Impact: A Relative Invasion, Book 3
It is 1945, and young evacuee Bill Wilson is returning to London with his mother and sister. Bill doesn’t want to return home—he has received far more love from the elderly couple he’s been billeted with than he’s ever had from his parents. Also, there’s the matter of cousin Kenneth coming to live permanently with Bill and his family now that his own father is dead. Bill and Kenneth have never got along. Kenneth is a sly bully, adept at ingratiating himself with the adults who always side with the talented, frail Kenneth.
Post-war London is brought to vibrant life—all the way from the rationing of food and coal to the lack of clothes and shoes. Further to this, Ms Minett has created an engaging and vulnerable protagonist, a young boy who struggles constantly to please his distant parents when they so obviously prefer the cuckoo—the relative who has invaded the Wilson home. Inevitably, the infected relationship between the cousins comes to a head. The fall-out is spectacular and will forever change Bill’s life.
Ms Minett is an accomplished writer, combining tight dialogue with vivid descriptions—on occasion, these could be trimmed somewhat to keep up the pace. All in all, an enjoyable read, but I would not recommend reading this book without having read the first two in the series (Intrusion and Infiltration), as the backstory is essential to fully enjoy this well-executed emotional drama.
