Review of 'A Letter From Pearl Harbor' by Anna Stuart.
Review of A Letter From Pearl Harbor by Anna Stuart
Due out November 5th, 2021
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What a heart wrenching page-turner! I was completely captivated by Anna Stuart’s A Letter from Pearl Harbor. It is a story of courage, resilience, triumph over challenges, discovering love in unexpected places, and learning to grow through the horrors and after-effects of accidents and war. It is also about the power of memories, broken hearts, loss and how each play an integral part in the transformation of individuals when secrets from the past come forward into the present (through the clever approach of a treasure hunt). It is a story about family and sisterhood and how pivotal historical events set in motion unexpected waves that spill into the future.
A Letter From Pearl Harbor is told in two timelines through the viewpoints of older and younger Ginny, and her granddaughter, Robyn.
In the current day thread, Ginny is a reluctant heroine of WW II. She has carried the wounds of past mistakes. She is also a ninety-eight year old grandmother of two sisters, Robyn and Ashleigh. We only meet Ginny briefly on her deathbed but from the start her story promises to be epic.
Robyn returns to England from her home in Hawaii to say goodbye to her grandmother and to meet up with her troubled and somewhat distant sister, Ashleigh, who has drifted on the edges of self-pity and defeatism since her unfortunate accident six years earlier. An accident that has confined her to a wheel chair.
In the historical thread of 1941, Ginny is a pilot and flight instructor who has followed her brother Jack to Hawaii where he is stationed. We hear in Ginny’s own words what she has experienced and endured before, during and after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. These tragic events are carefully played out on the page. The after effects of the bombing lead her down some unfortunate paths but eventually onwards to some positive ones, too. All of which we learn after her death when she sends her granddaughters on a treasure hunt that becomes a confession of secrets. But Ginny has another motive in the timing of these revelations— something she hopes will benefit the sisters.
Anna has created an authentic picture of the times. The events, settings and people have been researched thoroughly and utilised in an accessible, exciting way through a fictional telling of an important story. The historical notes at the end also provide a wider glimpse of the past—especially more details on the bombing and of the real individuals who were part of the Pearl Harbor tragedy.
Through following Ginny and her friends during the war timeline, we get a close up view of the archaic mindset Americans held toward women war pilots in the 1940s. A Letter From Pearl Harbor highlights the obstacles they encountered and dire effects such thinking had on these brave women who ventured the skies.
Along with Robyn and Ashleigh, we learn of the incredible bravery and boldness of their grandmother who wants to be remembered as Queen of the Hunt. Which is why she sends them out on a treasure search after her passing to share special events of her life (along with the secrets) from World War II. How does this journey affect the sisters? What starts out as curiosity, evolves into anger, then awe and healing come to the fore. The sisters eventually see why they have been sent on the expedition. For it is a challenge that could divide or bring them closer. But out of this experience new revelations awaken Robyn. And character growth erupts in Ashleigh who has carried a lot of negative emotions from her accident. I must add: the topic of disability is dealt with beautifully and respectfully in this novel. There are some amazing passages of wisdom from the author's pen such as: “A wheel chair is there to push you forward… not to hold you back.”
This is the first novel of Anna Stuart’s I have read but it won’t be the last for on the strength of A Letter From Pearl Harbor I have become a new fan and have now purchased her previous novel The Secret Diary. I would not hesitate for a second to recommend Anna’s latest novel to all who enjoy exceptional dual timeline stories. For it is a heart-warming, beautifully written tale of strong women— that will linger with you long after the last page. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to publisher Bookouture and Netgalley for an ARC to review.
