This is the story of three friends in London during WWII and the trials they faced in those turbulent years.
Despite the background theme being that of war, the main focus of this story is the friendship between Marie, Nora and Hazel, and how having such a strong support system is invaluable and can help you even in times of war.

This is a dialogue driven book. Which gives great insights into characterization and the thoughts of people .. however if you are here for more plot and world descriptions, this won't really fit the bill. I love the idea of historical fiction. and this one was good. I have just read better. I love dual timelines, so this book met that expectation as well.

i enjoyed the three young women and how differently they viewed life. their strengths were admirable. i found this to be a good book from a great author.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A great human interest book, showing how strong ties are amongst friends, forming ties often stronger than family ones. The book also shows the injustices associated with war, and in this case, Germans living in Britain before and during WWII, and the suspicion and clouds they lived under as they were just trying to live and survive. What does "equal under the law' really mean? Especially as, in reality, people's perceptions colour reality and reveal long-standing and innate prejudices. And then, in times of hardship, these biases come out, and the underdog is once again trod upon. Several unanswered questions in the book; Marie's life was sort of rounded out, but her other two friends....well their stories remain for another book. I would hope that the author writes two more books, to round out the lives of the three close friends. This book is aimed at women who, as the author said, want to live their own lives, maybe with marriage, and maybe not, and who demonstrate strong will and the right to write their own ending.
The book would appeal to all those women who are questioning themselves and their choices early in their careers.

This is my second book by Julia Kelly and so far I have enjoyed her writing. This book centres around three friends and how they became friends and what they do to help each other in life. I enjoy books that explore the bonds of friendship and this was a good one for that, I enjoyed it.

Thank you Netgally and the publisher for the opportunity to read this incredible story about friendship the families that you create.

I enjoy reading the stories that have been written about WWII, stories about the strong women that determined their own destiny and took matters into their own hands during the war. Their passion, their drive and determination are inspiring.

"You can choose the ending to your own story. Don't forget that"

This was a theme that was woven throughout the story. The choices that the women made were courageous, defying what society and what men told them they should do. The story starts off with Samantha, Marie's granddaughter that travels to London to deliver a very special package to her Grandmother's best friend, Nora. Nora is 103 years old and tells Samantha the story of how Marie, Nora and Hazel met in boarding school and the challenges they overcame during the war. I loved reading about their strong friendship and unbreakable bond, making each other sisters and creating more of a familial bond with each other than with their actual families.

This is a wonderful historical fiction novel that provides insights into what it must have been like for those that are not British born to be living in Britain and some of the sacrifices they made for survival.

It’ll never cease amaze me how many unique, important and touching stories there are to tell in history. Particularly those stories of women in WWII strike me hardest. Their bravery, determination, and pride were second to none as most volunteered to help in any way possible before conscription happened in Britain.
The Whispers of War surprised me as it's not as sad as most WWII stories are. Julia Kelly brings us a touching, moving and brilliant story of the bonds of friendship and love.

Female Friendship
It's so nice to read a book where the women aren't always competing, at each others throats, or out to get each other. I know that it's rare in real life to find the kind of friendship Kelly describes between her three main characters in The Whispers of War; but it does exist. It's so heartwarming to be reminded that people usually intend to be good; sometimes they fall the wayside and don't even realize it. I love how the tensions of the friendship ebb and flow throughout the story.

Past to Present
As with the majority of historical figure these days, this book does flip between the WWII timeline and present day. However unlike many other books set like this the present story isn't near as relevant, and not the bulk of the novel. Kelly has done a good job of keeping us in the past with the occasional snippet to the future so that we can stay 'in the story' but also understand some of the repercussions of choices our characters made 60+ years before present day. It felt understood throughout the book that the reader really only cares about the past and so keeping the focus there worked really nicely for me.

Internment Camps and Refuge
I will confess I am very proud to read this as a Canadian. To know that we offered even one person refuge from the Nazi's is really powerful to me. Canada however is not a country without many transgressions, including our own internment camps during WWII (primarily against the Japanese); and so if you approach the end of this book and think my country is 'so great, rah, rah' (while I want to be proud of that) I would caution you that the events in Britain and elsewhere in Europe of internment and prejudice absolutely did and do still happen in Canada (sadly). No country has a clean slate; there are always skeletons in the closet.
That said it must also be acknowledged that the persecution that much of The Whispers of War focuses on in Britain is sad, frustrating and all too true. You might come away being disgusted by some of the actions of Europeans and their governments. I caution you to remember that these were extraordinary times and people were merely trying to keep folks safe. The same way that today we are engaged in extraordinary times with the covid pandemic and we can only hope that humanity of the future understands that we didn't have all the information and were just reacting as best we could most of the time.

Overall
Not unlike The Paris Seamstress this is a good 'mostly positive' WWII book. It has less death, rape, torture, etc. than books like Tattooist of Auschwitz; and it focuses more on the girls relationships and thoughts which is easier to relate to. This is a historical fiction novel that I would definitely recommend to someone like my Mom. She likes historical novels but struggles sometimes with really gruesome events or descriptions. That's not to say that we ignore any of those awful things that certainly did happen; but a variety of novels that differ in pacing and descriptive content is always smart as it allows these stories to be accessible to more people. Otherwise some people wouldn't ever read a war time book because they can't handle the content.
For me, in the end, The Whispers of War is a must add to my growing WWII physical book collection. As always this is the highest praise I can give a book.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

RATING: 4 STARS
2020; Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster Canada

I really enjoyed Kelly's previous novel, The Light Over London. It was a novel that focused on the characters during WWII, than the war itself. I liked that there was romance but it was more about Louise's journey on being a Gunner Girl. I had said in my review that it wasn't the "epic WWII" novel like Lilac Girls, but still a great read. The Whispers of War is also more about the human side of war. Marie, Nora and Hazel have been friends since they met as children, and are still close as ever. Marie is originally from Germany, and still has her accent which stands her apart from her British friends. As Britain heads towards another war with Germany, their friendship will be put to the test.

The Whispers of War does have a contemporary timeline in the novel, but it is just a few chapters. The bulk of the story is set in the late thirties. Kelly is great at creating realistic endearing characters trying to survive in a time where everything seems to be put to the test. If you enjoy a good story, I recommend this one for you.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

On Mon., Mar. 16, 2020, 5:51 p.m. Tara Witthun, <tarawitthun@gmail.com> wrote:

The Whispers of War by Julia Kelly

 

Synopsis: The story begins in August 1939, at the start of World War II and follows three inseparable friends, Marie, Nora, and Hazel. Fast forward to present day when Marie’s granddaughter Samantha travels to England to hand deliver a package to Nora. Nora opens up to Samantha about their friendship, and the hardships they faced at the beginning of the war. Throughout the book, all three women’s stories are told from their perspective.

 

Review: Historical fiction is quickly becoming one of my favourite genres. The dual perspective between the past through Nora, and the present through Samantha was written so well, I’d even say it was flawless. I loved reading Marie, Nora, and Hazel’s chapters the most, the women had such a strong friendship, and would do anything for each other. I surprisingly found all four female leads were relatable in one way or the other. The level of detail provided was perfect, and so well researched. Such a beautifully written story of strong females, friendships, loyalties, and love.

 

If you loved this one like I did, I highly recommend Light Over London

5/5🌟

Today's review is about The Whispers of War and was written by Julia Kelly. I received this book as an advanced reader's copy from Simon and Schuster Canada through NetGalley. The book is in the historical genre. The story is about three friends Marie, Hazel, and Nora whom are living in London before the start of World War II. They quickly realize they need a plan to save Marie who has been labelled an enemy alien as she was born in Germany. The story shows the strengths of friends and loyalty after a country deems only some of its citizens worth protecting.

I liked that it was told from the women's point of view during the war and not of the men as many historical novels are during war times. I wanted to know more about Hazel and Nora's life after they parted from Marie as we know that Marie has passed and so has Hazel but there are questions left unanswered. I was impressed in the author's ability to connect the past and present by creating a connection between Marie's granddaughter and Nora's grandson. I noticed that the author always attempted to keep the girls in an upbeat nature, no matter what was going on around them.

The overall plot development was done well as many readers could relate to why this story was just now being told, so 8 points. The overall characters were done well as they had real personality to them and were able to connect to them on an emotional level, so 8 points. The overall layout was nice as it allowed for breaks between the hard events that fell upon the three friends with lighter moments of the present, so 8 points. Creating a total grade of 80% or 5 stars.

It was a bit tough for me to get into this book. There was a lot of telling and not showing. The style of writing for me was different, there were mainly conversations about the goingons in the society and it got a bit mundane at some points.

I would have liked to seen more of the impacts of the war and how it can change the way people live. I did enjoy the characters and how the women's friendship was super strong throughout this book. That was a winning part of the book for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for a honest review.

The friendship of three very different women during World War II is explored well here, each one reacting to her circumstance and life directions. A little too much conversation and not enough history for me, but this is just my opinion. On the whole, a light, sentimental read.

I really enjoyed this book. It's not a super original plot, but has enough differences to other WWII-era novels that you will always be able to separate it. I loved the friendship between Marie, Hazel, and Nora. They were so close that it actually felt like they were my friends too. I miss them, honestly. I liked how the book was split into three sections, each from their own perspective. In fact, I found myself mourning a bit every time I moved on to the next girl because I loved each of them so much. While I'm not usually a fan of books with more than two POVs, I think doing it this way is best, in large chunks, rather than alternating ever chapter. You really feel like you can get to know your characters that way. I liked how they all had different stories and backgrounds. Even though they were all quite similar, I can't imagine anyone mixing them up. I don't even know if I could pick my favourite, although I have a soft spot for Nora since she's in the present day chapters as well. But I also love Marie and felt her anxiety as the story progressed. But I also loved Hazel's strength and her ability to stand up to others, and herself, and be honest in a way that allowed her to take the reins of her life. They're all so special and will truly be there for each other through thick and thin. (Spoiler alert: I'm also quite pleased that they all made it out alive. That's never guaranteed in WWII novels.)

The only character I was not fond of, unfortunately, was Samantha. I have found that a common plot device in historical novels is to have a modern day plot run parallel to the historical story. Often, especially in WWII books it seems, the present day story is about a descendant trying to piece together the life of their older relative, often after they have already passed away. There's always regret, nostalgia, and a plane ride to a foreign country, where they will meet a friend of their relative's who they had never even heard of, who will treat them like they are family and tell them stories that blow their minds. Tragically, this book falls to the same trick. I would have been just as pleased if the modern parallel was removed - in fact, I almost would have preferred it. The book is emotional enough without it. The only positive part was getting to see Nora as an old lady with an extraordinary life, and being able to hear her tell the stories rather than see them play out explicitly on the page. There were a few touching moments in Samantha's chapters - when Nora gives her Marie's necklace, and the little tidbit about her mother's maiden name being Calloway, which is a hint about who Marie eventually marries. But if I had to choose, I would have preferred more time in the past story rather than focusing on the present.

The other piece of criticism (constructive?) I have is about the ending. I though the book did so well in its pacing. Nothing felt like it was going too fast (thank goodness), but I also never felt that it dragged on. After a build up like that, you can imagine how shocked I was at how quickly it ended and all the loose ends were cleanly tied up. It almost felt like a happily ever after or an epilogue. After Marie gets on that boat, we don't get to read about her journey to Canada, or what life was like as she tried to settle in a new country. We don't get to find out how Nora fared in the Wrens (although she gives us hints in the present). Most of all Hazel, who not only do we not get to hear how she moves through life as a divorced woman, but as she dies 20 years before the modern day story line begins, we don't even get any post-war follow ups. Even though we know Marie went back to England every five years to visit, we hear nothing about what Hazel got up to. And even though I don't want to focus on their marriages, we hardly get to hear about those either (except for Hazel, obviously, oddly enough). We know Marie ends up with Richard Calloway, but we don't get to see their relationship build because of the time jump. It's still brand new to the reader, and feels quite shocking when he announces that he requested a posting in Canada. Last time we checked in with Marie, she was saying goodbye to him. It made it feel unnatural, honestly. And we don't get to see Nora's life with Joseph, either. I thought it was adorable that they met working in the Home Office, and while they were compatible, they also challenged each other. I loved the fact that they lost touch but that fate brought them together again years later. I loved it, and I wanted to SEE it, rather than read about it after the fact.

In the epilogue the author writes about her research process and how she came upon this story. I wasn't hugely impressed, and I do think that despite how it comes off being well-researched and not really having any holes (except not really acknowledging the internment of Jewish people, like, at all), I think the research could have gone a bit deeper. But part of that judgement is from my own research background, which is far less narrative and far more nuanced. There's nothing wrong with taking a piece of history and just running with it. This is fiction, after all. Authors can write about whatever gives them inspiration. On that note though, like I said, it doesn't feel like it's not researched and just pulled out of a hat, because it clearly is, to an extent.

ANYWAY, if I wasn't reviewing this as an ARC, I bet I wouldn't have all these complaints, which really tells you a lot about how enjoyable this story actually is. I point out those things because as a reviewer I should, but as a reader, I thoroughly enjoyed this a lot. It was sweet, it was emotional, the female friendships and bonds are so incredibly strong. It has heart, it has soul, and there's nothing I love more than a couple of girls defying society's expectations and breaking stereotypes. Yes I would have like a better ending, and shoving Samantha and Nora's grandson together seemed too convenient, but whatever, it works. This book does exactly what it promises and I cannot fault it any more for that.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon&Shuster Canada for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

After enjoying The Light Over London in 2019, I knew that I couldn't wait to get my hands on Julia Kelly's latest. In this dual historical timeline, Samantha journeys from Chicago to England to visit Nora, an old friend of her recently deceased grandmother, Marie. With a memorial in the making, Samantha wants to learn about grandmother Marie's life during WWII. Nora, with the assistance of her grandson, Daniel, unfolds the tale of Marie, Nora, and their best friend, Hazel. Marie, German-born and having lived with her Uncle, Aunt, and cousin for many years soon finds her very life threatened. Hazel, a successful matchmaker fears her marriage is falling apart, and Nora enjoys her life as an independent woman with a house and a job in the Home Office. There are surprising twists and turns regarding what these three women endure during wartime was fascinating and I read this story in one sitting.

The friendship between the three women is certainly the central point of the narrative and is infused with intrigue, romance, and specific concentration on how Germans or people of German origin living in Britain were now seen as "foreign aliens" and were placed in internment camps. Although the author doesn't take us to an internment camp, the conversations of the characters capture the fear associated with Marie being sent there. I knew a little about this history as there actually was an internment camp near the town of Minto, NB( Canada) for German and Austrians( most of them Jewish refugees) who were suspected of being spies. Hopefully, this book will serve as a diving board for readers to look more into this forgotten piece of WWII history.

Goodreads review published 22/01/20
Publication Date 14/01/20

From the talented Historical Fiction writer of "The Light Over London", comes an unforgettable sweeping saga of three best friends who must fight for their friends honour during the dark days of world war two.

Hazel, Nora and Marie, three outspoken strong women who now each must face changes in their lives that they never expected or wanted.

The war machine in Europe is grinding along and they have to fight to stay ahead if they want to survive.

"Hazel", happily employed as a matchmaker; bringing people together for a lifetime of love...or is she?

"Nora", demure socialite, doing her part to help the war effort...but at what cost?

"Marie", a young hardworking German, hated and mistrusted by her new adopted country...how can she prove she isn't the enemy?

With dual timelines and different narrators, this story delves into a little known part of British wwII history...Internment Camps.

4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley Simon &Schuster and the author Ms. Julia Kelly for the opportunity to read this Advanced Readers Copy of "The Whsioers of War".
The opinions expressed in this review are mine alone.

The Whispers of War, a novel told from the perspectives of 3 friends navigating their way through World War II in Britain. This story is also partially told from the perspective of one of their Granddaughters, as she learns the history and suffering her Grandmother faced while being a German living in Britain during the war. Marie's Granddaughter, Samantha, becomes executor of her estate, and is sent on a life changing trip to England, where she meets Nora, one of her Grandmother's closest friends from childhood. Nora shares with Samantha the history of Marie's past, how she came to Britain and how she managed to escape, and end up in Canada. What else will Samantha discover on this trip?

I bawled my eyes out the last chapter of this novel. I very much enjoyed the multiple perspectives of everyone's side of the story, painting the full picture of what this trio went through during the war. Not only is it beautifully written, but you will fall in love with the characters, become eager to find out their journeys, and will leave you wanting to know more of what became of them. While this story was beautiful and kept me interested the whole way through, I couldn't give it the 5th star, because I felt like I needed a little more out of it. Just a bit though! This novel was truly wonderful and any historical fiction lover will surely enjoy it. I can't wait to read Light Over London!

I really liked this story. Three girls meet at school and become fast friends. Two of the girls are British born, one is from Germany. When the World War II
Is declared, Britian starts rounding up and questioning all the Germans living in Britian. Now Marie, the German girl, has lived in Britian for most of her life. She considers England to be her home, not Germany. War changes people. Sometimes family is not what they seem, and friends can surprise you, in ways you could never imagine. Good story. I rated this book 4 out of 5. This review is on Goodreads, under another isbn.

The Whispers of War tells the story of three friends in Britain in 1939 dealing with the potential outbreak of war. Nora's a socialite who works at the Home Office and is just an overall badass. Hazel is a matchmaker who is herself in an unhappy marriage. And Marie is a German expat afraid of being placed in an internment camp. The three friends band together to keep her safe.

Despite the subject matter, this is a fairly light read. The characters talk about internment camps and air raids, but apart from a couple of scenes, we don't really get a sense of the danger they face. Rather, the focus is on the friendship between the women, and how having such a strong support system can help you survive even something as horrible as war.  

I loved reading about the women's lives and their friendship. Hazel is probably my favourite, mostly because she's the quietest of the three, but she turns out to be the most badass in terms of what she does to protect refugees fleeing the Nazis. I also loved her love story, which is sad but also felt real. She's a matchmaker who's ironically in an unhappy marriage of her own, but the breakdown between her and her husband is more a drifting apart than an actual break. And I love how her actions to support the war efforts makes she and her husband begin to see each other in different ways.

Nora's character arc wasn't quite as developed for me. For a lot of the book, she seemed like the rich and powerful friend who had the clout to keep her friends safe in a tumultuous time. But I love the romance that develops between her and a co-worker. I found it sweet, and wish we'd seen more of it.

Marie was the main character of the three, and her situation drove a lot of the action in the second half. I had no idea there were internment camps for Germans during the war, and I guess I never really gave much thought to the discrimination they must have experienced at the time, regardless of their actual ideological distance from the Nazis. So I like that the author highlighted this totally new-to-me facet of World War II, which I don't remember ever seeing before in other novels.

That being said, I admit I didn't really get much of a feel of the danger Marie was supposedly in. We're told that some Germans could be sent to internment camps, but we aren't given enough information about these camps to make them feel real. In contrast, of course, we're very much aware of the horrific realities Jews went through during the same time period, and are therefore very aware of their absence in this novel. I get that it's because the author wanted to focus on Marie's situation as a German expat, but I couldn't help thinking about how Jews had it much worse. There was a scene where Marie is hiding during an air raid, and is comforted by a Jewish German couple, and I couldn't help thinking that their situation is a lot more dire than hers is. 

As well, there's a scene where Marie remains silent on a bus so other riders don't hear her German accent -- I love this detail, because it shows the fearful experience of trying to pass. But I also couldn't help thinking of racialized communities who wouldn't be able to pass as easily as Marie did. 

I don't mean to minimize the experiences of Germans like Marie who faced the threat of internment; I just wish it had been made more concrete. Or at least that the book didn't so completely gloss over the horrific stuff the Nazis did, and the still somewhat privileged place Marie and her friends occupied in the world.

There was also a frame narrative, set in the present day and featuring Marie's grandchild Samantha traveling to deliver a package to Nora after Marie's death. It's Samantha's visit that prompts Nora to share the story of how she and Hazel worked to keep Marie safe during the war, but the frame narrative felt completely unnecessary. The historical story was much more compelling. I loved the relationships between the three women and also the romances they had. 

+

Thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have been in the mood for a good Historical Fiction and this book really sounded like something I would like so I decided to give it a chance.

I very much enjoyed this book. I was entertained. This is a dual timeline story so if you don't like books like that you might now really be into this book but I liked that.

I loved the story and I couldn't put it down. I actually read it in one day.

I am giving this 5 out of 5.

Although I expected The Whispers of War to be just another wartime novel in the same vein as The Gown by Jennifer Robson - a recreation but with nothing original to say - I was sorely mistaken.

Three women - Hazel, Nora, and Marie - grapple with the changing times in London, England as the country bears down and prepares to go to war. When the nation sets their eyes on the enemy - that is, the German citizens living in England .- the women rally around Marie, their German friend. Tensions arise and circumstances for women change, but the lifelong ties of friendship are everlasting for this trio as they embark into a new world.

This is a fresh take on the formulaic presentation of World War Two stories. While it does have a similar vibe to other books, The Whispers of War took on a unique perspective on a subject that many authors within the historical fiction genre are trying to tackle. The biggest difference for me was the time frame. While most novels kick-off in the middle of war or less often, in the post-war years, this novel was set during the onset of the war. The story is primarily told between 1939 and 1940 which is very early-on in the war. It wasn't until a few chapters into this novel that I realized I didn't know all that much about this specific time of the war and I was happy to be exposed to a new outlook.

Until now, I hadn't realized the effect of the war on Germans in the UK. We learn almost immediately that Marie is German, although she has lived in England since she was a little girl. As the story progresses, we're introduced to the harsh prejudices and dangers that German nationals living in England faced during the Second World War. Despite doing absolutely nothing but be fiercely loyal to the British, Marie is condemned by many British citizens and viewed as the enemy for no reason but her nationality. I think that Julia Kelly did an excellent job in showing the severity of Marie's experiences in England. It's important to not forget that many mistakes were made during the war, even on the home front. I think now, more than ever, we need to remember the errors of our ways.

Unlike some war novels, this focused on the experiences of women who did not directly partake in the war effort. By showing three women who were going on with their regular life (for the most part) during the early years of war, we are able to see first, the gender-based prejudice that existed in society during the 1930s and 1940s but also the shifting attitudes as well. Nora, Hazel, and Marie are all what were called "modern women;" they were all working women, even though the war hadn't yet called for women to join the workforce. Hazel is a married woman who refused to give up her career, Marie is a working woman at a university, and Nora refuses to consider marriage for she believes it will jeopardize her career. These stories, however fictional, were very much a reality in the interwar years, especially leading up to WWII. I loved this focus on "modern women" and how Julia Kelly showed that women constantly faced obstacles in their employment but persevered in trying to show their value in society.

Aside from the heroism and work ethic of the women, what I found most admirable about these characters was their unwavering loyalty to one another and the friendship that harboured them for the formative years of their lives. For years, they had depended on one another and you can really see that familial bond between them. I'm a firm believer in the idea that friends are the family you choose and this novel is exemplary of that belief.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book! I read a lot of WWII novels this past year, but The Whispers of War really stood out as one of the best to me.