The Photograph
This story of two young women left behind as their men march off to war embodies the experience of a nation during a time of overwhelming heartbreak. Maddy Marshall turns seventeen on the fateful day that Pearl Harbor is bombed. Suddenly all the boys she grew up with, including her fiancé, race to enlist. At first Maddy finds this to be terribly romantic, until the night the photograph was taken, the night her world fell apart. Ruth, Maddy’s sister-in-law, frail and broken after two dangerous miscarriages, must cope with an uncertain future for herself and Maddy. As the war intensifies, she discovers that she possesses the strength, the wisdom, and a special gift to guide them through their trials.
The Photograph is a warm family drama, a gem among WWII home front stories. The story is effectively narrated in the alternating voices of young, innocent Maddy and wise, mature Ruth. The plot is rich and captivating, the writing easy to read yet complex in expression and evocative of the times. The story’s main focus is the women, their relationships, and how they cope with the fear and uncertainty of wartime. I highly recommend this book to anyone, but particularly women who are seeking an absorbing home front novel. Anyone who has ever been left behind, especially during a military conflict, will strongly empathize with these characters.
