I liked the cover and the premise of the book. Dual timeline stories always appeal to me, and the period around World War One is of particular interest. The story is well researched and goes into great detail on the social history of those who lived through the war and post-war years. The modern section is set in 1999 and features Kate, a successful PR professional who thought her life was on track until she discovers her life partner of five years is cheating on her. She moves out and ends up living in the home of her great aunt Florrie who is dying in a hospice. That is the link between the two timelines, but that’s about it. There is very little connection between the two.
Kate’s story was interesting, to begin with, but tapered off. It is Florrie’s life during and after the war that holds the interest. She is a strong, resourceful character who is let down and taken advantage of by every family member all through her life. Her sister Edith is portrayed as a broken-hearted woman who lost her mind when her fiancé died in the war, but I felt she was a selfish person who chose to opt out of life rather than support her sister and family. Florrie is the redeeming character of the book.
Overall, it is an enjoyable light read, my first from this author, and I will read more.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advance copy in return for my honest review.

Today I’m part of the tour for this WWI historical fiction story about two sisters who live out their lives quietly in the house where they were born. They seem fairly quiet and ordinary, but, through diaries we come to know them and their lives, hopes, and lost dreams.

I really liked this one, though it was sad. This story is told in two parts: current day and 1917-22. I much preferred the story and characters from the past. I think they reminded me a bit of a relative I had that would have been the same age who also lived her life with her sibling in the house where she grew up. Who knows what stories she left behind that we have yet to uncover?

Thank you for my copy and for making me part of the tour! I always enjoy books from Bookouture!

Every once in a while you finish a book and just sit there, speechless...stunned... The Shut-Away Sisters will do that to the reader. The time in history of WWII, especially the Nazi terrorism, is often written about, This story does it in a unique way, peeling back layer after layer of Florrie and Edith's story. Your emotions will swing with the story from hopeful to despair, joyous to heartbroken and you will never forget it.

The Shut-Away Sisters by Suzanne Goldring is an interesting dual timeline WWI-era and present day historical fiction. This book about two tales of a family generations apart. The first taking place during the early 1900s during the time of upheaval, WWI and the Spanish Flu epidemic and late 1990s/present day.

Between the different generations of women: Florrie and Edith in the past, and present day Kate the reader is thrown into a story of love, loss, finding oneself, and learning to find a life in the aftermath of tragedy and change. There are a few twists, turns, and surprises that add to the mystery and suspense. This was a wonderful novel. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Shut Away Sisters is the story of two sisters, Florence and Edith Henderson, told through journals discovered by their great-niece, Kate, in 1999, after the death of the last remaining sister at the age of 96.

When her long term relationship breaks down, Kate takes up residence in the great Victorian house where the sisters had lived all their lives. In a locked room Kate discovers journals written by her aunt, beginning in 1915 and ending in 1924. They describe Florrie's home life during World War I and its aftermath, including the Spanish flu pandemic, and reveal a traumatic event that sees Florrie abandon the life she would have had to remain in the family home. Reading the journals takes Kate back to the day her own dreams were shattered, from which point the story alternates between two time lines as Kate uncovers what happened to the sisters while discovering what is important in her own life.

Edith, older than Florrie by six years, spends her days writing poetry and letters to Frank, the man she hopes to marry. When no correspondence arrives from Frank, who is away fighting in France, Edith's anxiety about his welfare and whereabouts increases to the point where it becomes an obsession. She shuts herself away in her room, only leaving it to take meals with the family or a daily trip to the town hall to check the casualty lists.

Edith's mental state is largely ignored by their parents, who do not make the same demands of her as they do of Florrie, often allowing her selfish, sullen and rude behaviour to go unchecked. Although she loves her sister and is troubled by the person she has become, the dutiful and resilient Florrie feels resentful. She cannot understand why her sister shouldn't contribute to the running of the household or make use of the secretarial and bookkeeping training she had done so well at. Surely becoming more involved in the world around her would take her mind off Frank.

As the soldiers slowly return from the war, a change comes over Edith. She reverts to the joyful person she was before Frank went away. While Florrie is glad to see her sister restored, she is also alarmed when she discovers the reason behind Edith's new found happiness and is totally unprepared for what happens next.

What I liked most about this novel was the portrayal of family life during the war. I found this much more interesting than Kate's 20th century woes. So, I did favour the historical over the modern part.

I also liked Florrie who lived up to her resilient and dutiful nature, but also proved herself loyal and unselfish. Edith was a tragic character. I can't say I liked her that much, but I did feel sorry for her.

There was one aspect of the novel that I found incongruous. This happened at the beginning and didn't fit with the overall tone of the novel. It wasn't enough to stop me reading and enjoying what was otherwise a compelling story, but it did make me wonder what type of novel I was about to read.

Overall, I found The Shut Away Sisters an emotionally engaging and satisfying read.

Beautiful and poignant and just so so stunning. An absolutely wonderful, thought provoking story. One to savour and re-read. This author is a marvel.

This story is told through a dual timeline, alternating between WW1 and the present day and follows the life story of sisters Florrie and Edith. Their lives are forever changed after everything that took place throughout the war, and with their father being away from home fighting on the front line, they are struggling to get their lives back on track.

When Edith starts sneaking out of the house late at night when she believes everyone to be asleep, Florrie decides to follow her one night to discover where her sister is going. But when Florrie does uncover the place – and the reasons – that her sister keeps disappearing to late at night, she finds herself having to keep the secret to herself, for the safety of those she loves most in the world.

Then we jump to the present day where we meet Kate who is currently sorting through the house that her Aunts Edith and Florrie shared. When Kate comes across a locked door, she cant ignore the curiosity that it evokes within her, and when she then finds the beautiful wedding dress wrapped in tissue paper that is secured with ribbon she finds herself embarking on an emotional journey to gather answers to this mystery.

As Kate begins to unravel the truth that surrounds her families past she finds that life, as she now knows it – will never be the same again.

This is certainly a captivating story that really tugs on your heart string as you immerse yourself into the world of Edith and Florrie. They are both strong headed characters that have lived through a terrible time, and they have certainly not come out of it all unscathed. As we learn more about them both you really start to feel the bond these sisters share, and in turn, feel connected to them on a much deeper level.

Kate is an equally fascinating character. I loved how invested she became in learning more about her family and everything they had lived through over the years and experiencing this heart breaking story from her perspective really gave you a much clearer insight as to the events that took place.

This is a truly wonderful read that had me hooked from the start. The dual timeline within the story is executed beautifully as each of the characters are given their own unique voice that leaps from the pages of this book.

The Shut Away Sisters by Suzanne Goldring is a dual time-line story set during World War One and the years after and the modern-day aspect is set during 1999. In the present day we are introduced to Kate. She works for a London PR company and is successful in her job, dedicated and very hard working. She has been in a relationship with David for five years but her world is about to be turned upside down. She logs into his emails to check the final details of a holiday they are about to embark on only to discover that David has been emailing back and forth with another woman. It’s quite clear that this and a lot more besides has been going on for some time right under Kate’s nose and despite not wanting a relationship to end she kicks him to the kerb.

Kate is a strong woman when we first meet her but this unexpected discovery knocks her for six. It leads her to questioning everything she has known. Is she destined to forever lie on the shelf? She becomes discontented, restless and unhappy in her life and returns to her family home to lick her wounds and recover from the pain and humiliation she feels. But more bad news is to come. Her Great Aunt Florrie is spending her last days in a hospice. Kate gets to visit her but soon after she passes away. Her father lets Kate stay in Florrie’s house on the proviso she will spend time going through everything and then the outcome for the house will be decided. The house is like a time capsule where nothing changed for many many years. Florrie had lived on her own after the death of her sister Edith but to the residents on the street Edith was always an enigma and a recluse. It was Florrie they met and interacted briefly with. Kate feels the house is calling her, it’s a refuge from the pain she is experiencing. She has always lived to work but now she wants a life and a future.

Considering you know from the start that this is a dual timeline story, as a reader you are constantly looking for little clues and hints that would suggest a link between the two strands. But honestly the two stories just seemed so disjointed and it felt like I was reading two different novels in one and I have seen other readers comment the same. I didn’t really care for Kate at all and had much more of an interest in Florrie’s story which was told through her diary entries. There were details about Kate’s job that didn’t seem necessary at all and I just wanted her to get on with finding out more about Florrie. There were times when she avoided clearing out things or in one case really breaking down something and it frustrated me I wanted her to get on with it so the reader could learn more. I felt Kate’s aspect of the story dragged the plot along as a whole. Perhaps if Kate was mentioned for a chapter or two in the beginning and then again at the end it would have tied the two stories better together. I did enjoy getting to know some of the residents on the street where Florrie lived through Kate’s eyes but still overall there was nothing truly significant to have me deeply invested in Kate’s story.

Whereas I much preferred reading of Florrie and her family during the years of World War One. Her diary entries built up a fascinating picture of a family living through the most turbulent of times. I felt Florrie had to grow up very fast learning the way to run the household especially when her mother passed away from the Spanish Flu. She stepped up to the mark even though Edith was the elder sister and really she had no other choice. Edith was lost in a world of longing and pain. Her sweetheart Frank is away fighting and she spends her days writing to him and checking the local casualty lists when they are published. Edith comes across as a truly selfish character, time and time again she is asked to help Florrie and the family but she refuses and is allowed get away with this attitude. Yes, some sympathy can be extended to her given she longs for some news of Frank but still surely everyone was to pull together during times of need in the war.

Florrie was the complete opposite. She grew in strength and determination throughout the book always putting her family first. Initially I thought her viewpoint was off to a very slow start and I did think given how young she was how could she sustain the entire story set in the past? But it does grow to work. Florrie makes so many sacrifices the magnitude of some of them you only truly appreciate as you near the end. She always put others before her own needs, wants and desires. She really has no female sympathy or support and when her father passes away she really has to become the matriarch of the family looking after both Edith and Georgie, her younger brother. She feels abandoned in a way but I think her parents would have been proud of the values and morals she upheld especially when she is faced with the most challenging of circumstances. The two sisters were truly torn apart by the war and the dark secrets they kept. If discovered the consequences would be disastrous but so many years later as Kate edges ever closer to the truth will the secrets remain that way, hidden and trapped or do they need to come to the surface?

I have enjoyed Suzanne Goldring’s books in the past and I love historical fiction but this one was not my favourite nor the most memorable story I have read this year. That said I will read more from this author in the future.

This is a new author for me. I really enjoyed The Shut-Away Sisters. I enjoyed the dual narrative of the story. There’s something I really like about this structure. I haven’t read many books that feature WWI so this was a change of scenery for me. I found some of the WWI events quite difficult to read about and very intense at times. I thought the characters were well written. I really enjoyed this.

This was a solid 3.5 stars for me. Definitely worth the read, and it was a quick and easy read.

I greatly enjoyed the present day story of Kate, and sometimes had to remind myself that the story was really more about Florrie and Edith. That being said, I was super pleased with the ending.

At times I found the dialogue a bit too Victorian rather than late-Edwardian for Florrie, Edith and their clan. There were a few chapters where I also thought Florrie a bit of a simpering ninny (and more than once wanted to shake Edith...).

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy to read. My opinions are my own and in no way influenced by anyone. Ever.

This wonderful read is a dual timeline story that takes place between World War I and current day. Sisters Florrie and Edith are forever changed by the happenings of the War, especially with their father away from home, fighting in the War. Edith is sneaking out of the house at night while everyone is asleep. One night Florrie follows Edith to see where she is going and what she is doing. Once she discovers what is going on, she knows she can’t tell anyone for the safety and protection of her family. Years later, current day, Kate is going through the house that her aunts Florrie and Edith shared. She discovers a locked door in the house and wonders what could possibly be hidden in there. But when she finds the wedding dress wrapped in tissue and tied with a ribbon, solving the mystery of it all is her priority. And when Kate discovers the truth of her family’s past, her life as well, is forever changed. I enjoyed this dual timeline story, I found it to be very captivating. What a wonderfully written story, this book hits all the emotions and definitely pulls at the heartstrings in a massive way.

Thank you Suzanne Goldring for such a wonderful story. This story had all the feels of love, family, friendship, family secrets and forgiveness. I highly recommend this book.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3

London, 1915: As German bombs rain down on the East End of London and hungry children queue for rations in the blistering cold, fifteen year old Florrie is forced to grow up fast. With her father fighting in the muddy trenches, Florrie turns to here sister Edith for comfort. But the war has changed Edith. She starts leaving the house at night, and when Florrie her one night, she is shocked by what she discovers. Years later Kate, running from a broken relationship, is sorting through her dead aunt Florrie's house, which she shard with her sister Edith. Kate is looking at photos of her aunts and decides to start digging into their lives as she's determined to find out their secrets and put the family ghosts to rest.

The story has a dual timeline. 1915 and 1999. The story is told from Florrie and Kate's perspectives and the chapters alternate between 1915 and 1999. I didn't really enjoy Kate's part of the story and the book seemed to drag out in places. I'm sure I will be in the minority and there will be lots of readers who will enjoy this book.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #SuzanneGoldring for my ARC of #TheShutAwaySisters in exchange for an honest review.

This book tells the story of two sisters during WWI and after, and of their great-niece Kate, living in 1999. Florrie and Edith's story is a sad one. The repercussions of war long out-last the sounds of the last bullet being fired. For Florrie and Edith the repercussions last a lifetime.
Edith's beau, Frank goes off to war and doesn't return. The result of this is crippling to Edith. Always the more sensitive, dreamy poetry writing sister, Edith simply can not and will not accept that Frank is never going to return to her. She withdraws inside herself and her room, rarely venturing out, writing endless letters to Frank, and non-stop poetry. On the few occasions she finally does venture out the result becomes devastating.
Florrie is the younger sister, but she is the responsible, sensible one. Having been taught by her loving mother how to run a household and take care of family she falls into this role easily when her mother passes away from the Spanish Flu and her father returns from the war frail and ill. Edith is not to be counted on for any help as she lives in a dream world of delusions, refusing to accept what is reality.
This is where the story is somewhat unbelievable to me. Florrie is way to selfless, always giving in to Edith's whims. Edith says and does as she pleases and Florrie just takes all the brunt of it on herself, doing all the chores, giving up on ever having a life of her own just so she can care for Edith. Well it just made me want to slap one or the other of them, I'm not sure which one. Edith to snap her out of her fantasy world, or Florrie for not confronting her and sticking up for herself.
Anyway, there is niece Kate also, who has caught her live-in boyfriend cheating on her. Kate moves out, and into Aunt Florrie and Edith's home when Florrie passes away. Kate is to eventually go through all of their stuff and decide what to keep and what to give away. As she lives there she finds the quiet life of the suburbs appeals to her more than the face paced, high pressure lifestyle she was living. And her biological clock is ticking, she fears she may end up a maiden spinster like her aunts.
This was an interesting storyline, there is a lot of what if questions raised, what if their decisions were different? How different would their lives have been?
Anyone liking historical fiction based during the time of WWI and the Spanish Flu epidemic will like this sad, poignant story.
Thank you to the publishers at Bookouture and to NetGalley for the free ARC of this book. I am giving my honest review in return.

★★★ 2.5 stars (rounded up)

I've been an eager fan of Suzanne Goldring ever since her historical dual timeline debut "My Name is Eva" , which absolutely loved, and was excited to delve into yet another of her heartbreaking historical reads. But sadly I found this one failed to live up to her other preceding three. At first I thought it was just a slow build up with a promise of things to come but it never actually got there.

1999: Thirty-something Kate is shocked to discover her partner of five years is having an affair so packs herself up and makes the journey to Dorset to stay with her parents. Whilst there, her father tells her that her Great-Aunt Florrie is in hospital and unlikely to return home to her large sprawling Victorian house on the outskirts of London. He suggests that Kate move into Florrie's house while she takes stock of her life and sorts herself out and then when the time comes, to help her father by sorting through things.

Kate has vague memories of visiting her Great-Aunt there as a child but also remembers that both Florrie and her older sister Edith kept pretty much to themselves. In fact, she can't even recall a time she heard Edith speak. And Kate returns to the house and begins the process of creating an inventory of items before her brothers' horrid wives descend on the place like vultures picking at their prey. Soon after moving in, she visited Florrie in the hospital and appalled at the conditions and care she received there, made the necessary enquiries to relocate her to a comfortable nursing home. However, Florrie was only there a couple of days before she passed away and Kate berated herself for not being with her at the time.

Over time, she meets the neighbours - Marjorie, Peter, Tom and his wife, the widowed Dorothy and even the owners of the corner shop "All Hours" - who all remember Florrie fondly. It becomes clear that the residents of Coventry Road are a close-knit community that keep themselves to themselves but also look out for one another. But no one seems to remember much about Edith, who was too all intents and purposes, reclusive and only ventured out once a week for church at the end of the street.

It isn't long before Kate finds her demanding job as a public relations consultant is emotionally and physically draining and instead she finds solace in the peacefulness of Florrie's house. She meets antiques appraiser and dealer Nick at the church fete one day where she took an ugly looking vase along for appraisal. She was surprised to discover its value and wondered what else may lurk in the house of similar worth and although they continued to meet regularly, she never asked him to appraise anything else.

And yet, she found herself becoming restless in her work and her life. Is this all that there is? Is this all her life is going to be? She thought she was on the cusp of marriage and children with David but look how that turned out. Could she, should she dare to hope for more?

1915: The country is at war and families are trying to hold it through rationing, loss of loved ones and terrible hardship. Florrie Henderson is faced with one tragedy after another as she relinquishes her own chances at happiness for her sister. We first meet Florrie when she is 13 years old and helping her mother run their household whilst her 18 year old sister Edith shuts herself away in her room upstairs writing poems and letters to her sweetheart Frank who left to fight the year before. Every day Edith listens for the postman for letters from Frank and is dismayed when there are none but delighted on the days there are. Either way, she shuts herself in her room to reflect and to write...something which Florrie can see no use in. Her father is also sent away to fight some years later and soon returns home at the end of the war but not without scars. Her younger brother Georgie was too young to fight but instead learnt his father's trade so he could one day take over the business.

When their father returned home, Edith was beside herself asking him if he had seen Frank. Where was Frank? Was he on his way home too? But their father hadn't seen him, saying that there were thousands of men out there. As the days and weeks turned into months and still there was no news of Frank, Edith still shut herself away writing.

Florrie was 16 when the war ended and with it came the Spanish flu. When their mother collapsed and took ill, it was left to Florrie to keep the house and cook for them all, ensuring their father and Georgie were well fed while Edith only picked at her food...if she ever came down for meals at all. And then Florrie awoke one day after two weeks of sickness in which their father had to care for them all, and he was not well himself, what with the scars of the war he now carried from the mustard gas the Germans used. But now as she recovered from the Spanish flu, Florrie knew the responsibilities now sit on her shoulders as their mother had succumbed to it whilst Florrie was ill. All the while, Edith continued to believe that Frank was coming home to her and did little else but shut herself away and write day after day.

One day, when walking in the park with their brother Georgie, Edith spots some soldiers and boys gathered together and she smiles coyly at them. Soon after, she began to disappear every week and then almost every day, rain or shine, returning hours later and locking herself away once again. When Florrie confronted her about her daily jaunts, Edith gushed her relief at being able to confide in her that Frank had returned and she had been meeting him. Florrie thought this unlikely but accepted her sister's story. It had become clear that Edith was so deranged with grief she was convinced Frank had returned to her.

But what she didn't know was that Edith had a secret. A secret that could ruin her. And it is one that, once she discovered it, she would keep forever...to protect Edith. Even if it meant forgoing her own happiness.

Many years later, as Kate rifles through Florrie and Edith's possessions she comes across a locked door to which there is no key. Well, not one she has found anyway. What lies behind that door? What secrets does it hold? And will it reveal why the sisters never married?

THE SHUT-AWAY SISTERS is told in dual perspectives of Florrie in the years 1915 through to 1924 and Kate in 1999 and this is generally my preferred style of book for historical fiction. But it felt as if I were reading two different books. I felt no connection between Florrie and Kate, despite their relationship to each other, nor any between the two differing eras. I kept waiting for something to happen to weave the stories together but nothing came. Although there is a link between the stories, it is threadbare and barely there at all. This saddened me greatly as I so love Suzanne's books but for me this one missed the mark.

Florrie's narrative is told in the form of a diary though no diary had really been uncovered or read to connect the two stories. Kate did come across one diary but shut it quickly believing it to be private so therefore didn't think of it again. It would have connected the two stories better had she began reading her Great-Aunt's diaries as Florrie's story unfolded in the alternating chapters from then on. But then I was confused as to the second lot of diaries which were discovered toward the end and she spent the time pouring over them and the secrets it held. But by then it was too late to connect the stories. And I though Florrie's diaries were sitting on a shelf in the sitting room downstairs...so what were these diaries? It was never really made clear although it alluded to them being Florrie's. All Edith seemed to write was poetry...and letters to Frank. I found that a little confusing.

The characters were hard to connect with and I couldn't bring myself to like Edith as much as tried to sympathise with her. She came across as selfish and thoughtless, did nothing to help at a time the family needed to pull together. Florrie was younger than her and was keeping things together whilst Edith ran off to "meet Frank" or shut herself in her room. If she was questioned, she would say "I'm busy writing" as if that were an excuse for everything. I'm not sure I liked Kate much either. I honestly couldn't decide.

This book had so much potential and I honestly struggled to finish it. I love Suzanne's dual timeline historical tales but I was sadly disappointed in this one. It could have been so much more. Still...I eagerly await her next historical read which I'm sure will be as equally heartbreaking and heartwarming as her previous tales.

I would like to thank #SuzanneGoldring, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheShutAwaySisters in exchange for an honest review.

My first Suzanne Goldring novel and I hope it's not my last! I loved this story, I cried in places and was so hopeful in others. We read about Florrie's young life in the early 1900's whilst also reading about Florrie's great niece, Kate's in late 1990's. A wonderful read

Suzanne Goldring has written another warm and wonderful book!
This story takes place in London during the beginning of the first world war. The book highlights the difficulties many families faced during this time including, the loss of loved ones, hunger and the many fatalities due to the Spanish Flu. It also illustrates for the reader, the resilience and personal struggles that many overcame to protect their surviving family members.

As in her previous books, the author weaves a story that alternates between the past and the present day. We meet Kate an ambitious young woman working in media in a corporate London office. She has moved into her Great Aunt Florrie's house and soon begins to wonder about her Aunt and her Great Aunt Edith who lived there too.

When Florrie's mother and father pass away, she is left to take care of her younger brother and her older sister. She soon realizes that something is not quite right with her sister. She leaves the house at odd times of the day and does not return until quite late. She vows to find out what is going on and protect her even at a great personal cost.

For me, this story was a page-turner right from the beginning. I found myself drawn into the lives of these women and wanted to learn more about their stories. Suzanne Goldring is very adept at creating a warm and engaging story that gives you a window into the lives of ordinary people living in these very interesting historical time periods.

This is not the first book of Suzanne Goldring's that I have read. I was so pleased to be granted a copy of this ARC from Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for my honest review. I have to say, I love her writing and have been completely captivated by her stories. Please check out her books on Amazon.

The Retired Book Lady

This was a wonderful story, although I found it a little sad at times it was such a great book to read. It was so interesting to read about the hardships during WW1, the rationing and the starvation of families and also after the war the Spanish flu. Although this was covered in the book it wasn’t overdone which with what we are currently going through was a relief. I felt sad once I’d finished this book as I enjoyed it so much. I wish I could give it more stars as it was just that good. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

The Shut-Away Sisters by Suzanne Goldring is an interesting dual timeline WWI-era and present day historical fiction that kept me entertained throughout.

This book weaves two tales of a family generations apart. The first taking place during the early 1900s during the time of upheaval and societal change of WWI and the Spanish Flu epidemic and late 1990s/present day.

Between the different generations of women: Florrie and Edith in the past, and present day Kate the reader is thrown into a story of love, loss, finding oneself, and learning to find a life in the aftermath of tragedy and change. There are a few twists, turns, and surprises that add to the mystery and suspense.

An enjoyable read.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Bookouture for this arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

Another enjoyable book from Suzanne Goldring. Will share my full review on the blog tour

how the loss of loved ones during WW1, the Spanish flu and the damage caused to the soldiers by mustard gas led to lives being changed by PTSD and family responsibilities.

Great contrasts between the sisters and their great niece, reminding us how social expectations have changed over the years

War and its after effects are not something we like to think about. Lives are lost, husbands, wives, mothers, sisters, brothers, uncles, fathers leaving families bereft and facing deprivation. Hearts are broken, and many struggle to find their way ahead. Perhaps among the many affected, we don't give enough thought to those who are left behind, those whose lives are shattered, those who never recover.

In this story, The Shut-Away Sisters, the author tries to capture the loss and the very lives that survivors led. They were certainly not the ones that were planed, but the lives and choices they were given. Both Florrie, a girl of fifteen, and her sister Edith, were impacted by the war's aftermath. Florrie was left the responsibility of her family, since she lost her beloved mother to the Spanish flu. Edith, went through her young life convinced that her Frank was coming home to her. She was besotted and traveled, over the years down the road to solitude and writing poetry, never really venturing into the world, more or less living in seclusion. Florrie willingly gave up her life for she was the daughter who recognized responsibility and the care that her family needed and ultimately required. Florrie was a selfless individual; one whose duty was to family always and forever.

The book introduces us to Kate, a great niece of Florrie and Edith's. In her time frame, it is 1999, and she has just discovered her boyfriend, Dave, has been philandering, and realizes that she needs to get away from him and the flat she shared with him. Her father comes to her rescue as he is inheriting the house the sisters lived in and sends Kate for both solace and to get things in order. Kate finds many things that interest her and meets a man who is able to help her categorize the old items held within the house. As Kate gets deeper into the contents of the house and its belongings, her curiosity is peeked and she wants to know more about those reclusive aunts and their lives.

The story flips back and forth between 1999 and the beginning of World War 1, 1915. It is the one part of the book that is a tad disjointed. The rest of the book builds upon the admiration that the reader develops for Florrie and Kate. They were strong women who did what they had to even though it wasn't always in their best interests. The story was interesting particularly in the beginning as there was more action that piqued one's interest as to why the sisters remained as detached from the world as they did. This was a fine World War 1 story that made one think that the repercussions of war go on long after the last bullet is fired, the last cannon exploded, and the last person gives up their life in the cause of freedom.

Thank you to Suzanne Goldring, Bookouture, and NetGalley for a copy of the book due out June 29, 2021.