The Postmistress

Books | Fiction / Literary

3.1

(434)

Sarah Blake

Experience World War 2 through the eyes of two very different women in this captivating New York Times bestseller by the author of The Guest Book.“A beautifully written, thought-provoking novel.”—Kathryn Stockett, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Help In 1940, Iris James is the postmistress in coastal Franklin, Massachusetts. Iris knows more about the townspeople than she will ever say, and believes her job is to deliver secrets. Yet one day she does the unthinkable: slips a letter into her pocket, reads it, and doesn't deliver it. Meanwhile, Frankie Bard broadcasts from overseas with Edward R. Murrow. Her dispatches beg listeners to pay heed as the Nazis bomb London nightly. Most of the townspeople of Franklin think the war can't touch them. But both Iris and Frankie know better... The Postmistress is a tale of two worlds-one shattered by violence, the other willfully naïve—and of two women whose job is to deliver the news, yet who find themselves unable to do so. Through their eyes, and the eyes of everyday people caught in history's tide, it examines how stories are told, and how the fact of war is borne even through everyday life.

World War 2

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More Details:

Author

Sarah Blake

Pages

384

Publisher

Penguin

Published Date

2011-02-01

ISBN

0425238695 9780425238691

Community ReviewsSee all

"Let me start by saying that I have never read a book quite like this one before. This book was difficult to read and yet I had trouble putting it down. I know that doesn't make any sense. The difficulty I found in reading it was not due to the language used. Nor was it due to lack of interest. The difficulty stemmed from the subject matter. This book is one of the most thought provoking books I have ever read. Though this book is a work of fiction and should not be used as a reference to the events of World War II, I still found myself transported to Europe as the Germans took rise. Fiction or not, reading about the chaotic destruction was hard to swallow. If you pick up this book, you will read amount thousands of fleeing people. Their fear and anguish is all-consuming and heartbreaking. All of that being said, I loved this book. Every single character is intriguing in their own right - their stories beautifully written. These characters draw you in, and they won't let you go until their stories are finished. I strongly recommend this book to everyone. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I picked up this book. Reading this, I have experienced every emotion imaginable. I was left with a simple phrase that will probably stick with me for a very long time. And that is: "the story knew." There is a story in everything. Everyone you know - every event has a story. Every decision we make impacts our story. We may not have known at the time what effects the decision would make. But I can guarantee you that "the story knew.""