The Midnight News
The author of the internationally best-selling Longbourn returns with a new novel that is so much more than the love and war story its cover promises. This is an enthralling book that leads with the beautifully drawn and beguiling Charlotte, a typist in the Ministry of Information, whose fierce heart and fragile mind we follow through evocative scenes of London in the Blitz.
Charlotte’s journey is, by turns, humorous, sad and harrowing – she is grieving a brother who has been killed – and brings to the fore the uncertain life experiences of many 20th-century women. Yet Baker deals with the topics sensitively and never sacrifices pace. A vividly depicted cast of characters, like Charlotte’s friend Elena, add a welcome lighter touch to darker themes.
Here we have a beautiful love story – both of loving friends and of romantic love – but also there is a fascinating, darker subplot which creates page-turning tension until the very last chapter. The reader questions Charlotte as much as she herself does. This creates a totally immersive experience. This is a novel about finding and fighting for your identity, love, loyalty and belonging. The ending is tied up a little too quickly, but there are subtle hints of a possible sequel.
