Telling her story in a journal, Freda evacuates from London in anticipation of German bombing. She comes from a humble family with weak bonds to each other. Her grandmother Nan is the only person she feels close to, but she soon dies after Freda’s departure. Her mother and father have recently divorced as her father has left for another woman. As a mere twelve-year-old, she is alone in the world.
After a railroad trip, she is taken up in the flatlands of Britain by a family paid by the government to shelter her. She soon learns that this family seems only to care about the stipend and not for her well-being. Uncared for, she remains alone in the world.
A parallel story unfolds about Philip, a twenty-something and recent student of Oxford. A conscientious objector, he is not involved in the war effort and seems more interested in the arts than in the craft of war. He, too, has a history and a past, filled with complicated relationships that leave him alone.
Philip and Freda meet, and for a short time, they are not alone. He teaches her and inspires her to become who she really is, despite whatever poor background she was offered or hardships she will encounter. He becomes the center of her life as a mentor. Then life happens again, and decades upon decades later, she remembers him with detail in her journal.
This story is appropriate for adults who must find the courage to confront the hardships of their day. It reminds me that singular acts of love can do more to influence life than all the horrors of hate can do to oppress it. Doing the right thing may not have an obvious payoff, but human faith maintains that it will eventually pay off. Most will not hold a perfect hand in life’s poker game, but serendipitous happenings can propel us forward into our futures if we’re willing to give each other a chance.
Flatlands
By Sue Hubbard
Copyright (c) 2023
Pushkin Press
ISBN13 9781911590842
Page Count: 272
Genre: Historical Fiction
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