Carrie’s War is a deeply moving tale of childhood trauma during wartime, exploring themes of guilt, belief systems, and the lasting impact of past experiences. The story's elegant sparseness and heartbreaking conclusion make it an extraordinary and touching depiction of a tumultuous period in history.
Carrie’s War is a beautifully written novel that delves into the lasting effects of wartime experiences on a young girl named Carrie. The story is set during the Second World War, where Carrie and her younger brother Nick are evacuated to a Welsh mining town. They become entangled in the lives of two contrasting households, one dominated by a strict and austere grocer and the other a haven of warmth and hospitality. The novel explores themes of guilt, belief systems, and the influence of our past on our present lives. Carrie's experiences leave a lasting mark on her, and the book's conclusion is both redemptive and heartbreaking, providing a tangible sense of relief while leaving the reader with a deep sense of sadness for the wasted decades. The elegant sparseness of the writing and the touching depiction of childhood trauma make this an extraordinary book.
Quick quotes
Deep in the trees or deep in the earth… something old and huge and nameless.
Written with elegant sparseness, it’s a supremely touching depiction of childhood trauma during an tumultuous period of history, and the book’s conclusion is both redemptive and utterly, utterly heartbreaking.
There is no more destructive and lingering an emotion than guilt, and the lifting of Carrie’s needlessly prolonged self-torment as her story snaps back to the contemporary 1970s provides tangible, tear-jerking relief — while leaving us unbearably sad at the wasted decades that her wartime experiences have instigated.