5 GOLD stars
On Goodreads
How I discovered this book: I saw it advertised pre-release, expressed interest, and one of the authors was kind enough to offer me a review copy :)
In a Nutshell: A collection of stories spanning an almost 2000 year time period, on the subject of great courage under adverse circumstances
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This is what you want from a collection: not one weak story. These 15 tales of courage in the most adverse circumstances are all excellent, every one a winner. They're presented in chronological order, from Roman times to the present day, and take place in various settings around the world. Here's a short overview of my favourites. Purely subjective, of course - time and place has so much to do with this. Show me England in the middle ages or occupied Europe in WW2, and I'm all over it!
Siflede by Judith Arnopp: London 1066, when the residents of Southwark must fight or flee the Norman invasion. Judith is one of my most-read authors and this story was no disappointment.
Daisy Chain by Annie Whitehead: a mother's grief, on the road in 12th Century England. Nothing like a good 'road' story, no matter when it's set, and this shows early medieval times in all its dank glory.
Stepping Between by Anna Belfrage: Ludlow Castle 1308. A young man finds his way out of a nightmare homelife. I hadn't read Anna Belfrage before, and liked this very much.
The Portrait's Secret by Amy Maroney: a fascinating look at the world of portrait artists in Paris, 1536. I love stories like this that describe an aspect of life I know virtually nothing about. Reminded me of The Silk Code by Deborah Swift, for this reason.
Legacy by Jean Gill: Tudor England, 1558. An honest man blows the whistle on a member of the aristocracy, and pays the price... heartbreaking yet uplifting!
A Sack of Potatoes by Antoine Vanner: the Netherlands, 1954, though most of it is set ten years earlier. Brilliant story about two women who travel through occupied territory simply to find food. I wanted it to be a whole book. What those people endured... you hear that in the war the people of *insert name of country* were starving, but this really brought it home to me what that actually means.
A special mention for The Gate by Elizabeth St John, the last line of which made my mouth drop open. No clues, you'll have to read it. :)
The book is beautifully presented, with Author's Notes that add interest every time. Highly recommended, and thank you!
