John Boyne
delves into the hardship of being left behind on the home front in World War
One England. Georgie volunteers to enlist, against his wife’s wishes, on his
son Alfie’s 5th birthday. Boyne helps readers envision what London
was like when the men left, the women worked and the children unofficially had
more time on their hands as he illustrates Alfie’s World War One experience.
With his dad gone, his mom working
day shifts, night shifts as well as taking in laundry and mending, Alfie skips
school to secretly polish shoes at Kings Cross Station in order to supplement
his mother’s wages. Stay Where You Are and Then Leave offers a realistic
perspective without being too heavy on the heart, as Alfie’s understanding is
more innocent than most main characters in wartime. World War One is not
written about as often as other wars, and Boyne does an excellent job of giving
a small taste of war in a thought provoking novel sure to be enjoyed by young
adults as well as adults.
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