Everything was black in the moonless night, the blackout rules forcing all the light out of the world. But with a cautious smile, I realized that there are no laws against singing, and I found my voice becoming louder, in defiance of this war.
In defiance of my right to be heard.
(from The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir)
The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir is an impressive World War II homefront novel set in 1940 in the village of Chilbury in Kent, England. Jennifer Ryan tells the story in journal entries and letters from the points of view of Mrs. Margaret Tilling, a woman left alone with her thoughts after her only son goes off to war; Miss Edwina Paltry, the village midwife who takes on shady jobs for the right price as a means of atoning for her past mistakes; Kitty Winthrop, the 13-year-old daughter of the menacing Brigadier who longs to be a singer and is waiting for the dashing RAF pilot Henry to marry her someday; Venetia Winthrop, Kitty’s older sister who uses her beauty to her advantage and sets her sights on a mysterious artist; and Sylvie, a 10-year-old Jewish refugee living with the Winthrops who holds tightly to a secret.
The novel opens with a funeral and a note from the vicar indicating that the village choir will be disbanded now that all the male members have gone to war. However, under the guidance of the new choirmistress, Prim, the women of the village form the Chilbury Ladies’ Choir, using their voices to both lift up and comfort each other and their fellow villagers during the chaos of war. The women of the choir forge new friendships, uncover secrets, fall in and out of love, and find strength in themselves and each other as the war begins to take its toll.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir, but I was immediately intrigued by these women and the life of the village. Some of the women were resistant to the changes brought about by the war, while others viewed the absence of the men as an opportunity to take charge, see the needs that must be fulfilled, and move forward. Where the novel shines is in Ryan’s ability to give each of the women a distinct voice and show their evolution within their diaries and letters. Although some of the plot lines may have been a bit overly dramatic or far-fetched, Ryan made them work, and I was swept up in the gossip and the rivalries of the inhabitants of Chilbury.
I really enjoyed The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir, especially for Ryan’s skill in painting a portrait of a society in flux. Even when the bombs begin to fall and the losses begin to pile up, the narrative never gets too heavy and is never devoid of hope. I couldn’t help but love these women and root for them despite their flaws and misguided actions. The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir was a quick and pleasant read, and I found myself wishing there was another installment that showed how these women fared in the latter years of the war.
Thanks to TLC Book Tours for giving me the opportunity to participate in the tour for The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir. Click here to follow the tour.
Disclosure: I received The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir from Crown for review.
I have seen this pop up everywhere. Glad to see you liked it so much.
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It was really well done. Among the best homefront stories I’ve ever read. Hope you give it a try!
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I have been thinking about putting this one on my wishlist. After your lovely review, I will!
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Fantastic! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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HI Anna: This is on my TBR list–I am obsessed with WWII and have been in choirs since I was 4 years old…After your review, this one is going to he top of my list. Thanks and Cheers!
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Definitely sounds like it’s right up your alley! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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This sounds absolutely wonderful! I’ve got to get my hands on a copy.
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I hope you love it!
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Anna, I’m glad you enjoyed this WWII book. It sounds original and engaging. Lovely review!
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Thanks, Suko! Original and engaging is a great way to describe it.
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I really liked this one too!
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Yay!
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The description of this book reminds me of the Guernsey book which I loved, so I’m really excited to pick up a copy!
Thanks for being a part of the tour.
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My pleasure! It reminded me of Guernsey, too.
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I’ve been more and more intrigued lately by books set in the WWII era. I love history, and consider this part of our history very important so I love books that are able to make us travel back in time and feel the difficulties and struggles of the time. I love to get immersed into a different society and era, and from you review it appears this book was able to do that.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us Anna, I really liked reading this review 🙂
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My pleasure, Rita! My reading generally consists of JAFF and WWII novels. What a combination! Anyway, if you ever want a WWII suggestion, let me know. 🙂
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Thank you! I will :), I’ve been visiting some WWII related places lately and it has picked my interest on the era.
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That’s something I’d love to do as well. It really helps make your reading come alive. I also love that even after reading dozens and dozens of WWII novels, I always manage to find some nugget of information I didn’t know.
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It did gave me another perspective on history and on the places I visited. Suddenly everything seems easy to imagine. I’m going on holidays tomorrow and I’ll be visiting some places in Poland that were very important in WWII 🙂
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I had a very moving experience visiting the Holocaust museum in Washington, D.C. Trips like that are so important.
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