The Rag and Bone Girl
This is initially a story about a new romance founded on secrets. Nora has had to make the hard choice between her sister and the man she loves. A family saga that begins just before 1912, based in the East End of London, this tale spans the generations as the family experience both the First and Second World War within their lifetimes. The book is divided into two parts: in the first part Ford focuses on Nora’s story and how her decisions impact upon the rest of the family. Nora then continues to support her family through the First World War even when they are against her. In the second part the story is told through the lives of one of Nora’s children, Charlie, as he grows up from a young child to a middle-aged man. Ford has great attention to historical detail and interweaves her knowledge into the storyline without it being overwhelming for the reader. She makes the reader support each character in turn when they confront adversities in their lives. It is interesting to see how Ford uses one family living through each World War through their own personal experiences to put each human tragedy into perspective.
