#BlogTour: The Runaway Children by Sandy Taylor @bookouture @SandyTaylorAuth

I’m on the blog tour for The Runaway Children by Sandy Taylor today.  The Runaway children is now available to buy in paperback and ebook here.

Book Blurb:

A heart-wrenching, unforgettable journey of two evacuee sisters during World War Two as they try to find their way home…

London, 1942: Thirteen-year-old Nell and five-year-old Olive are being sent away to the countryside to escape the devastation of the East End during the Blitz. Leaving behind their beloved mother and brothers, they don’t know if they will ever see them again.

As the sisters adjust to their new life in a close-knit Welsh village, they gradually find hope in the friendships they make. And Nell kindles a special bond with fellow evacuee Jimmy, who makes her smile even at the hardest of times.

But when little Olive’s safety is threatened, Nell makes a decision that will change their lives forever. They must run from danger and find their way home.

Together, through tears and laughter, the two sisters hold each other’s hands as they make an incredibly brave journey across bombed-out Britain. Will they be reunited with the family they have missed for so many years? Or is there more heartache to come?

An unputdownable story of unconditional love, friendship and the fight for survival during a time of unimaginable change. This book is guaranteed to find a place in your heart. If you enjoyed Orphan Train and The Girl With No Name you’ll love this book.

My Review:

The thing that most stands out about this book is the child narrator that helps add an element of innocence to a difficult situation and gives the reader a different slant on the events of world war two.  The book is narrated by Nell, the oldest of four siblings with an attitude older than her years.  She is very much used to looking after her brothers and sister and often takes on the mother role when her mother is incapacitated.  She particularly looks after her younger sister Olive and their relationship and the closeness they enjoy is lovely to read about and leads to some very heartwarming scenes.  It also helps to add humor to the story which often had me laughing out loud, particularly at Olive’s very truthful observations and Nell’s replies.  The two sister’s, Nell and Olive where my favourite characters in the book and I really enjoyed reading about them and the huge journey they go on throughout the book.

It’s hard to believe how shambolic and dis-organised the evacuation system was.  The fact that children didn’t know where they were going and to whom chills my heart as a mother and must have been very difficult for the mothers who chose to evacuate their children.  The children were given to anyone who would take them without them being vetted or checked up on in any way which lead to some horrific situations with children being taken advantage of in many ways.  Some of the passages relating to the experiences of the evacuees where quite heart breaking and lead to some quite poignant scenes.

The author does a brilliant job at setting the scene and making me feel that i really was in world war two watching all the action unfold.  I loved the descriptions of the community in the (in)famous tennament blocks and the way that they all looked out for each other, solving their own problems without getting the authorities involved.  It was really nice to read about neighbours caring about one another in this way, something that has unfortunately been lost today.   Her descriptions of village life in world war two was also brilliantly described leading to some lovely heartwarming scenes, especially when the children realise how different life is in the village to what they are used to at home.

This is the first book by this author that I have read and I will definitely be reading more from her in the future as I loved her style of writing and the characters that she has managed to bring to life in The Runaway Children.  In parts this book reminded me of Goodnight Mr Tom, especially the description of the children’s experiences in the village.

Thank you to Kim Nash from Bookouture and Netgalley for my copy of this book and for inviting me on the blog tour.

About The Author: