The Ship of Brides

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Maybe this leopard can change her spots. I'm the perennial thriller reader. I read thrillers because they are often fast paced, make my heartbeat faster and I love a suspenseful read. So why have I found myself bewitched by the author JoJo Moyes? I have just finished my third book The Ship of Brides and will be singing its praises to everyone I meet. Premise: The year is 1946. The war has ended. This is a fictionalized account of the transport of 100’s of wartime brides from Australia to England aboard a ship filled with 1,000’s of young men Marines. Many of the women have spent very little time with their husbands and almost all are leaving behind the only life they have ever known. The 6-week journey is filled with many emotions. But it is the journey that the novel plays on.

I was also pleasantly surprised that so much happens on board the ship. From women and men sneaking away, to betrayal, to “Not Wanted, Don’t Come” telegrams, to a beauty contest, and more, there was constantly something happening to or around these women and I was thoroughly entertained.Moyes stays true to her narrative and takes full advantage of the sense of place she gained from repeated trips to the area . . . riveting. A stirring novel sure to please Moyes’ many fans.” The challenge of the captain is to keep the men separated from the women. So, you can imagine the antics that take place! I would definitely recommend this book to fans of historical romance and even WWII fiction. This book tells a story some people might not know, I certainly didn't. It's a story worth telling, how these hundreds of women promised themselves as wives to soldiers on the front lines, women who were expected to meet those obligations. That the burden of the promise was seen as theirs alone to carry, well it makes a good story, but sad history.

Masterful . . . a heartbreaker in the best sense . . . Me Before Youis achingly hard to read at moments, and yet such a joy.” Moyes brings an often forgotten slice of history to life. . .the true power of the story is in the bonds between the women of the library. . .A love letter to the power of books and friendship.”

An intriguing look at an aircraft carrier transporting brides from Australia to England after World War II. I found this book to be interesting and the details of the voyage captivating. The story begins in India in 2002 (which initially threw me a bit) as an elderly grandmother on vacation stumbles across the broken hull of a once great British warship, now in the process of being dismantled for scrap on an oily, debris littered beach. She has come upon a ship graveyard and can just make out the name on one of the rusted hulls “Victoria” and at once is overwhelmed by memories… Avice wirkt verwöhnt und verhält sich versnobt. Sie ist anstrengend und nervt oft. Man fragt sich warum sie so ist, weil sie oft auch verzweifelt klingt.

And amid all the sadness, secrets, harassment, betrayals, and worrying who'll get the next "Not Wanted Don't Come", there are surprise bursts of humor, which in my opinion, kept this book afloat. Compelling. . . It’s an epic feminist adventure that candidly paints a community’s soul-searching with great humor, heartache, honesty, and love.” Once again, Moyes delivers a heart-wrenching and relatable book about love and loss that will stay with you long after you’ve finished.”

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There was moment (nearer the end) when I thought it was drifting to 4 stars. I felt a little lost, wanting that something else could happen. But the end improved everything. Yes, there was a happy ending! Yes, not for every of main characters but enough to feel warm closing the book. A] homage to the power of reading and the strength of community. . . A must-read for women’s fiction.” The genius of Moyes . . . [is that she] peers deftly into class issues, social mores, and complicated relationships that raise as many questions as they answer. And yet there is always resolution. It’s not always easy, it’s not always perfect, it’s sometimes messy and not completely satisfying. But sometimes it is.”

Rich in history, with well-developed characters and a strong sense of place, this book will fit well in any library’s fiction collection.For fans of Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephantsor Catherine Marshall’s Christy.”

Browse reviews by Magazine.

An adventure story grounded in female competence and mutual support, and an obvious affection for the popular literature of the early 20th century, give this Depression-era novel plenty of appeal. . . There’s plenty of drama, but the reader’s lasting impression is one of love.” Zu diesen Büchern zähle ich grundsätzlich auch jene von Jojo Moyes. Mir gefällt ihr Schreibstil - nicht zwangsläufig die Erzählform. Ihre Geschichten ziehen mich sofort in ihren Bann. Die Art, wie sie beschreibt, ist unglaublich lebendig! Einfühlsam, spannend und flüssig reiht sie die Sätze aneinander und spinnt so ein eindringliches, berührendes Netz um den Leser.