A Star for Mrs. Blake
by April Smith
My mom read A Star for Mrs. Blake and liked it so much she recommended I do the same. I’m not a mother, and often have a very difficult time relating to protagonists who are, so I wasn’t quite sure if I’d enjoy the book. It follows a group of American mothers who lost their sons in WWI taking a pilgrimage to Europe to visit their sons’ graves. If you know anything about Gold Star Families or Mothers, then you’ll be familiar with the real-life background of the story.
April Smith is a very talented writer, creating an old-fashioned setting for the readers to become absorbed in, but keeping the story moving along at a modern pace. The group of women, and their military escorts, are all different and interesting characters, and I could have easily read another hundred pages or so to get to know them better. In fact, if I had one criticism of the novel, it would be that it was too short!
As I have just proved, even if you don’t have children and aren’t completely motivated by maternal devotion, A Star for Mrs. Blake is still a very enjoyable read. There are so many different elements to it: foreign sightseeing, romance, grief, suspense, social issues, secrets, corruption, pride, and patriotism.
April Smith is a very talented writer, creating an old-fashioned setting for the readers to become absorbed in, but keeping the story moving along at a modern pace. The group of women, and their military escorts, are all different and interesting characters, and I could have easily read another hundred pages or so to get to know them better. In fact, if I had one criticism of the novel, it would be that it was too short!
As I have just proved, even if you don’t have children and aren’t completely motivated by maternal devotion, A Star for Mrs. Blake is still a very enjoyable read. There are so many different elements to it: foreign sightseeing, romance, grief, suspense, social issues, secrets, corruption, pride, and patriotism.