Review of 'The Only Light In London' by Lily Graham

Review of 'The Only Light' In London by Lily Graham

Release date: February 20th, 2024

Publisher: Bookouture

What the story is about:

She took him in when no one else would. She didn’t expect to fall in love…

London, 1939. When Finley offers her spare room to refugee Sebastien, she sees relief in his haunted eyes. Forced to flee the hatred in Germany, Sebastien has been desperately lonely in his adopted country. Finley lost her father in the last war and feels a stab of empathy for the pain of this thin stranger, separated from his loved ones, far away from home.

At first, Finley and Sebastien are like ships in the night, exchanging bashful goodnights in the corridor. But Finley quickly realises that Sebastien is too terrified to sleep, plagued by thoughts of his smiling little sister being snatched by soldiers. As the London sky darkens with enemy planes, he slowly opens up to her over cups of cocoa in the kitchen.

Every time Sebastien speaks to Finley, she finds herself inching closer to him, and soon love begins to grow. But when he tells her he wants to join the English army, to fight the people who have forced his family to face such horror, she must work hard to crush the devastation in her heart. She knows if she were in his shoes, she would do the same thing, and she must be brave too. She will stay in London, waiting for Sebastien, and helping other refugees like him.

As the bombs rain down, and the London streets empty, she knows she faces grave dangers. But she can’t hide away while the man she loves risks his life. She needs to do anything she can to defeat the enemy they all share. But the last war cost Finley so much. What will this one take?

A completely life-affirming and tear-jerking read about facing the darkness and despair of war together and allowing the light to creep in. Fans of The Nightingale and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society will fall in love with The Only Light in London.

REVIEW

Wow, what another intensely moving novel by Lily Graham! I love her books and The Only Light In London is a stunning and passionate WW2 story from a unique perspective.

My heart really ached for Sabastien and his family. Being Jewish and German put them in a terrible position. He was treated badly at times and even as a refugee it must have been difficult to hold back his tongue when he heard the words, ‘Bloody foreigner’. Instead, he tried to focus on saving money to sponsor his family’s visas, rather than reacting. But things didn’t go as planned. Although he is able to help his little sister through the children’s rescue program, he meets many obstacles, first with his step-father and then his mother. There’s a lot of sadness as you’d expect in this novel but there are also beautiful bursts of colour and joy. People did what they could to keep light filtering through their lives in the dark times and to chase away the fears that overshadowed their every step. Dancing and drama were two such activities, utilised well in this story. These enjoyable forms of recreation and self-expression brought hearts together for support and fun.

Sabastien, a political journalist, must escape to London, to get ahead of the Nazis’ persecution of the Jews. Alone and grieved to leave his family behind, he joins a local amateur dramatics group encouraged by his friend Frank who wants him to laugh and enjoy life again. He realises his friend is right and he must not let the Nazis win by stealing everything from him. Yet when Sabastien enters the meeting place, he hesitates and plans to only stay for cookies and leave. But once meeting the host, Finley, he changes his mind. Her warmth and the friendliness of the group draws him in. Friendships develop that become priceless assets and members help in his drive to get his family to safety. Romance also blossoms. Something he was not expecting.

But his new love interest is what makes his next move difficult. How can he help fight the war and the injustice he and others have experienced? Through writing political articles? Or joining the British army? But how can he do that without breaking Finley’s heart? The tug of war on his heart is inevitable, like the choice he must make. And Finley knows this—even if she rails against it.

There is an excellent conversation between Finley and Sebastien where he explains all that has happened to him and other Jews under Nazis rule. Many Germans were forced into a difficult position, too. But he is mostly saddened by the fact they were unable to shake off this terrible cultish power. He can see how the party became dominant as Hitler appeared to many as their saviour, ‘restoring their national pride.’ But the Jews were stereotyped and became a scapegoat for the country’s problems—everything ‘from poverty to unemployment and inflation.’

There’s so much I loved about this story in how it was presented. The human connections and interactions. The cry against unfathomable prejudice. The heroism seen in ordinary individuals – the strength in members collaborating to help each other. Archie is a gem character. He did much for Sabastien’s family. Along with Finley and her mom. Kind hearts amidst devastating times. Even though Sabastien’s days at home as a political journalist were initially shortened when his boss was unable to employ Jews any further, his move to London brought about good things and gave him a second chance.

A heart-wrenching story filled with beauty and terror. Helping us to zero in on the suffering of others during those horrible days. To remember with respect. To never forget our humanity and need for each other. Loneliness, love, endurance and compassion are just a few of the things this novel focuses on that make it a wonderful tribute to the many who suffered greatly and survived at the hands of an evil power. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for a review copy.