Mists over the Channel Islands
The novel is set during World War II on the Island of Jersey, one of the British-owned Channel Islands. The Germans invade the island, which is only fourteen miles from France and eighty-five miles from England.
The plot follows local doctor Ivy Picot and Dutch engineer Gerrit van der Zee as they play their dangerous parts in the island’s defense. Their faith in God keeps hope alive in their darkest moments. When her parents seek safety in England, Ivy takes over her father’s medical practice with her sister Fern and brother Charlie. Ivy becomes a key organizer of resistance to the German occupation. Gerrit van der Zee poses as a German soldier, building fortifications for the Nazis. However, he is a member of the Dutch resistance, and a British spy. Ivy uses parachute silk and invisible ink to draw diagrams and maps from the information Gerrit gives her, which he sends to the Allies. The two freedom fighters become lovers, bound together by their dangerous mission.
The tension remains high throughout. Marachenko, a member of the resistance, is left hanging from a tree, as a warning to the islanders. Fear, suspicion and betrayal soak through every page as islanders help the Germans root out hidden radios, downed airmen, and spies. Ivy’s sister Fern falls for a German officer. One slip of Fern’s tongue, and Ivy will be tortured and hanged. The author shows her mastery of authentic dialogue, and her research makes this little-known island come alive, using the local Jèrriais dialect and descriptions of the stunning scenery to great effect.
The occupation of the Channel Islands is a seldom told story. Sundin’s novel pays homage to the brave resistance fighters and stands out in the crowded marketplace of WWII fiction as well written, well researched, and believable.
