One thing that struck me upon reading this book is the amazing life that these creative and inspiring women lived while they were suffering great deprivation during their long captivity.
With the World War II stories saturating the reading world, a story needs to give readers a new and different angle – a fresh setting and perspective for a discerning audience.
This is one that does that but it is also based on real events and real people which makes it so much more emotive.
Their resilience and bravery will astound you and it is heartwarming that they will now be remembered.
When the Japanese entered the war in 1942, many evacuees tried to get out of Singapore and some of them were luckier than others.
One merchant ship, the Vyner Brooke, was attempting to get people out but was hit.
Some survivors of the ship disaster had only the clothes on their backs, while others had money and suitcases full of clothing.
This created a class society and divided the prisoners into have and have-not groups.
Some managed to make it to safety on an island only to be captured and held hostage for three years and seven months.
The characters’ dialogue and behaviour during their imprisonment is believable with the grit and heaviness that you would expect in an historical fiction novel.
This is a story of brave sisters – holy ones, biological ones, and ones who became like sisters.
It is about formidable women who had much strength during a time of captivity.
It is about friendships developing amid trauma – their plight was a hard one and many did not survive.
Learning how the women banded together in sisterhood, sharing, nursing and caring for one another with encouraging words of hope is uplifting.
Their bonds, their determination, their bravery, their friendship and their sacrifices shine through.
I connected strongly with the nurses and enjoyed following their journey, often more so than the journeys of the families alongside them.
There is a musical element to this storyline which I found endearing.
I enjoyed how the women used their voices to form an orchestra which lifted their spirits and entertained others.
It was a feel-good moment, although unfitting during such horrific times.
I admired that the author based her characters on real people.
There is a list at the end of the book detailing what is known about the actual characters who form the basis of the story.
The disconnect for me was that there were too many characters to keep track of, it prevented me from connecting with any.
It is evident that, as with her book The Tattooist of Auschwitz, much research has gone into the telling of this novel.
Thank you, Heather Morris, for telling us a heartbreaking story – and the significance of the title was not lost on me.
I can offer one better than book club questions this week – Heather Morris will give an author talk from 11am-noon on Thursday, August 22, at Avoca Beach Surf Club.
Book at wordsonthewaves.com.au/heather-morris/
Julie Chessman