Blog Tour: The Girl from the Channel Islands

February has, so far, been a month full of historical fiction with my first three reads of the month set in the past. Two of which featured German occupied areas during World War II. The one I'm featuring today is Jenny Lecoat's debut, The Girl from the Channel Islands.

Here's the book summary:

The year is 1940, and the world is torn apart by war. In June of that year, Hitler's army captures the Channel Islands--the only part of Great Britain to be occupied by German forces. Abandoned by Mr. Churchill, forgotten by the Allies, and cut off from all help, the Islands' situation is increasingly desperate.
Hedy Bercu is a young Jewish girl who fled Vienna for the island of Jersey two years earlier during the Anschluss, only to find herself trapped by the Nazis once more--this time with no escape. Her only hope is to make herself invaluable to the Germans by working as a translator, hiding in plain sight with the help of her friends and community--and a sympathetic German officer. But as the war intensifies, rations dwindle, neighbors turn on neighbors, and Hedy's life is in greater danger every day. It will take a definitive, daring act to save her from certain deportation to the concentration camps.
A sweeping tale of bravery and love under impossible circumstances, Hedy's remarkable story reminds us that it's often up to ordinary people to be quiet heroes in the face of injustice.

The occupation of the Channel Islands was something I had read about before. Back in 2008, when it was published, The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society was extremely popular (I was working at a bookstore at the time and I sold so many copies - to so many people who could never remember the full name of the title). It took me a decade to finally read it (if you haven't find it on audiobook - you'll be in for a treat) and I loved it. And then I watched the Netflix movie and enjoyed that too. Why am I bringing this up? Because Guernsey is, like Jersey where Lecoat's novel is set, part of the Channel Islands. It was also occupied by German soldiers and the characters faced many of the same hardships that Hedy and her friends did. What sets Lecoat's story apart is that it takes place during the Occupation, plus Hedy is Jewish. Not only that, but she had already seen some of the horrors of the war in mainland Europe and had no desire to be rounded up like her neighbours had been in Italy.

There are so many war movies based on famous battles so I especially enjoy when books take a look at the quieter part of war. What it was like on the homefront in Canada, for example, or in the countryside of England or France? How did those left behind survive the war? That's why I keep reading all of these wartime novels because they all give me an extra glimpse into the horrors of war. Sometimes I wonder why I do that to myself because it was a terrible, inhumane time. But I also marvel at the strength the characters had. And I wonder if I would have had the same strength. Would I choose, like Hedy, to work for the enemy if I had no other choice? Knowing one wrong look or move would send me to jail simply because of my religion? (Sometimes it's hard to fathom as I'm not religious.) Would I hide my Jewish neighbours? Would I find some other way to resist? Or would I turn a blind eye to it all and hope for it to be over soon? 

I've recently had several, lengthy conversations with my bookstagram friend Megan about books that feature "good" German soldiers. Not full-blown Nazis that believe in the Fatherland and a pure race, etc. etc. But the men who had to enlist and fight for their country. How much of the atrocities that occurred were their fault? Did they really not know what was going on? How many of them were just trying to do their jobs so they weren't jailed or killed? The logical part of me knows that it's a "not all Germans" situation. I do know that. But when these stories are set against the backdrop of the islanders effectively being starved because the soldiers are rationing the rations and also rounded up because of their religion or who knows what else? When there's no firewood to be had? When the soldiers are able to go to brothels and bars and have drinks and a full meal? It's really hard to find any sympathy for them, even when it came to Kurt, a German officer I truly did feel was haunted by what his country was doing and was trying to help where he could and for the woman he loved. I have to remind myself that I wasn't there. I wasn't falling in love with someone who maybe wasn't the best choice for me. I wasn't fighting for survival. I don't know what I would have done and maybe I shouldn't judge one solider for the actions of his superiors. 

The Girl from the Channel Islands didn't wow me but as I worked on this review I realized that perhaps Jenny Lecoat's debut novel might stick with me for longer than I expected. The plot points might fade but the circumstances the characters found themselves in might stay with me for awhile. It's worth a read for historical fiction fans, especially if you don't know anything about the occupation of the Channel Islands, but I'd categorize this one as a borrow or buy on sale.

Buy the book: 
Harlequin * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books-A-Million * Powell’s

Connect with the author:
Author Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

About the author:
Jenny Lecoat was born in Jersey, Channel Islands, where her parents were raised under German Occupation and were involved in resistance activity. Lecoat moved to England at 18, where, after earning a drama degree, she spent a decade on the alternative comedy circuit as a feminist stand-up. She also wrote for newspapers and women's magazines (Cosmopolitan, Observer), worked as a TV and radio presenter, before focusing on screenwriting from sitcom to sketch shows. A love of history and factual stories and a return to her island roots brought about her feature film Another Mother's Son (2017). She is married to television writer Gary Lawson and now lives in East Sussex. The Girl from the Channel Islands is her first novel.

*An egalley of this novels was provided by the publisher, Graydon House Books/HarperCollins, via NetGalley, in exchange for a review for the purpose of a blog tour. All opinions are honest and my own.*