War Babies by Rachel Billington
A woman lies unconscious on the carpet of a smart Westminster apartment, one red high- heeled shoe has fallen off...
A younger woman lies with her eyes closed,...
Her fingers clutch an empty bottle...
This is the story of three sisters, Millie, Di and Cleo. They are the war babies. Growing up in a world hungover from war, the sisters struggle to leave their mother behind and build their own lives. Millie turns to marriage, motherhood and God. Di becomes a foreign correspondent, finding a role in war-time Vietnam. Cleo chooses words as a defence against the world. A successful novelist, for a time she is content to be a sardonic voyeur.
Each sister is lost in her own world where extreme need leads to extreme behaviour. Then Cleo, the youngest and wildest, becomes the catalyst to smash the pattern. Who will adapt and survive? Who will find peace?
From the 50s to the present day, and with elements of a psychological thriller, Rachel Billington shows how three women navigate a future where men are not the only answer. The focus shifts from one sister to the next, putting human nature, its flaws and its virtues, under the spotlight. Yet there is hope at the heart of this story which leaves the reader wondering long after the final twist is revealed.
About the author
Rachel Billington has written over thirty books. In 2012 she was awarded an OBE for Services to Literature. Her most recent books are the novels Glory: A Story of Gallipoli and Clouds of Love and War. She is Associate Editor of the prison newspaper, Inside Time, and for three years was President of English PEN, the human rights organisation for writers.
Review
‘War Babies’ is a poignant look at family dynamics and how trauma can reverberate across the years. I found this book to be utterly fascinating as it weaves its way across three sisters lives, their loves intertwined but yet so separate and how their relationship with their mother shapes their destinies.
I was hooked by this book from the prologue to the last page. I devoured it over two days and was sad when it finished as I could have carried on reading about this family forever! I want to know more and even about Cally’s life and loves. The story is told from each of the sister’s points of view - Millie, Di and Cleo, plus towards the end by Cally who is Millie’s daughter. I wanted to know everything about Di though as I adored her - tough, singular and devoted to getting the truth out there and truly a pioneer in her field. I loved her character so much but I also found myself drawn to Cleo and also Julie, their mother. It would be interesting to see this narrative from Julie’s perspective, as I feel it would be completely different again and utterly fascinating.
I loved this one - let me know if you read it!
