The Walking Wounded
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The Blurb:
Born at the end of the First World War, a young girl struggles to find her own identity in her big family and is pushed into a stormy marriage through a terrible misunderstanding from which her pride refuses to let her back down. As her own personal world begins to crumble, the foundation of the world around her is shaken as Germany once again declares war and her brothers and young husband sign up with the first wave of volunteers.
Walking Wounded tells the story of those left behind in a Blitz-ravaged London, and of the web of loyalty, guilt and duty that shapes the decisions of the women awaiting the return of their men-folk as the war draws to a close.
Spanning the period from the Armistice of the First World War to the exodus of the Ten Pound Poms to Australia in the 1950s,Walking Wounded is a family saga whose internal violence is mirrored by the world stage upon which it is set.
My Thoughts:
I do read and enjoy this genre of wartime family sagas, i just don't read them as often as i'd like. Main reason being, that i find sometimes, they can get a little samey and staid in their content. So it's more than a pleasant surprise when you come across ones like this, that stand out from the rest.
It becomes clear within chapters that this is a story unlike alot of others out there. Most are told from the point of view of life during the period of the war (which one varies, but usually, it's just one) Walking wounded however is told of life and troubles after the first world war, from Armistice Day. Through to the second world war and then on again, into the 1950's. What happens to those survivors? Those who have suffered through the great wars and come out the other side.
We find out in walking wounded what happens to the Johnson family. A family who suffer tremendous hardship and far more heartache than anyone should ever have to live through.
At the end of the first world war May is born. We follow Mays journey growing up and getting married to Jimmy, a violent and vicious man who takes his own shortcomings and temper out on his wife. May is extremely young and makes the decision to just carry on and suffer, her sense of duty and what she feels is right shaping her whole life. She finds her own way of coping with it, but when it starts to affect the life of her young daughter can she change or is it too late?
Lydia, the older sister who has had to bring up herself and her siblings after the family was orphaned early on. Lydia gives up all of her hopes and dreams to make sure everyone else is ok and haves what they need. An extremely selfless person whose story had me close to tears.
What is most apparent throughout this whole story is both of these womens' strength of character and determination. They are courageous and brave in the face of all the terror, horror and heartache that life throws at them.
Not forgetting the men folk, our soldiers. The author describes how they are sent into war not knowing when or even if they'll return. We imagine in our heads perhaps, the victorious soldier, returning triumphant from battle., returning home the hero. I fear we sometimes romanticise this in our heads, looking back all these decades later through rose coloured glasses. When in actual fact, the reality couldn't be further from the truth. Often coming home half the man they left due to lack of food in the field. A shell of the person they used to be, suffering from what we now understand to be PTSD. At the time of returning however, no-one understood this. A lot of soldiers ended up being a stranger in their own homes and families. Locked in side their heads, still struggling to deal with the horror of what they'd seen and the atrocities they'd witnessed. Not even managing to find respite in their sleep as the memories turned dreams into nightmares. We see this with Lydia and Mays father when he comes back.
Another thing the author brought to my attention through this story, and certainly it's not anything that i'd even considered before, is that not all soldiers who died in the war did so as a result of injury.
I wont say too much here, but it will become apparent through the telling of Stanleys' story. Stanley being the brother of Lydia and May.
Anna gives the people depicted such a depth of character that it leaves us feeling all the raw emotions that they go through. I found this story compelling and insightful. It is only just 156 pages long but undoubtedly packs a punch!
I would dearly love to see this novella worked on and expanded. The potential is limitless and with such well rounded, strong and established characters as these it is a fabulous start.
I cannot believe this is actually a debut novel. It is written with the skill and confidence of someone far more experienced. This book has left me with a smile on my face and a frisson of excitement and anticipation of the great works i am sure will follow this one.
