5 out of 5 stars
On Goodreads
How I discovered this book: I have read every single book by only one author, and it's Deborah Swift, so I was waiting for it!
In a Nutshell: WWII drama, set mostly in Shanghai. Book 2 of a series but completely stand-alone.
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Blurb from Amazon
1941. When Zofia’s beloved husband Haru is conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army, she is left to navigate Japanese-occupied Shanghai alone.
Far from home and surrounded by a country at war, Zofia finds unexpected comfort in a bond with Hilly, a spirited young refugee escaping Nazi-occupied Austria.
As violence tightens its grip on the city, they seek shelter with Theo, Zofia’s American employer. But with every passing day, the horrors of war and Haru’s absence begin to reshape Zofia’s world – and her heart.
Can she still love someone who has become the enemy?
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My Review
I was as gripped by this book as I expected to be after reading its prequel, Last Train to Freedom. The Enemy's Wife is completely stand-alone, as I, with the memory of a goldfish, can confirm.
I was particularly impressed by the structure and pacing - so smooth, and such an indication of the author's talent. Getting it right is an art, and Deborah Swift is a maestro.
One aspect I found most interesting was the psychological effects of the horror of war. That sounds a tad simplistic, but in this book the horror is all too real. So many aspects came to life - the hell that changes the minds of men, the pointless and brutal loss of life, the erasure of communities, the lack of concern for ordinary people, the hunger, the restrictions, the constant sting of fear.
Most interesting of all, to me, was the stark illustration of the effects of the Japanese war machine on its own soldiers. The swiftness with which fear changes the mindset into obedience, in itself an intended result of the psyop. It made me think of much that is going on in the world now, and the escalation that is imminently possible.
On a lighter note, my favourite character was Theo until near the end, when it became Wu. Hero!
If this genre is your thing, I highly recommend this book and its prequel.
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