After the War is Over by Jennifer Robson

from goodreads

3 stars

Sorry this is late, I was a bit busy yesterday. So what was I doing? Not reading. Instead I caught up on some family friendly movies. Why? Head lice has come into our home!

Now I know that head lice happens, it has nothing to do with the cleanliness of ones hair or scalp and anyone can get it. I do not have a head lice stigma. But it is still annoying. Going through each strand of hair and making sure all the nits are picked off, washing pillows and stuffies and hats and coats and anything else where lice might be lurking. And since Miss G and Miss V are like two peas in a pod, I will have to be vigilant on two heads, though currently I only see it on one.

At least I have already been through this once before. I have the system down. And I know... if for some reason I am not at thorough and the lice persist, I'll just call in the lice lady. She may be expensive but she is probably worth it. But hopefully that won't happen. So thank goodness for T.V.'s and electricity. I don't know how people dealt with lice without it. Your head itching yet?

Synopsis

This a companion book to Somewhere in France. The war is now over and Charlotte, friend of Lilly, is working to help those around her and she writes a column that sheds light on the hardships and injustices of returning servicemen and their families.

She also can't keep her mind of her friend Edward Neville-Ashford who is now the Earl of Cumberland, after his father unexpectedly dies.

My Thoughts

This was a fluff book and kind of a let down after Somewhere in France which I absolutely loved and adored. While it is a continuation of the Somewhere in France story, it is a stand alone book, with a different protagonist, and you wouldn't need to read Somewhere in France first. Though I would because it is soooo good.

So, what did this book have going for it. It was interesting to learn the history of voting at Oxford. Since Charlotte had graduated from Oxford, or rather one of the colleges, she was eligible to vote in that riding, before women got the vote nationwide. The look at "shellshock" and the social hardships servicemen endured was insightful. Also, the answers to the questions I was left with at the end of Somewhere in France were answered so that was satisfying.

What was not going for it? The main character, Charlotte, was rather flat and I didn't find her all that interesting or complex. I'm not saying all characters need to be complex, but it is hard to carry a book when the character is flat. Because of this, the book and its outcome was kind of predictable.

While the social causes and the history found in this book is just as important and interesting as that discussed in Somewhere in France, the story itself was just not as interesting or gripping.

All in all it was a nice book to pass the time but it will not be a favourite. Robson does have a new book, Moonlight Over Paris, coming out this month which I am excited to read. Hopefully it is not as fluffy.