‘Full of heart, emotion and drama, it is the perfect uplifting story
for fans of Kate Thompson and Natasha Lester.‘
– A Girls’ Guide To Winning the War (Publisher Quote)
[ About A Girls’ Guide To Winning the War ]
Can two young women and one book change the course of war?
Whip-smart librarian Peggy Sparks is determined to make sure that her brother Joe returns from the frontline to their London home, which they share with their beloved mother and grandmother. So when she is offered a once-in-a-lifetime job at the heart of the war effort, Peggy jumps at the prospect of making a real contribution to her country.
But when she finds herself working under the fanciful socialite Lady Marigold Cecily, Peggy discovers that those around her are more keen on dancing at the Café de Paris than on ending the war. Writing accounts of her daily life is the only thing keeping Peggy’s hopes alive. But when she finds her inner-most thoughts accidentally published by the Ministry of Information, Peggy realises she needs Marigold’s help to save her job, and to bring her brother home . . .
[ My Review ]
A Girls’ Guide To Winning the War by Annie Lyons publishes in paperback today January 16th with Headline Review. I am delighted to be joining in the celebrations with my review of this really charming and hopeful book, one that is described as ‘the most heartwarming, uplifting novel of courage and friendship in WW2 – a powerful tale of unexpected friendship, community and two remarkable women who change the course of the war’.
Peggy Sparks, a librarian, has spent the best part of her life escaping between the pages of a book but when an unexpected opportunity comes her way, she finds herself working at the Ministry of Information in central London. Peggy has a twin brother Joe who is overseas in the army and as the war wages on, Peggy’s concern grows daily that he may not make it back. She lives with her mother, grandmother, sister-in-law and niece and they all look forward with trepidation to Joe’s letters home. Although censored these letters provide solace to all the women but as the bombs begin to drop on the city, Peggy is conscious that she needs to do more.
The Ministry of Information was established by the Government to look after all the publicity and propaganda that was dispatched across the globe during the Second World War. There were many who were dismissive of it, but its role proved vital over the course of the war.
The Ministry of Information (MoI) was established by the British government at the outbreak of the Second World War. It was responsible for issuing ‘National Propaganda’ at home and abroad, as well as censoring information deemed to be of military value. Using all available modes of communication, the MoI issued pamphlets and posters to local authorities, issued guidance to the press, published books and illustrated magazines, ran thousands of public meetings, curated exhibitions, produced films, organised radio broadcasts, and undertook pioneering social surveys. This was government communication on unprecedented scale.
– A History of the Ministry of Information, 1939-46
On her first day Peggy found the sheer scale of the operation quite daunting. She was unconvinced that she could be of any benefit but as the war intensified and the city of London witnessed some horrendous tragedies, Peggy began to understand the importance of their role. From working-class stock, Peggy was all too aware that she did not have the wealth nor education of some of her work associates but Peggy had plenty of knowledge and her ideas were soon recognised as being worth listening to.
Peggy frequently left reports on her superiors desk but one of these documents ended up in the wrong tray and was accidentally published and distributed before she was aware of the error. Her horror at what this could mean resulted in Peggy turning to the one person she never expected to seek assistance from, her colleague Lady Marigold Cecily. Marigold was a London socialite, who partied all night and seemed to have very little concern or awareness that a war was in full flow. She drank gin fizz cocktails at the Café de Paris and danced into the dawn. But Marigold had her own story to tell and as the friendship between the two blossomed, secrets were slowly revealed. Together Marigold and Peggy experience highs and lows, but they also build a strong connection as they fight their own fight and that of the community at large.
Annie Lyons describes A Girls’ Guide To Winning the War (and her previous novel The Air Raid Book Club) as ‘a story which pays homage to books, reading and the written word‘. Establishing her main character, Peggy Sparks, as a librarian adds a wonderful dimension to the novel, one that will certainly appeal to all the bookworms out there! Character development, relationship building and personal growth all feature very strongly throughout the novel as the chapters unfold which really carry the reader along on what feels almost like a personal journey. Peggy Sparks and all the personalities in this tale come alive through the vivid descriptions and the dialogue used throughout. There is a very warm and inspiring feeling to this novel, one that leaves the reader buoyed up and encouraged to possibly make changes in their own lives.
With strong female characters, A Girls’ Guide To Winning the War is a charismatic and heartfelt novel. It highlights the important role that women played during those frightful years and these women are developed as fully realized individuals, each with their own distinct voice, all courageous and all resilient. Annie Lyons has written a vibrant, engaging and insightful story, one I highly recommend to all wartime saga and historical fiction readers.
[ Bio ]
After a career in bookselling and publishing, Annie Lyons became an author. When not working on her novels, she teaches creative writing.
She lives in south-east London with her husband and two children and black labrador, Nelson.
