May 2016

EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN by Chris Cleave is based on the story of his grandfather’s service on Malta, as well as his grandmother’s life in the UK during the same time period.

Three characters --- Mary North, Tom Shaw and Alistair Heath --- bring the story to life here. Mary has volunteered to teach a small group of kids who have been left behind in the evacuation of the children, something I had not been aware of. The infirmed, those mentally handicapped and the non-whites typically were rejected by the families in the countryside who boarded the evacuees, or they were not sent at all. Tom is the school administrator who does not wish to join the war effort, preferring to stay behind and help those who were not wanted. Mary and Tom quickly become enamored with each other.

Alistair signs up, leaving his job at the Tate, and is sent to Malta. On a visit home, there is a spark between him and Mary, which they both are conflicted by. The story takes a sudden turn in the first third, which sends the trajectory in a new direction.

The school abandoned as the war progresses, Mary and her friend Hilda take on the dangerous job of driving an ambulance, thrusting them both into roles that they again were not trained for. The war brings out the best --- and worst --- in people.

Anticipation of the bombing at the beginning of the novel has readers on edge; I confess to not knowing that the bombing of London ended before the United States even entered the war occurring between September 7, 1940 and May 21, 1941.

Note: The letters from Chris’ grandfather to his grandmother can be seen inside the jacket of the book; the letters from his grandmother back to his grandfather were sunk on a U-boat. His story is further informed as heput himself on a diet of rations like that which soldiers would have eaten on Malta and on the home front, and spent extensive time researching each place. It reminds me again that we are very close to a time when those who remember the war no longer will be alive to tell its stories. Chris’ grandfather died as he was writing this book.

Confession: I was not a huge fan of LITTLE BEE, but I loved GOLD and now EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN. Whenever I pick up one of Chris’ books, I know I am going to be reading something fresh. There are common themes of death and loss of a dream, being forced to consider what is important, and becoming new people. For book groups, there is a ton to discuss as we take another look at World War II.