I’ve read many books that deal with the second world war – it’s usually the only historical time period that I’ll actively seek to read about – but this book is set earlier, before and during the first world war. And yet, it felt familiar in the way that WWII narratives feel familiar, because I’ve read and watched so many things set in the time period that it feels like somewhat familiar ground in my imagination. But of course, this is not quite the same.
The book starts off with a different sort of tragedy – Clarry’s mother dies shortly after giving birth to her, and this event shapes the lives of the children in a way that creates a permanent shroud of shadows – and borderline neglect on the part of their father. He doesn’t have much interest in raising them, and is affronted when his mother refuses to take them to live with her because they’ve already got one abandoned child to raise (Rupert, the elder cousin of Clarry and Peter). The compromise that is reached is that the children will spend summers with their grandparents and Rupert.
These summers come to be a yearlong anticipatory event for the children – the freedom that Cornwall affords them, the care and attention given to them by their grandparents and the (dubious) role model they find in Rupert, fill these summer months with metaphorical as well as literal sunshine. The memories they gather during these months will sustain them through their lives as a memory of a time that is both warm and loving.
And yet, there is this continuous sense of danger and discomfort that threads through every part of their lives. It starts with the death of Clarry and Peter’s mother, continues with accidents and injuries during their free-ranging summer months and follows Peter through his time at boarding school as he deals with the after-effects of an injury he sustained earlier that enables him to recognize the pain in those around him. All of this culminates, of course, in the first world war, which necessarily changes everything.
I loved the interplay between the different moods and events that carries through this book. Clarry’s maturation, learning and determination sustain everyone around her, as she refuses to live the life that is expected of her. Though she’s the girl, and therefore seen as being in need of protection and support, she is also the one who yearns for adventure, knowledge and independence. She works hard, loves fiercely and refuses to accept what she’s told without seeking her own answers – a trait which serves her family very well.
This book had all the things I remember loving in books I read as a child. It has wonderful characters, layers (some of which might not be picked up by children, but that make it an interesting read for adults alike), and a plot that keeps pages flipping seemingly of their own accord. I’ve just discovered that there is a sequel to this book, and I cannot wait to dive headfirst back into this world.
Clarry and her older brother Peter live for their summers in Cornwall, staying with their grandparents and running free with their charismatic cousin, Rupert. But normal life resumes each September – boarding school for Peter and Rupert, and a boring life for Clarry at home with her absent father, as the shadow of a terrible war looms ever closer. When Rupert goes off to fight at the front, Clarry feels their skylark summers are finally slipping away from them.
Can their family survive this fearful war? The Skylarks’ War is a beautiful story following the loves and losses of a family growing up against the harsh backdrop of World War One, from the award-winning Hilary McKay. – Goodreads
Book Title: The Skylark’s War
Author: Hilary McKay
Series: Yes – The Skylark’s War #1
Edition: Audiobook
Published By: Macmillan Children’s Books
Released: May 3, 2018
Genre: Fiction, Historic, WWI, England
Pages: 320
Date Read: February 15, 2024
Rating: 8.5/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.22/5 (2,816 ratings)