Monday, May 13, 2013

The Bungalow by Sarah Jio

After reading Violets of March and Blackberry Winter, I'll read anything Sarah Jio writes. I was not disappointed with The Bungalow. You do have suspend reality a little but the story was so moving that I didn't notice too much.
The Bungalow reminded me a lot of Rosie Thomas' books which I also enjoy. The Bungalow starts with an elderly Anne, napping while waiting for her granddaughter to arrive for a visit. Quickly, Anne starts to tell her granddaughter the story of her life in the 1940's. We're are transported to Seattle, at the start of World War 2. Anne has just graduated from nursing school and is ready to marry a good, stable man. Anne's life is all planned out. Anne's best friend, Kitty decides to volunteer as a nurse and persuades Anne to come along. Anne postpones her wedding and flies to the South Pacific with Kitty.
Jio writes richly detailed characters and beautiful settings. I could feel like I was there with Anne on Bora Bora. I enjoyed Anne's story. I wish that Kitty and some of Anne's other nurse friends were more fleshed out. The Bungalow is only 290 pages so Jio focused the story on Anne.
Overall I found The Bungalow to be a great quick read. Others who shared their thoughts on The Bungalow: Seize The Latte, The Literary Life of A Well Read Wife, Write Meg!, Jenn's Bookshelves, Devourer of Books, and Life In The Thumb.
This is my eighth read for the Historical Reading Challenge.

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