One of the strengths of the novel is the pacing. Christine has plotted this book so well. You find out key pieces of information and suddenly, you’re desperate to read the next chapter to find out more. Alice and Lucy’s time together in college is revealed slowly, and it’s some time before you find out exactly what happened. But when you do, that throws into question just how dangerous Lucy is and just how much she’ll sacrifice to get away with her crimes.

“It had happened shortly after John disappeared from the table…I had seen him, his image distorted by the divots in the glass, standing at the bar. Only, he had not been alone, had not been with anyone named Charlie. Instead a woman stood beside him, her face half obscured by a mane of long dark hair.”

Alice is easily manipulated — by her husband, by Lucy, and by her guardian Aunt Maude. She’s emotionally fragile and very timid and impressionable; she’s also incredibly naive. While she grows a bit over the course of the novel and learns to stand up for herself a little bit more, we realise that what happened in college between her and Lucy caused irreparable damage to her self esteem, confidence and her personality.

One of the book’s biggest weaknesses is the lack of believability around Alice’s decisions. She doesn’t like Lucy and she doesn’t trust her, but she doesn’t try very hard to make that known. It’s almost like she’s scared to talk, and when we find out their history, it doesn’t really explain Alice’s actions. In a way, Alice is too fragile and it’s hard for the reader to really understand why.

Tangerine is a tense psychological thriller, perfect for fans of The Talented Mr Ripley.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Tangerine
Christine Mangan
April 2018
Hachette Book Publishers

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