For Better, For Worse
This follows the story of Grace who is promised to marry Dougie, her first cousin, in Liverpool in pre-World War Two times. Grace is increasingly worried about Dougie’s behaviour and is anxious about the life-changing journey to Australia that she is expected to take. While Dougie is abroad, she meets Ben by accident, as he nearly runs her over with his truck, and she agrees to take care of his injured son. Families and stories collide in this novel as Grace’s neighbours help each other in adversity during the war and pull together, united despite attempts from Grace’s former lover.
The author does well to keep track of each character’s storylines and weaves together an enjoyable novel. The story feels like it wants to go on beyond the conclusion, as there are so many situations occurring throughout the book. Francis depicts World War Two Liverpool well and takes pains to conjure a historically accurate feeling in the city. It is interesting to learn what happened to the people who stayed in cities rather than leave and attempted to carry on with their daily lives. June Francis conveys a determination to live a normal life while experiencing an entirely new existence, which is what we can all empathise with now.
