Book Review: Island Song

Island Song - Madeleine Bunting.

I've written on here before about liking books set in the Channel Islands during World War Two and so it is unsurprising that when I saw this go by on Net Galley I requested a copy PDQ.

Like so many books this one starts with a mystery being revealed at the death of a parent and Ros finds her world turned upside down Everything she thought she knew about her life, and family events, are a lie.

The book isn't quite contemporary and that adds to this story as the layers are unpeeled slowly - literally at 'snail mail' pace. Our characters publish notices in papers, research in archives and travel to places to have conversations in person in order to find the truth. It helps the story unravel naturally rather than sensationally, and allows the flashbacks to slip in easily without upsetting the flow of either half of the tale.

The story is a new look at the occupation of the Channel Islands, and not one I had read before. I really didn't see the ending coming either, and it was far more satisfying than the one I'd imagined.

In the best tradition of books this left me wanting to know more about some characters and I'd love to read a companion work to this telling the other side of the story.

The hard copy of the book is published next week (April 4th) but the ebook is available now!

I received a copy of this book free of charge from Granta/Net Galley and I am under no obligation to review the book, nor did I receive any recompense for the review.

Book vs Film (sort of)

There hasn't been too much on at the cinema lately that I've wanted to see but typically just now there are three films all once.

Another Mother's Son was my priority as it covers a period of history that I am very interested in - the German Occupation of the Channel Islands during WW2.

I can date my interest in this area back to childhood holidays in Jersey and Guernsey when dad took me to WW2 locations such as the Underground Hospital in Jersey. The first book I read on the topic (and possibly my first autobiography and first WW2 book) was A Child's War by Molly Bihet. She was certainly the first author I met and I still remember the occasion and location and have my signed copy of the book.

Since then I've read lots of books set in the Channel Islands during the Occupation, in fact one of my favourite books of all time is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society which is heavily influenced by the true story depicted in Another Mother's Son.

The film certainly packed an emotional punch, and although I did know how the story ended I still was moved by it and generally enthralled, but...
I just found the film to be too historically inaccurate, too Hollywood. There was nothing too obvious, just enough niggles to make me unhappy as I was watching it.

My main problem was that the film. although based on the true story of Louisa Gould, felt less real than the novels I've read.  The people just didn't come across as oppressed, or as hungry as other sources have shown and the timeline at the end was just a little too compressed. And don't get me started on the accents... I am going to be generous and say that perhaps this is because many of the books I've read were set on Guernsey and this is Jersey but I am not sure this really can explain my feelings.

I know I am forever saying I prefer the book to the film but in this case I am really surprised that this is the case. It doesn't feel right that a simple novel based on many sources and thoroughly fictionalised should be better than the true story.

The film is worth watching, and I like to support British films but in this case I really do urge you to read the books, especially Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.