A book that goes between present day London and ww11 in Guernsey.The author does a lovely job of bringing the Island the people their moments in history to life, Historical fictional that drew me in took me back in time.Highly recommend the book the author.#netgalley#Islandsong

Roz is on a search to know her mother or more accurate her father. Forty years previously her mother Helene was experiencing the hardships of German occupation after being left behind by her husband who had joined the British Army. Rox has doubts and questions and throughout her search she uncovers the difficult aspects of wartime, the moral dilemmas, the intensity and immediacy of life and survival.
This is an incredibly moving tale of those complexities and the values misplaced upon history that cannot possibly be aligned under intense circumstances.
The author does justice to the dramas of relationships and the struggles of knowing and searching for truth. I highly recommend this book by Madeleine Bunting.

Really enjoyed this book - I loved the split between modern and past time. Was also interesting to find out more about Guernsey.
Well developed characters and a heartwarming read

Island Song is a historic romantic drama set in wartime Guernsey and present day London. A middle aged lawyer mourning her late mother discovers secrets in her past and leads her to the Channel Islands. Beautifully written, filled with period detail and a heartwarming twist at the end.

Island Song time slips between WWIi Guernsey and relatively modern day. Helene lives with her father and brother under German occupation in the 1940s and Roz, her daughter, fifty or so years later in London. Whilst dealing with her deceased mother’s effects, Roz is shocked to learn that her beloved father, Justin, is not her real father and that many of the things she believed about her family are not true.

Justin had met Helene when she had brought some paintings to him to sell, paintings which had been stolen by the Nazis and which later formed the basis of a legal case which disgraced Justin and his art dealing business. Justin had never revealed that the source of the rare and valuable sketches was Helene, nor would Helene reveal to Justin how they came into her possession.

Roz decides to try and discover the truth about her mother and consequently herself and, aided by a French art historian who is trying to trace stolen artwork, diaries and war time documents, she travels to Guernsey to find out what she can about her mother’s life, a life her mother never revealed to anyone.

Long Island tackles the moral complexities of war. So many novels are written about the horror and deprivation of conflict, about heroic acts of resistance and courageous rebellion, and indeed this book does contain examples of these with Helene hiding and nursing a broken, starving Russian prisoner of war, but it also looks at collaboration and decisions made, for all number of reasons, under extreme duress.

The author authoritatively describes Channel Island life in the Second World War, when the islanders were half-starved and abandoned to their fate by the mainland, whilst their German occupiers commandeered their property, food and anything else they wanted. I learnt a lot about the deprivations suffered on British soil so close to home. The feelings of helplessness are made clear, Helena’s father is deported to a German prison camp and she is left alone, so choices she makes are perhaps identifiable. Later consequences are not considered when trying to survive.

I enjoyed this book from its historical perspective and the questions it raised. The characters are believable and human, albeit somewhat contradictory at times The descriptions of the Island and its landscape are good. I struggled slightly with the ending which seemed unnecessary, but then perhaps I had missed something in terms of the timings and dates within the book (the modern ones were never entirely defined or stated but left to the reader to calculate and maths isn’t my strong point!).

This was absolutely beautiful.

Personally, I'm a huge sucker for anything for anything related to WW2, so I sort of knew that I would have at least some interest. However, I've had bad luck recently with some really rubbish novels set in this period, so I was very relieved to pick this one up!

Another element I found particularly strong was the dual narrative/dual timeline aspect. This again is something that can work wonderfully, or can be confusing and aggravating. This, fortunately, is an example of the former.

I adored every element of 'Island song'. The writing was beautiful, the plot flowed in a natural manner,and the characters were so well formed. The setting was also perfect, and I'm definitely seeing a trip to Guernsey in my future!

Island Song is two stories told alongside one another. In the present day, we have Roz, who following the death of her mother, receives a letter from the man she understood to be her father. Justin wrote to Roz prior to his own death some years earlier. The letter turns Roz's world upside down, she has to act on and research the secrets revealed.
In 1940, a young Helene is living through the German Occupation of the Channel Islands. Her new husband and her brother have enlisted with the British Army. Helene helps to run the home she shares with her father and Nanna. The WW2 Occupation was a time of grave uncertainty and Helene's story, is very much one of survival, flight or fight. Helene evolved from a carefree young girl into a woman of great fortitude.
I enjoyed this book, though I did feel at times a little bogged down with it, there was a lot going on.

I loved this book but then I love Guernsey and have lived there and enjoyed many holidays on the Island, so I knew I would enjoy a book that delves into the occupation history of the Island and gives so many vivid descriptions of the landscape.

A historically correct novel that gives an insight into the lives of those living on Nazi Occupied Guernsey.

This novel saw me through some traumatic weeks of my life, every night I sought refuge in its gripping pages and let myself be drawn further into the mystery which unfolded before my eyes.

The setting: a mix of present day adult siblings, seeking to answer questions surrounding the hidden side of their recently deceased mother’s life, which involves searching the island of Guernsey , unravelling mysteries from their mother’s youth in World War II times.

Vivid description, credible characters lead the siblings to discover that nothing was quite what it seemed in their upbringing, and now that their mother is no longer with them, who can they turn to for enlightenment?

Assistance comes in an unexpected form, from a French art-lover on a mission of his own

I enjoyed this book greatly, very evocative descriptions and unusual yet believable scenarios really drew me in to the storyline and setting.

This is a very enjoyable read. It is set in Guernsey during the Second World War, when the Nazi's occupied Guerney and caused a great deal of problems for the islanders. This story of a lady determined to find the true identity of her father and the reason behind some other mysteries in her life, makes for an interesting story. I enjoyed it very much.
It is always nice when you know where a book is set and having visited Guernsey several times I had that extra enjoyment.

I have been holidaying in the Channel Islands since childhood and I really looked forward to reading Ms Bunting's book. I love reading the history of the Islands during the occupation and I wasn't disappointed. It was a beautifully written book and clearly very well researched. I was drawn in from the beginning and the characters were wonderful. I would definitely recommend this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed Island Song. I really felt for Helene, isolated on occupied Guernsey in very precarious circumstances. Also for Roz, who must have felt such frustration trying to piece together the pieces of her mother's secret life, and likewise who she was herself. Some questions remain unanswered for me, but overall I really enjoyed this view of life in the second war and the repercussions.
Thank you to Madeline Bunting and to Netgalley for an advance copy.

I have always been fascinated with the World War II occupation of the Channel Islands and this book brought an intriguing personal story to life. It was so poignant and felt so real and I was truly gripped.

I found this one a bit slow off the ground and difficult to get into and hold my
attention. Also compared to books set in a similar era like the Nightingale it just didn’t match up.

Beautifully written and totally captivating. This read brims with sumptuous historical detail and wonderfully believable characters. Absolutely loved it.

I rarely find a book that grips and educates simultaneously. Bunting totally creates the atmosphere on the island of Guernsey when it is invaded and seemingly abandoned by Britain in WW2. It was a surprise to me to learn that the Germans had actually landed on British soil and sent islanders to the camps in Germany. They also brought POWs to Guernsey. The plot regarding the painting is surprising and the characters are beautifully brought to life. Helene's struggles and relationship complications are painful. It's a book full of emotional complexities and I thoroughly recommend it.

I am in charge of our Senior School library and am looking for a diverse array of new books to furnish their shelves with and inspire our young people to read a wider and more diverse range of books as they move through the senior school. It is hard sometimes to find books that will grab the attention of young people as their time is short and we are competing against technology and online entertainments.
This was a thought-provoking and well-written read that will appeal to young readers across the board. It had a really strong voice and a compelling narrative that I think would capture their attention and draw them in. It kept me engrossed and I think that it's so important that the books that we purchase for both our young people and our staff are appealing to as broad a range of readers as possible - as well as providing them with something a little 'different' that they might not have come across in school libraries before.
This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for school so that our young people can enjoy it for themselves. A satisfying and well-crafted read that I keep thinking about long after closing its final page - and that definitely makes it a must-buy for me!

I am a real sucker for historical dramas. Especially ones set in World War 2 so I was delighted when I was approved for the Island Song.

The Channel Islands were the only UK land occupied by Germany in WW2. Maybe it’s because of this that its not often a wartime drama is set in the Channel Islands. I attended a lecture at University by the son of a Channel Islands woman, about their occupation, and even as recently as the 1990s there was a reluctance to discuss the occupation.

After the death of her mother, Roz discovers that her father was not her real father, as her mother had been married before. She sets out investigating her mother’s life, discovering she was from Guernsey.

What results is a well thought out story set in occupied Guernsey, and Nazi theft of artworks.

The dual timeline works well, and the story evolves in twists and turns that I certainly didn’t anticipate.

I read this in one sitting when I was off sick, and definitely recommend.

This is a dual timeline story with Roz in the present losing her mother, Helene, and then discovering that the man that she had always thought was her father wasn't, she is determined to find out more about her mother's life which had always been a closed book. Through flashbacks and Roz's investigations we learn Helene's story of her life in Guernsey during WW2 and what changed her from the lively, happy young woman seeing off her husband to the closed in old woman that Roz knew.

A great book that I couldn't put down, the historical part of life in the Channel islands under German occupation was very interesting as was Helene's story and the stigma that could be attached to people for their actions, you definitely found yourself rooting for Helene and definitely a book that I would recommend.

I loved this book it was the sort of story I really love. Set during the Second World War in the Channel Islands it’s descriptions of the islanders struggles with food after the Germans invaded the islands.
The fact that the story was also in present day was just as fascinating to me and I didn’t want it to end.
I do hope this author writes more as I will certainly want to read more.