What a gripping story!

Annabel and her nine-year-old son, Daniel, live in an English village during the war, Husband/father, Reggie, is a soldier. Annabel suffers from what today would probably be classified as depression. She has never felt real love for her son and is largely disinterested in life, including in her absent husband. Annabel and Daniel meet Hans, a POW assigned to work at a local orchard, and he changes their lives. Daniel, addicted to fairy tales, sees Hans as a prince. Hans awakens Annabel from her depression as she falls in love with him. Hans wants her to help his escape....

This story is sometimes hard to read as Annabel is not a good mother. Left largely unsupervised, Daniel makes choices that have devastating consequences. It is hard to like them, although I couldn't help feeling a great deal of compassion for Daniel. But it is a fantastic story, with fairy tale themes (not endings) that enhance the sharing of Daniel's perspectives. Great, great writing.

This book shows the unending need for a mother's love; and the importance of recognizing and dealing with mental illnesses. ( )

A really atmospheric quite gripping tale
The story is based around a neglected boy during ww2.
I loved the characters even though I didn’t care for the mother. I realise she probably had some mental illness and she couldn’t help her behaviour.
It also throws into light the stiff upper lip attitude towards life during that time, I would hate to return to that way of thinking.
The part of the book when the father visits home for a short time had me choked up.
I thought it was a bit slow at first but literally struggled to put it down after the 30% mark ( )