by Caroline Lea
SYNOPSIS The sky is clear, star-stamped and silvered by the waxing gibbous moon.
No planes have flown over the islands tonight; no bombs have fallen for over a year.
___________
Orkney, 1940.
Five hundred Italian prisoners-of-war arrive to fortify these remote and windswept islands.
Resentful islanders are fearful of the enemy in their midst, but not orphaned twin sisters Dorothy and Constance. Already outcasts, they volunteer to nurse all prisoners who are injured or fall sick.
Soon Dorothy befriends Cesare, an artist swept up by the machine of war and almost broken by the horrors he has witnessed. She is entranced by his plan to build an Italian chapel from war scrap and sea debris, and something beautiful begins to blossom.
But Con, scarred from a betrayal in her past, is afraid for her sister; she knows that people are not always what they seem.
Soon, trust frays between the islanders and outsiders, and between the sisters - their hearts torn by rival claims of duty and desire.
A storm is coming . . .
In the tradition of Captain Corelli's Mandolin, The Metal Heart is a hauntingly rich Second World War love story about courage, freedom and the essence of what makes us human during the darkest of times.
REVIEW
In the 1940's, twin sisters Dorothy and Constance have moved to the remote island of Selkie Holm off the main island of Orkney. As the only inhabitants, after a family tragedy, the sisters just want to be left alone to get on with their lives. This is all about to change when a German submarine attack causes panic. Five hundred Italian prisoners of war are moved in to build barriers in an attempt to fortify the island.
As time goes on, Dorothy gets to know Cesare (a trained painter and carver) who decides to build a chapel as a way to unite everyone and dispel the tension between the locals and their new neighbours. What seems like a simple love story begins to take a dark turn - friction grows between the sisters as Dorothy and Cesare's relationship becomes more serious, while at the same time, Constance is unable to move on after being attacked by one of the islanders Angus.
A powerful story of war, trauma, death and hope - The Metal Heart completely transported me to another time and place. My personal preference is to read stories with a mystery element, which is why for me, the story got better and better towards the end of the book as the tension increased. At the same time, there are elements of the story that would be perfect for fans of historical fiction in general, stories set during the war, or even readers who are more drawn to a love story. That is what I think is so fantastic about this book - there really is something to appeal to everyone as it crosses several genres.
I have only started reading historical fiction in the last year and while I was reading The Metal Heart I also followed the author Caroline Lea on her Twitter page as she posted a series of photographs of the actual chapel used as inspiration for the story (see below). Seeing these images gave me a completely different perspective on the book. Even though I knew that it was only a vague inspiration, and that the real story was quite different, it still helped to place the events and it really hit home that the types of relationships she had written about did actually happen, and how challenging it would have been for the people involved.
A highly descriptive and atmospheric novel which will draw you in from beginning to end - and in addition, the most gorgeous cover design - definitely one to add to your collections!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Caroline Lea grew up in Jersey and gained a First in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Warwick, where she now teaches on the Creative Writing degree. Her fiction and poetry have been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize, the Fish Short Story Competition and various flash fiction prizes. She currently lives in Warwick with her two young children and is writing her next novel. Her work often explores the pressure of small communities and fractured relationships, as well as the way our history shapes our beliefs and behaviour.
Thanks to @MichaelJBooks and @CarolineLea for the opportunity to read and review.
Fiction: Historical Fiction / Historical Thriller / Historical Mystery
Product format: Hardback
ISBN: 978-0241423301
Pages: 400 pp
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