Flora’s War
In 1940s Scotland, Flora Macdonald meets sailor Andrew Stewart when she is on the run from a reform school, having been put there by unkind circumstances. They fall in love and are about to be married when Andrew is called away again. Left alone and pregnant, Flora goes to the estate where Andrew lived as a rebellious farmhand, in the hope that she will find help from his mother. Her arrival at Ingersley House has repercussions for her own future and the future of the Campbell family alike. Ruth Campbell is determined to keep control of the estate and will stop at nothing in order to do so.
The novel starts in 1961 with a mystery that is left unsolved until the end of the story. It is, however, related to everything that happens in the book. Reimann writes well and is concise, not letting any plot twist faze her. The characters are extremely developed and relatable, even the more villainous ones. It is interesting to learn about how Scotland, alongside the rest of the world, coped with the Second World War. There are some scenes in the novel that, although they are important to the plot and the times, are surprisingly crude. Nevertheless, the author writes in such a way that you are drawn to read on to find out what happens. You won’t be disappointed when you begin to read about what happens to a Scottish country estate that is fighting against extinction.
