“Gaynor’s story of courage and strength will make you believe in the heroic spirit in each of us.” —Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours
The New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Came Home sets her unforgettable new novel in China during WWII, inspired by true events surrounding the Japanese Army’s internment of teachers and children from a … true events surrounding the Japanese Army’s internment of teachers and children from a British-run missionary school.
Their motto was to be prepared, but nothing could prepare them for war.
China, December 1941. Having left an unhappy life in England for a teaching post at a missionary school in northern China, Elspeth Kent is now anxious to return home to help the war effort. But as she prepares to leave China, a terrible twist of fate determines a different path for Elspeth, and those in her charge.
Ten-year-old Nancy Plummer has always felt safe at Chefoo School, protected by her British status. But when Japan declares war on Britain and America, Japanese forces take control of the school and the security and comforts Nancy and her friends are used to are replaced by privation, uncertainty and fear. Now the enemy, and separated from their parents, the children look to their teachers – to Miss Kent and her new Girl Guide patrol especially – to provide a sense of unity and safety.
Faced with the relentless challenges of oppression, the school community must rely on their courage, faith and friendships as they pray for liberation – but worse is to come when they are sent to a distant internment camp where even greater uncertainty and danger await . . .
Inspired by true events, When We Were Young and Brave is an unforgettable novel about impossible choices and unimaginable hardship, and the life-changing bonds formed between a young girl and her teacher in a remote corner of a terrible war.
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A compelling story of innocents caught up in the machine of global conflict, so wonderfully written and soul-stirring. Gaynor beautifully explores the heart’s brave struggle to make sense of the upside-down world that is war. Well done!
With her latest, Gaynor unveils a fresh perspective in World War II historical fiction, one that profoundly reveals the power of resilience and community in troubled times. Deeply moving and unforgettable.
Told with a keen eye toward history, but also with compassion and humanity, this is a tale as vast as China itself, and as personal as the workings of an individual soul. Gaynor’s story of courage and strength will make you believe in the heroic spirit in each of us.
When We Were Young & Brave is a stunning novel of resilience and hope as a Girl Scout troop must brave the hardships of life in a Japanese internment camp during WWII. Set amidst the captivating, colorful backdrop of China, Gaynor enchants with her masterful storytelling… not to be missed!
Hazel Gaynor’s latest is the epitome of a story ripe with resilience. Following the lives of British and American teachers and students caught in-between the chaos of World War II while studying in China, the novel is both emotional and heartbreaking while never once giving up on the idea of hope. A truly inspirational tale of remembering to find the good, even in the most unpleasant of situations.
Story of a group of expat children and their teachers in China caught up in the Japanese invasion during world war two, and their hardship internment for years in a war camp. The story is told from two perspectives, a young English girl and her nurturing teacher. This is quite a good book, very informative and well told. However, I think the author could have included some chapters centering on the effect of the war on the Chinese servants at the school; their hardships are mentioned only now and then throughout the book. Overall, a good novel, highly recommended.
Hazel Gaynor again breathes fresh life into a lost piece of history… While the students and teachers are tested to the limits by the hardship and privations of war, this is ultimately a story of friendship and profound bravery. When We Were Young & Brave is transporting, important, and tremendously moving.
When We Were Young & Brave by Hazel Gaynor is an excellent historical fiction novel that takes place mainly during areas of occupied China by Japan during WWII after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and war had been declared between Japan and Britain and America.
The book depicts the ongoing events that take place in Northern China beginning December 1941 and continues through 1945. The book takes place in several parts and each chapter is alternated in between Elspeth Kent ( a teacher working at a missionary school in China) and young Nancy Plummer ( a student at the Chefoo School for missionaries).
We begin and end under Nancy looking back on her experiences during this horrific time in “current day 1975”. The book then begins after the bombing and the subsequent occupation. It then divides up in between Occupation, Interment, and Liberation. We get to experience the book and events from the views of a young adult, Elspeth, and also of a young girl, Nancy. We get to see that Elspeth is at a crossroads herself, trying to decide when and how to turn in her resignation from teaching at the school and weighing that decision with her desire to finally return home. We meet Nancy, I think more mature then the average 10 year old, experiencing independence and growing up at the school while her parents travel as missionaries. The ties that bind these two women, as well as many others, is not just as teacher and pupil and not just as Brownie guides/leaders and scouts, but as all victims of this coming occupation and imprisonment by the Japanese and their ability to forge bonds of loyalty, love, strength, and friendship as they turn to one another during this unique and troubling time. What then is given to the reader is an excellent story and account of these horrific events and the responses of the souls that are involved.
The main themes are fundamental: uncertainty in times of war, lives lost, friends gained and depart, loyalty, bravery, selflessness, fear, and a sense of unity and belonging in what these individuals experience as they join together to draw strength from each other during this very, very difficult time. I really enjoyed the different viewpoints, and I liked the main two female characters. They were both realistic, flawed, yet likeable and, I felt, had strong moral compasses. They all had strengths in their own rights and the whole group was able to achieve more together then what they would have if they would have given up and individualized. The sacrifices and the traumas experienced were hard to read, but were fascinating at the same time.
This book is also very unique in the setting, story line, and plot. I enjoyed learning more about a different aspect of WWII then has been mentioned in numerous recent novels. The experiences, heartbreaks, losses, and lives permanently changed by the Japanese during this time is something that I think needs to continue to be published.
An excellent historical fiction that also gave me more knowledge of past events with an excellent plot, character list, and ending. A great combination.
5/5 stars
Thank you EW and William Morrow/HarperCollins for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
This was an unusual WWII story that takes place in China from 1941-August 1945. It is about the occupation and internment of the teachers and students of the Chefoo School, a school for the children of missionaries and diplomats. For a year their school was occupied by Japanese forces and then they were sent to another occupied community and finally the last two years were in an internment camp in Weihsien. The reader follows the lives of these events through the eyes of Elspeth Kent, a teacher for the girls, and student Nancy Plummer. The teachers dedicate themselves to the students meeting their needs far beyond that of the classroom. Brownie Scouts and Girl Guides offer opportunities for the girls to learn life skills and create a camaraderie that helps them survive the unrelenting conditions in the camp. It really demonstrates the resiliency of children.
Important. Heartrending. Hopeful… I was moved to tears… as Gaynor paid witness to the extraordinary bravery and resilience of the teachers and children of Chefoo School… Hazel Gaynor is an author who never fails to shine a bright light onto our historical pasts, making real-life events and characters dance on the page.
This was a very well written story.
I am a teacher. This book reminded me why I chose to be in this profession, and why, we as teachers, through the stress and upsets of day to day interaction, we press on.
A moving and authentic account of a neglected part of WW2 history. I empathised with the plight of the characters … and felt as if I were there. I loved it.
A great read.
Beautiful book by one of my favorite authors. The title of this novel says it all. Brave, heroic teachers who did everything they could to protect their stranded children during WWII.
This book was hard to put down!
I enjoy historical fiction. This setting was a new perspective on WWII.
4.5/5
Going into When We Were Young & Brave, I already knew I was a fan of Hazel Gaynor and her writing abilities, and it is with no surprise that I loved this book. Almost all of the historical fiction I have read has been about WWII, but never before have I read a book about the Chefoo School in China or the Girl Guides for that matter. The plot was fascinating, and I of course loved the fact that it is inspired by true events. I really enjoyed the different viewpoints, and I think they both added so much to the story. The kids in this novel really touched my heart and I loved that a major theme was about kindness and how even something small can make a difference. The book is interspersed with rules for the Girl Guides which I really liked, and I also enjoyed the sections from the 1970s. There is some foreshadowing in the book that I liked as well, even if some of it wasn’t always good.
There are a lot of hard parts to read in this novel and my heart was breaking for so many of the characters. However, even when things were hard the girls and teachers showed so much bravery and this is a book about war, but also about being strong in the face of adversity. I listened to the audiobook which I absolutely loved, and it is narrated by Rosie Jones & Imogen Church. Jones voiced Nancy while Church voiced Elspeth (Miss Kent), and I couldn’t have asked for two better people to narrate this book. They narrated their parts perfectly and with so much emotion that it really brought the story and characters to life for me. I listened to it all in one day because I didn’t want to put it down, and if you are a historical fiction fan or a fan of Gaynor in general, I highly recommend it! The information at the back was incredibly helpful as well so I think having a physical copy on hand if you do the audio is a great idea.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
It was not what I expected, but it was enjoyable read.
Great book,