My third and final book for the week (thankfully, not another Jaqueline special) was Bethnal Green by Amelie Skoda. Set in 1970s London, we follow Suyin who has just moved from Malaysia to embark on a nursing training course in Bethnal Green hospital. The life she flees in Malaysia had been tricky, but the training gave her an opportunity to escape an arranged marriage and to get an education. Suyin is the middle child of three daughters, and comes from a close-knit but certainly troubled family. Her older sister, Hua, recently returned from the same nursing course, leaving before she was able to complete it under suspicious circumstances. Her father works long days and nights as a taxi driver, and her mother is struggling with severe mental illness. When Suyin arrives in England, she is placed in a dormitory in the hospital with other girls from all over the world. They realise that the training programme will be no easy feat – with long hours, gruelling tasks, and a rule that forbids all external relationships. She has a difficult start, with London not being the glowing metropolis of her imagination, instead finding it cold, dirty, and poverty-stricken. As time passes, however, Suyin grows to love London and forms some strong female friendships. She is even emboldened to investigate what may have happened to her sister during her time in England. This is a story of love, friendship, family and displacement.

I truly loved this book. I felt an immediate attachment to each of the characters, which is only testament to the power of Skoda’s writing. My only complaint is that I want more – everything was nicely rounded out by the end, but I feel a longing to know what happens to each of the characters in the years that follow. I’d love to know more about Suyin and Robert’s relationship, and whether Hua ever returns to the UK. I’d love to know what happened to Louise and Molly, and Flora and Wei. Skoda made me fall in love with all her characters and I miss them dearly.

Though some parts of the book weren't quite what I hoped for, it surprised me positively as well. The portrayal of working in the 1970s NHS was particularly illuminating, and the book came into its own about a third in. My full review will be available on Substack soon.

A really lovely story set between 1970’s London and Malaysia where we meet trainee nurse Suyin. I thought the story was well paced which lead to a nice calming quiet vibe of a book. I enjoyed the hospital setting and learning about the issues faced just 50 years ago around working in the NHS, racial issues and staunch family values.
I thought more could have been made of the storyline involving Hua. I felt that plot promised more and then was forgotten about til the very last pages.

A thought provoking and immersive read, this novel provides an insight into life in 1970’s London and nurse training. It follows Suyin who moves from Malaysia, with her father’s blessing fleeing before arranged marriage, to have an education, career and experience a new land. Brought up alongside her three sisters Hua and the youngest Mei, Suyin’s family is close but troubled. Her father works long shifts as a taxi driver in a turbulent and dangerous country. Suyin’s mother suffers a great pain and is disturbed by severe mental illness, affecting her rationality- Suyin’s plays a great part in caring for her mother. She works as an embroider at the books opening but quickly prepares to leave her family and homeland. Extra nerve is provided by her eldest sister arriving back from England, also training and laterally working as a nurse. Something has happened to Hua during her time in England, she is a shadow of her former self. This further prompts Suyin’s to venture to England, in order to solve what happened to her sister, for Hua cannot speak of it.

Suyin arrives in England and is thrust right into her new life and work, she lives in a dorm with girls from all over the world. They must pledge themselves to nursing, relationships are forbidden. Suyin’s has a tough start, it is difficult to settle- the London she lives is not the prosperous city she imagined. The weather is cold and murky and the work and training are physically and emotionally demanding. Not too long into her shifts on a ward, a patient dies which rattles her.

We follow her as she makes friends and settles into life. But the mystery of her sister still preys heavily on her mind and she makes efforts to explore her sisters London life and unearth secrets. Naturally, thoughts of her sister bring forward thoughts of family. She begins writing home to her mother. Family complexities and importance come to the fore and this communication means so much to Suyin’s mum.


The book progresses and all questions are answered. It kept me going throughout. I very much enjoyed the authors writing style. I will be sure to seek more by her. I would say this is an effortless read but by this I do not mean it as a disservice. It simply just got me utterly absorbed in the life of Suyin and 60’s London and Britain. I have read a number of books in succession that have celebrated sisters and sisterly bonds and connections. I am reading just now Coco Mellors, Blue Sisters and Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano was my read of the year in 2024. Anyone that has read either of those titles will very much enjoy this wonderful book by Amelie Skoda.

‘Bethnal Green’ is an important and powerful story, a story of young people leaving their home country and everything they know to improve both their own lives and their families, taking a giant leap of faith into an unknown future.

In 1971, Suyin Lim leaves Malaysia to train as a nurse in Bethnal Green Hospital, London. She is all alone and in a completely unfamiliar environment. She is terrified that she will do something wrong and be sent home- one trainee nurse is sent away almost as soon as they have arrived. Suyin’s elder sister has also been to London to carry out the same training but something happened whilst she was in London and she has come home, a shell of her former self. Suyin wants to find out what happened to her beloved sister as well as making her own path and making her family proud.

It resonated with me particularly because my own parents did something similar and moved to the UK in their early 20s; reading Suyin’s story, I can imagine more of how overwhelming that must have been.

So late for reviewing.. this was such an immersive beautiful read with great characters.
I loved the 1970’s Bethnal Green setting and almost gave a call the midwife vibe.
Highly recommend

A really enjoyable book set In 1970s London mainly where a young Suyin leaves Penang to take up her place as a trainee nurse at Bethnal Green Hospital in London, What a brave girl she is although she had followed her sister Hua who went to the same hospital, but returned home.

She soon encounters many challenges as the hospital is very busy with strict senior staff. She makes friends quite easily but there is the constant worry about the family back home who are not well off. This worry is explained as she write frequently to her father, and sends a little money to him as well.

With a little nod to the TV series 'Call The Midwife' the book is beautifully written and I particularly enjoyed Part 3. No more spoilers although you may guess she falls in love,, her friend is pregnant but all is wrapped up at the end perfectly.

Thanks to Net Gallery and Bonnier Books for the chance to read and review.

This is a novel about a young woman, Suyin, who leaves her home in Penang, Malaysia, and goes to London to train as a nurse during the 1970s. Am interesting read, the writer covers the problems and barriers to success that were common during this time; highlighting the casual racism that was an accepted part of British life.

Suyin is keen to find out what happened to her sister ,Hua, who had also started training in London but then unexpectedly returned home, with only an old A-Z map as a clue.
The author draws a vivid picture of Suyin's life in London as she settles into her training, making friends and gaining new experiences.
This was an informative and interesting read, but the story really gathers pace towards the end of the book when Suyin receives unexpected news from home.
An interesting story, with characters you grow to care about.

Wonderful novel. Loved the accuracy of the nursing, the complex romances. The emotions of the characters was reall brought out with their trials and tribulations. A lovely ending which was unexpected

I loved this book about Suyin, a second daughter of Malaysian parents, who goes to London to train to be a nurse in 1971. Her sister went to London first, but has returned in mysterious circumstances, which Suyin investigates during her time in the city.
I enjoyed thinking about the fact that nurses were not permitted to have boyfriends or husbands and keep their jobs in the early 70s - it’s not that long ago. The freedom Suyin attains is explored, with her arrival in a strange land being a strong start to the book. The clash of cultures between choosing to date a Malaysian friend from home, or the dashing British doctor is depicted well.
I enjoyed this book, I’ll certainly look out for more from this author.
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC

Set mostly in London in 1971, "Bethnal Green" tells the story of Suyin Lim, who travels from Penang to England to follow her goal of becoming a nurse, like her sister before her. Before she can leave, her sister comes home unexpectedly and without explanation. Suyin still chooses to go and adjust to her new life in London while trying to find out what caused her sister to leave.

Things I loved
- It paints a vivid picture of London in the 1970s from an immigrant’s perspective.
- Suyin is a well-rounded character with struggles that many can relate to.
- It strikes a good balance between personal growth and cultural/familial challenges.
- The book pays a touching tribute to healthcare workers without being overly sentimental.

Things I Didn't Love
- Some plot points, like the mystery involving the London A-Z map could have been more developed.

I wanted to read this book because my mother was a nurse in England in the 1970s, and this book delivered the details I wanted. 'Bethnal Green' will be a hit with readers who enjoy historical fiction, especially those interested in stories about immigration, the experiences of healthcare workers, or life in 1970s London.

Thank you to Bonnier Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC for review.

Bethnal Green follows Suyin when she travels to London from Malaysia to complete training to become a nurse. The book explores what it was like to live and work in London as an immigrant in 1970s England. As a work of historical fiction, the author includes information on events that happened and affected Suyin and her family in both England and Malaysia. This was a very emotional story, and the author takes you on a journey as you watch Suyin grow and witness the struggles she faces. This was a well written story that I really enjoyed reading.

Suyin is a strong character who clearly cares greatly for her friends and family. She is moral and always trying to do the right thing by her family and those around her. The romance in Bethnal Green is developed well, considering Suyin is not permitted to form romantic relationships during her nursing training.

Bethnal Green is like a character study of Suyin and how she responds to events and information when she finds out about it. Suyin moves to London to help her family and to also seek answers about what happened to her sister Hua, who returned abruptly from London and wouldn't talk about her experiences. This book was a very touching story about family, love, loss, and a sense of belonging.

Thank you to Amélie Skoda and Bonnier Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Follows Suyin Lim who leaves her childhood home of Penang to train as a NHS Nurse in the East End of London in the 1970s
London isn’t what she expected but she soon makes friends and settles
Gives an insight into 1970s England - covering immigration and the unrest of the time
Written with such empathy and emotion
Thanks @amelieskoda @bonnierbooks & @netgalley for the fabulous moving debut novel

What a beautiful book. The writing was so warm. It was so thoughtful to both place and culture and people. It portrayed the different nuances of this plot brilliantly.
I felt for all the characters here. Especially pur main one Suyin.
Saying is overjoyed at thr chance to move to London and a chance at life there. She loves her family and is borrowed then when I stead of going to join her sister, her sister returns a shadow of her former self. What happened? Too late to find out she arrives in London. And it's here she has to navigate a new home, not always welcoming. And the grueling state of our NHS. But we'd all be lucky to ha e Suyin look after us.
A beautiful beautiful book. I loved this.

Suyin, a seamstress in Penang, is meant to join her sister as a NHS nurse in London. Before Suyin leaves, her sister returns home unexpectedly as a changed woman. Reluctantly, Suyin leaves her home and her family for 1970s London to begin her training in London. In this stunning book we get to join Suyin how she adapts to a new life in England.

Amelie Skoda writes with an immense amount of compassion and sensitivity for Malaysia, London and its people

"Bethnal Green" by Amélie Skoda is a captivating historical fiction novel set in the early 1970s. It follows Suyin Lim, a young Malaysian woman who leaves her home in Penang to train as a nurse at Bethnal Green Hospital in London. The story delves into Suyin's experiences as she navigates the challenges of a new country, the demands of the NHS, and the complexities of personal relationships and the underlying pull of home and family in Penang .

Bethnal Green by Amelie Skoda

In the 1970s, Suyin leaves Penang to take up a place as a trainee nurse at Bethnal Green Hospital in London, England. Seeking a better life is not without challenges - settling into a very different country, working in the overworked and underfunded NHS, making new friendships and relationships - and always the worry and guilt about the family she has left behind and the hardships they face.

Wow, what a fantastic story - I absolutely loved it! Such a fascinating period of history and the author creates a strong sense of place in both Penang and Bethnal Green. The characters were also brilliantly portrayed and I loved the details of their clothes, hairstyles, music and social activities. Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Bethnal Green is a hopeful coming-of-age story set between London and Penang in 1971. Suyin has just arrived in London as a student nurse at Bethnal Green Hospital, following in the footsteps of her sister who has recently, suddenly, moved home to Malaysia. As Suyin explores London, she finds herself falling in love with the city, its people, and the immersive, rewarding work of caring and nursing for her patients.

At its heart, Bethnal Green is a gorgeous historical fiction that brings together sisterhood, self-discovery and hope. I loved Suyin so much; she felt like a little sister to me: switched-on, naïve, relatable and resilient. And it's true what the marketing says: this is a love letter to the NHS and the teams of nurses that keep it running. There isn't too much medical speak in the story, just a warm undercurrent of just what nurses do for us all.

I read this book over the course of 36 hours and was completely addicted. I love an immigrant story and especially all of the beautiful descriptions of my own beloved Malaysia. I just wish we had a bit longer in the story: Suyin talks about her sister's London A-Z map but I didn't get a satisfactory reason to why it'd been mentioned so much. The last 'part' felt a little disjointed and rushed, too, with more of the family-between-seas thread explored than in any other part of the book.

All in all, an enjoyable debut from Amélie Skoda that really got me in the heart.

What a gorgeous book this is. We follow six years in the life of Suyin Lim who leaves her childhood home in Penang to train as an NHS nurse in England in the early 1970s. London isn’t what she expects but she soon makes good friends with other trainees, settles in her adopted country and works hard in a role she comes to love but life is anything but smooth sailing. The book gives an insight into 1970s England and the unrest and troubles of the times and covers topics like immigration, family ties and secrets, friendship, love and hard decisions one has to make in life.

I find it hard to put this book into words but I really enjoyed it and would recommend if you are looking for a historical novel written with empathy, emotion of an era not often explored.

'Bethnal Green' is an enjoyable and gentle story about Suyin, a young Malayasian woman who comes to London in the early 1970s to train as a nurse. It's a well written coming of age story with factual references to the 1970's in England and life in Malayasia. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an early reading copy.