As an avid reader, I am always looking for a new book to read. Last year I discovered the author Jojo Moyes, and since then I have read several of her books, including "Me Before You," "After You," "The Girl You Left Behind," and most recently "The Ship of Brides." Jojo Moyes is a British author who writes complexly interwoven tales of love and loss, failure and triumph. I enjoy her books immensely and I am pleased to give the latest book I read by her five stars.
"The Ship of Brides" is a historical fiction novel that centers around four war brides traveling on the HMS Victoria from Australia to England to meet their husbands. The novel is broken into three parts. Part I has an old woman finding the remains of the ship, Part II goes over the story of the journey on the ship, and Part III reveals who the old woman is and her significance.
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The four women that the novel focuses on are from four very different walks of life. They share a cabin on the ship. Maggie is heavily pregnant and has been taking care of her family since her mother left. She is very much in love with her husband. She sneaks her dog on the ship, even though there is a no pets rule. Jean is 16 years old and from a rough part of town. She got married at 15, and is wild. She gets into trouble while on the ship. Avice is a young and spoiled socialite who believes she is entitled to the best. She is shallow and has few redeeming qualities. She is a selfish character, but you can't help but feel sorry for her when tragedy strikes. Frances is a nurse with a past. She is a good person and a good nurse, but her past often overshadows those qualities.
Through the eyes of these four women, the reader gets to see what it was like to be a war bride of WWII. Moyes paints an interesting picture of the ups and downs of life at sea and what the uncertainties of having a husband in the military during a time of war was like. You can truly picture it because of these characters. It is because of these characters that make you fall in love with the story. You feel what they feel; you rejoice when they triumph and cry when they fail. They become a part of you.
Jojo Moyes did it again! I love it when a novel can completely capture my attention and take me to another world. In this case, it was a ship in 1946. I recommend this novel to fans of historical novels, romance, and adventure. Fans of Moyes will not be disappointed, for if you liked "The Girl You Left Behind," you will enjoy the same type of writing style in "The Ship of Brides." This is a good and lengthy read, perfect for an avid reader looking for a new adventure.
