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Addison Armstrong

Forfatter af The War Librarian: A Novel

4 Works 138 Members 21 Reviews

Værker af Addison Armstrong

The War Librarian: A Novel (2022) 86 eksemplarer
The Light of Luna Park: A Novel (2021) 49 eksemplarer
De oorlogsbibliotheek (2022) 2 eksemplarer
Het licht van Luna Park (2021) 1 eksemplar

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"The War Librarian" was a tribute to books, the power of words to provide comfort and enlightenment, and women's strength and determination. Like so many historical novels I've read, this one had a dual timeline. Emmaline became a volunteer war librarian in France, providing books to soldiers wounded in the Great War while Kathleen was a young Navy seaman, one of only a handful of women who signed up in 1976.

I had no idea that the American Library Association played such an important role during WWI, shipping thousands of books overseas to the men fighting for freedom, so I found Emmaline's story fascinating.

However, this novel made me so angry at times! The racial tension and what these women, especially Kathleen, faced from the men they worked beside infuriated me. Despite a sixty-year gap between the two timelines, both Emmaline and Kathleen were continually belittled, harassed, tormented, embarrassed and made to feel second-rate by arrogant, boorish males. Sadly, even though it is now 2023, many women find themselves in similar situations, especially those working in male-dominated industries.

Kathleen and Emmaline were both courageous trailblazers trying to make changes in the world in which they lived. They were supported by other likeable women, especially Nellie, who I adored for her cheerful outlook on life despite the atrocities she saw on a daily basis.

I liked how the author wove the two stories together, but I thought the ending was a bit flat which reduced my rating by half a star, However, overall, "The War Librarian" was a captivating historical read.
… (mere)
½
 
Markeret
HeatherLINC | 10 andre anmeldelser | Apr 2, 2023 |
The story vacillates from 1926 and 1951. In 1926, Althea is finishing up her studies to be a nurse and is on the obstetrics shift. After witnessing the birth of a premature baby who is left to die in the hospital, she takes action after a second premature baby is born. Secretly, she takes the newborn struggling to live to the least likely place, but in reality the only place, where this child has a chance to survive. A doctor has set up incubators at Luna Park, Coney Island, for these babies to be cared for by himself and by nurses. To pay for this venture, people are charged a fee to see these tiny infants. Dismissed and scorned by the medical profession as just another freak show attraction, this doctor is nevertheless saving lives. And Althea in essence sacrifices her own life to save this newborn. In 1951, Stella is a teacher of special-needs children, at that time called handicapped children. She and her class are regulated to the basement, without an elevator for those in wheelchairs, without necessary school supplies, and without any support from the administration. Their day is shorter than a normal school day, and they are isolated from everyone else. When Stella finally demands some basic supplies for her kids on the threat of quitting mid-year, it doesn’t go well for her. Both these strong female protagonists fight for what they believe are injustices, but they go about it in different ways to achieve their goals. This compelling and well written story, based on true occurrences, is one of sacrifice and of hard decisions, but mostly, it is a story of a mother’s love for her child, and the love a teacher has for children who cannot speak for themselves.… (mere)
 
Markeret
Maydacat | 9 andre anmeldelser | Mar 18, 2023 |
4 stars for the idea and historical background; 3 stars for execution. The story is excellent but the author's writing style was often repetitive in turns of phrase and with the main characters mulling the same problems over and over. The book raises but doesn't delve too deeply into medical ethics and looks a little harder at discrimination against women, especially career-minded women in the 1920s and 1950s. Mostly enjoyable but could have been more tightly written.
 
Markeret
bookappeal | 9 andre anmeldelser | Feb 7, 2023 |
Exiting at 48%. This is supposed to be a book about inspiring women serving their country. However, the narrative just keeps doubling and tripling down on the forced-in, racial aspect. Women oppressed, people of color oppressed, book "banning". It's like a woke free-for-all. Very disappointing as I loved this author's debut wholeheartedly.
 
Markeret
Desiree_Reads | 10 andre anmeldelser | Jan 24, 2023 |

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Statistikker

Værker
4
Medlemmer
138
Popularitet
#148,171
Vurdering
½ 3.5
Anmeldelser
21
ISBN
11
Sprog
1

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